Camelot was the lavish Starz version of the Arthurian legend which managed to coat the entire story in a sticky layer of sentimentality. Arthurs defining trait was his sexual attraction to Guinevere rather than his leadership or courage, and it didnt help that Jamie Campbell Bower looked a little too light to be swinging a sword about. Joseph Fiennes, whos already popped up on this list as the star of the ill-fated FlashForward, overacts to his hearts content as a darker and grittier Merlin and surprisingly, it works. Merlins mysterious origins and his complicated relationship with magic could have been overplayed, but somehow the show managed to keep its cards close to its chest, and its hints were genuinely compelling. Unfortunately, whole episodes therefore went by in which Merlin played only a minor role, and we were left to watch Guinevere and Arthur engage in a romantic post-coital staring contest on the beach. Swordfights and magic, Camelot! It shouldnt have been that hard.
