Overlooked Merlin Series Honored With Best Acting Award

By Jennifer Asencio
| Published 43 seconds ago

Last month, Giant Freakin Robot reported that Colin Cunningham, who played King Vortigern on The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin, was nominated for a British Columbia Leo Award for his role on the show. The Leo Award is similar to the Golden Globes, in that it honors both movies and series for technical excellence in categories ranging from Best Show to Best Costuming, with a focus on Canadian talent. Cunningham has worked in the Canadian TV market, including on the series Falling Skies, making him eligible for the award.

The Pendragon Cycle is about the youth of Merlin, in the days before he was even advisor to Uther Pendragon, Arthur’s father. In fact, Colin Cunningham’s episode, “A Fatherless Child,” is the one that chronicles the two legendary men meeting as Uther’s brother, Aurelius, attempts to rally all the regional kings of Briton under one banner to fight off invading Saxons. Cunningham’s character, King Vortigern, has been working with the Saxons, much to his own detriment. Vortigern demands Merlin’s counsel but is such a tyrant that Merlin refuses to work with him. However, Vortigern is more of a tragic figure than an evil one, a king who is simultaneously trying to do the best for his people while doing absolutely the wrong thing.

A Powerhouse Performance Finally Getting Its Flowers

Cunningham’s performance was tear-jerking from beginning to end as he wrestles with the new world that has come to his doorstep, making the character a formidable opponent for Tom Sharp’s Merlin. This made it one of the most dramatic episodes in the entire series, not to mention a wonderful follow-up to a somewhat middling premiere. The entire series was excellent, and I have written reviews of nearly the entire series, rating it an average of 4.5 stars.

Despite the high production values, compelling script, and excellent performances by a mix of experienced actors like Cunningham and Steve Varnom (who played King Custennin in episodes 5 and 7) and newcomers like Sharp and Alex Laurence-Phillips, The Pendragon Cycle started its life being snubbed by critics. It also premiered on Daily Wire+, a niche streamer that is mostly conservative news and controversial personalities, which was the main reason given by many pundits who didn’t want to judge the show on its own merits.

Fortunately, the Leo Awards did judge the show on its own merits and found a way to honor it through Cunningham’s role. While Americans were shooting off fireworks for the 250^th, Cunningham was busy winning the Leo Award for Best Lead Performance in a Dramatic Series. So, while the series still, as of this writing, has no Rotten Tomatoes score, it has already racked up one award, which, if awards are being honest, should be the first of many. It also makes a stronger case for making a second season, especially given that the first season ended with a major time jump that left a lot of questions unanswered.

Congratulations to Colin Cunningham on earning this award, and to the entire production cast and crew of The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin, for hard work finally recognized. If the sword wasn’t in the stone, I’d raise it in cheers.