Entertainment
The Best New Fantasy Series On TV Is Being Buried For Political Reasons, How To Save It
By Jennifer Asencio
| Published
Joe Rogan recently interviewed Oscar-winning screenwriter Roger Avary on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. During their three-hour discussion, Avary mentioned that he’s been watching the show The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin on Daily Wire+. He had high praise for the show, comparing it to the classic King Arthur movie, Excalibur.
“Mainstay producers are no longer reliable,” he complained, adding that they’re spending billions of dollars to make “Lord of the Rings things,” while Pendragon was made for very little and has flown under the radar of pop culture. He admitted that he went into the show thinking he wasn’t going to like it, but was pleasantly surprised: “This is, to me, as good as classic television.”
So why aren’t more people watching the show?
I reviewed The Pendragon Cycle for GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT. To say that I am “not its target audience” is a mixed statement. I love Arthurian legend, but the show and the novels it was based on embrace Christian themes that I was sure would feel too proselytizing. I agreed to review it out of curiosity, but I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. Rise of the Merlin should work for a wide audience, but for some reason, it isn’t getting the attention it deserves.
Major Critics Refuse To Review The Pendragon Cycle
Major critics are not reviewing The Pendragon Cycle. The only reviews being given are from content creators and pre-existing fans of its host service, The Daily Wire. Despite advertising on social media, YouTube, and releasing trailers, very little attention has been given to Rise of the Merlin. Even Melania got the courtesy of bad reviews from the press.
However, The Daily Wire has been controversial since its inception. The website and its streaming service are viewed as a far-right news channel, and many of its key figures have incited the anger of its political rivals.
Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, and Matt Walsh are all associated with the channel, as well as other strictly conservative commentators who are very public-facing and often outspoken. Since much of the entertainment industry is progressive, they don’t agree with the politics espoused by The Daily Wire’s news arm.
The Pendragon Cycle Is Locked Behind A Paywall
Most people who subscribe to The Daily Wire are conservatives who are looking for conservative news and viewpoints. The Pendragon Cycle is limited to these viewers because The Daily Wire focuses mainly on non-fiction content. Most of its programming is news, commentary, and history. The majority of its fictional programming is kids’ television.
The streamer’s entertainment division is also less than a decade old and hasn’t produced much original content. The movies they have produced have been well-received by audiences but panned by critics: Run, Hide, Fight, which I have seen, scored 93% with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes but only 30% with reviewers. Audiences seem to enjoy the content on Daily Wire+, when they can access it.
There is not enough content on Daily Wire+ to be competitive with other small streamers like Shudder. This means that the quality entertainment The Daily Wire has been producing has not only been ignored by biased critics but also siloed away behind a paywall that has a niche audience. Their content is better than niche, and The Pendragon Cycle in particular is an incredible cinematic achievement that showcases what The Daily Wire is capable of.
How To Get Rise Of Merlin The Attention It Deserves
Given the difficulty Daily Wire+ is having getting people to sign up, they should consider licensing properties like The Pendragon Cycle for distribution beyond their service. Not only do these movies deserve to be seen, but they also have a much wider potential audience beyond the “far right.”
If Rise of Merlin had the chance to compete for viewership based on its merit rather than on whether or not someone is conservative enough to sign up for Daily Wire+, it would almost certainly succeed. In a world filled with slop created by the unreliable mainstream, The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin is the ideal alternative. Slop eaters will always slurp up their Rings of Power episodes, but the rest of the world would happily flock to the show.
People often complain that conservatives don’t create good art, but it’s easy to pretend that when their art isn’t even acknowledged. If you’re looking for good programming, heed Avary’s advice and get over the fact that The Pendragon Cycle was produced by The Daily Wire.