Mr. Merlin

I think it certainly makes a change to see a handsome trainee wizard like Zachary Rogers! Makes a nice change from the irritating Sabrina! I was only 12 when I first saw Mr Merlin and could remember his big blue eyes (sigh!). It always had a moral to the story ie. Dont go for the best looking girls as the plainer ones are nicer people. Which is good advice!! Mr Merlin isnt the sort of comedy that has you in fits of laughter, but its still very good. I`m so pleased to see it after all these years and have just watched 18 episodes of it!

Worth a watch!!!

Max Merlin (Barnard Hughes) is the actual Merlin. He's over 1600 years old and running a small garage gas station in San Francisco. His constant companion is 1100 years old popping spirit Alex (Elaine Joyce). He's ordered to get an apprentice. He selects high school student Zachary Rogers (Clark Brandon) who pulled the crowbar. Leo Samuels (Jonathan Prince) is Zach's best friend.

This was 8pm on CBS leading in the last season of WKRP. It is a family friendly sitcom. It reminds me a little of Sabrina the Teenage Witch. This is less teenie but maybe it should be more. It needs to spend more time at the high school. There's no logic in Merlin being a car mechanic and it separates him from the school. He should be the school janitor or librarian. Either one would allow him to have a secret magic room. At the very least, there should be more main characters at the school other than Zach and Leo. In one episode, Janine Turner plays an evil cheerleader. She could have been a recurring character. Zach should be chasing the impossible hot girl while a sweet girl is his Girl Friday. Instead, the school is only story material for individual episodes. This is a fine family friendly network sitcom, but it has more potential than that.

I really enjoyed this series growing up. it's charming story plots are wonderful and the majority of the cast are VERY lovable (unlike what's out today). Like everyone else, I really HATED that it lasted only one season!! what's up with that?! it had Clark Brandon (the only guy I've seen to have buck teeth, button nose, and BIG blue-eyes, and still looked damn awesome). it had the momentum to run at least for another few seasons. I had seen Clark Brandon in various TV roles (Jo's BF from Facts of Life, for one), but really liked that this show revolved around him. I've seen his later performances (ex: Fast food--though i really didn't care for it--Zack's personality really fit Clark for me... but then again, so did Eddie's). I hated that he faded into obscurity. he was just as talented as others in that time period, and it's a shame that studios didn't make more use of him. as a kid, i wanted to be like him.. except my eyes are hazel.

I think Mr Merlin`s great even if its just to gaze into Zach`s big blue eyes!!! There seems to be a moral to each of the episodes. I loved watching it as a child and now that I have most of the episodes, my children also love watching it! Better than Sabrina! Its nice to have a handsome wizard for the ladies!!!

I think they ripped off the idea from The George Burns Oh God film with John Denver. It's extremely light fair for the easily amused.