Kaamelott: Difference between revisions

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'''''Kaamelott''''' is a French series created and written by Alexandre Astier and aired on the French '''M6''' broadcast since 2004. Its four first seasons (called "livres", french for "books") were composed of short episodes (about 3 and a half minutes each.) Early seasons parodied depictions of daily life at King Arthur's court and the knights' ineffective quest for the Holy Grail; but as the author grew more self-confident, it got spiced by more and more continuity (including [[Retcon]] at some point), half-serious story arcs. The fifth season then had longer episodes (7 minutes) and a [[Darker and Edgier]] tone.

* [[Arranged Marriage]]: Arthur and Guenièvre. Arthur makes it perfectly clear that he has married her for purely political reasons.

* [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking]]: In Livre VI. During a war council, right after everyone acknowledges that Loth tried to betray them, he justifies himself with a philosophical speech. Léodagan slowly walks away, then comes back with a spiked hammer.

* [[The Bartender]]: The innkeeper

* [[Beat]]: Quite possibly the most used gag on the show, usually with [[Only Sane Man|Arthur]] unable to respond to whatever absymally stupid comment was just made except by staring and sighing.

* [[The Chosen Zero]]: In one episode, the kingdom runs into a problem that only Merlin can solve. So Arthur says, "Wait a minute, are you telling me our last hope is Merlin?" Cue concerned looks between all characters and Bohort saying it: "We're all gonna die!"

* [[Chronic Backstabbing Disorder]]: King Loth

* [[Cloudcuckoolander]]

** Karadoc

* [[Color Coded for Your Convenience]]: The Knights of the Round Table: brownish red (Arthur), navy blue (Léodagan), white (Lancelot), red (Karadoc, his brother and his wife), light blue (Perceval), green (Bohort), dark green (Calogrenant).

* [[Comically Missing the Point]]: Happens quite often, but if we have to quote one, Arthur in "La Pâte d'Amandes" ("Marzipan"), answering Guenièvre's [[Berserk Button]]:

'''Arthur:''' ''(thoughtful)'' I don't think that you're really the "Symbol of the Briton Nation"... }}

* [[The Comically Serious]]

** Most especially Kadoc, Hervé de Rinel, and the Burgundian King.

* [[Dumbass Has a Point]]: Perceval; for all his foolishness, he can sometimes prove surprisingly insightful. Even Léodagan admitted it once (about celebrating the birth of Alexander the Great):

'''Léodagan:''' [[I Can't Believe I'm Saying This|This is going to sound weird, but...]] I rather agree with him. }}

* [[The Dung Ages]]: Arthur is the only one in the series remotely concerned about personal hygiene. Some supporting characters have never taken a bath in their lives, and are in fact unacquainted with the very concept.

* [[Genius Ditz]]: Perceval

* [[Genre Savvy]]: Father Blaise, and, to some extend, Arthur and the other knights.

* [[Girlfriend in Canada]]: Played with. [[Camp Straight|Bohort's]] wife is summoned to Kaamelott, but Bohort maintains that she arrived very late at night, after everyone went to bed, and has retired to her chambers with seasickness -- which is why nobody may see her. Turns out he's telling the truth.

* [[Giver of Lame Names]]: Gauvain & Yvain. Especially Gauvain. "Knight of the Pancreas", indeed.

* [[Global Ignorance]]: A lot of characters besides Arthur.

** Hervé de Rinel, after a grand tour of Britannia, concludes that the island is round. Worse than that is when he adds, to be more convincing, "I went around it twice to be sure!"

** Séli has basically no idea of geography: she doesn't know where Aquitaine, the Pyrénées, or Burdigala<ref>Roman name for the city of Bordeaux</ref> are.

** And then there's Robyn:

* [[Glowing Eyes]]: Arthur and Léodagan were afflicted by this for a while after Merlin misfired a spell (to make plants grow...). Léodagan, especially, wasn't happy about the pinkish glow of his eyes.

* [[Government Conspiracy]]: Parodied in the episode "Silbury Hill II", with Arthur and Co. trying to hide {{spoiler|an alien visitation (maybe)}}.

* [[Grievous Harm with a Body]]: While complaining about the enormous appetites, drunken singing and lack of manners of the clan chieftains Kaamelott is hosting, Séli adds:

''([[Beat|blank stare from Arthur]])''<br />

'''Séli:''' They fight ''with'' the servants.<br />

* [[It Will Never Catch On]]

** The episode "L'Interprète" has the following discussion:

'''Interpreter:''' ''(surprised)'' Burgundian culture? I didn't even know there was one. No, I wanted to study Modern Greek, but it was full; the only languages left were Burgundian or English. '''English'''! But that's even less widespread. }}

** In another episode, when Merlin tries out "modern medecine" instead of magical healing, Arthur tells him it will never catch on. Though that's understandable, considering the best Merlin could come up with was throwing salt in an open wound....

* [[Lawful Stupid]]: Grüdü can follow orders to the exclusion of common sense.

* [[Lethal Chef]]: Séli

'''Arthur:''' It's incredible, it's like eating dirt, and cow dung, and gravel, it smells like a henhouse, but it really is celery and onions. It's amazing. }}

* [[Lovable Coward]]: Everybody except Arthur, Lancelot, and Léodagan. Bohort stands out as the most acute case.

* [[Malaproper]]

** Perceval and Karadoc's dialogues are hilarious when they try to use big words.

'''Perceval:''' Right. }}

** The Burgund king has no idea of what he's saying, including such gems as "the flower in the bouquet withers... and is ''never'' reborn!", "I appreciate fruits in syrup", "Not change plate for the cheese!" and "strong in apples". He also starts sniggering at "biography".

* [[Only Sane Man]]: Arthur, and (in his own opinion) Lancelot.

* [[Our Gods Are Greater]]: Played with. The series is creatively ambiguous about which gods, if any, exist. Arthur has formally converted to Christianity for the sake of convenience but isn't much of a believer (in fact, he prays to Mars at one point), and retains an overtly pagan wizard on his payroll. It's even [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] by Arthur when the Lady of the Lake tries to make Arthur feel guilty for praying to Mars.

'''Arthur:''' [[Armor-Piercing Question|Because the One God is Celtic?]]<br />

'''Lady of the Lake:''' ''(bewildered)'' Huh... Hmm... Well, he's the One.<br />

* [[Rapid-Fire Comedy]]

* [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]]: There are a few during the series, but the scene of the Round Table in "The Return of the King" (in Livre V) is often considered a raging, liberating, howling-at-the-moon [[Moment of Awesome]] by the fans, considering whom it is given to. Context : by some improbable twists of fate, Karadoc (who, in Livre V, is [[Cloudcuckoolander|that]] [[Jerkass|kind]] [[The Ditz|of]] [[Up to Eleven|character]]), has been crowned king by his wife [[Manipulative Bastard|Mevanwi]]. Then, when Arthur came back from a quest, during the Round Table meeting, he and Perceval invite Arthur, and give a [["The Reason You Suck" Speech]] to every knight in attendance, and to Arthur in particular (they don't know the purpose of Arthur's quest, i.e. find out if he's got children somewhere). Speech to which Arthur replies with one of his own, delivered in one of the calmest voice ever, with a bittersweet music in the background.

'''Arthur:''' ''(nods, depressed)'' Stop calling me Sire. }}

* [[Retcon]]: Quite a few, since the first Livre was just a succession of funny episodes without any plot. Those are always minor details, though.

** [Character searching a word, asking to Arthur] > [Arthur suggesting the right word] > "Nah, [said word], that's everything happening in the countryside, isn't it?"

* [[Sarcasm Blind]]: Perceval

'''Arthur:''' I imagine that this really will be ''[[Sarcasm Mode|epic]]'', once more.<br />

'''Perceval:''' Well, no, I guess that this will be quite lame. }}

* [[Translation Convention]]: Occasionally averted. A summit with the Burgundian King required an interpreter. Also [[Played With]], since after that episode, we learn that the Burgundian King took some lessons in Arthur's language. [[The Ditz|Though what he says still doesn't make any sense]].

* [[Try to Fit That on A Business Card]]: When two wizards are about to duel (in any way), they must announce the complete titles and honors of the other.

'''Elias:''' Merlin; Enchanter of Britain, [[What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?|Defeater of the Winchester Weasel, Creator of the Potion of Ingrown Nails Cure]], Author of the scroll ''Druidism for Old Folks''...<br />

'''Merlin:''' ''(interrupts)'' Yeah, alright, alright. ''(to Arthur)'' You were right, it's gonna take forever. }}