Librarians poster…and the Crown of King Arthur / …and the Sword in the Stone

The Library decides that Flynn Carson needs some help and sends him counter-terrorist agent Eve Baird – just as the Library comes under serious attack…

Those people who have missed the whacky early episodes of Warehouse 13 need to tune into this TNT/Syfy UK series at once – it’s got the same sense of fun, zany humour, and pretty good chemistry between the cast (although I don’t really buy the connection between former Mystique Rebecca Romijn and Noah Wyle’s Librarian). Those who have seen the three TV movies over the past decade have a bit of an advantage but there’s quick explanations of Wyle, Jane Curtin and Bob Newhart’s characters – and they’re not likely to be around that much.

Three potential Librarians are brought in, initially to save their lives, but then to help with the problem facing the Library. As the poster indicates, it’s them that the series is clearly going to be focused around: each is being painted in broad strokes at this stage of the game, but all of them have their strengths and weaknesses to bring to the team, some of which are telegraphed rather unsubtlely. John Larroquette has the curmudgeonly caretaker role down pat and hopefully Wyle (who’s one of the exec producers) will make occasional appearances.

There’s something of the old ITC series of the 1960s about this – we’re not quite at the faulty back projection level, but the shots of “London” were not exactly convincing and the music (while occasionally a little overpowering for the scenes) was of the same ilk.

You’re either going to dismiss this as overly silly, or buy into its own slightly out of kilter universe, but I suspect those who stick around will be rewarded with an entertaining ten episodes.

Verdict: Silly, but fun – and we all need series like that from time to time. 7/10

Paul Simpson

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