Starz "Camelot": Crown Jewel or Royal Flop?

I'm a historati; as such, I fancy myself capable of predicting which historical dramas will sizzle and which will fizzle. Much fanfare is being given, Starz channel "Camelot" mini-series. Will it be a jewel in the crown or a royal flop. Let's pick over the carcass and cast our lots.

Venue. "Camelot" a Starz feature.Hmm, a mediocre cable channel production. Not much there to advertise it.

Costumes and scenery. Looks like a live action version of "Evony" or "World of Warcraft". It screams interactive video game.

Story history. Camelot and variations of the story abound ad nauseum. Most have higher user ratings than "Camelot" 2011. The most popular version of Camelot is the 1975 parody "Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail" (Graham Chapman is Arthur).

1959, 1997 - "Prince Valiant"
1967 - "Camelot" (Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave)
1981 -"Excalibur" (my personal Arthurian legend version)
1982 -"Camelot" (Richard Harris, again)
1995- "First Knight" (Sean Connery was Arthur)
1998 - "Merlin" (Sam Neill, Helena Bonham-Carter, Sir John Gielgud)
2004-"Kammelot"

"A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" (Mark Twain)

--In 1949 Sir Cedric Hardwicke was King Arthur
--In 1955 Boris Karloff wore Authur's crown
--In 1989 Michael Gross played Arthur
--In1995 Joss Ackland did the Pendragon and Ron Moody (Fagin from "Oliver") was Merlin.

Actors. At first glance, the "Camelot" 2011 cast looks like a photo shoot from Gilbert and Sullivan or a 70s soap opera. I happen to be familiar with some of them know them to be reliable, if not sterling.

King Arthur is Jamie Campbell Bower. Besides being edibly adorable, Campbell Bower is also rather talented. You've seen him in "Twilght" and "New Moon" (Caius) and "Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (Anthony) and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" (Gellert Grindelwald).

Joseph Fiennes is Merlin. Fiennes was in "Luther", "Elizabeth", "Enemy at the Gates", "Shakespeare in Love", and "The Merchant of Venice". He has outdone himself playing mercurial, haunted characters and Merlin will suit him down to the ground. I think he takes himself too seriously, but he has undeniable talent.

Tamsin Egerton is Guinevere. I liked her in "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking" (with Rupert Everett as Holmes). Eva Green will have a shot at Morgan Le Fay (I've played that role myself, in little theater productions; it's great fun). Eva certainly has the eyes for it. Sean Pertwee and James Purefoy also have roles and they are both reliable actors.

Here is the "Camelot" website for you to play with while you wait until it premiers April 1. Just for fun, here are some fun freebies from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. For more on movies, visit my linked blogs.