Claim: Merlin premiered.

Merlin is a British fantasy-adventure television programme created by Julian Jones , Jake Michie , Julian Murphy , and Johnny Capps , starring Colin Morgan in the title role . It was broadcast on BBC One from 20 September 2008 to 24 December 2012 for a total of 65 episodes . The show is loosely based on the Arthurian legends of the young wizard Merlin and his relationship with King Arthur , but it differs from traditional versions . The show was influenced by the US drama series Smallville about the early years of Superman , and was produced by independent production company Shine Limited .   The show was picked up by the BBC in 2006 after unsuccessful attempts . The series premiered in 2008 to mixed reviews but good ratings which improved as the series went on , and proved popular on the BBC 's digital catch-up service iPlayer . It was shown in the United States on NBC , though it later moved to the cable network Syfy . It is a mainstay in both Netflix US and UK .   Merlin is a reimagining of the legend in which the future King Arthur and Merlin are young contemporaries . Arthur 's father Uther Pendragon has banned magic in Camelot , its use punishable by death , forcing Merlin to keep his magical powers secret from everyone in Camelot other than his mentor Gaius . Arthur grows from a young , self-absorbed boy to the mighty king in the legends , and Merlin develops into his colossal role in creating the powerful Camelot . In 2012 , the show 's producers announced that its fifth series would be its last , with a two-part finale on 24 December 2012 .