History Series / Kaamelott

* AdaptationalRomanceDowngrade: Merlin and the Lady of the lake, in Arthurian mythology, are usually a couple. Here they do not even speak to each other.

''Kaamelott'' is a French {{comedy series}} inspired by the Myth/ArthurianLegend that originally replaced another successful comedy series, ''Series/CameraCafe'', but soon became even more popular. It was created and written by Creator/AlexandreAstier ([[DescendedCreator who also plays]] the main role, that of Myth/KingArthur) and first aired on French channel M6 between 2004 and 2009.

The show's four first seasons (called "Livres", French for "Books") were composed of short episodes (about 3 and a half minutes each). The early seasons consisted of humorous depictions of daily life at King Arthur's court and of the knights' ineffective quest for the Holy Grail in DarkAgeEurope; but as the author grew more self-confident, it got spiced by [[ContinuityCreep more and more continuity]] (including RetCon at some point) and half-serious story arcs. Book V then had longer episodes (7 minutes) and a DarkerAndEdgier tone. Book VI aired in October 2009; it is a {{prequel}} season depicting Arthur's youth in AncientRome and was partly filmed using the sets built for Creator/{{HBO}}'s ''Series/{{Rome}}'' in Cinecittà.

** The Knights of the Round Table are often displayed in full plate armor, used in the 15th century, while the story takes place in the 5th century.
*** This one only lasted for the first couples of seasons, though. Once Alexandre Astier caught on with it, it gradually but swiftly faded before quietly and completely disappearing. While being more faithful to the period, the new costumes had the bonus of being more practical to move with and potentially more colourful
** While the plate armors got {{RetGone}}, it was obviously impossible to do the same with the massive stoned castles used for scenery and set, yet they are as much as out of place for the setting (5th-6th centuries) than said armors, given the fortress/molitary camps/fortified towns/whatever of the times were quasi always wooden ones and much, much smaller, both in height and in global size.

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Arthur, to the Lady of the Lake (see the OurGodsAreDifferent entry below); also, in Livre VI, one that is never answered, about the arranged marriage between Arthur and Guenièvre. ("And if the chap doesn't manage to pull the sword out of the stone, is the marriage still happening?")

-->'''Loth:''' ''[fed up, having to explain something for the umpteenth time]'' I don't want to rush to the Stone in order to unsheath Excalibur; I fear people might see me as power-hungry.\\

** While the plate armors got {{RetGone}}, it was obviously impossible to do the same with the massive stoned castles used for scenery and set, yet they are as much as out of place for the setting (Vth-VIth centuries) than said armors, given the fortress/molitary camps/fortified towns/whatever of the times were quasi always wooden ones and much, much smaller, both in height and in global size.

* CatchPhrase:

* CerebusRetcon: Arthur refusing to sleep with his wife for the entire series [[spoiler:turns out to be because he swore to the love of his life, who he secretly married (she was already married to another man), that he wouldn't consummate it. She allowed him to take mistresses, though.]]
* CerebusSyndrome: When [[spoiler:Lancelot left Arthur because of the blatant incompetence of the Round Table]], the tone began to change, and at the end of the fourth season, everyone was warned that the fifth season would be DarkerAndEdgier. This trope is indeed called "Fr/EffetKaamelott" in the French section of the Wiki.

* DaylightHorror: Méléagant's creepiest moment comes when he hijacks a seer from outside her tent, wearing a BlackCloak in broad daylight.

* TakesTenToHold: One episode sees Bohort turned into TheBerserker and Arthur mentions that he's had to post two guards in the infirmary to stop him from getting up and back to the battle. While two isn't that impressive a number, it is for Bohort, whose cowardice is otherwise legendary, being well-established as being afraid of anything bigger than rabbits and pheasants (including those two).

* VampireEpisode: The episode "La morsure du Dace" ("The Dacian's Bite") has Arthur coming back from a trip to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacia Dacia]] (which includes actual Transylvania) and complaining that a local had bitten him. He demonstrates gradual vampiric traits until Merlin can give him a potion that reverses the effects, although it'll take him three days.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kamelot.png]]

* WokenUpAtAnUngodlyHour: Several episodes feature people waking KingArthur in the middle of the night for what he refers to as bullshit such as thinking they saw a ghost, complaining about Arthur not singing along when asked to, or there being a report of four Picts maybe heading towards the castle.

* DevastatingRemark: The master-at-arms is a firm believer in VolleyingInsults and the FisticuffsProvokingComment, hurling abuse at his opponent whenever they're training (even KingArthur) and telling them to do the same. Arthur halfheartedly comes up with "your father only has one leg", which causes the master-at-arms to completely break down. However, he reminds Arthur of the time ''his'' father fell asleep in a barn and was shat on by a billygoat...

** {{Invoked|Trope}} when the weaponsmaster tells Bohort to find some kind of war cry (to help him fight and not be such a [[LovableCoward coward]]). Cue Bohort ''running at the enemy'' shouting "MISCREANTS!!" at the top of his lungs.

* LawfulStupid: Grüdü (yes, the Viking barbarian reared by polar bears) can follow orders to the exclusion of common sense. For example, when he and the weaponsmaster are guarding the front gate, no-one is guarding the back gate. If he goes to guard it, that's dereliction of duty. If the weaponsmaster goes, he's a deserter. While they argue semantics, the assassins slip in unimpeded (through the front gate).
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Léodagan mentioning that, "Once inside, all lost temples look alike." He's not wrong, of course, considering every instance of DungeonCrawling in the series reuses the same set.

* MedievalUniversalLiteracy: Averted, very few people (mostly the nobility and ecclesiastics) can read due to MedievalMorons being in full effect, even among those of whom it's expected (Karadoc and Perceval protesting that they can't read in response to something is a RunningGag).

* OnlySaneMan: Arthur, and (in his own opinion) Lancelot. Only ''intelligent'' man, [[WhatAnIdiot on the other hand...]]

** In one episode, Ygerne explains how Arthur is a ChildByRape: Uther used a shapeshifting potion to make her think he was her husband and have his way with her. Disturbingly, at the end of the episode, [[TheParagon Lancelot]] seems eager to try the trick with Guenièvre by turning into Arthur -- and Merlin, despite having produced the first potion, thinks he only means to use it [[ComicallyMissesThePoint for general roleplaying fun]].

'''Perceval:''' '''INDEPENDANT WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALES'''!!!\\

* StealthInsult: Although there usually is nothing "stealthy" about those, Arthur has a nice one in his face-off with Lancelot [[spoiler: when they talk about the latter's defection]]:

* TheHighKing: Arthur is King of the union of kingdoms that form Logres; some of his vassals keep their title of king, such as Bohort, Léodagan, Lot, Calogrenant, Hoel or Ketchatar.

--->''Bohort:'' Don't go in there! [...] They say that where he walks, grass never grows back!\\
''Arthur:'' There's no grass in my throne room.

* BearTrap: Séli once tries to stop Karadoc's nightly raids on the kitchen with some of these. It doesn't work. Karadoc even ''adds a few'' so that no-one would bother him while he's stuffing himself in his room.

*** In one case, when attempting to compose a song with Yvain (with a badly-tuned guitar), [[HollywoodToneDeaf he admits that the harmonies were a little off]], but doesn't think the instrument is to blame (his eyes darting at Yvain).

** Astier is a big fan of {{RPGs}} and most of the "quest" episodes are inspired by them.

** As for Yvain, he once went around calling himself "The Orphan of Cameliard" (see AndThereWasMuchRejoicing), after the big grey animal with a really long nose.

* TheHighKing: Arthur is King of the union of kingdoms that form Logres; some of his vassal keep their title of king, such at Bohort, Léodagan, Lot, Calogrenant, Hoel or Ketchatar.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kaamelott.jpg]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mo_8.jpg]]

** {{Invoked|Trope}} when the weaponsmaster tells Bohort to find some kind of war cry (to help him fight and not be such a [[LovableCoward coward]]. Cue Bohort ''running at the enemy'' shouting "MISCREANTS!!" at the top of his lungs.

** In Livre V, the theme of fatherhood becomes central to Arthur's story, and eventuality, [[spoiler: the news of his sterility [[DrivenToSuicide drive him to suicide]]]]. Astier himself is a father of seven, all of whom appeared at some point in the series or movie.