Yes, it suffers by comparison, though the familiarity of more people with the material might help it in ratings. The first episode or so just struck me as so gratuitous and shameless exploitative, that I stopped taking it seriously. Also I really cannot understand the apparent attraction of TV/movie people to obnoxious teenagers, or showing the learning experience of legendary figures. Did we need to see James Bond in spy training, or Rambo in boot camp or Frankenstein in medical school? Why then do we need to see King Arthur as a snotty little punk? And why does he have to BE a snotty little punk? It would be better if there was some sort of apparent justification for everyone falling in behind the kid beyond the fact that he has the right parents and Merlin had the foresight to have him raised by decent human beings. Like if he was maybe wise beyond his years or had an instinct for leadership and guidance or an uncanny knack for doing just the right thing to help the cause.