Dream Factory: Galavant

Galavant
Original airdate: January 2015
Original US broadcaster: ABC
Episode total: 8
Availability: Streaming on Hulu
Grade: C+

Summary from Rotten Tomatoes: "A medieval hero fights to win back the love of his life, Madalena, from the evil king who stole her in this musical comedy."

At a length of only eight episodes, Galavant manages to cover a significant amount of plot with numerous twists along the way.  Within the first two or three episodes, the synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB has been discarded, as Galavant shifts his focus to helping Isabella, the princess of Valencia, rescue her parents from King Richard, who has overthrown the kingdom along with his new bride, Madalena.  Add numerous side plots, ranging from land pirates to an adorable relationship between Richard's cook and Madalena's handmaid, and there's almost too much stuffed into each 22 minute episode.

Despite the pedigree of the show's composer, Alan Menken, the majority of the tunes are woefully forgettable with a few exceptions (the title song, which is reprised so many times it's impossible to forget,  and a riff on Sweeney Todd's human pies sung by the cook and maidservant).  I don't believe it's Mr. Menken's fault, however.  It's the format that's damaging.  Stuffing 3 or 4 songs into 22 minutes seldom works for children's shows, let alone adult fare, and here many of the songs fall flat.  While the writing on Smash may not have been the best, nearly every song on the show had a purpose, which is something that cannot be said of the songs on Galavant.  Perhaps in its second season it will expand into an hour-long format and combat this problem.

My other qualm with the show was its plethora of potshots and cheap jokes.  Given its renewal and vocal fanbase, I'm apparently in the minority, but I was expecting witty dialogue, puns, and wordplay for some reason, not sex jokes and stereotypes (see the episode where the group visits the squire's Jewish village for reference).

Regardless of the issues I had with the show, I am glad to see something on US TV that's at least trying to break the mold, even if it's not entirely successful.  Here's hoping season two is better. 
 

Dream Factory: Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
Original airdate: October 2013 - April 2014
Original US broadcaster: ABC
Episode total: 13
TV PG
Availability: No DVD release date announced, episodes available for download purchase through Amazon
D+

Summary from Rotten Tomatoes: "In the first and only season of this spin-off from Once Upon a Time, a young Victorian Englishwoman named Alice (Sophie Lowe) is taken to an asylum after sharing fanciful tales of a magical world on the other side of a rabbit hole. Just before she's about to have an operation to make her forget about these tales, the Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha) saves her and transports her back to Wonderland. Upon returning, she tries to reunite with Cyrus (Peter Gadiot), the genie with whom she fell in love. But the reunion is not easy, because Wonderland is populated with its share of villains, including Jafar (Naveen Andrews) and the Red Queen (Emma Rigby)."

The summary alone should indicate that this show was a bit of a trainwreck and suffered from many of the same issues as Tim Burton's 2010 Alice film: the writers seemed to have no knowledge (or respect) for the original work.  Wonderland became a generic fantasy world where its bizarre flora and fauna were frequently treated as threats to our maudlin protagonists.  Merging the Wonderland characters with Agrabah and Jafar only confused the writing more.  It's still unclear to me why the writers chose to combine these stories to create one convoluted plotline.  If they had focused instead on making a Wonderland heavily rooted in the work of Lewis Carroll, perhaps it would have fared better.

The CG for this show, which is used in the sets and any non-human characters, was some of the worst CG on television.  Instead of creating a unique world that the audience would want to visit, its quality was so hokey that it was laughable.  It was the CG equivalent of visible wires.  If a show doesn't have the budget to use good CG effects, then I'd much rather have constructed sets and puppets.  Well-made sets and props will age much better than low-budget CG.

Unfortunately for the show, the CG quality was the least of its problems.  In addition to distractingly bad hairstyling (at least in the first few episodes), the writing was lackluster.  The romance between Alice and Cyrus was disgustingly saccharine for no apparent reason.  They made Snow and Charming seem like a normal couple, which is saying a lot.  I understand that the producers likely thought that a romance would induce viewers to keep watching, but I found it to be superfluous and completely unrelated to the original work.  It was obviously shoehorned in, as was the relationship between the Knave and the Red Queen. 

That being said, the Knave was one of the only likeable characters on the show, with the other being Jafar.  I'm not sure why the Once writers have such difficulty writing believable good characters, but it's only the villains and neutral characters that seem to have any depth.

To be honest, I kept watching each week with the hope that things would improve, but instead I found myself MST3king each episode.  It was the worst show I watched this year, and I'm glad that it was canceled so I don't have to find time for it each week next season.  

Once Upon a Time..For King and Country

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 5: "Good Form"

In the fairyback, we are introduced to Lt. Killian Jones, a member of some nation's navy, and his brother Liam, the captain.  They are under orders to set sail for Neverland, using a sail constructed of Pegasus feathers that allows the ship to fly, and retrieve a plant that is purported to cure any illness.  However, when the brothers reach land, they are greeted by Peter Pan, who, when shown a drawing of the plant, warns them that it is the deadly Dreamshade.  Liam disregards Pan's warning, and the brothers travel into the jungle in search of the plant.

When the two find the Dreamshade, they have an argument over whether or not to return with it.  Killian is apt to believe Pan and thinks it could be used as a weapon against opposing forces.  Wanting to prove to his brother that there's nothing to fear, Liam scratches himself with the Dreamshade and rapidly succumbs to its poison.  Pan reappears and tells Killian of a restorative spring that will heal his brother, but cautions that magic always has a price.  Killian brings the water to his brother, who immediately becomes healthy again, but Pan is gone.

The brothers return to their ship, determined to return to their kingdom and out the king's machinations.  However, once the ship reaches open water, Liam collapses and dies.  Furious with their king, the crew, now led by Killian, decides to become pirates.

As the main group continues to search for a clue in Neal's cave, Emma realizes that at some point he ceased to tally the days, indicating that he lost hope.  Worried that Henry will also lose hope, Snow suggests that they devise a plan to contact Henry.  David and Hook head into the jungle to gather vines for a trap, where they get into a fight over Hook's interest in Emma.  When the argument is about to come to blows, David collapses from the Dreamshade. Hook then claims that he knows of a sextant that will help lead them from the island, and he and David decide to search for it while the women prepare the trap.

Emma, Snow, and Regina lay in wait for a wild boar that is also being hunted by a Lost Boy.  When the boy nears the boar, Snow fires not at the animal, but at a net, trapping the boy.  Regina offers the boy a chocolate bar, hoping to coax him into giving them the information they seek, but he refuses it.  He claims that he's in Neverland because he doesn't want to go home.  Snow notices the scar on his cheek and asks why he would want to stay with Pan if it results in injury, and the boy explains that it was actually Henry who gave him the scar during  a duel.  With no other way of working with the boy, Regina removes his heart in order to control him and sends him back to the Lost Boys' camp with a magic compact with which they can communicate with Henry.  The plan works, though Henry must abandon the compact as Pan returns to camp.

Meanwhile, Hook and David climb the mountain to retrieve the sextant, David belittling Hook all the while.  When the two reach the precipice, Hook tells David to wait while he climbs ahead.  At the top, Pan is waiting for him.  Pan offers Hook a deal where Hook and Emma will be free to leave Neverland if Hook kills David.  Hook neither agrees to nor refuses the deal.  David, disregarding Hook's wish for him to wait, climbs to the top and unsheathes his sword, having overheard Hook's conversation with Pan.  But before he can incite Hook to battle, he collapses.  Proving that he's the better person, Hook retrieves the healing water and offers it to David, warning that he will never be able to leave Neverland if he drinks it.  Realizing that Hook concocted the sextant ruse as a means of convincing him to travel to the spring, David drinks the water and the two return to the others.

Reunited with the group, David claims that the Lost Boys beat them to the sextant and the two were ambushed, with Hook saving David's life.  The group, save Regina, toasts Hook's heroic act.  Emma thanks him for saving David, and Hook tells her he'd like a kiss as a reward.  After some back-and-forth, Emma kisses him before returning to the others.  Alone, Hook is met by Pan, who tells him Neal is alive and imprisoned.  Pan hopes this information will prove to Emma what type of man Hook truly is.

I enjoyed the backstory given to Hook, as it not only fleshed out his past by showing why he chose to become a pirate, but also exemplified his honor.  Rather than a straightforward revenge arc, it also demonstrated that Hook is genuinely concerned for his country and his crew, making him one of the more complex characters on the show.  I definitely look forward to seeing more of his early pirate days, though I doubt the writers will bring them to us unless the king somehow fits into the plot.  I sort of expect it to be another loose thread.

David proved himself, once again, to be a completely insufferable blowhard.  I continually struggle to understand how any viewers could enjoy his character, or what Snow might see in him.  I have to applaud Hook for saving David's self-righteous behind, as I don't think I would have been able to do so.  Hopefully, David will have learned a valuable life lesson here and change for the better, but I doubt it.  The writers seem only to know how to write their heroes as paladins.

Also, this whole "Captain Swan" business being perpetuated by the Internet just needs to stop.  I wouldn't categorize myself as "Team Neal," but I was appalled by the speed at which Emma moved on from her supposed true love.  Six episodes ago, she believes she saw Neal die and now she's initiating a kiss with Hook?  I can't be the only person who thinks that makes Emma a horrible person, right?  And angling for a love triangle between Emma, Neal, and Hook smacks of a daytime soap opera.  I know the ratings have been dropping this season, but I don't think this is the way to combat the problem.  On the bright side, the writers don't seem to have the attention span to continue arcs for more than a few episodes, so I'm sure this will resolve itself by mid-season.

Once Upon a Time...Father and Son

I realize that I am now several episodes behind this season.  Between various Halloween events and a three day convention for which I was one of the event organizers, I have been very busy of late.  I am going to try to have episodes 4 and 5 up in the next couple of days, then a much-needed book post, followed by episodes 6 and 7.

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 4: "Nasty Habits"

In the fairyback, Rumpel keeps Bae as a prisoner in his own home, refusing to let him roam freely for fear someone will hurt him in an attempt to get to Rumpel.  One day, Rumpel returns home to find him missing, so he goes to the nearby village in search of him, where he discovers the villager's children have been led away by the pied piper.  He waits until nightfall, when the piper plays again, and follows the children who are lured from their homes.

Reaching a clearing in the forest where masked youths dance around a bonfire, Rumpel searches for Bae.  The piper reveals himself to be none other than Peter Pan, who Rumpel knew as a boy.  Pan tells Rumpel to ask Bae who he would like to stay with, but fearing rejection, Rumpel magically transports Bae back to their home.  Bae tells Rumpel that, had Rumpel asked, he would have chosen him.

In the present, the conjured Belle warns Rumpel of the prophecy that foretells his death.  Rumpel feels the only way to atone for his past misdeeds and the loss of his son is to save Henry, even if it means he will die.  Meanwhile, Neal is found and captured by Felix, who seems to be a higher-ranking Lost Boy, but Neal manages to untie his restraints and escape.  As Rumpel stalks through the forest, he comes upon two Lost Boys, upon whom he casts a spell.  Neal comes up behind him, and Rumpel attacks (much as he did the conjured Belle several episodes ago), certain that it is a trick of Pan's.  After reassuring Rumpel that it is truly him and he survived the gunshot wound, Neal is released and the two continue the search for Henry together.

As the rest of the Storybrooke gang plans their strategy for attacking Pan, Tinkerbell is disappointed to learn that they have no exit strategy.  She reminds them that no one ever leaves Neverland without Pan's permission and implies that their planning is futile if they can't escape.  Since Neal had previously escaped from Neverland, Hook hopes to find some clue in the cave where Neal once lived.  The walls are covered in drawings and tally marks, none of which make any apparent sense to the group.  Emma finds a coconut that has been crafted into a lantern of sorts that shows the constellations.  She hopes that Hook can use it to devise a way off the island, but he states that it's coded and only Neal would know the meaning.  Devastated, Emma runs into the woods.  Upset by the fact that she has no idea how to comfort their daughter, Snow turns to David, saying she would react the same way if he were to die.  Knowing that he will likely die of the dreamshade poison, but still refusing to tell his family, David tells her she would have to be strong for Emma and Henry.

At the Lost Boys's camp, Pan notices that Henry is not an active participant in the boys' songs and games.  He plays his pipes for Henry, but the boy hears nothing, as he does not yet consider himself lost.  Two boys arrive with information for Pan, who excuses himself from Henry.  The boys report that they have seen Rumpel and Neal working together.

Soon after, Rumpel and Neal arrive at the camp.  The two use a two-pronged formation, with Neal stalking behind Pan with a bow and arrow.  When Neal fires, Pan easily catches the arrow in his hand, exactly as  Neal had predicted and hoped, for the arrow was coated in a squid ink that immobilizes magic.  Pan claims that Rumpel is only there to kill Henry, an attempt on his part to distance the duo.  The two flee with Henry, and once a sufficient distance from Pan, Neal demands an explanation. Despite Rumpel protesting that he has changed and no longer plans to harm Henry, Neal is skeptical.  Neal orders Rumpel to give him the dagger for safekeeping as proof that his father has truly changed, but, Rumpel's shadow having hidden it, Rumpel cannot comply.  Neal takes his father's hand and dips it in the ink, then leaves with Henry.  When the spell wears off, the conjured Belle warns Rumpel of falling into his old habit of self-preservation, but he imagines her away.

Neal is captured by the Lost Boys and Henry returned to Pan.  While Neal insists that he can escape from Neverland again, but Pan hints that it was a part of his scheme to allow Neal to escape, meet Emma, and sire the truest believer.  Once Henry wakes, Pan plays the pipes for him again.  Henry, able to hear them now, joins the other boys dancing around the campfire.

I was disappointed to learn that this was one of the least-watched episodes in the show's three seasons, as I thought it was one of the best thus far this season.  Both Robert Carlyle and Michael Raymond-James have proven that they are assets to this show, so any episode where the two get to interact is likely to be one of the better ones.  That being said, I did have a couple of things to nitpick.

Given the animosity between Pan and Neal, I found it a bit unrealistic for Neal to believe what Pan said about Rumpel.  Yes, I realize that the relationship between Rumpel and Neal is extremely strained and that Neal has yet to see a positive side of his father, but I would think that even given those factors, he would believe Rumpel before Pan.  Of course, it was far more dramatic to have Neal immobilize his father, but I hope in future episodes, he'll reflect more on who is the greater evil: Rumpel or Pan.

A minor issue for me was how quickly Henry was able to hear Pan's pipes.  I imagine it's an issue with pacing, but it doesn't seem like he should go from feeling hopeful to feeling forsaken in the span of the same episode.

There were probably other minor details that annoyed me, but it's been a few weeks since I watched this episode, and they're not immediately coming to mind.  I hope that Henry won't be the death of Rumpel because this show would be quite dull without him.

Once Upon a Time...With Just a Pinch of Pixie Dust

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 3: "Quite a Common Fairy"

In the fairyback, Regina, newly married to Snow's father, leads a sorrowful existence.  While Rumpel instructs her to channel her anger into her magic, Regina instead thinks of suicide.  When a bannister falls away and Regina plummets to her death (deliberate or not), a fairy appears and rescues her.  The fairy, Tinkerbell, goes with Regina to a pub, where Regina talks about the problems in her life.  Tinkerbell, certain that all Regina needs is to find happiness again, promised to help her.  Upon returning to the fairies' dwelling, however, the Blue Fairy commands Tinkerbell to abandon the endeavor, claiming that Regina is beyond help and in the grasp of Cora and Rumpel.  This only serves to convince Tinkerbell all the more that Regina needs her help.

That night, Tinkerbell steals pixie dust from the fairies and goes to Regina's room, where she sprinkles it on her.  The two fly away, following a trail of green dust to Regina's soulmate.  The dust leads them to a tavern; Tinkerbell goes inside first to determine who the dust indicates, and returns to Regina, telling her to speak to the man with the lion tattoo on his arm.  Tinkerbell then flies away, leaving Regina to her future happiness.  However, Regina panics and runs away without ever entering the tavern, let alone speaking to the man.

Arriving back at the fairies' dwelling, Tinkerbell is chastised by the Blue Fairy, who is aware of all Tinkerbell did.  Tinkerbell argues that they were taught to believe in second chances, but the Blue Fairy counters that this was Tinkerbell's second chance before stripping her of her wings and magic.

In Neverland, the narrative is split between Henry and the group searching for him.  Henry is forced to play William Tell by Pan and his Lost Boys.  He expects to be the "victim," but instead is given a crossbow and told to fire the apple off another boy's head.  Instead, Henry fires at Pan, who catches the arrow.  Pan then explains that he's been waiting for Henry since he was born, as Henry is the only one with a strong enough belief in magic to restore it to the dying lands.  Henry argues that Emma is the savior, but Pan explains that she is only such for having birthed Henry, a child equally of light and darkness.  He then gives Henry a slip of paper, upon which is a drawing of Henry with the caption "The truest believer", seemingly drawn long before Henry was born.

As the group searches for Henry, they realize that his location on the map has changed, indicating that Pan's camp is on the move.  Hook suggests finding Tinkerbell, whom he has worked with in the past, and asking for her help.  All but Regina are in agreement.  Regina tries to convince Emma to combine their magic and attack Pan head-on, but Emma refuses, fearing for Henry's safety.  The group press on, with Regina hanging toward the back.  She drops her handkerchief, which is picked up by someone who apparently is tracking them.

Hook pulls David aside, and the two discuss his wound.  With only weeks to live at most, Hook advises David to tell Snow, but David does not, believing if they find Tinkerbell and her pixie dust that he will be cured.

Having reached Tinkerbell's home, Regina remains behind, stating that she's sure Tinkerbell will refuse to help if she knows Regina is with them.  As the rest of the group moves on, Regina waits on a log and is soon after knocked out with poppy dust by noneother than Tinkerbell.  Finding her house empty, the others return to find Regina missing, only her handkerchief left behind.

Tinkerbell holds Regina at spearpoint, demanding to know why she lied about the pixie dust failing to work all those years ago.  Regina admits that she was afraid to enter the tavern, and Tinkerbell explains that because of her she lost all of her magic.  Regina removes her own heart, showing Tinkerbell how black it has become.  She explains that if Tinkerbell kills her, Tink will be no different than her and her own heart will grow black.  But if Tinkerbell helps her to find Henry, she will be the good fairy she always wanted to be.  Tinkerbell returns Regina's heart, but refuses to help.  At that point, the others find them and convince Tinkerbell to help, although they are disappointed to learn that she is human.  As they resume their trek, Tinkerbell tells Regina that she didn't just ruin her own life by not entering the tavern but the life of the man with the lion tattoo, as well.

Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, Neal searches madly for a magic device that can lead him to Neverland, certain that something has happened to Henry.  Robin Hood's band of Merry Men enter the room, along with Robin's son, Roland, and Neal realizes that Roland is the key to Neverland.  After convincing Robin that his plan will not endanger Roland in any way, Robin reluctantly agrees.  Robin, Neal, and Mulan hide behind various pieces of furniture, while Roland stands at the window and says, "I believe."  After nothing happens immediately, Neal asks Roland to say it again, but Robin reminds him that the deal was for him to say it only once.  Suddenly, the shadow appears to take Roland to Neverland.  Mulan stabs it and pulls Roland to safety, as Neal lunges at its foot and it taken to Neverland.

Robin invites Mulan to join his Merry Men, impressed by her tactical skill, but she says there is someone she must speak with first.  Remembering how Neal regretted not having told Emma he loved her, Mulan resolves to tell her special someone.  Returning to Aurora's palace, she says that there is something she must tell her; Aurora also tells her she has news to share.  Letting Aurora tell first, Mulan is stunned to learn that Aurora is pregnant.  Visibly upset, Mulan tells Aurora that she will be joining the Merry Men, rather than confessing her unrequited feelings.  Returning to Rumpel's castle, Mulan is welcomed by Robin, who is the man with the lion tattoo.

I was so glad that Regina received some much needed character development this episode!  It was a great move to explain her motivations for becoming a villain and her fears of remaining unloved and alone.  I felt this was something most people could relate to, and it really served to humanize Regina, who for so much of the series has been unjustly considered "evil."  The one thing this show consistently does well is to create sympathetic villains, characters who are truly grey.  I wish the same could be said of the heroes.

Speaking of which, the Blue Fairy demonstrates once again that good simply means self-righteous blowhard in the world of Once Upon a Time.  I found utterly ridiculous that Tinkerbell was chastised for attempting to help someone who quite obviously was in need of help simply because of said person's associates.  And, of course, for Tinkerbell to have been punished as she was just serves to emphasize that sometimes the real villains are those professing to do good.  Unfortunately, I think the writers are unaware of this since all of their supposed "good" characters are written in this way.

Tinkerbell, as she was portrayed in the fairybacks, is the closest example of true good yet to be seen on the show.  Someone who genuinely wants to help all people, regardless of their past deeds or associates.  And, while I enjoyed the jaded Tink in Neverland, I really hope that something along her journey inspires her to return to being the idealistic person she was.

I have seen numerous articles popping up about Mulan's sexuality, and while I applaud the portrayal of a character outside of hetero-normative behavior on a so-called family program, I think it was too easy to insert queerness into Mulan.  Perhaps it's even expected.  While other female characters on the show have shown battle prowess, none of them wore men's armor or served in the military, so there is already an expectation that Mulan is somehow "other."  And, yes, her appearance on the show is more feminine than that of the film, but we never see her in any other garb.  I think it would have sent a stronger message of acceptance to have outed an overtly feminine character, a princess type.  And it would be even more powerful to have her love returned.  While I enjoy drama as much as the next person, this smacked a bit too much of the tragic lesbian novels written in the mid-twentieth century.  This show has claimed time and again that everyone deserves a happy ending, even Rumpel, even Regina.  So what about Mulan?  I hope she finds her happy ending by series end, regardless of where her new lover falls on the spectrum.  Ideally, though, the person will not be a cis-man, as that would be back-pedaling, and Mulan deserves better.  Once outed, she should remain so.

My only real complaint with this episode was that, once again, the writers are rushing things by having Neal reach Neverland already.  While I'm excited to see what transpires with Neal returning to a place from which he fought so hard to escape, I wish the writers would pace themselves.  I don't want Henry to be rescued by mid-season and a new evil come forth, like last season with Cora and the mundies.  I know that mainstream audience's have terrible attention spans, and the producers and writers want the show to remain accessible to the lowest common denominator, but I think slowing down a tiny bit wouldn't be that detrimental to the audience-at-large and would be a great help to show.

I apologize if I sounded a bit ranty this week.  It was a good episode (one of the better ones without Rumpel), and I think it made a good deal of progress with some of the characters who typically don't get the attention they deserve.

Once Upon a Time...Alone in the Wilderness

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 2: "Lost Girl"

Rather than the four-way split between Emma and company, Henry, Neal, and Rumpel that we had in the opener, this week the narrative is split between Emm and Rumpel in the present, along with a fairyback involving Snow.

In the fairyback, Charming awakens Snow with true love's kiss, and the lovers soon after try to rally a group of villagers against Regina, but to no avail.  Regina offers Snow's group a chance to live happily in exile, confessing that she's been unable to kill Snow.  Snow wants to accept the offer, but Charming tries to persuade her not to.  Charming goes to Rumpel for a solution and is told of a magic sword that can be wielded only by a kingdom's true ruler.  Charming returns to Snow and convinces her to search for said sword with him.

The two find the mythical sword in the stone, and while Charming is unable to remove it, Snow is able to do so, proving that she is the rightful ruler of her kingdom.  The group return to the village, where Regina awaits her answer.  When Snow refuses the offer, Regina uses a spell to choke Grumpy; Snow, with newly discovered courage, uses the sword to free him, scratching Regina's cheek.  A stunned Regina promises that this means war.

Snow searches for Rumpel, wanting to pay whatever price Charming had agreed to in return for the sword.  Rumpel reveals that the sword cannot be Excalibur, which is still in Camelot, and leaves only the hilt in Snow's hand.  He then takes her mother's necklace as payment for wasting his time.  Snow returns to Charming, upset that he lied to her, but after he explains that it was the only way to convince her to stand up for her people, she forgives him.

In Neverland, the group travels through an overgrown jungle as they begin their search for Henry.  As the group reluctantly sets camp for the night, Emma wanders away, following the sound of rustling.  She meets Peter Pan, who gives her a map that he claims will show her the path to Henry.  However, the map is blank, which Emma points out to Pan.  He then explains that it will reveal itself to Emma only when she accepts her true identity and warns that no one else it to tamper with the map.  Emma returns to the group with the map, but after relating her history aloud to the map, nothing happens.  Regina then casts a tracking spell on the map, despite the others' protests.

As the group follows the map into the heart of the jungle (against Hook's better judgment), they are ambushed by Pan, who chides Emma for breaking the rules, and his Lost Boys.  During the battle, Charming is stabbed with poison, and Emma noticeably holds back from killing one of the boys.  Afterwards, Snow asks Emma why she didn't follow through, and she confesses that she saw herself in the boy.  She then relates how abandoned she felt as a child, always wondering why she had been placed in an orphanage.  Only when she admits to being an orphan does the map reveal Henry's location.  Pan reappears to congratulate Emma, but also to warn her that she truly will be an orphan before he is done with her.

Rumpel, meanwhile, cuts away his shadow and orders it to hide the Dark One's dagger where even he can't find it.  Afterward, he's surprised to discover Belle in the jungle.  Convinced that she's an illusion conjured up by Pan to spy on him, he begins to strangle her, while she pleads with him to stop, explaining that he conjured her himself.  He realizes that she is telling the truth, as she often fulfilled the role of his conscience, and he is struggling with whether to kill Henry and change his fate, or to save him and die.  Belle assures him he'll do the right thing, but only if he lets go of the past that's haunted him since childhood.  Rumpel was himself abandoned by his father and continued the circle of neglect by abandoning Bae.  Belle disappears, and Rumpel throws a straw doll made by his father over a cliff into the sea.  As he continues through the jungle, the doll hurtles back toward him; he burns the doll.  Again it finds its way back to him.  Realizing that he can't simply destroy his past, he pockets the doll.

This episode was a mixed bag for me.  The Neverland events were dramatic, but the fairyback seemed to be completely unnecessary.  Traditionally, the fairyback has involved events paralleling those the same character is facing in the present day.  Having a fairyback involving Snow coming to terms with being a ruler, while Emma comes to terms with being an orphan, was a bit of a stretch.  The events leading up to the battle between Snow and Regina have mostly been explored; I don't feel there's new territory left here.  And the current story arc belongs to Emma and to Rumpel.  Snow is a supporting member of this story, as far as I'm concerned.  Unless the fairyback serves to develop her character somehow, it's totally superfluous.  We would have been better served by a flashback of Emma's orphaned childhood, or even more of Neal's life in Neverland than the bit of Snow's history that we were given.

What this episode did correctly was demonstrate to the audience how both Emma's and Rumpel's childhoods have affected them, especially given their current location on Neverland.  Rumpel may not have said it aloud, but he's as much of an orphan and lost boy as Emma, if not more so, given how his past has haunted him and led him to make debatable life choices.

I especially enjoyed the symbolism behind the straw doll.  Despite Rumpel's best efforts to destroy the doll, he fails repeatedly, ultimately deciding to stuff it in his jacket pocket.  One's past, of course, cannot simply be destroyed or buried because it adversely affected one.  Rather, the past remains connected to an individual's every action, whether he's conscious of it or not.  The pocketing of the doll, then, is Rumpel's realization that he cannot escape his past, but instead must own it.

I hope that in future episodes the writers realize that fairybacks are only useful when adding depth to the characters.  Honestly, if they focused only on current events in Neverland, Storybrooke, and the Enchanted Forest, there would be more than enough story for one season.  Shifting the narrative to the past only serves to weaken the plot, or at least it did in this particular episode.  Neverland, being a place where unwanted children find themselves, provides a great opportunity to explore the damaged psyches of Emma and Rumpel.  Don't miss this opportunity, writers!

Once Upon a Time...in the Eye of the Storm

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 1: "The Heart of the Truest Believer"

At the end of season two, Henry had been whisked away to Neverland by Greg and Tamara; Neal had been shot and fell through a portal to the Enchanted Forest; and our gang of six was about to set sail on Hook's ship to rescue Henry.  In this first episode of season three, the narrative shifts between these three storylines, leaving the happenings in Storybrooke for future episodes.

The Lost Boys come to claim Henry very soon after the trio arrive in Neverland.  Tamara and Greg finally learn who they are working for and why, which results in feelings of betrayal on their part, and a battle with the Lost Boys that does not end well.  Henry flees into the jungle, where he meets a Lost Boy a bit older than him who claims to have escaped from Pan with some pixie dust, although he cannot get it to work.  The two spend the rest of the episode dodging the Lost Boys until Henry is forced to use the pixie dust when the two are trapped between a sea cliff and the pursuers.  With his belief in all things magical, Henry is able to fly away with the other boy, only to discover that the boy in question is Pan himself and this was all a set-up to test whether or not Henry was the "truest believer."

Neal wakes up on the shore of a beach in the Enchanted Forest, surrounded by Mulan, Aurora, and Philip.  At first they are distrustful of him, but when he reveals that he knows Emma and Snow, they relax.  Aurora offers to try to reach Snow through the dreamworld that linked the two worlds together, but cannot reach anyone.  Neal and Mulan then travel to Rumpel's castle, where Neal hopes to find something that may aid them in reaching Emma.  Once at Rumpel's castle, they meet Robin Hood, who has taken over the castle since the curse was first cast.  Much of the castle has been ransacked, but, using Rumpel's shepherd crook from his pre-magic days, Neal is able to unlock a secret passage through blood-magic.  Inside, he finds a crystal ball that reveals to him that the others have traveled to Neverland.

Meanwhile, Rumpel abandons the group to search for Henry on his own, stating that he won't be held back by the others' lack of belief.  Once on the island, he finds the site of the battle between the Lost Boys and Henry's kidnappers.  Despite a gravely injured Tamara's pleas for mercy, Rumpel removes her heart.  A Lost Boy delivers a message of welcome, though he warns Rumpel not to pursue Henry.  Rumpel replies that he knows he will die, but plans to kill as many Lost Boys as possible along the way.

Those remaining on the ship continually argue with each other, as mermaids attack the ship and call down a storm.  After capturing one of the mermaids, the group debates whether to kill her or let her go.  Regina turns the mermaid into a statue, resulting in yet more arguments among the group, as the storm worsens.  Emma dives overboard, realizing that only when the group puts aside their differences and works together will the storm let up.  The group works together to pull Emma back aboard and the ship is able to dock.  As the group sets foot upon Neverland, Emma cautions that they must all believe in each other if they are to succeed.

All in all, I felt this was a great premiere episode.  It didn't spend time recapping last season's events, instead hitting the ground running.  My only complaints are pretty minimal.  I feel that Greg and Tamara should either have been dealt with last season, or left to bemoan their present circumstances a bit longer.  Although both of their final scenes are pretty great.  I also feel the "big reveal" about Peter Pan should have been left for a later episode in order to build greater tension.  And it was annoying to see Regina shift to being the wicked witch yet again.  Why can't character development with her ever stick?
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Speaking of waffling characters, I'm hopeful that Rumpel's decision to pursue Henry on his own stems from a desire to redeem himself, not preserve himself.  His conversation with the Lost Boy seems to indicate the former, as does Neal's line in the castle about family being important to Rumpel.  Of course, I hope his fate can somehow be changed, as a show without Rumpel would be quite different

While I didn't really care for Neal in previous seasons, I am really beginning to enjoy his character.  His banter with Mulan was quite amusing ("They even made a movie about you!"), and his concern for his family was far more relatable and more touching than any similar scene of David's (though I suspect this may be because the actor is more capable).  Of course, his scene in Rumpel's castle was my favorite of this episode, especially the bit about blood-magic.  I hope the writers continue to develop Neal into a likable character this season!

From what I've read about plans for this season, I am excited to see where the writers take everyone.  And if this episode is any indication, it will be a good season with plenty of real drama.

Once Upon a Time...Being a Pirate Was Superior to Lost Boyhood

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episodes 21 and 22: "Second Star to the Right" & "And Straight on 'til Morning"

Episode 21 summary: In the fairybacks, Bae is transported to Edwardian England after being swallowed by the magic portal.  While stealing some food from a well-to-do house, he is caught by a young girl, who turns out to be Wendy Darling.  She hides him in the nursery and continues to bring him food until her parents find out.  When Bae reveals he is an orphan, however, the Darlings welcome into their home.

One night Wendy tells Bae of a shadow who had invited her to Neverland.  Bae warns her about magic, explaining how it destroyed his family, but Wendy is heedless of the warning.  She goes with the shadow to Neverland.  Returning the next morning, she describes a fanciful paradise, but also admits to Bae that he was right.  The shadow has only allowed her to return because it wants one of her brothers instead.

When the shadow arrives to claim his child that night, Bae offers himself.  As the two fly over Neverland, Bae strikes a match, causing the shadow to drop him in the ocean, where is rescued by Captain Hook and his men.

In the present, Emma and the gang head over to Regina's office, where they find the missing bean plant and a hacked computer.  Emma immediately believes the culprit of the hack to be Tamara, but Snow is still convinced her assumption is only out of jealousy.  Emma goes to Neal's hotel to ask about Tamara's whereabouts, and he tells her that Tamara is out jogging in the woods because she's preparing for a marathon.  Emma notices sand on the floor, and the two decide to search the beachfront.

While the two are walking the beach, they discuss their past, with Neal confessing that he felt so much guilt for abandoning Emma after August spoke to him that he couldn't convince himself to search for her.  At that point in the conversation, Tamara jogs by, explaining that she changed her route.

Meanwhile, Regina is being held prisoner in a seafood warehouse, where Greg and Tamara have been torturing her for information about Kurt.  They also explain that they are working for an organization intent on destroying magic and hope to do so with the diamond that is part of Regina's curse.

Snow and David stop by Rumpel's shop to ask for his help in finding Regina.  After asking "Lacey" to step out, he gives them one of Regina's tears collected in a bottle, explaining that if the user's tear is added to the mixture, the person will be able to see and feel whatever Regina sees and feels.  The Charmings leave, and Lacey steps back into the shop, revealing that she heard everything but doesn't mind.

Back at the loft, Snow uses the tear and is subjected to intense pain, as Regina is being given shock treatment by Greg during an interrogation.  Snow cannot concentrate on seeing the location because of the pain, but describes the smell of sardines. This information prompts Emma and Neal to search the seafood warehouse.

The four split up.  David and Snow find Greg, who is torturing Regina after she claims to have killed Kurt.  David shoots at him, but Greg flees.  Rather than pursue him, the two tend to Regina.  They call Emma and relay the information, causing Emma and Neal to be off-guard when Tamara attacks them.  A hurt and confused Neal learns that Emma was right, as Tamara explains how she had used Neal from the beginning.  She then shoots Neal, leading Emma to attack her in retaliation.  Tamara drops a magic bean and flees.  Emma tries to save Neal from the expanding hole, but he lets go as he confesses his love for her.

The episode ends with the Charmings and Regina at the flat, where David tries to comfort the grieving Emma.  However, there are more pressing matters, as Regina explains how the curse trigger has fallen into enemy hands.  At the same time, Tamara receives orders to use the trigger to destroy the town.

Episode 22 summary: In the fairybacks, Bae overhears Hook telling the other pirates about his quest for revenge against Rumpel.  Bae is already concerned about being rescued by pirates, but feels worse considering who the pirates are.  His feelings change after Hook and his men hide him from the Lost Boys who come to claim him.

Hook begins to teach Bae how to sail the ship, and the two bond, both having lost their fathers.  However, Bae sees a sketch of Milah and confronts Hook about it, revealing himself as her son.  Hook explains that it was Rumpel who actually killed her, but Bae demands to be returned to the Darlings, refusing to stay with the man who destroyed his family.  Hook tells him he can't do that, but reminds him the ship is his family now.  Bae still refuses.

The Lost Boys return for Bae, with Hook relinquishing him this time.  The Lost Boys later compare Bae to a drawing, saying he's not a match, but may live.  The drawing is of Henry.

In the present, Rumpel passes the park while Henry is on a swing and begins to magically fray the rope.  Before he can go too far, the Charmings arrive and explain what happened to Neal.  Rumpel blames himself for Neal's supposed demise, as he chose not to help the group.

The group returns to the loft, where Regina has been resting.  Soon after she wakes up, an explosion is heard (Greg and Tamara have destroyed the diamond somewhere in the dwarf mines).  Regina explains that she can slow down the resulting destruction of the town, but she cannot stop it.  Hook arrives, declaring his shifting allegiance, and is punched by David.  Everyone agrees to work together to save Storybrooke.  The group leaves, with Regina telling Henry she'll always love him.

David and Hook find Greg and Tamara in the mines as they are destroying evidence of their presence.  Greg drops the beans by accident, while Tamara aims her gun at David.  David catches up with her, but is attacked by Greg.  While the two escape, Hook reveals that he has one of the magic beans.

Rumpel notices a missing stein in his shop.  Leroy explains that the Blue Fairy has discovered a way of restoring people's memories, and the dwarves want to restore those of Sneezy before the town is destroyed so they can die together.  Leroy leaves some of the tincture with Rumpel for him to use on Belle.  Rumpel asks Lacey to drink from the chipped cup, which she does, and she regains her memories as Belle.

Regina and Emma find the diamond, and Regina begins channeling her energy into slowing down the trigger.  She explains to Emma that it cannot be stopped, the expectation being that she'll die to allow the others to escape Storybrooke.  She doesn't want to be remembered as the evil queen.

Emma runs to Granny's and alerts the group to what Regina is planning.  Snow reminds Emma of how they sent the wraith through a portal; they could, conceivably, do the same thing to the diamond with a magic bean.  Hook agrees to give up his bean, once he learns that Bae was Henry's father.  The group, sans Hook, return to the mine.  But when Emma tries to remove the bean from the bag Hook gave her, nothing is there.

Realizing that there is no way to stop the town from being destroyed, the Charmings gather together and embrace.  Henry runs over to Regina and hugs her, calling her a hero.  Emma joins Regina in trying to suppress the diamond's power, and somehow its energy rescinds inside and the town is saved.  As the group celebrates, Emma sees Henry's backpack abandoned on the ground.

The group goes to search for Henry and finds him in the clutches of Greg and Tamara.  The group pursues them to the docks, but Tamara throws a bean into the water and the three escape into it.  Just then, Hook and his ship return.  He announces a change of heart and offers his ship for the search.  Rumpel and Belle also arrive at the dock, and Rumpel and Hook decide to put aside their grudge in order to work to save Henry.  Belle wants to accompany them, but Rumpel asks her to stay in Storybrooke in order to protect it while he and the others are gone.  He gives her a cloaking spell to cast and bids her a fond farewell.  Hook throws the bean, and the ship sails into the portal.

Meanwhile, in the fairy tale realm, Mulan, Philip, and Aurora find Neal on a beach.

Thoughts: While completely different from Mr. Barrie's stories (both play and novel), I have to say I enjoyed Bae's Peter Pan storyline, especially his sacrifice for the Darling children.  For a character who has been ravaged by magic to the extent that Bae has, it fit his character incredibly well to try to save the other children from the perils of magic.

I also liked that it was the male love interest for once (Neal) who was injured/killed/obliterated.  Too often in fantasy and comics, the woman or the gay love interest are killed, maimed, or kidnapped in order for the hero to learn something.  Even Once has been guilty of this with Belle earlier in the season.  While I don't think a love interest of any gender or sexual orientation should ever be killed or injured in order for the protagonist to develop and mature, I did appreciate that it was the straight male who disappeared for once.

I am tremendously pleased that the writers finally allowed Regina to be heroic.  I'm also hopeful that this trend continues into the next season, as she joins the search for Henry.  However, the resolution of the destructive curse plot was lackluster and a total deus ex machina.   I don't think a force that powerful would be contained simply because a second person lent her power.  I'm not saying the writers should have killed everyone off, but this particular resolution seemed lazy.

Poor Belle is neglected again.  She's proven herself to be quite capable time and again, so I'm hoping the decision to leave her in Storybrooke isn't just so she can be written out of the plot.  If she's there to lead and defend the town, then I want to see it!  It's bad enough Ruby's been written out.  I would have liked to have seen the two of them work together to lead Storybrooke in Snow's and Rumpel's absence.

It was good to see Mulan and Aurora reintroduced to the series at the end.  I'm looking forward to their adventures next season.

I'm quite curious as to who Tamara and Greg might be working for.  Some sort of ARGUS type organization?  It seemed like the writers were implying they may be working for the shadow, but that doesn't seem to fit their motivation, given that the shadow is himself magic.  I'm sure more will be explained next season.

All in all, it was a good end to the season.  While I had some minor complaints and am somewhat worried about the new direction the show is taking, I enjoyed this season and look forward to the next.

Once Upon a Time...How Do You Solve a Problem Like Regina?

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 20: "The Evil Queen"

In the fairybacks, Regina is in pursuit of the fugitive Snow.  After a village refuses to give her any information about Snow's whereabouts, Regina orders her troops to raze it.

Back at her palace, she calls on Rumpel to teach her a shape-shifting spell.  Claiming that it would take too long to teach it to her, he instead offers to cast it for her.  She agrees to his bargain and is transformed into an innocuous peasant.  She hopes to find Snow and kill her, but is told by Rumpel that she cannot use magic as long as she is transformed.

In a town square, the villagers are burning an effigy of Regina.  She tries to convince them to stop, forgetting her disguise, and is taken for a madwoman.  As she is is taken to be beheaded, Snow appears and saves her, escorting Regina to her woodland hideout, where she tends to her wounds.

Regina questions why Snow would help her, and Snow related the story of how Regina saved her from the startled horse when she was a girl.  She never mentions who the woman who saved her was, however.  The two come upon the razed village, and Snow declares that Regina is irredeemable.  Regina retells the horse story, naming the woman as Regina, effectively revealing herself to Snow, who allows Regina to escape.

In the present, Tamara and Greg convince Hook to work with them by telling him that Rumpel is still alive, thus meaning Hook has yet to have his revenge.

David and Snow ponder what to do about Regina when and if the group returns to their homeworld.  They agree that Regina should be left behind to pay for her crimes.  A disguised Regina overhears the discussion, and the next day tells Henry what she overheard and shows him the beans.  She then relates information about the failsafe she built into the curse, telling Henry that the two of them will return to the homeworld, leaving the rest to die.  A disapproving Henry then has his mind wiped by his adoptive mother.

At Granny's Diner, Emma finds a list, which Tamara has dropped, noting the fairy tale characters and their Storybrooke counterparts.  She is certain this is proof that Tamara is the "her" working with Greg, but Snow thinks Emma is acting out of jealousy.  Worried that Henry might try to get his parents back together, Snow advises Emma to keep this distrust a secret, but Henry overhears the conversation and wants to help Emma. The two go to Neal's hotel room while he and  Tamara are both out, and Emma searches the room while Henry stands watch.  However, Neal shows up as Emma is trying to pull up a loose floorboard.  Nothing is found, and Emma tells Neal about the list, which he claims he made for Tamara to help her adjust to his being a fairy tale character.

Arriving at the bean field, David, Snow, and Leroy discover that the crop has been burned, eradicating their plans of returning home.

Hook goes to Regina's office to warn her about whatever Greg and Tamara are planning.  Since Hook had allied himself with Cora, Regina feels that she can trust him and tells him about the failsafe device for the curse.  The two go to the library, where they take the elevator to its unknown depths.  Noticing her mother's bracelet on Hook's person, Regina asks for it back, and he complies.

At the bottom, Regina pushes Hook into Maleficent's lair while she searches for the black diamond that is the trigger.  Hook arrives upstairs before Regina, which surprises her, and as she hands him the diamond, he reveals that he is still working with Greg and Tamara.  Regina tries to cast a spell, but the bracelet now inhibits her ability to cast magic.

This episode proves that the writers really have no idea if they want to redeem Regina or not.  Maybe they think it's entertaining to watch her waver back and forth between good and bad?  I think it's just poor writing.  Make a choice within her character and have her stick with it.  And if it's the wrong choice, at least let a good amount of time pass before rectifying it.

I like Regina.  Really, I do.  But she suffers from split-personality due to the writers on this show not knowing what they want to do with her.  She's still miles above the "good" characters, though.

The final events in the present day seemed a bit too convenient, especially Cora's bracelet being made into a magic inhibitor.  And the black diamond (also an integral part of DC continuity at the moment) seems like it might be a deus ex machina.  I am really hoping the characters don't get a total reboot because of this, as I will be angry.

Emma's suspicions of Tamara, while correct, do come off as nothing more than jealousy.  She needs more than just a hunch or her so-called super power if she wants to convince anyone other than Henry that Tamara is a shady character.  I imagine next episode she will find it, as there are only two left in the season.

Not Smash level bad, but not a good episode either.

Once Upon a Time...Beauty Was a Barfly

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 19: "Lacey"

In the fairybacks, more of Belle's time as a captive of Rumpel is revealed.  One night, a thief breaks into the castle to steal one of Rumpel's magic wands, but is caught and imprisoned.  After failing to convince Rumpel to let the thief go, Belle frees the man herself, refusing his offer to escape with him.  A furious Rumpel points out that the thief took the wand he had previously failed to steal, but Belle believes him to be a good person. Rumpel insists Belle accompany him while he searches for the thief, arming himself with the thief's own bow, said to be enchanted to never miss its target.

The two track the thief to Sherwood Forest, where they encounter the Sheriff of Nottingham, who asks Rumpel for a romp with Belle.  Rumpel temporarily removes his tongue as punishment for such lascivious statements, returning it only to gather information about the thief (Robin Hood, of course).

When the two find Robin Hood, Rumpel casts a paralysis spell on Belle, so she will be forced to watch him kill the thief.  But the two see that he stole the wand to cure Maid Marian, who is sick and with child.  Belle pleads with Rumpel not to leave the child fatherless, and Rumpel fires the bow, missing the couple.  The spell released, Belle embraces Rumpel, thanking him for sparing the thief's life.

In Storybrooke, Rumpel has a disturbing dream in which he kills Henry at the boy's birthday party.  Remembering that Belle always had the ability to bring out the best in him, he visits her in the hospital, where she is much more receptive to him than previously.  However, when he goes to visit her again, he finds that she is gone, the only clue a matchbook for a bar called the Rabbit Hole, cursed by Regina to give Belle false memories.

At the bar, Rumpel finds Belle, now called "Lacey," playing pool and invites her to dinner at Granny's Diner. She agrees, although Rumpel is surprised when she orders a bottle of wine and chicken parmesan instead of her usual burger.  The wine is spilled on her blouse, and she goes to the bathroom to rinse it.  When she doesn't return in a timely manner, Rumpel goes to check on her and finds her outside, making out with the Sheriff of Nottingham.  Rumpel beats the man with his cane and removes his tongue magically, paralleling the earlier scene.  Only this time, Lacey is pleased with how dark Rumpel can truly be.

David and Snow tell Emma about the magic beans Anton has been growing and take her to the fields.  Regina uses a spell to track them and discovers the beans herself.

And Greg and Tamara bring Hook, who has been bound in the back of a U-haul, into Storybrooke, hoping he'll do their dirty work.

While I do love my Rumpel episodes, and I enjoyed the flashback well enough, I heartily dislike Belle's cursed persona.  I'm also a bit perplexed by it.  For example, when Snow was cursed, Mary Margaret was an exaggerated version of her, being exceptionally kind and empathetic.  Archie, too, as a counselor was the epitome of conscience.  So why, then, is Belle's persona antithetical to her?  Shouldn't she instead become the stereotypical librarian, preferring the company of her books over people?

I understand why they made Lacey this way for story reasons.  And I have to admit that I do like the reversal (Belle brings out the best, Lacey brings out the worst).  But it doesn't seem to follow the model used for all of the other characters.

I realize the commentary portion is ridiculously short, but there's not much to say.  I feel that this episode really only exists to further Rumpel's story, not the overarching plot.  Both the protagonists and antagonists are barely in this episode.  And as much as I liked the episode, I think it probably could have been condensed, so that more plot elements could progress.

Once Upon a Time...There Was a Wooden Puppet

Once again I'm behind.  I had hoped to catch up while on vacation last week, but the house my family rented ended up having no Internet connection.  Anyway...

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 18: "Selfless, Brave, and True"

In flashback, August wakes up to discover one of his legs is transforming into wood.  He travels to Hong Kong where he heard about a man called "The Dragon" who can grant any wish for a price.  The Dragon asks August to give him a precious possession and $10,000 before he agrees to proceed.

August goes to a local bar where he encounters a woman he had seen in the Dragon's office.  The two talk over drinks, and the woman reveals that she has an incurable form of cancer.  While she steps away to take a call, August riffles through her purse and steals an envelope stuffed with cash.  He then returns to the Dragon, using the cash and the puppet strings from when he was a marionette to pay for the potion that will return him to human form.  As he exits the office, though, he is chased by the woman, who steals the potion from him.

The woman returns to the office, demanding answers about the otherworldly substance.  As the Dragon begins to transform (as he is truly the mythical creature), she kills him with a taser, stating that she could not allow for anyone else to gain possession of such a potion.

August returns to America and meets up with Baelfire in New York, where he explains the plan for when the curse is broken by Emma.  Right after August drives away on his motorcycle, the woman from Hong Kong "bumps" into Bae, spilling her coffee on herself.  He lends her his scarf and the two seem to hit it off.

In the present, Snow discovers a trailer in the woods while practicing her archery.  August has been living there and is now completely wooden.  He begs Snow not to tell anyone he is living there.

Bae's fiancee, Tamara, shows up in Storybrooke and eats breakfast with Emma, Henry, and Bae.  The two tell the story of how they met on the street when she spilled her coffee and he lent her his scarf to cover the stains.  Henry leaves the storybook with Bae while he and Emma walk to school.  Bae shows Tamara the book and explains that he is from another world, but Tamara thinks it's just a story he's concocted so he can get back together with Emma.

At Granny's Diner, Snow tells Geppetto that she found August living in the woods.  Tamara overhears the conversation and goes to the trailer, where she confronts August.  She tells him to leave Storybrooke and gives him the keys to her car to do so.  Snow, Geppetto, and Emma arrive to find the trailer deserted.

While driving, August finds a photo of Tamara and her grandmother in the car.  She had said this was her special object when the two met in the Hong Kong bar, so discovering it proves that she lied about having cancer.  He drives back to town and calls Emma from the sheriff's office, but Tamara arrives and cuts the line.  Realizing that August had figured out who she was and had planned to tell Emma, Tamara tases him.

Emma and company arrive to find a dying August, who attempts to give Emma the information he uncovered but dies before he can do so.  Henry asks the Blue Fairy if she can do anything to save him, since his last act was selfless, brave, and true.  She turns him into a real boy leaving him with no memories of his adult self, much to Tamara's satisfaction.

Regina, having realized that Greg is Owen, confronts him and shows him the lanyard he had when he was a child.  He refuses to leave without his father, but Regina claims to know nothing of his whereabouts.  The episode ends with Greg and Tamara meeting in his hotel room for a romantic encounter.

The string of good episodes had to end eventually, right?  While I appreciated bringing August back into the current storyline, I felt that killing his character in order to further the plot just as he had redeemed himself was a miscalculation.  Although if the CG budget is to remain the same, I suppose I can understand the studio wanting to be rid of him.  That CG was pretty distracting.  And reviving Pinocchio as a child was a huge disappointment, unless he somehow recovers his memories at some point.

What I felt was a greater detriment to the show was bringing in a second mundie antagonist.  And not just any antagonist, but Bae's fiancee.  I had liked the development with Greg/Owen.  Why couldn't the writers run with that without adding some superfluous unlikable character?  Unless the writers have a great backstory that ties the two together much more strongly than they are now, I will be annoyed.  It's just too easy to create these "coincidences."

While not nearly as terrible as the Smash episode, "The Phenomenon," this was definitely one of Once's weakest outings to-date.

Once Upon a Time...in the 80's

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 17: "Welcome to Storybrooke"

Rather than bouncing between the present and the fairybacks, this episode instead shuffled between the present and 1983, when the curse first brought the crew to Storybrooke.  Kurt Flynn, a man from New Jersey, and his son, Owen, are camping in the woods when the curse is cast.  The storm heavily damages Kurt's truck, and the two begin to hike toward the nearest town, when they are surprised to stumble upon the previously non-existent Storybrooke.

When Regina initially discovers the outsiders in her town, she is displeased and puts a rush order on the truck's repairs, but as the days go by, she finds herself increasingly bored with the town and interested in Kurt and Owen.  After having them to her house for dinner, she learns that Kurt is a recent widower and that the two came on a camping trip to Maine to forget their grief.  She explains that she came here to start anew and invites Kurt to move to town.  Owen leaps at the chance, but Kurt plans to return to their home in New Jersey.

The next day as the Flynns prepare to leave town, Regina orders Sheriff Graham to arrest Kurt, using Graham's heart to control him.  Kurt witnesses this and decides to flee immediately.  Graham pursues the Flynns through town and "arrests" Kurt at the town line.  Kurt tells Owen to run for help; Regina asks Owen to stay, but he listens to his father.  When he returns with the police, there is no evidence of Storybrooke or his father.

Back in the present, Regina mourns the loss of her mother, while Rumpel comes to pay his last respects.  Regina vows to avenge her mother, and Rumpel warns her if she does that she will lose Henry.  Regina is confident she can have both.

At the loft, Snow refuses to eat or get out of bed.  Against her better judgment, Emma admits to Henry that Snow was directly responsible for the death of Cora, but Henry refuses to believe it.  Rumpel arrives to warn them that Regina is planning something, and David asks for his help in protecting Snow.

Rumpel and David go to the mausoleum, where Rumpel discovers the ingredients for the curse of the empty-hearted are missing.  Regina evidently plans to use Snow's heart to cast the spell on Henry, allowing her to have her revenge and Henry's "love."  The two return to the loft and share the information with Emma and Snow.  Rumpel insists the only way to save Snow is to kill Regina, which causes Henry to run from the apartment.

Emma finds Henry at the diner with Bae, who asks Henry to come with him to New York until things calm down in Storybrooke.  Henry agrees and heads to the restroom.  Emma returns to the table and sees that Henry has taken his backpack with him, so she and Bae go searching for him.

While the birthparents round up a group to search for Henry, Henry goes to the well in an attempt to destroy magic.  He encounters Greg along the way, who contacts Regina to alert her to his whereabouts.  Regina arrives in time to stop Henry from using dynamite to blow up the well, just as the others reach them.  Henry asks them all to help him destroy magic because it's making good people do bad things.  Regina burns the scroll detailing the curse she had planned to use, and Henry leaves with Emma and company.

Later that day, Snow arrives at Regina's house and begs for Regina to kill her because she cannot live with the guilt of what she has done.  Regina rips her heart out and is amused to find a black spot growing on the heart.  Snow pleads with Regina for her to crush it, but Regina returns the heart, quipping that Snow is doing a fine job of destroying herself.

Unbeknownst to these two, Greg is filming the exchange via cell phone.  The episode ends with him pulling out the braided keychain that Kurt gave to Owen in 1983 and vowing to find his father.  "Greg" is actually Owen.

I found this to be one of the best non-Rumpel episodes of the season.  I especially enjoyed seeing Regina's initial delight at arriving in Storybrooke transform into ennui, as she realized that the townspeople exhibited only blind obedience and she was alone with her memories.  She's one of my favorite characters on the show, given that she's considerably more complex than our protagonists, and I really appreciated that this episode tried to make her a sympathetic character once more after the last few episodes.

The introduction of a mundy character investigating the town and its goings-on was also a nice touch, even if it did smack of the journalist Thorn in Fables.  Giving Greg/Owen a purpose to be in Storybrooke, rather than leaving him a random passerby who decided to do some snooping, was the best thing the writers could have done with his character.  I'm really looking forward to what else they come up with for him.

Unfortunately, I cannot say the same of Snow.  I was extremely disappointed to see her excessively mopey after Cora's death.  I had really hoped that the writers had realized that at least one of the protagonists needed to understand the concept of the greater good, but I see they don't want any grey areas present on the show, just black and white, good versus evil.  Perhaps Snow will prove me wrong, but I don't like that she's backsliding.

Once Upon a Time...Bargains Were Made

I know I am quite behind on episode recaps.  It's convention season, and the convention for which I volunteer is particularly short-staffed this year, meaning I'm working in three different departments. The event is next week, so after April 8, more timely posts can be expected.  It certainly helps that "Once" won't be airing new episodes until the end of April.

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 16: "The Miller's Daughter"

The New York group reconvenes with Snow and David when they reach Storybrooke, Bae having sailed Hook's ship there.  The group hurries to Rumpel's shop, where he tells Emma how to cast a protective spell upon it (being too weak from the poison to do so himself) and the others prepare for a fight with Cora and Regina.  When Rumpel asks Snow to get something out of a cupboard for him, Snow is shocked to find the black candle given to her by Cora so many years ago.  Rumpel advises her to use it on Cora, instructing her to get Cora's heart in order to cast the spell.

Rumpel makes what he believes is a farewell phone call to Belle and reconciles with Bae before Cora and Regina break through the barriers.  While David, Emma, and Bae are distracted by the fight, Snow slips out and heads for the mausoleum, where she finds Cora's heart and casts the spell that will exchange Cora's life for Rumpel's.  Realizing Snow is gone, David eventually goes to find her, but not before Regina confronts Snow.  Snow manipulates Regina into believing that the reason Cora is so power-crazed is because her heart is missing (which is actually true, as we learn from the fairybacks) and offers the cursed heart to Regina, who takes it.

Returning to the antique store, where Cora is about to kill Rumpel with the dagger in order to become the Dark One herself, Regina reinserts her mother's heart, believing this will stop her from killing Rumpel.  Cora genuinely smiles at her before collapsing to the floor and dying from the poison.  Snow runs into the store, shouting for Regina to stop, but it is already too late.

In the fairybacks, we meet a young Cora who is tired of being mocked for being the miller's daughter.  After having to apologize to a princess who tripped her while carrying a large sack of flour, Cora attends a masquerade ball and chats with an enamored Prince Henry.  His father recognizes her, however, and calls her out.  Cora boasts that she can spin straw into gold, and after convincing the king that it takes time, she is locked in a tower and told to have it done by morning or face execution.  Enter Rumpel.

Rather than accepting the bargain of giving up her first-born in exchange for his spinning the straw into gold, Cora demands to be taught how to do it herself.  This intrigues Rumpel, who takes a liking to her and changes the bargain so that Cora will give him a child of his own.  He instructs Cora to harness the power of her emotion to cast magic, and she successfully transforms the straw. 

In exchange for the gold, Cora is betrothed to Prince Henry, though she continues her dalliance with Rumpel.    As her wedding night nears, she is torn between the power she will gain as Henry's wife and her love for Rumpel.  She decides to take the king's heart and run away with Rumpel, but after a conversation with the king, in which he says love is weakness, she changes her mind.

She meets Rumpel as planned, but tells him that she will be marrying Henry.  When he inquires whose heart is in the box, she admits that is her own, for it is only without her heart that she will be able to leave him.  Rumpel demands the contract be fulfilled by her first-born, but is reminded that the contract no longer requires such a trade.  Cora leaves him fuming there, and, months later, gives birth to Regina.

Continuing the trend of good writing, this episode explored the reasons behind Cora's hunger for power, while making the audience sympathize with her for the first time.  Her rags-to-riches story certainly doesn't exonerate her, but it at least humanized her.  I wish that this story arc had been extended to season's end, or that this particular episode ended the season.  

What was more interesting was Snow's decision to use the black candle.  We had seen her vow to set things right no matter the cost, but having her actually dupe Regina into killing her own mother was perfect.  I'm looking forward to seeing how this further affects Snow's and Regina's relationship, and I hope to see Snow continue to do what's in the interest of the greater good.  It sometimes feels to me like David is trying to shelter her from the evils of the world, attempting to make her into a passive homemaker.  Whether or not she does anything else "dark," I certainly hope that she stands up for herself in regards to her wishes to remain in our world.

Aside from a feeling that the denouement of the Cora story arc was rushed, another good episode.  Where do we go from here, though?

Once Upon a Time...Searching for Treasure

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 15: "The Queen Is Dead"

Summary: In New York, Bae takes Henry to do a bit of sight-seeing, while Rumpel asks Emma to try to convince Bae to accompany them back to Storybrooke.  When the group returns to Bae's apartment building, Hook rushes into the lobby and stabs Rumpel in the chest, although Emma manages to knock Hook unconscious before he can do any more harm.  The hook had been laced with poison and without magic, Rumpel cannot heal himself.  Left in New York, he will die.  However, Bae reveals he has experience sailing ships and offers to commandeer Hook's ship in order to sail to Storybrooke and save his father.

While Emma secretly hopes to reconcile with Bae, he reveals that he is engaged when they go to borrow his fiancee's car to drive the group to the harbor.

Meanwhile, in Storybrooke, it's Snow's birthday.  She never celebrates it because her mother died on her birthday when she was a child.  So she is surprised to receive a gift: her tiara from the homeland, sent to her by her old nurse, Johanna.  While visiting Johanna later that day, Snow hears something in the woods nearby and goes to investigate, learning of Cora's and Regina's plan to steal Rumpel's dagger.

She goes to the police station to tell David what she has learned and finds him unconscious, having been attacked by Hook (who pilfered his hook and escaped to New York as mentioned above).  The two decide to try to find the dagger before the witches can.

First, Snow meets with Regina, warning her that Cora likely has ulterior motives for wanting the dagger, but Regina blows Snow's concerns aside.  Snow and David then meet with the Blue Fairy, but even she cannot break the protection charms on Rumpel's shop.  Receiving a call from Emma, the location of the dagger is relayed to them, and the two rush to the clock tower, where Rumpel has hidden the dagger behind one of the clock hands.

Soon after, Regina and Cora appear with Johanna in tow.  Regina rips out Johanna's heart and demands the dagger in exchange.  After a tense moment of deliberation, Snow gives up the dagger, Regina returns Johanna's heart, and Cora shoves Johanna out the clock face.

In the fairybacks, it is Snow's birthday and she is to be presented to the kingdom.  When her nurse Johanna wears her tiara, she berates her, acting quite the spoiled brat, until her mother intervenes.  The queen admonishes her behavior before collapsing.

The doctors don't know what is wrong with the queen, but they suspect she is dying.  Snow goes into the woods to beg help of the Blue Fairy, who gives her a candle made with dark magic.  If Snow burns both ends and whispers the name of another person, her mother will live and the person mentioned will die.  Snow  is told never to reveal this information to anyone, but she confesses to her mother that she cannot do it.  The queen tells her it is the right choice and dies.

After the queen's funeral, the Blue Fairy arrives to pay her respects, but it actually Cora, using the same spell that led to Regina's incarceration earlier in the season.  She reveals that she had poisoned the queen so her own daughter could rule and that she hopes to turn Snow's heart black.

The writers really surprised me this week.  I was not expecting Hook to attack Rumpel at all.  Considering that I can usually predict this show with my eyes closed, this is a huge compliment.  Keep it up, writers!  Surprise me!

What surprised me even more was the allusion to one of my favorite Grimms' tales, "Faithful Johannes."  Johanna is a feminine form of the name, and she acted very much the part of the faithful servant here.  Although it wasn't Johanna herself who warned Snow of the witches' plan for the dagger, it was because Snow had visited Johanna that she learned of it.  I am hoping the writers follow through with the rest of the story and revive her, but I'm not keeping my hopes up.

What disappointed me, though, was Snow's failure to make the right decision regarding the dagger.  What happened to the greater good?  Sometimes, one must die so that others may live.  And yes, it's terrible and painful, but it's necessary.  And where did trusting the deal get Snow?  She had neither the dagger nor her nurse.  At least it appears that she's finally learned her lesson, if the funeral scene is any indication.

I also appreciated the revelation that Cora was the mastermind behind everything from the death of Snow's mother to Regina's rescuing Snow from the frightened horse.  I am curious if she did this merely for her own desires, or if it somehow aligns with Rumpel's plans for the curse.  Given that he was once her teacher, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter, but I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

Once Upon a Time...in the Big Apple

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 14: "Manhattan"

Summary: In New York City, Emma, Rumpel, and Henry go to an apartment building where Baelfire supposedly is living.  Emma deduces that the blank buzzer likely corresponds to his apartment and calls the apartment, pretending to be a UPS delivery-person.  This roots him out, and she chases after him while Rumpel and Henry remain at the apartment building.

When Emma catches up to Bae, she immediately recognizes him as Neal, and the two go to a bar to talk.  Neal/Bae assures Emma that he didn't know who she was when they met and that it was a coincidence, not part of Rumpel's master plan.  Emma asks him to return to the apartment building to speak with Rumpel so she can fulfill her end of the bargain, but Neal refuses.

Returning to the building, Emma lies about having found Neal, so Rumpel hits all of the buzzers, winning him entry.  Once in Neal's apartment, he questions Emma, aware that she is lying to him and begins to threaten her for breaking the bargain.  Neal enters, demanding that Rumpel leave her alone, which proves to Rumpel that the two know each other.  Seeing Henry, Neal repeatedly asks how old he is, realizing that Henry is his son.  Upset that Emma previously lied to him about his father, Henry runs out on the fire escape, and while Emma tends to him, Neal agrees to talk with Rumpel.

Neal resents what he views as Rumpel's abandonment and has no desire to reconcile.  He then exits to the fire escape to speak with Henry.

In Storybrooke, meanwhile, Regina finds a Dewey Decimal call number in Belle's bag at the hospital, which she discovered through magic (which we learn was recorded by Greg on his cell phone).  Regina, Cora, and Hook go to the library, where they find a map leading to Rumpel's dagger, which they hope to possess in order to force him to kill David, Snow, and Emma so that Regina can have Henry all to herself again.

And in the fairybacks, Rumpel is conscripted into the army during the Ogre Wars.  While at camp, he is asked to stand guard over a blind redhead girl with eyes in the palms of her hands.  She predicts his future, saying that his actions will leave his son fatherless.  Rumpel takes this to mean that he will die in the war and begins to seek a way out, eventually crippling himself with a hammer.

He returns home to find that his wife has given birth to a son.  Ashamed that Rumpel has become a coward like his own father, she speaks venomous words and leaves.

Years later, after having become the Dark One and losing Bae, Rumpel meets the seer in the woods and demands information from her about how to find Bae.  The seer predicts that he will be reunited with him after a curse is cast and that he will neither be the one to cast nor break the curse.  Feeling this is still not enough, he takes the seer's power from her.  Before dying, the seer foretells that Rumpel will be reunited with Bae by a boy who will lead to Rumpel's undoing.

Obviously a long recap, but there were a lot of details in this episode!  While I had predicted (back in season one!) that Baelfire would be revealed as Henry's father, I still really enjoyed this episode.  Allowing the magic to take a backseat to the human drama was a wise choice on the part of the writers, and the acting here was some of the best in the series.

I'm very much looking forward to the ensuing drama from the last line of the seer's prophecy.  With the boy now revealed as Henry, Rumpel's plan to kill him will be a great test of character.  Will he kill Henry, who has the power to unite all of Storybrooke's major players, in order to save himself?  Or will he sacrifice himself heroically to stop Cora?  There are some really interesting possibilities here.

I am, however, growing increasingly irritated with Regina's wavering character.  Given the progress she had made earlier in the season, I really can't see her working with Cora to murder Emma, Snow, and Charming.  Unless she is only pretending to play along so that she can somehow kill Cora?  I hope it's the latter.  Regina deserves to be the complex, nuanced character that we saw at the beginning of the season.

And can we please just oust Greg already?  I don't feel like he's adding anything to the plot save a minor diversion.  Even with his video footage, I don't think many will believe him.  There's this thing called VFX, you see...

Anyway, one of the best episodes of the season.  I hope we get more episodes like this.