The Hunchblog of Notre Dame

31Jul 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 3 & 4 Review

by jess

Episode 3: The Other Shoe

Jessy Schram as Cinderella & Tim Phillipps as Prince Thomas

I had forgotten that Rumple was also the Fairy Godmother. He just has so many roles in this show. This episode revisits Cinderella a.k.a Ashley and her step-sister who was in love with a footman but got hauled off to land of untold stories with the wicked step-mother because she didn’t want her daughter marrying beneath her. Apparently working for royalty isn’t good enough for a woman who sold porcelain for some dresses and uses slave labor. Or is Cinderella an indentured servant?

The other plot going on is Emma’s issues with the future and finally asking Hook to move into the house that he picked out for them to live. Emma’s proposal was sweet but weird when she added the bit about getting hit by a bus and space for leather jackets. Also there is a plot with Regina trying to out-think EQ, Snow White wanting to teach, David learning about his father’s death and Rumple getting a mixtape to Belle. These plots are all at the expensive of the other stories going on like the Dwarves saved Dopey from being a tree and Dopey got into a masters program. In what and where? Fuck you, that’s not important when we got a mixtape and a 40+ year old hot cold case. I still wanna know how Mulan and Aurora saved Philip from the wraith back in season 2. That could have been an epic adventure but instead we got Tamara and Owen, Peter Pan’s anti-magic zealots. It’s just like Why on that one.

The past section was good, nice to see Cinderella’s step-sister get more characterization than nothing. How she met the foot-man could have been interesting but there is no time for a line like that when there are like five plots per-episode and a weird pilgrim lady coming to town, the show has its priorities people. Got to wonder what story that Pilgrim lady is from and why didn’t she want her story played out?

It was a good enough epsiode, loved Emma’s white embroidery shirt especially with the leather jacket and the step-sister’s gown. That gown was awesome.

Mekenna Melvin as Clorinda Tremaine

Episode 4: Strange Case

Hank Harris as Dr. Henry Jekyll & Sam Witwer as Mr. Hyde

Well that was super unceremonious way to end the Hyde and Jekyll storyline. So many questions left unanswered only to answer a question that made Hyde’s story play into Rumple and Belle’s toxic relationship and to get the EQ to be her own character. I did like how their backstory played out but right when you start liking the plotline POOF it’s gone because we have to make way for the Aladdin plot.

Speaking of Aladdin, the b-plot with Jasmine being a teacher’s aid to Snow was SUPER boring. What does Snow White teach? Don’t care, I want to know what Dopey is getting his M.A in, I’m super curious about that. Maybe it’s dendrology, the scientific study of trees? I mean he was a trea. In my head canon that is what he’s studying. I mean if the show’s not going to answer it might as well make something up.

This season seems like a kitchen-sink of plotlines. It’s like they knew there wasn’t going to be a continuous story for season 7 so they had to jam back season 6 but they had already started the Hyde/Jekyll/EQ plot. So while the backstory and ultimately Hyde and Jekyll were interesting in the heart/mind and social politeness vs not giving a fuck about society was interesting, nothing came from it. I mean WHAT WAS HYDE’s PLAN? WHAT DID HE WANT?

Also Rumple got his hair cut! That’s an important plot point OR the actor got sick of the wig.

Not a great episode. Minor points for concluding a story instead of having characters fizzle into the background, Lily and Maleficent. The past section was really good.

Also where are my Avonlea fans at because Jekyll reminds me a lot of Jasper Dale, sans the murder part.

27Jul 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 1 & 2 Review

by jess

Episode 1: The Savior

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

Wow, this episode has no past section, well except for that Aladdin is a has-been savior and Belle’s dream world but no plot based section set in the past. There was no time to have a past section when there is like 30 story plots going on. Regina being pissed at Zelena while mourning Robin, Zelena pissed at Regina for destroying her dark part as well as not thanking her for destory the man she loved to save Regina, Hyde’s secret evil plans, Belle’s baby, the island of Misfit untold story characters, Emma’s future, Aladdin is another savor, what drinks did the Evil Queen make and what does she want, Robin’s soul, Archie trying to find more patients, Granny trying to make ends-meet after Snow volunteers her place as a soup kitchen, Pongo trying to take a walk in peace, Hyde trying to have enough money in his canteen account, Hook’s new haircut, and Henry trying to get in on all the action while Hook and Emma try to get some action. I’m sure I missed something but there is lots and lots of plot this episode. Hopefully they will all reach a nice conclusion since this sort of is the last season since NEXT season seems to be a soft re-boot with most of the cast not returning.

Was this a good episode? It was alright not good but okay. It did get the ball rolling in many, many directions.

Episode 2: A Bitter Draught

Lana Parrilla as Regina

No thank you I like fruity beers. A bad Beer Joke! And now the review.

I do not get this land of untold story plotline. There is a magical realm where time stops and stories are halted and the people who live there chose to live there so they didn’t have live those stories and YET they all chose to follow Hyde, who is like their leader for some reason not explained, to Storybrooke to play out the stories they didn’t want played out? Enter characters like the Three Musketeers who are just extras, some Bellydancers, Steampunk people, a cowboy and Edmond Dantes a.k.a The Count of Monte Cristo.

So they changed up Edmond’s story for drama so that instead of Mercedes (his fiancÃ©e) marrying Morcerf, Mortcerf kills her and Dantes doesn’t know about Danglar and Villefort’s involvement. And forget about HaydÃ©e, she wasn’t mentioned or Albert. They also suggested that Monte Cristo was a place but it wasn’t, it was a rocky spit of land hence the joke of the title but props to them getting that it’s also a sandwich. I’ll admit it I might be harsher with adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo since Gankutsuou is a near flawless adaptation and one of my favorite anime, go watch that but adaptation is an art since so let’s just look this version of the Count for what it is. ((( also that they did Monte Cristo before Hunchback, am I bitter about that? Yes even if they jacked it up I would still love to see what they do with the story and characters.)))

It’s not a terrible re-work of the Count since his deal his how revenge isn’t as sweet as previously thought much like Regina but Edmond’s story is a means to an end since he died as a point from EQ (Evil Queen) to Regina. It just seemed more of a waste since all his actions were because of EQ had his heart. And apparently people can just say when someone has their heart. Well then why didn’t Hook say that to Emma in season 4 when Rumple had his heart? There are no real magic rules anymore. EQ used a magic damping spell and messed up Henry’s phone. What price did she pay for that?

Speaking of nitpicks, the show needs to do a better job styling the double’s hair on Regina. Regina has this flair out layer that is missing on the double when Lana Parrilla is playing the EQ in the stand-off scene. Also how did Regina get to Edmond’s Dantes/Dumas world? Was it the Hat? Realm hoping isn’t an issue since season 3.

Also gotta love Disney lack of self-awareness when talking about how sequels are more “involved” than the original. It’s funny given their terrible record for Disney sequels as well as recent remakes, which are more misguided.

This episode has like three balls in motion although one is dividing. You have the EQ’s machinations which involves Regina, Zelena and David. There is the untold story characters which might just be episodic stories used to move the main plots forward whatever that turns out to be, and Emma’s issue with being A savior and her death by cloaked figure in the future. Oddly Hyde was absent in this episode. Guess no time when the EQ tricks Edmond Dantes to teach her other-half lesson and how did Regina use Edmond to get her revenge in the past? Like how did she know Villefort and Dangler involvement? Magic? Seems like the Count of Monte Cristo should have been smarter but that’s adaptation for you.

Meh episode but it’s still set-up for the season.

24Jul 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 21- 23 Review

by jess

Episode 21: Last Rites

Sean Maguire as Robin & Lana Parrilla as Regina

Ok, so Hades’ plan this whole time and the real reason he gave up on the time travel thing to switch places with his brother and focused on Zelena was because Zeus broke the Olympian Crystal and Hades couldn’t repair it with his heart stopped in addition to not being able to leave the underworld. Also it seems like Hades wants it all, Storybrooke, Olympus, no-calorie cookies and power. Now the Olympian Crystal is the only thing that can kill or end a god. This the same plot device the show uses a lot towards the end of each arc, some magic thing that either saves everyone or doom everyone, like season 2 it was that fail-safe trigger, or is season 4 with that necklace. Or how a cut from Excalibur just murders you.

Trouble is Hades he can, like everyone else, can snap a person’s neck with magic, so why not just do that? He did it with Arthur. Why really do you need the trouble of forging your only murder weapon, even if they do-gooder don’t know about it? Why bother?

Except Arthur and Hook found the pages about Hades and the crystal and they put in the book and TA-DAnce, pages in the Storybrooke version for Emma to see. But it is Zelena who kills Hades after he obliterates Robin’s being and lies about this schemes. Hades did love Zelena though he just fell victim to being a villain and wanting to have it all. Power, love, family, power, a kingdom to rule, power and more power. He didn’t explicitly say it but he probably wanted to kill Zeus with the crystal. Anway Zeus restores Hook to life because he was a good boy. So Hook stayed officially dead for like one episode. Arthur is cool with being in the underworld since he now knows Camelot wasn’t the kingdom that he was prophesied to repair, it was UnderBrooke. Looks like Cruella is going to have some opposition.

It does suck that Robin’s existence has been wiped out, like his soul is gone. It was a noble sacrifice for Regina. It might have been sadder if he wasn’t being such a douche about his daughter, how Zelena was dangerous and how Regina shouldn’t trust Zelena.

This conclusion to the arc felt very underwhelming. Robin’s death is only going to cause more drama for Regina because this show loves its drama. Girl can’t be happy because that’s not dramatic.

All in all this was an arc of cameos and call backs.

Episode 22: Only You

Jared S. Gilmore as Henry & Olivia Steele Falconer as Violet

Remember in season 2 when Henry tried to destroy magic? Well he’s at again though with more teenaged angst. He thinks magic is the root cause of all the suffering in Storybrooke expect Storybrooke is made of magic so when Rumple steals a piece of that Olympian Crystal and tethers Storybrooke’s magic to it after Belle’s father refuses to wake her, Henry using his author powers steals the crystal and goes to New York to destroy it and Violet goes with him. At a library they find other Once Upon a Time books like one has Don Quixote and Paul Bunyan, not sure why they are in the same book. Violet also sees a “twin” of the Holy Grail which they conclude can destroy magic. Why is it in the Mid-town library? Rumple however shows up and takes the Crystal before Emma and Regina can get there.

Regina is once again go through the fine line of being good and suffering and following her impulse and be evil which means she would lose everything and everyone. This was an emotionally charged scene and the best of the episode.

Speaking of the balance of good and evil we have Jekyll and Hyde now. Because of the impending Doom, there is an evacuation of Storybrooke. Before Zelena can close the portal it goes crazy and her, Snow, David and Hook are pulled to somewhere. With the wand broken they captured and are the prisoners of Mr.Hyde. Hyde is not a fan of the Dark one. Jekyll repairs the wand but is caught and Hyde allows the plan to continue as he wants everyone in the steampunk zepplin land to go to Storybrooke too. Hyde also steals Belle in pandora’s box from Rumple. Rumple actually picks to save the power object over his love. Classic Rumple. Don’t feel bad for him. Hyde does this for leverage.

Here’s a thought, couldn’t Henry, as the author, just write that everyone loses their magic? Then no more magic. Or is that not dramatic enough? He just uses his author power to steal the magic but not remove it from people.

This episode is more of the same just upcycled. We have seen Regina’s struggling with her darker self and now there the Jekyll and Hyde plot. Henry wants to destroys magic again, people trapped in a weird land again. Rumple wants power for love but choice power again. This episode reverts to it’s old patterns and just repackages it. Characters don’t get arcs they grow a little bit and then a setback happens and people accuse them of following back to their old patterns, just like the show. That maybe how real life goes but it’s not interesting in a show about how gray fairy tale characters are and redemption arcs.

This episode is serviceable as the first part of the two part finale. On a plus side the violin music at the end was amazing. It had a Phantom of the Opera vibe. Do Phantom of the Opera Once Upon a Time. Or Hunchback. I don’t really want to think those curiosity were a weird Hunchback reference, I’d rather be reading too much in their extra choices.

Episode 23: An Untold Story

The Land of Untold Stories

This episode is the 2nd part of the finale. Zelena, Snow, Hook and David find out the identity of the Good Gardener/Doctor and the Warden and they try and flee Mr.Hyde who has been separated from Jekyll. Turns out they are in the Land of Untold Stories which is full of Outcasts, show’s own words, so high hopes for Hunchback. To be fair yet another extra looks like Esmeralda.

Meanwhile, Henry successfully destroys the magic of Storybrooke with the Dark Grail only to find out that most of his Family is trapped in another realm. They meet the Dragon, who isn’t dead and he tells them that magic is everywhere. They go a fountain and make wished which charges the crystal but it’s not enough. Henry makes speech about magic and belief which is enough to restore the crystal and open a portal which brings back Zelena, Snow, Hook and David along with Jekyll. Rumple slips through the portal to save Belle. The New Yorkers then think it was a act. Regina then uses Jekyll’s serum to remove the Evil Queen and crushes her heart. However Evil Queen isn’t dead, she on the war path for the next season.

Rumple and Hyde come to some deal and Rumple gives Hyde Storybrooke and Rumple gets intel on saving Belle. Hyde brings all the untold story people to Storybrooke for next season shenanigans

Also Violet’s dad was from the Twain’s story, A Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Funny didn’t he chastised Henry for not being a knight. But they did say his name was Sir Morgan so might have been planned that way.

This episode has the flaws of the last episode but it have lot more set-up for next season with three plot threads, Regina versus Evil Queen in the flesh, no subtle internal struggle anymore, the show will eats its cake dammit, The Untold Stories featuring Hyde and Jekyll, and Rumple saving Belle which more than likely will get wrapped up quickly but it’s still a plot thread.

Henry flip-flopping on magic was annoying and his speech was awkward.

There was a heavy-handed foreshadowing when Emma tells Hook she loves him without being in peril there is a wedding gown positioned in between them in the background. What could happen next season???

So on to next season. Will there be Hunchback? Feel like I would have heard if there was by now since the season has ended. That extra might be it but she looks more like Esmeralda than the underworld waitress. Do you guys think that is Esmeralda?

Another Curious Extra or maybe Esmeralda

20Jul 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 19 & 20 Review

by jess

Episode 19: Sisters

Lana Parrilla as Regina & Rebecca Mader as Zelena

Regina wants to get in the way of Hades and Zelena because Hades is a Villain and the God of Death and therefore cannot be redeemed. Evil Queen, Sure. Dread Pirate Hook Hand, you bet. Snow Queen, sort of. Rumple, jury is still out on that one. But the God of Death is beyond that even though Death is the ultimate equalizer.

Hades’ plan is now to go to Storybrooke with Zelena and have a life but leave the heros in UnderBrooke so they don’t get in the way so he puts all their names on tombstones for good measure. Regina then enlists Cora to make Zelena forget Hades. Zelena sees through this but in the end Cora makes them remember an incident from their past a kids where the met and liked each other but Cora made them forget. The sister reconcile and Cora moves on to Olympus. Regina tells Zelena that maybe she can change Hades but before she gets to him, Rumple and Pan kidnap her.

The B plot is about James and David. James’ real motivations for hating David is that David stole his glory. That is so dumb. In the end James take the plunge into the River of Lost Souls. This side plot has yet another case of Emma being lied to and not picking up on it.

The hero are acting dumb about Hades and Zelena. Maybe if they convinced them that they WON’T get in the way of their happiness, he might let them go home. Hades just seems to care about Zelena right now. Maybe Hades is up to no good but if he is up to some nefarious scheme he hiding with well with all his wooing of Zelena.

The emotional crux of Regina and Zelena was good towards the end of the episode. The emotions landed well. Having the sisters meet as children was weird as it retconned them and led to a quick reconciliation, guess they had to expedite things. The B plot was dumb, Cruella was the only good part. Hades proposal was cute, asking to make chaos with Zelena. So sweet. This episode was about a B.

Episode 20: Firebird

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook

There is a lot going on in this episode.

Hades goes to the Heros for help to save Zelena from Rumple and Pan. In exchange he offers to take their names off the graves. Hades compiles with Rumple and tears up the contract and frees Zelena. They kiss and presto, True Love’s Kiss awakens Hades’ Frozen heart. Apparently Hades knew it was true love. Hades triggers a portal to open but it will be open for a limited time only and Emma can’t split her heart to give to Hook as he’s been dead too long. Hades tells them about Orpheus and Eurydice and a rumor that could bring hook back. Hook and Emma descend into a low level of the Underworld to try and get some ambrosia which will bring Hook back but Hades cut it way long ago, thus tricking the heroes. Hook convinces Emma to let him go and go back without him. It’s a very sad scene, actually.

While that is going on. Henry tries to complete Operation Firebird which was to help people of the Underworld move on using his author powers. Too bad he didn’t think of this idea ages ago instead of whining. Cruella and the Blind-witch halt this by trapping them with a spell of Hades gave them in the library. Hades tricked them again. Meanwhile Rumple tricks Pan by saying he got a living heart but it was that river of lost souls AGAIN. Pan’s plan wouldn’t have worked anyway. Tricked AGAIN.

While all the heros are getting tricked Hades, Zelena and the baby leave. Just some backstory that I missed, Hades can only leave the underworld when true love’s kiss makes his heart beat again. Zeus stopped it for reasons. His heart “fluttered” when he was with Zelena, so he knows it’s True Love with her. He did have plan to go back into time so he could be the one on Mt Olympus but dropped the plan because he wanted Zelena. If they have kids, they will have red hair and be very snappy dressers.

The past section deals with Emma getting caught by a bail bonds person and how she got her leather jacket or her armor. The final part of that plot was very emotional.

So true love is apparently easy to find and hard to keep. The scene with Hook and Emma was very emotional and done well. Hades should have just done nothing. The heroes would have left him alone but he ruined with this scheming. He should have done nothing, unless he really does have some grand master plan that has yet to be hinted at. His plans so far have been go back in time, keep souls and be with Zelena.

This episode had some winky meta moments. Like the ticking clock that is the portal out of the underworld is an actual clock. And the bails bond lady telling Emma Phoenix isn’t hell, which is where she pretty much is now.

This episode was alright. It had some great emotional moments but again Emma didn’t notice a lie. Will we see Hook again? Maybe not but who knows. Glad to know Cruella got a bit of a happy ending. Cruella is going to run the Underworld now, good for her.

17Jul 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 17 & 18 Review

by jess

Episode 17: Her Handsome Hero

Emilie de Ravin as Belle & Wes Brown as Gaston

Not one for mixing references but they could have given Gaston the surname of Leroux but instead they went with LeGume as in a bean. Is Gaston’s Kingdom in bean trading? Or they COULD have made it Avenant from the 40’s version as it was name originally considered for Gaston.

This is a Belle heavy episode and she puts her foot down on Rumple using Dark Magic. Hades enlists the help of Gaston to get his revenge on Rumple for his death. Hades does this since he knows Belle will insist that Rumple not hurt Gaston. Hades also makes Belle a deal that if Gaston or Rumple knock the other into the River of Lost Souls, her baby is safe. Belle tries to save Gaston but ends up pushing him into the water to save Rumple. Oops and it doesn’t free the child from the contract.

The reason for this is supposedly souls make Hades more powerful and he doesn’t like the hope going around town as flowers are starting to grow. Flowers growing from hope is super sappy. Hades, you seem like a god of moderate intelligence, why not just let Hook and everyone go and count your loses? Sure your down some souls but there is no hope floating around. Sounds like a win-win. Instead he does more antagonist stuff and pines for Zelena.

Past plot was Gaston is a jerk who doesn’t like ogres but does like Belle. Gaston is a nicer rendition of his Disney-self. Was it just me or did the ogre looks similar to Quasimodo? Especially in the opening sequence. Oddly Her Handsome Hero sounds like Star Wars. As it’s a story about compassion and forgiveness, though lots of stories are about that. And LeFou got a name drop, which is more than Olaf got in season 4.

B plot is simple. Emma has a scary dream and it turns out to be Ruby/Red.

This episode was alright. Not a huge fan of Belle and Rumple anymore. Rumple did make a point about dark and light being a point of view. As Belle was ok with stealing property to help someone even though that didn’t happen.

Episode 18: Ruby Slippers

Meghan Ory as Red/Ruby & Teri Reeves as Dorothy

Is some ways this is a filler episode as it takes focus off the Hades’ plot, which is fine, but it does somethings to move things a little bit. The theme of this episode it to take the risk on love. Zelena does it with Hades and Ruby does it will Dorothy.

Ruby and Mulan’s quest leads them to OZ to find Ruby’s pack. They get there just as Zelena returns and they meet up with Dorothy as Zelena dog-naps Toto in exchange for the slippers. Other than hating Zelena, there was no point in Dorothy keeping the shoes. The crew’s plan is to put Zelena to sleep with the poppy sleeping potion. Dorothy and Ruby bond while getting the poppies and Ruby crushes hard on Dorothy. After the potion is made Dorothy goes off on her own and Zelena puts her in a sleeping curse and takes the slippers. As Dorothy just has the love of OZ she doesn’t have true love.

Ruby follows Zelena to UnderBrooke and hijinx ensue. Mainly they want to get Aunty Em to blow a kiss into a bottle but Hades liquidates Aunt Em to make Zelena happy. While that is happening the Haunting booth is removed and Snow begs David to leave with Ruby with the slippers that Zelena did give back. Snow can’t leave because her name is on the headstone BUT Hook crossed her name off so David stays for her. Hades enchanted his Hook so he could engrave names on the stones. So Snow leaves with Ruby. Ruby kisses Dorothy and she wakes up and Snow goes back to Neal. Also Belle figures she doesn’t have nine month to save her child so she puts herself under a sleeping curse, that Zelena gave her. Not sure if that was a great plan.

Let’s just unpack Belle’s plan. The Sleeping curse on her was practical matter by the show as Belle’s actress was pregnant hence the big red coat she wears. You can see her abdomen sometimes. So this was just a necessity. If you look at in the context of the show, sleeping curses do stop aging but does that apply to an embryo? Shrugs. Doesn’t seem like a great plan but not sure how much Hades REALLY cares about Belle and Rumple’s kid, he just likes the leverage and deals.

Then there is the crux of this episode Mulan is all still alone. Ruby and Dorothy are true loves because I guess they both felt like outsiders and liked dogs. Not a bad start to things. I hope Mulan will finds someone too. She was cute with Ruby but I guess they were just friends on a mission to find Ruby a place in the world, and she did. To be fair, I don’t know what’s up with Dorothy. I don’t mean her character but her costume. Can’t quite put my finger on it but it looks like something out of steampunk. With two patterns going on. Warrior grab with a gingham skirt? NOT sure hot to feel about that one other than confused. The pairing on Ruby and Dorothy was ok but it was contained to one episode so while there is an attachment to Ruby and Mulan, there isn’t one to Dorothy as show depicts her.

Another curiosity in this episode is the guy removing the Haunting Booth is named Claude. I do feel like I’m being mocked here. First the lady at the dinner, then the ogre now a random dude named “Claude.”

This episode was fine. Ruby and Dorothy got their happy endings while the others are in Hell. Still not bad not amazing but it was ok episode.

13Jul 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 15 & 16 Review

by jess

Episode 15: The Brother Jones

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook

Meet the brother’s Jones. One is an eyeliner wearing emo and the other is self-righteous to a fault. If you have to guess, you don’t watch the show. Though there are three brothers and two are named Liam so who really knows what Liam number 2 is like.

This episode fills in the gap between Liam and Hook getting sold into servitude as boys and joining the navy. Ah, the Navy, where you can sail the seven the seas and put your mind at ease. Turns out the lads nearly had enough money to get out but Hook gambled it away and Liam couldn’t leave him. So as the their captain was leading the ship into a storm from some sapphire, Liam and Hook lead a mutiny and as Liam is plotting a course GUESS WHO TURNS UP WITH A DEAL. Hint not Rumple, though he does like deals. Nope it’s Hades and he wants souls. So in return for leading a lot of guys to their death by horrible drowning, Liam gets to live as well as Hook PLUS the stupid sapphire which will pretty much grant them anything they want from the King. But Liam is too moral of a person, nah he takes the deal and him and Hook join the Navy.

In UnderBrook, lots of plots are going on. Liam doesn’t like Emma because of the whole Dark One thing and being selfish about not letting Hook move on. Hook is mopey because he thinks he shouldn’t be saved. Henry wants to be a Hero. Cruella wants David who is pretending to be his twin brother James. And Hades wants pages of the Storybook destroyed because he has a past with Zelena. Well of course he does because how else is Zelena going to factor into the plot. You think Regina sending her to Oz last season was the end of her? Actually I have no idea where this thing is going.

How did Hook know the sailor’s unfinished business? Tell me show. He just assumes that a bunch of people have the SAME unfinished business. What if one of them regrets not being a dentist to make his mother proud after a deathbed promise when he was eight? Bit of a leap you took there Hook with their salvation. But whatever they were just extras, existing solely for Liam and Hook’s story. And how did Liam get “saved?” He was going to put his brother before himself and that was his business? Is this business things part of being a good person or do you solve your issue and the you get to move on to Zeus? Does a horrible person in life get to move if they figure out their business? Wasn’t there some judgment talk? Or is hell for those who didn’t solve their problem but think they did? I feel I’m going insane asking all these questions, the show doesn’t know it’s just a nicer ending to have Liam and the sailors move on so that Hook can feel good about wanting to be saved and have a life with Emma. I mean that is what the people want!

Not the best episode. It does moves things along but it’s boring. Aside from Cruella who is just too delightful.

Episode 16: Our Decay

Greg Germann as Hades & Rebecca Mader as Zelena

They missed a chance to do the “I’ll get you and your little dog too” line. This episode focuses on Zelena and Hades and their special connection. To fair it’s that special connection is standard for this show; it’s True Love. Hades and Zelena actually do have a connection as they are both bitter about their siblings getting more from life than them. Hades got the Underworld while Zeus got Olympus, Zelena was abandon and Regina was kept and made Queen. They actually feel like a natural couple. Expect Zelena rejected him in the past because she thought he was after the time-travel spell and currently she thinks Hades is after her baby for the same spell when he had Rumple bring the baby to the Underworld and Belle and Zelena get inadvertently pulled through the portal. Not sure how she got from OZ back to Storybrooke but the show glossed over it so we will too. Hades claims he was trying to get Zelena’s baby away from the heroes.

Let’s just touch on ort “heroes” for a bit. Apparently in their book it’s ok to leave your infants to save friends in hell if you think they died in vain. Maybe one of the Charmings should have stayed with their third season plot point, or infant son. But Robin thinks being noble is more important than his baby or his small motherless son. And he going to hide the small baby in the forest of hell instead of the nice apartment Robins is also super annoying with regard to Zelena and the baby, maybe if he was trying to cut her off the baby she woudn’t act out. Siding with the villains on this one. Though Hades could be lying as his reasons for getting the baby, don’t really think he is. Think he is in love with Zelena. She’s the reason why he created the Underworld in Storybrooke’s image, because she wanted to cast the Dark Curse.

Oddly there is a neat little tie into the Hades’ myth that makes him and Zelena makes sense as a couple. When Zelena joined the sister witches of OZ she represented the West which stood for innocences. Persephone also represented innocence. Also Zelena was born on April 15th, which is tax day and is in the Spring. So Zelena is Persephone. I wonder if this was intentional by the writers or a happy accident.

Then there are other characters. We have Henry going all teeanger because his parents can understand his artistic methods. Apparently he black out when he writes. Henry’s plans is to record the stories to get the missing pieces about Hades so they can beat him. Snow White and David haunt their baby via a Haunting Booth, which is a payphone. There is a fine line between being clever and dumb. This seems to taking that step over the line.

Then there is Rumple. Rumple tells Belle about the contract, her condition and his Dark one status. Rumple’s character arc this whole time isn’t one of redemption of anti-hero but accepting the man and the beast. So he can be slightly nicer and loving but not a hero. Rumple doesn’t want to change he wants love and power. I guess he is being honest?

This episode was pretty good. Somehow Hades and Zelena are super compelling but they need to stop with the flaming hair. It’s just uncanny valley. Can also have done without super self-righteous Robin and the Haunting Booth.

12Jul 2017

The Conclusion of La Esmeralda

by jess

Esmeralda & Quasimodo, La Esmeralda, Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

After seeing a lot of version that felt like no effort was put into them it was refreshing to see that this ballet version tried to create an all round good HUnchback adaption. It told a version of the story that fit limits of a ballet but also catered to the advantage the medium can provide. Was this a perfect version? No, it did make some weird decisions with regards to the source material and add-ons, like that greek myth in the second act and have the Pope of Fools also in the second act.

For the most part this Ballet was good which why it’s harder to review. It’s a decent version of the book but even better if you let yourself get lost in the artist of ballet. Also helps if you like/appreciate ballet more than I do.

Like I said, Good Version of Hunchback are harder to review so let’s go for a not so good version. What version should be next?

Next Version for Review?

1977 (67%, 14 Votes)
Dingo version (24%, 5 Votes)
Other (Please Says in the Comments) (10%, 2 Votes)

Total Voters: 21

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Poll won’t expire for a while, may not get to the next version till the fall. This summer been hard/busy for me.

10Jul 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 13 & 14 Review

by jess

Episode 13: Labor of Love

Bailee Madison as Young Snow White & Jonathan Whitesell as Hercules

We get Hercules and Megara in the episode however Hercules follows his original myth more and Megara is a seemingly normal girl. Both of them were killed by Cerberus and are in the Underworld. Not sure what Megara’s unfinished business was, the show doesn’t say but her only personality type is afraid of the hellhound and not too filled with hope. Enter Snow who was a childhood friend of Hercules who taught her how to fight and stand up to ruffians. She and Herc have a childhood attraction and a kiss. It was nice to see young Snow again.

Cruella makes an appearance and asks Henry to find the author’s quill he broke to restore her to life. Apparently the quill is a living entity and it’s in the Underworld too and its whole existence is unfinished business.

Hercules and Megara do get to move on to a paradise which is Mt.Olympus. It would have been nice if they were recurring characters like Hades. Why does Hades whisper almost all his lines? It’s distracting. Is he Jimmy Whispers? It’s curious though that Hades is close to his Disney movie counterpart but Hercules was close to his myth. Though Regina called him “Wonder-Boy,” so there is that. Megara was a glorified name drop as she doesn’t resemble her Disney counterpart or her myth where she was the daughter of King Creon of Thebes and Hercules’ first wife. Although Hercules didn’t start his labors till after Megara’s death. They did get the first and last of Hercules‘ labors correct though according to the myth Hercules strangled the Nemean lion not torched his fur. But they got the fur right.

Doesn’t really matter if they got the myth corrects or not, it’s interesting that something like Brave was literally forced into a narrative and was pretty much a sequel/ prequel like Frozen was but Hercules was done in one episode like Rapunzel. I wish knew their thought process on picking which Disney movie to work with and how close to make them to the movies. Box-office returns seem to help. Though with Hercules they did both methods with the characters. Though I hope the show does add a bit of Hades’ myth, like have Persephone in the show.

Speaking of Hades, how does this Underworld work? Do Storybrooke/Enchanted Forest people die often with unfinished business? A bunch of Dark One get a Real World Visa and Hades doesn’t care but three souls leave and he goes into vindictive mood? What are souls in Hades’ ambition? In the movie, Hades didn’t care about the souls as he wanted to rule Olympus.

His motivation thus far is keeping the souls put which means there will be more flaming hair and hope speeches. Or he has some other plan.

Also Snow dropped the identity of Mary Margaret, which should have happened while ago.

This was an enjoyable episode. Sure Hercules and Megara are relegated to one episode but there was at least and arc with them as they both faced their fear and saved each other. The past section was nice and tied in well to the Underworld plot. It was a solid episode.

Episode 14: Devil’s Due

Greg Germann as Hades

This is a Rumple focused episode. Rumple finds out that Belle is pregnant and wants to get back to her. He then decides to be helpful in the Hook’s recuse and enlists his ex-wife’s, Milah, for help. Turns out Emma has been with all the men Milah has really loved, Hook and Neal. Kinda of messed up but Milah lets it go and helps Emma save Hook even though she knows Hook loves Emma now. As Emma is recusing Hook, Milah and Rumple are watching the boat, Hades makes a deal with Rumple. Hades will “poof” him home if he destroys the boat. He does but Hades enacts an old contract that Rumple made with some healer to save Baelfire from a snake bite in exchange for his second born child. Milah was none too happy about that as Rumple sold her future. Hades now owns the contract, so he going to make Rumple work for him. Also Milah got pushed into the River of Lost Souls, she really didn’t deserve that fate.

It is curious that Rumple was always making deal to get babies but then he thought he voided the contract when he killed the healer but deals don’t get voided with death. The legal matters in this show are crazy. It’s an interesting plot development design to give reason for while Rumple was originally after babies in the first two seasons as is in the case with his fairy tale but he thought he had voided it anyway, so why was he after babies?. Bit weird though this development explains what pushed Milah to Hook whom she met in this episode and Rumple’s motivation to work with Hades. Still hate Hades.

In other plots going on, Regina learns from Cruella about the graves in UnderBrooke. Everyone has one there. If it’s tipped over, the person went to Olympus. If it’s cracked, the went to I guess Hell. Regina finds Daniel’s grave and sees it has been tipped over. Then a weird scene happens, Regina sees a fallen horse and uses her magic to help it up. Apparently this returns her magic to her, didn’t even know it wasn’t working, must not have been paying attention. However before Regina can split Emma’s heart for Hook, Hades traps Regina, Snow and Emma in UnderBrooke by writing their names on tombstones. Hades likes the ladies.

This episode was decent. It’s nice to see Rumple in a pawn position even though he has his Dark powers back. The episode has good pacing, decent character development and moves this arc forward.

Beside the horse scene there is another weird moment. That silent girl behind the diner counter is curious. She has no lines but her styling is suspect. If this show never has Esmeralda or Hunchback, just consider this Esmeralda.

A Curious Extra or maybe Esmeralda Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 14 Devils Due review picture image

A Curious Extra, Maybe Esmeralda?

06Jul 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 11 & 12 Review

by jess

Episode 11: Swan Song

Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook with Caroline Ford as Nimue & Dark Ones

Must be fun to be extra playing a Dark One. I swear though one of the Dark One’s capes has the same fabric they used with Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens. What is a group of Dark Ones called? A Gaggle? A Constitution? An Unpleasantness ? A Murder? A Darkness?

Still not sure how the Dark Ones are really coming back other than they are a Vista from Hell or the Underworld and need the souls of the living for the exchange. Does seem like there were more Dark Ones than Storybrooke sacrificial lambs.

The plan of the Dark One does seem odd. Why would a Dark One want more Dark Ones around? Just to “snuff out the light?” And then what? Dark Ones are going to terrorize Storybrooke and compete for whose the Darkest? Doesn’t matter because Hook comes to his senses and sacrifices himself to put out the Darkness except he doesn’t because Rumple pulled out a double-cross and used the sword as conduit to be the Dark One again. Only this time he has all the powers of the Dark Ones. But wasn’t that the point, all Dark Ones are connected to the other Dark Ones. Didn’t the repeatedly say the pervious Dark Ones are inside the mind of the Dark One? Or do the Dark Ones communicate even though they are in the Underwood? It doesn’t make much sense and the murkiness of the explanations and the revelation doesn’t help, point is Rumple once again lost his redemptive arc and went with power. This show is a cock tease with Rumple’s character development.

Then there is Hook who in the past section meets his father who abandoned him and his brother and sold them. Then Hook’s dad was put under a sleep curse, met a girl while asleep, fell in love, got that kiss, married her and had another son. I guess this lady who died before we could meet her, I bet her name was named Adelaide and loved vegetables. Comment if you get that reference.

Anyway Hook meeting his dad was a test by Regina so Hook could kill Cora and go to Land without Magic to get his revenge on Rumple. He was going to spare his dad but killed him after he learned his new son is named Liam. So if he had a girl it would have been different? Actually Hook is mad about the abandonment and figures he hasn’t changed. Funny, that Hook never bonded with Emma about being orphans. Did anyway in this show NOT have a tragic childhood?

Hook’s redemption felt really rushed. So the drama of his sacrifice didn’t have enough impact.

Anyway it’s off to the Underworld with everyone to save Hook. Also we see that Nonchalant Duck again. That Duck and that Dove from season three should get more screentime.

Episode 12: Souls of the Departed

The Heroes in the Underworld

Hey this is the 100th episode! And Welcome to Season 5 Arc 2 a.k.a Hell of Color-Correction. The Underworld looks like a dilapidated StoryBrooke with an ultra red tone.

So far this is the arc of dead character cameos as we see the Blind Witch from Season 1, Cruella drove by, Peter Pan, James and Henry(Regina’s dad) and Cora. Also Neal, who isn’t in the Underworld. Who knows who else will see again? Do the creepy marionettes that were Geppetto’s parents count as a cameo?

This episode focuses mainly on Regina’s parents Henry and Cora. Cora has set-up some plan to get Regina out of the Underworld but Henry begs her to stay to bring hope and help her friends. Cora tries to sent Henry to I guess even worse Hell but in the end he is set to Paradise, not sure what it is but it seems nice. Henry going to his reward was a nice emotional scene.

The backstory did answer a weird element from season 1, how Henry got trapped in Wonderland. Nice to get an answer, wondered if anyway was wondering how that happen.

A new character we meet is Hades. Not a fan. He looks like an asshole and whispers nearly all his lines. Maybe he will get better. Curious about the other character from Hercules. Like is the girl giving Hades a pedicure Megara? Could make sense.

Not a bad episode, had good moments with Henry and Regina but it’s the arc opener so there isn’t much going on yet aside from meeting Hades, the Crew’s quest to save Hook and help the Underworld people move on. I hate the Hades Blue Flame effect.

05Jul 2017

Other Aspects to the La Esmeralda

by jess

Sets

Sets of La Esmeralda Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

For the most parts you don’t really notice the sets in this Ballet, mainly because so much of the attention is focused on the dancing, as it should be. If you do happen to look at the sets you would see they are quite lovely.

The only set that is noticeable would be drop cloths that are used as transitions. They usually appear when characters are crossing the stage so there is little dancing taking part. The designs on the cloth is typically maps and they have a nice cross hatching on them that make them feel like antique book illustrations. The concept of a basic though nicely done dropcloth does seem a little on the amateurish side but it does help set a tone.

The other sets are very well detailed and are more representational opposed to symbolic of Paris and Notre Dame. Meaning it looks like Notre Dame instead of columns and a gargoyle like in Notre Dame de Paris. Neither approach is wrong just a style choice. Also Notre Dame is for most always seen in the distance. Always omnipresent. The realistic sets are also a good counter to the symbolist representation of the story through dance.

Lighting

Lighting of La Esmeralda Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

This is one of the strongest aspects on the show. It always convey the right mood and drama for the scene. The best use of lightening is during Frollo’s meltdown with dancers bathed in red contrasted in cold blue of Frollo. Also the Pas de deux between Quasimodo and Esmeralda at the end in a wash of blue added to the tragic ending.

Music

Conductor of La Esmeralda Kremlin Ballet Company, Moscow

Not as crazy about the music. It sounded like it was trying to be the Dance of the Hours even though Ponchielli composed Dance of the Hours in 1876 and Pugni composed La Esmeralda in 1844. I don’t know much about 19th century music but the music didn’t to move me. It wasn’t bad or incompetent by means. If you like the music that’s great but I do not. I could just have unrefined tastes in music.

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