Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episode 21

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Homecoming

Colin O'Donoghue as Wish Hook, Andrew J. West as Henry Mills, Robert Carlyle as Rumble & Lana Parrilla as Regina Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episode 21 Homecoming picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Wish Hook, Andrew J. West as Henry Mills, Robert Carlyle as Rumble & Lana Parrilla as Regina

This is the penultimate episode, after this episode there is one episode left before it’s done, done, done or until  there is another reboot maybe. This episode is the ultimate example of the main issue Once has; the creators have good story talent, they are good at coming up with ideas BUT they don’t have much in the way of literary talent, they can’t execute their ideas which result in sloppy narratives.

With the timelines and mythos who  can keep up and this is the case in point with the Wish realm. Oh, the wish-realm, I hated it from the first and I still have it now. Basically Wish-Rumble (Wumble?) or New Rumple (Numble?), going with Wish-Rumble, he doesn’t want OGRumble (got that off of reddit), to get rid of the dark one powers since that would mean Wish-Rumble would lose his powers, though that doesn’t make any sense since the wish-realm people are different entities. I mean Snow and Charming didn’t die when Regina killed their Wish-realm equivalents. After this a series of manipulations and cameos ensues. Oh the cameos we have Pan, Cruella and Ariel. Aside from Ariel, the cameos don’t make sense. Like what is Cruella doing there? She was sent to The Land without Magic prior to Regina casting the Dark Curse and that when the time-line shifted so how did she get back? Then again how was Wish-Henry born in the first place?  

Wish-Rumble’s plan involves kidnapping Lucy and Jacinda to get Henry to give him the OG Dark One Dagger.

But really  Wish-Rumble wants the author’s power and has Wish-Henry on his side to exact revenge on Regina for killing Snow and Charming and taking Emma away. So that is the last plot line of the show, more Rumple being evil and power hungry. But it’s at least a different Rumble so the character progression isn’t lost.

What would have been Wish-Rumble’s plan if Henry had given Wish-Rumble the dagger?

Also Alice and Robin use the food truck and get to Storybrooke using a magic bean, which are super rare except when they are not.  They are on a mission to save Regina. New-Hook, OGRumple, Henry, Jacinda and Lucy.

None of this make contextual-sense, the only thing that makes sense is that Wish-Henry would want revenge of Regina. Is that enough for a final plot line that brings out all the cameos and ties up the convoluted plot of whatever Wish-Rumble is actually planning? Maybe and no. The wish-realm was stupid from the onset and is still dumb but now it’s all mucked up since Wish-Rumble and OGRumble’s powers are tied up together even though they are different versions that otherwise have no affect on each other?  Though given the show’s love of twists who knows what Wish-Rumble really wants. Maybe he just needs a hug.

I did like the call back to the seer from back in season 2. I wish that had been more of thing but better late than never, especially with this show.

All in all this episode is a C-.    

 

Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episode 13

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Knightfall

Colin O'Donoghue as Wish-Hook (Nook) Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episode 13 knightfall picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Wish-Hook (Nook)

I like that this episode focuses on Nook. He has been a weirdly explained highlight of the season. While the episode wasn’t bad on the whole there was some plot elements that makes you scratch your head.

For instance the whole Maui’s Hook and Nook and Captain Ahab was odd.  Basically Nook wanted to prove to Ahab that he is was still cool and deadly even though Nook had Maui’s Hook which could have busted Alice out of the tower, even though we know Alice will get out of the tower and the subsequence poison heart curse was the result of Gothel teaching Nook a lesson.  

The Hyperion Heights stuff was Gothel goading Rogers to remember, Ivy trying to find meaning and Regina and Lucy teaming up. The scene with Regina and Lucy was cute. The twist with Tilly at the end was odd but hopefully the show will offer up some reason for it.   

It was an alright episode just weird with its execution on plot points if you think about it too much, which is par for the course with this show. Like did Gothel know about Maui’s Hook? I guess she didn’t since she went the motherhood route to get out of the tower. She probably didn’t know since Nook went to the wish-realm and Gothel is from A.E.F. Remember when realm hopping was hard? It was good to see crazy imp Rumple though.     

This episode was about a B+.

Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episode 12

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A Taste of the Heights

Colin O'Donoghue as Rogers and Robert Carlyle as Weaver Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episode 12 A Taste of the Heights picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Rogers and Robert Carlyle as Weaver

This episode is all over the place. We have the A plot which is involves more food truck shenanigans. Sabine wants to take part in a neighborhood food truck festival, is that a thing that happens? She meets up with an old guy friend from culinary school, Drew, who is really Naveen and he in the pocket of Dr.Facilier  for reasons. The Flashback part also revolves around these three and Dr.Facilier is the best part.

The B plots are Lucy is now the blocker since Henry will die from death by plot resolution should he kiss Jacinda even though romantic love is seldom the way the these OUAT curses get broken. And the other B plot is we’re still on the case with Rumple and Nook as they investigate the coven, Eloise, the death of Dr.Sage, Victoria’s death and whatever else they find along the way.  

The C plot ties into the A plot, it’s basically about how Regina had an affair with Dr.Facilier. When did that happen, show? It was when she was still “The Evil Queen,”  but when? Was it during her tryst with Huntsmen? Or After? Or Before? It’s not much of retcon but it’s just a weird development. Though Facilier and Regina have better chemistry than Jacinda and Henry BUT then again Henry has more chemistry with the mixtapes, so moot point.  

Also I do wonder if we will still learn the identities of Dr. Sage and Hilda the creepy blind baker. Because it seems like we are not going to learn who the coven members were outside of their Hyperion Height personas, which isn’t cool OUAT! You could have had Mad Madam Mim!

This episode was very middle of the road. It wasn’t god-awful but it was great either. It felt too long, like it kept going and going and  going.

I read on reddit a really great guess for how the show will end  and I hope it will come down to it. It would wrap things up very nicely. The guess who also tie into something from season 2 that should’ve been a bigger deal but there was Pan to deal with. Anyway I hope the  reddit user’s guess is right.

  

Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episode 11 Secret Garden

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Colin O'Donoghue as Wish-Hook, Rebecca Mader as Zelena and Tiera Skovbye as Robin Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episode 11 Secret Garden picture image

 Colin O’Donoghue as Wish-Hook, Rebecca Mader as Zelena and Tiera Skovbye as Robin

I guess I was off on the episode count, oops. Anyway, Once is back and I didn’t notice, oops. While the show was on hiatus it was announced that this is the final season, which isn’t really that surprising but it does seem unlikely that Hunchback will ever enter into the narrative. Though the way the show films its season as it being aired who knows. It’s very doubtful but the upshot is the season will at least have a conclusion since the producers knew the cancellation could happen and will give the longtime fans the resolution they deserve.  

So how was the episode? It was pretty good.  Aside from the Lucy, Henry and Jacinda scenes, the episode advanced the plot and characters. We learned how Zelena got her groove back. We also learn how Robin and Zelena were in the Enchanted Forest 2.0 in the first place. Though I really can’t see Zelena being into the whole dive aesthetic  

The central theme of this episode is the length of maternal love. Zelena nearly dies for Robin and Victoria/Rapunzel does die to save Ivy/Druzilla. It was rather touching in the end to have Victoria/Rapunzel die for her  Ivy/Druzilla. I will miss Victoria/Rapunzel though.

But on the upside I did like the interaction Zelena had with the other characters this episode, especially with Nook (Hook or wish-Hook or Rogers.) Seriously  the realm doesn’t get a name but everyone else gets half-dozen names. Also glad to see gal-pal Regina back.

I feel like I  should be a little annoyed that one of the supposed big bads of the season seems to be Madame Leota from the Haunted Mansion ride but I’m not. So long as it’s fit into the overall convoluted narrative, whatever.  I wonder if, in theory, Esmeralda COULD be one of the Coven members. It would make her evil but she was nearly burned for being a witch, so maybe? Doubtful but I wouldn’t mind.

Anyway, it was a pretty good episode.  

Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episodes 7 & 8 Review

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Got two this time and I’m also a week late but I’m a very lazy person so that’s a good enough reason.

 

Episode 7: Eloise Gardner

Meegan Warner a Rapunzel & Colin O'Donoghue as Wish Hook Once Upon a Time Season 7 episode 7 Eloise Gardner picture image

Meegan Warner as Rapunzel & Colin O’Donoghue as Wish Hook

I do love Fairy-Tale Procedurals!

So according to someone on reddit the reveal of Alice being both Tilly  AND Wish-Hooks daughter was obvious and yeah it was, I mean I caught onto it BUT I never saw anyone mentioning it prior so maybe it was in your face that one needed to mention it, I’ll leave it at that. And yet I was off on Gothel being Eloise Gardner, I think or she posing as Eloise Gardner for  dramatics.

This episode explain how who is Alice’s mother and how she became cursed. Wish-Regina infoms Wish Hook that she is out of magic, so he goes to a tower to find some. Rapunzel is there and she tells him she needs a flower petal to ecape so he gets a flower and then they share an “enjoyable night.”  However  Hook is trick by Mother Gothel  who was posing as Rapunzel who had in turn trapped her in the tower and she needed a someone with her blood to be trapped in her to escape. Gothel is also the witch trapped by Ivy and Victoria and she also poses as Eloise Gardner too just throw off Rogers because Eloise Gardner is the missing teeangers who saved Rogers but the OUAT wiki says Gothel is Eloise, more confusion. This backstory does make things a little more problematic.

First thing, I did not HATE this backstory BUT there big big problems. FIRST ONE, The Tower itself.  So wish realm Hook goes to the OTHER Enchated Forest with no issue? We know it’s in that realm because we saw it when Regina trained Ivy. The realm hoping and time line are just in shatters for a show that’s WHOLE first center around it. Remember Rumple orchestrating the Dark curse to find his son? Remember? How Realm  hopping is child’s play and easy EXCEPT when it’s not. So Wish Realm Hook had a baby with another realm witch? Is he real and that makes Real World/Enchanted Forest/MistHaven Regina a murder and that begs the question What Happen to Wish Realm Regina? Also How old is Alice? She is conceived  after Regina failed the Dark curse so she has to be Emma’s age but time seems to move faster in the other enchanted forest. How old is she?  I”M CONFUSED NOW!  

Ok, the OTHER problem with this backstory  is the one most people are talking about with is OUAT penchant for rape with magic. This is not the first time a character has engaged in sex with someone who is in disguise, in essence the person did not consent to sex with that person. THis happen with Zelena in season 4 posing as Marian and getting pregnant with Robin. And now again with Wish Hook and Gothel posing as Rapunzel.  But wait there is more, Graham from season 1, remember him, he was Regina sex slave because he had his heart and then she murders him. Emma dates a flying monkey who is technically in his real form as Walsh/Oz but still was misleading as well as Emma and Neal because she still a minor when Henry was conceived. So this show has issues! Like big issues

Colin O'Donoghue as Wish Hook Once Upon a Time Season 7 episode 7 Eloise Gardner picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Wish Hook

So the rest of the episode was Roger tracking down Eloise and finding Gothel and Victoria gets locked up for it as by Ivy’s design.

The there is the food truck plot which what I’m calling the Jacinda Henry Lucy stuff. It’s just not interest. Basically Regina in order to protect Henry from whatever it was Ivy did is blocking Hnery and Jacinda for dating. This should more dramatic emotional thing but who cares. Henry has more chemistry with his mix tapes and in turn Jacinda has more chemistry with her truck’s engine. Does ANYONE CARE?     

Despite the issue with this episode it was fine. It’s nice to see the OUAT writers learn what a set-up is because the Hook dark one arc was stupid and I’m not over it, also Tilly might be one of the more interesting new characters, her and Ivy .  

 

Episode 8: Pretty in Blue

Rose Reynolds as Alice & Dania Ramirez as Ella Once Upon a Time Season 7 episode 8 Pretty in Blue picture image

Rose Reynolds as Alice & Dania Ramirez as Ella

Oh Show why did you bring up Catherine Nolan? I still want to know happen with Frederick? Did Catherine go to law school, I mean Dopey got a master’s degree so why not her? Oh this show and dropping people and characters.

Anyway this episode, groans.

So Alice and Wish Hook have this curse on then where Hook’s heart is poisoned so they CAN’T be together. That is a thing now and WHY?  Why on them? And who cast it? Anyway long and short of it is this poisoned Heart was on Ella’s (Cinderella) mother and father but Ella thought her mother abandoned her family and Ivy tried to it  to Henry’s heart but gets stopped and something with pendants showcasing Henry and Ella are true loves. The pendants have to show it because the actors do not. Also Alice can make portals appear, like that’s her thing.  

And apparently it’s not fully the actors’ fault because they have chemistry with other characters. Henry and Ivy and Jacinda and her baby dad, Nick. Lucy’s theory is that Nick is the Catherine Nolan of Hyperion Heights. Nick is a lawyer and a cool dude. But what is happening? Why do Henry and Ivy and Jacinda and Nick seem more like the pairing direction than Henry and Jacinda who the show trying to force true love on. We know it’s true love with them since it’s thier kiss that will break the curse because Ivy set it up and she making sure Regina blocks them. But what is the curse? Ivy or rather Drizella set it up to make her mother suffer but also to get magic from Anastasia? It’s all more convoluted than Regina’s or Snow’s or Hook/Nimue’s.

I did like Regina trying to gauge Weaver/Rumple, don’t why he would fake it. Anyway next time Regina and Henry are off to San Francisco to get someone.

Didn’t enjoy this episode as much it was all over the place.            

Tis the season for ugly x-mas sweaters

 

Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episode 2 Review

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A Pirate’s Life

Andrew J. West as Henry Mills, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan and Colin O'Donoghue as Hook Once Upon a Time Season 7 Episode 2 A Pirate's Life picture image

Andrew J. West as Henry Mills, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan and Colin O’Donoghue as Hook

The major development in this episode is that the Hyperion Hook isn’t Storybrooke original OUAT Hook but that wish Hook from last season’s wish realm. As the episode goes when Henry’s is in trouble he calls to Regina, Hook and Emma to help him. While Regina and Hook show up Emma is missing as she now pregnant though that info is saved for a dramatic reveal later but wish-Hook also gets the message and shows up.

Wish-Hook then knocks out Real-Hook to trade places so he can be with Emma and makes himself young with Real-Hook’s blood and with other realm Lady Tremaine’s help. The two SOMEHOW seem to know each other. The magic makes Wish-Hook young and changes his clothes too seems Real-Hook’s style is in his DNA apparently. I do take some annoyance that his clothes changed too.  

Anyway when Emma does show up and tells Henry she’s pregnant Wish-Hook has a change of heart and goes to where he dumped Real-Hook but Wish-Hook gets stab and reveals that he needed Emma because only true love can break the curse  to find Wish-Hook’s daughter. Emma saves him with magic. It’s then decided that Wish-Hook, Henry and Regina will go a-questing  while Real-Hook and Emma return to Storybrooke. So they get their happy ending together but we the audience get a version of Hook for cursed-amnesia fun-times    

 Meanwhile is Seattle, Victoria tries to get Henry out the picture. What does this lady do? Rumple a.k.a Weaver tries to size Hook a.k.a Rogers up by framing Henry which he doesn’t and Henry helps Jacinda sees Lucy in a Ballet recital.  You can tell what the weaker plot-line was.

Here some weird issues with the episode. Wish-Hook says he never had love BUT he had a daughter who was locked up but he snuck into play chess with her. He also says that only true love could break what-ever curse was on his daughter. I guess Wish-Hook didn’t watch seasons 1-3 and that weird retcon episode in season 6 where the whole true-love thing does apply to children. Do the writers just forget these rules? So who is Wish-Hook’s baby momma?  Do the chess pieces that Wish-Hook and his daughter have point to Alice being his daughter since she is a character? And does this mean that Emma has a daughter with Storybrooke Hook and will that get mentioned? And how come Neal wasn’t mentioned when Henry was asking about the Storybrooke people?

This is just weird, Hook is now a new version of Hook but not Hook but is a version of Hook. OUAT is going Rick and Morty now. With its infinite realms with infinite versions of  the characters that are sometimes the same people and sometimes different. Maybe this how the show will now get way with retconning  even though the show right now is a glorified retcon.  Odd part is I’m not mad, confused at what I should label this version of the character as.  

This episode did have some pacing issues. It’s SLOW and the Hyperion plot was boring.   The reveal of Emma being pregnant was dumb reveal to withhold. The whole point to show that Hook isn’t the same Hook, fine good twist that does give a hint to why him and Regina are the ones from Storybrooke affected but the new curse since they went off with Henry.

This was an average episode but it does MOVE things and answer some question while raising more.

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 19 & 20 Review

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Episode 19: The Black Fairy

Jaime Murray as Fiona (The Black Fairy) & Sara Tomko as Tiger Lily Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 19 The Black Fairy picture image

Jaime Murray as Fiona (The Black Fairy) & Sara Tomko as Tiger Lily

In theory this could have been a great episode as it goes into Rumple and the Black Fairy’s origins. Unfortunate the fan theory about The Black Fairy being the Hyde to The Blue Fairy’s Jekyll were not true. The Hyde plot exist solely for Regina.

The Black Fairy was just a loving woman named Fiona who is told by Fairy Tiger Lily that Rumple is the or A Savior, who will die by some great evil born in winter of that year. Question, why doesn’t Tiger Lily get a color name? Like Tink was Green. Anyway I could understand this show a little better if Saviors are always or at least sometimes the product of true love but nope just random lottery with too much light magic and a tragic fate. Still doesn’t explain why Emma’s magic went from being True Love based to Savior base. Ho-hum!

Miraculously, Fiona is peasant woman who can read and reads enough Fairy Lore to turn herself into a fairy. Okay, who is else finds it interesting that she a yellow coded fairy and sports a hairstyle very similar to Belle’s hairstyle in the movie. Clever.

Anyway her dark secret is that by trying to make save Rumple she crafts the Dark curse but when Tiger Lily tries to stop Fiona, Fiona tries to kill her turning her into The Black Fairy and the evil destined to kill Rumple. Tiger Lily gives her the shears to cut off her destiny and magic but The Black Fairy cuts Rumple ties to his Savior status and Blue banishes her. Why is that such a dark secret?

There are many issues with this backstory. The biggest is that Rumple says something to effect that dark magic originated with The Black Fairy but that can’t be true. Dark Magic started with Nimue turning into the first Dark One which had to been at least 100 years prior to Rumpe being born. I mean if we go off the timeline Nimue lives 500 years prior to Snow and David’s time. The Timeline is very shaky though. Another problem is the authorship of Dark Curse is all over the place. It seems like Rumple crafted it back when he wanted to follow Baelfire to the Land without Magic. Or did he just modify it? Seem less impactful if he did.

The backstory really didn’t clear up much. If anything is raises more questions like, why did she steal children? Was it an echo of Rumple’s original tale? Because his children kidnapping made no sense. In fact it made such little sense the show offers two maybe reasons. There was the selling of his 2nd born and luring his mother out. How did he even know The Black Fairy was his mother? His father thought she was dead.

Probably the biggest question it raise is what is The Black Fairy’s motivation for killing Emma now? It makes zero sense. Her first plan was to break out her from her realm to get to Rumple. It just seems like something she fixated on with no reason and makes ” The Final Battle” even more contrived.

One more thing that could be considered interesting, Rumple and Aladdin both cut their fate but it still did creep up to them. Aladdin became a Genie to save Agrabah and Rumple died killing his own father to save Storybrooke. Perhaps Saviors never truly get cut from their fate they just lose their light magic. Tragic fates still pending.

However that is not the only issue with the episode. But before we get more into that, anyone notice that the design of the Dragon Egg is straight out of Game of Thrones? Because it was obvious.

Okay the other issue, Rumple lied to Emma’s face and nothing! Why do people trust this guy so readily? Honestly there didn’t need this “superpower” for Emma. I probably would have forgotten about it, if only Emma hadn’t brought it up. You know someone should watch the series all over again and see how many times Emma catches a lie and how many time she doesn’t. That would be interesting infomation. She probably fair better in season 1 but trails off after season 3.

Another issue and this is a nitpick, Regina telling Zelena to flee to New York with Robin and Henry. Why is it always New York. Anywhere in Maine is technically safer as there no magic but they bring up New York all the time. I mean they know Massachusetts exists and Boston hasn’t been mention since like season 4. But for fun let’s say that Storybrooke is somewhere near Cutler, Maine, it’s on the coast much like Storybrooke and judging from a map doesn’t have much nearby, could be wrong. Cutler Maine to New York City is a 9 hour drive. I think this constant escape to New York City is just annoying me. Seriously is because there are two empty apartments? Does Rumple rent the apartment? Prime Manhattan real estate is left unoccupied? That is the really fantasy of Once Upon a Time.

Another bit of fantasy that is another logic issue is that in the previous episode season 6 Episode 18: Where Bluebirds Fly, Emma says that the wedding should be postponed. Now in season 6 episode 19: The Black Fairy, the wedding is next day! What the heck? And Hook asks Henry to be his best man the night before? What the what? Are Emma and Hook eloping? Who does this? They rushed this because I won’t pretend to be an expert but weddings take planning. Maybe in Storybrooke they can expedite things with magic. But a pesto royal wedding that’s pure fluffy fantasy. Can’t really suspend logic for that one

The only highlight of this episode was Zelena hitting The Black Fairy with a car.

Regina makes with teasing quip about ig Zelena has to flee with Henry and Robin, that it would be Henry raising Zelena but come to think about Zelena might be the best mother. She clearly loves and takes care of Robin all by herself pretty much and she cared for Roland in New York. How much do Snow and David do for Neal? Oh well maybe they just royals and have someone else looking after their baby.

This episode was wasted potential and a mix of poor choices. If they hadn’t done the whole Jekyll and Hyde and EQ plot the Origins of The Black Fairy and Rumple could have been better but still with the origins of the Dark one and Season 1 Rumple, this backstory just clashes with the show’s own mythos.

Episode 20: The Song in Your Heart

Colin O'Donoghue as Hook, Jennifer Morrison as Emma & Raphael Sbarge as Archie Hopper Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 20 The Song in Your Heart picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Hook, Jennifer Morrison as Emma & Raphael Sbarge as Archie Hopper

What? A musical episode? Okay, going to separate this one out a little bit. Going to review it as an regular episode then as a musical.

The opening maintain the wrong continuity that Emma was in Minneapolis young child. Season 4 called it said she was in Boston. So unless there is a past section that corrects this error I’m going to blame a writer.

Anyway young Emma start singing into a tape record and then some other older orphan tells her that because she’s alone no will want to hear her sing. Not sure that makes sense. Loneliness doesn’t equal lack of singing talent.

Turns out in the past Snow and Charming wished for something to help Emma get her happy ending which is a song but Snow and Charming start bursting into song. The spell affects everyone around mainly Regina, Hook and Zelena who is in OZ. Rumple isn’t affect and while the joke about him not singing was obvious it still was cute. Zelena decided to help Regina break the song as weird way of oneupmanship. Snow and Charming feel defeated but The Blue Fairy, who cast the song, tells them the song wasn’t really broken it still in fetus Emma and she will use it against the final boss, who is not Regina.

As Emma plans for wedding later that night, The Black Fairy tells her the curse will drop at 6pm unless Emma gives up her heart. Emma tries but Henry finds the Song part of the story and Emma uses her songstress powers against The Black fairy. After the wedding the curse falls. Doesn’t the Black Fairy dust turn people into bugs? Turns out everyone thinks it will transport them somewhere, a Dark Curse 4.0.

Before discussing the musical aspect of the episode let’s nitpick it more. I have a problem believing Emma took the tape recorder from her group home, kept it, brought it to Storybrooke, never used it again but she rewound it? I mean what? Then again the camcorder from season 4. It’s the same thing.

Hook also tries to nearly kill Rumple with Dreamshade but it doesn’t even remotely work. Season 2 called however and it said that the dreamshade was seconds away from killing Rumple. Remember when his name was fading off the dagger. It was only Snow traded Cora’s life for Rumple that he didn’t die. And Rumple can die remember season 3 when he died? Also Dark Ones die, that is how Rumple became a Dark One in the first place. Show is it asking too much that you remember events that happened?

Oh and The Black fairy reveals her motivations for fighting Emma. It because Good and Evil were destined to fight. Weak! For a show that keeps trying to redeem its villains and heroes do questionable things, this one is so black and white. It’s super contrived.

I don’t care if this show is a fantasy, what kind of bride doesn’t pick out a wedding gown on her big day but literally has three wedding dresses on stand-by? Hook did the same thing. He had a white suit but then wore an all black tux.

I was also really disappoint by Emma’s wedding gown. First off it was a copy of Grace Kelly’s gown and on its own was pretty but didn’t suit Emma’s character at all. Apparently the reason for that was Jennifer Morrison liking Kelly’s dress. Costumers shouldn’t curtail to actors as much. It’s not about the actor it’s about character. The red gown she wore to that Ball in the past end season three suited her better. But then again there was an odd dress code at the wedding. Why were all the men in tuxes but the ladies were not in formal attire. The men were dressed for a formal nighttime wedding but the ladies’ dresses were suited more for an afternoon garden wedding. Why did the show miss a chance to dress up the ladies? Also astroturf as a aisle runner on a roof? Show, are you smoking-crack-crazy?

That brings up to the musical part of the episode. The story really just facilitates the musical segments. They are integrated well and the past doesn’t really retcon other events so that is plus.

Let’s not mince words, the actors are not professional singers, they all got tech help though they don’t sound robotic or super obvious for the most part.

The first song is called “Powerful Magic” and it sung by David and Snow. Snow wishes for a way to give Emma a happy ending and poof they sing all the time. It’s a nice upbeat song. Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas’ voice are suited to this song. Overall it was enjoyable

Regina is next. Turns out she doesn’t like this spell. Her song is called “Love Doesn’t Stand a Chance.” Aside from Lana Parrilla chewing the scene this not a good song. It’s kinda all over the place. She is clearly having fun with so I can see people enjoying for that reason and her ruining other people’s song is fun. The song doesn’t seem suited to Lana Parrilla’s voice even though it was written for her. You can just hear her struggling with it even though the auto-tuning

Hook is the next one to get a song. It’s called “Revenge is Gonna be Mine,” you can guess what that is about. Snow and David hire him to take them to Regina. Hook refuses until Snow and David offer Rumple as the payment. So far this is the best one. Colin O’Donoghue has really good voice and it’s a fun jointy song. Who doesn’t like singing dancing pirates in a bar?

For some reason the spell affects OZ so Zelena gets a song. It’s called “Wicked Always Wins.” It’s not the strongest song and the visuals are weak by Rebecca Mader has a nice tone to her voice.

The next song is “Charmings vs Evil Queen” this just a remix of “Powerful Magic” and “Love Doesn’t Stand a Chance.” It’s a battle in song.

The next one is the weaponized song. “Emma’s Theme” is the song that Emma uses to beat The Black Fairy or really just unfreeze her family as they got frozen in time. Jennifer Morrison doesn’t have the strongest of voices. It much softer than you would accept. It could be a case that the song was not all that suited to her voice.

The last song of the episode is “A Happy Beginning.” This is an ensemble piece where all the major characters get a solo. Jennifer Morrison isn’t much of a singer. Oddly Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas were weaker in this song but Lana Parrilla’s voice sounded much better. This song is better with the ensemble singing than with the solo. The “Nah Nah Nah’ part was unnecessary. The song went on a bit but was okay.

So visuals for the song were a little weird. They did make good use of the sets and angles. They also made the dancers make sense as they felt natural in the scene except for Zelena’s song where she just terrorize the munchkins. There was a habit of playing to the camera like an audience which was off-putting. You don’t have to do that with the medium. Make it more of a music video and less stagey.

When I heard there was musical episode I thought it was going to be awful but it was pretty good. The episode’s plot is just an excuse to make it a musical. The plot didn’t however ruin any of the previous plot elements and did advance the story. Was it perfect? No. Was it enjoyable? Yes. I can even forgive the weird style of the wedding and even the Dreamshade/immortal thing. Also did Belle not get an invite?

 

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 11 & 12 Review

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Episode 11: Tougher Than the Rest

Jennifer Morrison as Emma & Lana Parrilla as Regina Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 11 Tougher Than the Rest picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma & Lana Parrilla as Regina

Remember Graham, the huntsman? He remains dead and forgotten, hope 50 Shades of Grey was worth it. At least he got the one mention in season 4.

This episode is the conclusion to the whole wish world where Emma gets Pinocchio to remake the wardrobe and Regina takes Robin back with her. Apparently Robin and Marian never married so Roland was never born and yet Henry exist even though Neal is centuries old. Also it is a joke in OUAT that in alt-world Hooks is the opposite of himself? In the Villain wins world he was a coward and in the wish world he’s fat, maybe more of an alcoholic and incompetent.

Also the show is keeping with its lie that Emma was in Minneapolis when she was younger and not in Boston. Just in case you’re wondering, this episode gives us the backstory on how Emma got her surname. August met her and told her her his take on The Ugly duckling which is about how the duck fought destiny to be a swan. Fighting Destiny was the theme of this episode. We still don’t know the wolf apparition that appeared in season 1 and 4 but at least when know how little Emma got her name. Also how did the ugly ducking know about Swans and the perception that swans are prettier than ducks? By that logic wouldn’t the ugly duckling wish to be an super attractive duck? Oh well it’s August’s viewpoint, so whatever.

Rumple and Belle still go on and on about their son, who was raised by the Black fairy and she wasn’t super nice to him. But we did get his motivation for killing Emma, he wants to kill her because the he can take her power to save the children The Black Fairy kidnaps and torments. Can savior powers be transferred like the Highlander? Why can’t he just ask Emma for help? It it because it’s not dramatic enough!

It wasn’t a bad episode but it was average. It did feel like the show was going into the second half of the season.

I would like to point out the shots of Rumple and Belle at the well were very nice. The positioning of the rope to show their division was nice.

Episode 12: Murder Most Foul

Colin O'Donoghue as Hook & Josh Dallas as David Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 12 Murder Most Foul picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Hook & Josh Dallas as David

David’s personality is in a bit of reversal. Because of his feeling of inadequacy and feeling reasonable for Gideon coming to Storybrooke because of his wish on EQ, he being a dick to Hook. Basically David is in a revenge plot since learning that his father was really murdered and didn’t die in a drunk cart accident. Though oddly Henry a few episodes back was anti-Hook too, what’s up with Emma’s menfolk?

Via August, David learns that King George ordered the death of David’s father, Robert, as Robert was trying to save Prince James who didn’t like being a Prince and ran away to Pleasure Island. I’m still really confused on the deal between David’s parents and the King. Turns out Rumple arranged it for medicine. I thought there was something said in season 1 where they got money for the farm for the trade. Could be wrong but this show has weird continuity errors. I mean Emma’s childhood was in Boston but also in Minnesota but no REAL move is ever mentioned aside from 13 year old Emma saying she ran away buu why is little Emma there in Minneapolis in 1989?

Speaking of weird errors, as it turns out Hook murdered Robert. From a dramatic standpoint that is really good as Hook wants to marry Emma he has the ring and everything BUT from the timeline standpoint this can’t work. Hook was supposedly in Neverland from the time Milah died till right up to the time of the Dark Curse but this episode puts him in Enchanted Forest when David was six years. This mean either Hook didn’t age at all or he went back to Neverland. Maybe it’s a Time Paradox and that is really future Hook or an alt-world Hook or fromer wish-Hook. Sure it’s nice dramatic twist with emo-Hook potential but it comes at the cost of the story’s whole set-up. Then again the show does retcon things a lot for drama and the timeline has long since been throw out, so why do I keep mentioning these weird errors anyway?

Speaking of retconning personalities, Wish-Robin is a weird villain type and Regina isn’t really into him. This side-plot is weird even for this show.

This episode had interesting character dynamics at play but they are slightly waste by the mental leaps the episode forces on the viewers.

 

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 5 & 6 Review

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Episode 5: Street Rat

Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin & Karen David as Princess Jasmine Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 5, Street Rat picture image

Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin & Karen David as Princess Jasmine

Sigh, this savior business has gotten out of hand. So being “The Savior” in the first season seemed like a cute nickname for Emma to bring back all the happy endings and her “light magic” was the result of being the product of true love which is what fuel her nickname as the Savior. Turns out “The Savior” is now a status with a tragic fate. All Saviors Must Die, All Saviors Must Serve. However, the savior status can be cut with  special scissors.

Didn’t dig the Storybrooke section with EQ and Zelena getting a spa day. Gotta wonder which story the spa workers are from.

The past section on the other hand, savior business aside, was pretty good. Jasmine and Aladdin are likable and the aesthetic of Agrabah was fun. Sure they mixed cultures and the leads have English accents but whatever. Rather would have the story focus on them than moody Emma.   Basically the Aladdin is also a savior and his story feed more into Emma’s story than his or Jasmine’s plot.

 

Episode 6: Dark Waters

Colin O'Donoghue as Hook & Faran Tahir as Nemo Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 6, Dark Waters picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Hook & Faran Tahir as Nemo

A MAN IS NO ONE!?  OMG IT’S A FACELESS MAN! RUN HOOK RUN !!!!!!!!!!! Or Nemo (no one) HA! How droll.

Basically this episode is another episode about how  revenge isn’t all that great yadda yadda yadda.  You have heard it all before, agian and agian and then agian.

There are some issues with this episode. First off, apparently the past section takes place during the Dark Curse BUT BUT BUT didn’t the dark curse freeze the Enchanted Forest? Isn’t that what Cora said to Hook right before it fell in season 2 in another past section? And yet here is Hook now having an adventure with Captain Nemo and his  brother Liam, his other brother. under the sea.

Also when did Henry start hating Hook? His weirdness toward Hook was contrived. Plus if you had a drinking game going where you take a drink anytime someone says “Hope” and “Family” you would have extreme liver cirrhosis  by now. Suppose if you added “Dearie” to the mix you’d be dead.      

And finally and this isn’t so much an issue with this episode BUT more on the season as a whole. What are the stakes anymore? The characters have been told that splitting a heart with one’s true love cheats death so long as it’s done quickly before the soul can leave the body and back in season 5 hell Emma and Hook passed the true love test so what’s the problem with Emma’s fate?  Let fate play out and BOOM heart share.

Otherwise the episode was weak, less revenge and Emma’s visions and more Jasmine and Aladdin. They are the saving grace of this season so far.

This episode did remind me of Song by Sarah Brightman called Captain Nemo.

 

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 19 & 20 Review

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Episode 19: Sisters

Lana Parrilla as Regina & Rebecca Mader as Zelena Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 19 Sisters review picture image

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 Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 20 Firebird review picture image

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.