Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episodes 9 & 10 Review

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Episode 9: Save Henry

Lana Parrilla as Regina with Baby Henry, ABCs Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 09 Save Henry Picture image

Lana Parrilla as Regina with Baby Henry

The theme of this Episode is Regina’s love for Henry, everyone loves Henry. The Past section deals with Regina adopting Henry and this episode answers a lot of question but muddle it up a bit. For starters, Henry was placed in Boston but the family didn’t work out which is how Rumpelstiltskin was able to set up the adoption for Regina very quickly. Regina does go to Boston to get Henry but she has issue being a mother and has Sydney, find the birth mother. Regina then finds out that the baby is the son of the “savior.” She decides that it’s not working out but then changes her mind and makes a forgetting potion to forget that she knows about the birth mother.

The Neverland part has Emma getting the Lost Boys to tell her where Pan is in exchange for a home back in Storybrooke and they tell her that Pan is at the his Thinking Tree. Emma, Snow and Regina go to Pan’s Thinking Tree. Pan tries them up against the tree which hold them down by their regrets. Regina doesn’t regret anything and frees herself and takes Henry’s heart back and Pandora’s box.

Henry is restored and everyone heads to the Jolly Roger where they trap the shadow in the sail allowing them to head home. Rumpelstiltskin is let out of the box is no worse for wear and reunites with Neal. Regina then puts an enchantment on Henry so no one can take his heart again. Pan appears before Henry and is mad he can’t take his heart. Pan then tries to take Henry’s shadow but Rumpelstiltskin shows up and locks Pan in the box. However Pan pulled the old switcheroo and switch bodies with Henry, so Henry is locked in the box.

It’s a little funny that the show uses prominent streets for Boston and New York. In this episode Regina says the adoption agency is on Dartmouth Street in Boston. Honestly I’m sure most people wouldn’t think twice and it doesn’t matter but I found it funny since when I visit Boston I tend to be on Dartmouth street a lot (it’s where the train station I use is).

Anyway what about the episode? It was pretty good. The Regina’s past part was wonder even if the whole she did know about Emma being Henry’s mother was unnecessary. I suppose it shows that she does care for Henry but we know that. The Neverland part was good at the end with game changer cliffhanger otherwise it was fine but the ending saved this part of the episode.

I did like the part where if Regina had given up Henry, Pan would have gotten him as the Darling Boys were next in line to adopt him.

 

Episode 10: The New Neverland

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, & Robbie Kay as Peter Pan/Henry Josh Dallas as David (Charming), Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin & Emilie de Ravin as Belle ABCs Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 10, The New Neverland Picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, & Robbie Kay as Peter Pan/Henry Josh Dallas as David (Charming), Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin & Emilie de Ravin as Belle

In the character’s past section deals with Snow White trying to figure out a way to preemptively break Regina’s curse. Which at this point is a GOOD nine months away. So instead of going on a romantic Honeymoon, Snow decides to slay Medusa to break the curse and Charming helps. After Charming gets stoned, Snow figures out how to beat Medusa via a shiny shield. Snow decides that she and Charming should just live in the present and have a baby.

Things are getting crazy in Storybrooke as Peter Pan a.k.a Henry or not Henry, has a plan to makes Storybrooke New Neverland. He starts off with a bang and lets his shadow go which kills the Blue Fairy. Pan then tries manipulating Regina to get something from her vault to enact the dark curse. Emma sees the shadow and thinks something off and believes Pan is controlling his shadow from the box. Emma, Rumpelstiltskin, Snow, Charming and Belle go to the townline to let Pan/Real Henry out the box over the townline as magic doesn’t work there. Pan/Real Henry calles Emma “Mom” which surprises her but he manages to convince everyone that he is the real Henry by referring to a conversation he had with Emma back in season 1 about how she gave him his best chance by giving him up.

They all go to Regina’s vault and Pan/Not Henry stole the dark curse from Regina which means everyone will lose their memories and Storybrooke will be new Neverland which Pan will reign over with his smugness. Oh and Charming is all better from near death by poison/spring water range.

Wasn’t as into the past portion. It wasn’t exactly tacked as each story plot ties into each other and the shows does that well most of the time but this story seemed more forced. The body switch for Henry proves that the actor playing Henry isn’t bad it’s the role isn’t written very well compared to everyone else. This episode was ok not great, it was satisfactory. How are they going to get out of this curse as it seems hopeless. Will there be a hope speech in the next episode? Maybe the hope speech will bore the curse to death (I do like this show.)

 

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 13 & 14 Review

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Episode 13: Tiny

Jorge Garcia as Anton, Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Lee Arenberg as Grumpy and Josh Dallas as Charming Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 13 Tiny picture image

Jorge Garcia as Anton, Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Lee Arenberg as Grumpy and Josh Dallas as Charming

Ha!!!!!!! That is not what Logan Airport looks like, or I have been using the wrong terminal all this time. Also really a flight to Boston to New York? It’s not that far via car or bus, or train and then none of that take off the cloak Drama. Basically  Rumpelstiltskin is having cultural shock and he can’t use magic.

In the character’s past Prince James, Charming/David’s twin, and his lover Jacqueline a.k.a Jack are tasked with tricking a Giant, Anton, who has come to town. Anton is the giant from the compass episode.  He thinks they are friends but they just want the beans. James and Jack kill all the giants but Anton destroys all the beans and before the giant leader  dies, he gives Anton a new beanstalk seed that can grow more beans.  Also to prove James is more of a jerk, he lets Jack die.

In Storybrooke, Hook shows Snow, Charming and Leroy, a captured Anton, who is travel size.  Anton goes on a tear when he sees Charming/David. Regina and Hook decide to use Anton as a distraction and Regina makes him big. Charming offers himself for the town. Anton tries to crush him but the size mushroom wears off and Anton’s life is in danger. The town saves him and he welcomes him into the fairy/literature fold. Anton tells them about planting the bean to return to the enchanted forest but warns them that it’s what Cora wanted.

 

At end Snow tells Charming home is where Emma and Henry are and she doesn’t want to leave them. Greg also tells Belle that he saw magic too.  

 

This was not the strongest episode. It some ways it moved the plot and in other ways seemed to stall. Did the giant need a backstory and did it need a whole episode?  Let’s see where it leads but most of it felt like filler.  I do like the irony of a giant being an honorary dwarf at the end.

 

Episode 14: Manhattan

Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 14 Mahhattan picture image

Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin

Confession time, this episode got spoiled for me BUT oh wow!  Amazing twist! You could not have predicted who the true identity of who Neil really was. It fits perfectly and does add to the drama.

The plot of this is fairly simple. Emma, Rumpelstiltskin  and Henry go to Manhattan to find Baelfire and oh boy do they find him quickly. Like Rumpelstiltskin’s globe pinpointed the building.  

So they find him but he takes off running, Rumpelstiltskin sends  Emma after him and to get Bae to speak to him. She catches him but it’s her baby daddy Neal a.k.a Baelfire.  Emma questions that if  his motivates for being with her and if they were part of the curse. He says no and he wants nothing to do with Rumpelstiltskin. Emma withholds the information that he has a son.

Emma reports back that she was unsuccessful and Rumpelstiltskin breaks in to Baelfire’s apartment. Rumpelstiltskin notices Emma acting weird and starts questioning her but Baelfire shows up to defend Emma against Rumpelstiltskin since Emma didn’t really keep her side of the bargain. When Baelfire see Henry he questions Henry’s age and it’s revealed to everyone else that he is the father.    

The character’s past portion is about Rumpelstiltskin pre-dark one and post. Rumpelstiltskin is excited to go to the front but while there he meets a seer. She tells him he will die and it will leave his son fatherless. Or rather his actions will lead his unborn son fatherless. And yes they do. Rumpelstiltskin meets her after becoming the Dark One and she tells him that he will reunite with his son but a boy will be his undoing. Rumpelstiltskin says we will have to kill this boy. The boy is Henry. Seems like invented conflict since Rumpelstiltskin’s motivation have been his son the whole time so it seems a little out of character for him to now want to kill his grandson but we’ll see where this goes. Character’s personality change so much in this show that it COULD be in his character.

Also In Storybrooke, Cora, Regina, and Hook are on a quest to find Rumpelstiltskin’s dagger so that he will be the one to kill those who stand in Regina’s way of being the sole mommy of Henry. I guess that mean she’ll have to kill Rumpelstiltskin too since he have more of claim on Henry than she does. Does that close adoption thing mean nothing now? Did the curse break existing law? How did that law work? I mean Henry was born in Arizona. Someone MUST have brought Henry to Storybrooke  and yet no one could get into Storybrooke prior, unless they were related to the Fairy Tale world. We Know Rumpelstiltskin arranged it but did Regina go? She can leave since she wasn’t a victim of the curse. But Rumpelstiltskin couldn’t leave Storybrooke since he was a victim but he retained his memories. So many questions. How did they get into the town like pregnancy tests or coffee? Does the curse just make commodities appear?   

Also Gregg saw Regina use magic and sent “her” a video of it.

 
Despite raising all sorts of questions with this possession over Henry plot, this was a great episode. The drama from New York crew was on point. They rest of the episode did feel weak by comparison although that seer was kind of awesome.  She reminded of the Harpy in The Last Unicorn. I want to know how she got captured and why? Where is that episode?

 

Bonus Picture Time

The Seer Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 14 Mahhattan picture image

The Seer

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episodes 7 & 8 Review

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Episode 7: Child of the Moon

Meghan Ory as Ruby and Josh Dallas as Charming Once Upon a Time Season Episode 7 Child of the Moon picture image

Meghan Ory as Ruby and Josh Dallas as Charming

Oh, King George, you suck. This episode centers around Red/Ruby. In Storybrooke King George a.k.a Spencer, frames Ruby for murder. David doesn’t buy it and calls him out of him but Spencer burns Jefferson’s hat which was to get Mary Margaret/Snow White and Emma back.  

Also we learn the truth behind Henry and Aurora’s dream.  It’s really their soul being set to a netherworld. Mr Gold gives Henry a necklace to control his presence there and speaks a little with Aurora.

In the character’s past, Red meets more of her kind and  learns how control herself in the wolf form. However Red’s mother tries and makes her choose between her wolf side and human side, Red picks both facets of her being.

The CGs are still bad and I will still bring it up otherwise the episode was great. Red/Ruby is great character as she both strong yet very vulnerable in a believable way.    

 

Episode 8: Into the Deep

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Charming Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 8 Into the Deep picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Charming

I really liked how this episode blended the two narratives of the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke. So everyone figures out that since Henry and Aurora were under the sleeping curse and their souls go to that red room when they sleep, Henry can give info to Aurora to get Snow and Emma home, or rather how to deal with Cora. However as Aurora and Henry try and converse the Enchanted forest crew is attacked.  Aurora is then kidnapped and Cora gives them a deadline to turn over the compass or it’s bye-bye Aurora. Snow gets the idea that if she can go into a deep enough sleep she can enter the red room to speak to Henry. So they go Poppy hunting.

However in Storybrooke, Regina and Charming see burns on Henry’s arm and Charming decides that HE should get cursed too since he KNOWs Snow will find a way there. The two soul mates reunite in a hellish prison. Anyway the way to stop Cora is the way they stopped Rumpelstiltskin way back in the Cinderella episode with squid ink. Rumpelstiltskin says there is some in his old prison cell.

Back in the forest, Hook frees Aurora but Hook is a no good double traitor and takes Aurora’s heart and gives it to Cora. This means Cora can control Aurora’s words and actions.
I enjoyed this episode but there is  a lot going on. I mean it’s better than that Frankenstein filler episode.  It also had a good cliff-hanger. Not too much I can say about this episode.

Once Upon a Time Season 1 Episodes 13 & 14 Review

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Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/James & Aria Pullman as the Siren ABC's Once Upon a Time, What Happened to Frederick picture image

Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/James & Aria Pullman as the Siren

Episode 13: What Happened to Frederick?

This is going to sound silly but I wished they had reversed Kathryn/Abigail’s name like Kathryn is the princess and Abigail is the real world counterpart. Also, I’m pretty sure I have the same yellow pot that David and Abigail have in their home.

In the Fairy Tale world part of the episode follows James and Abigail. Abigail doesn’t want to marry him because she too has a tragic love story. Her love, Frederick, got that Midas Touch  and is now a statue. Abigail tells James she tried the whole true love kiss but silly Frederick being a soldier and protecting his King was wearing his helmet, so the true love kiss cure doesn’t work if it’s not on the lips, oddly specific. Abigail tells James about another cure all, the water of a lake guarded by a beast who kills all who tries to take the water. Since James killed that unkillable dragon he is pretty confident he can get that water and he does. The Beast is really a sexy siren who lures men in with either her looks or the looks of other women, in this case Snow White. The Siren doesn’t know context though so James thinking Snow White doesn’t love him doesn’t fall for the lure, guess heartbreak can save the day? So Frederick is cured and they all are happy because love.  James also finds out from Red Riding hood, who is a Snow’s Pal,  that she does love him and the King made her say she didn’t love him.  King George is such a dick!

In the Storybrooke world it comes out that David is cheating on Kathryn with Mary Margaret. The trouble is David didn’t tell Kathryn about the affair just that he was leaving her and couldn’t go with her to Boston. It’s Regina who tells Kathryn and Regina also wrote “Tramp” on Mary Margaret’s car. At the end, Mary Margaret again tells David they can’t work since he wasn’t honest. These two are so back and forth. Also Kathryn tries to leave Storybrooke but curse says she can’t and gym teacher that we see earlier in the episode comes to her aid but she is gone. Also he’s Frederick. The show isn’t very subtle about elements.  Also Emma goes on a date with The Stranger. They go to a well and discuss the healing properties of water. The Stranger also restored Henry’s book and left it for Emma to find.  

I really liked this episode. Abigail is starting to get a personality. Also I find it refreshing that “other woman” is the one the audience is rooting for it but the “wife” isn’t a horrible person. Alongside Once Upon a Time, I’m watching this Turkish Drama called “Magnificent Century” which like depending on the episode you’re rooting for the other women and also the “other women” switches between two women, they are concubines.  

Anyway, super off topic. I liked that this episode was very much it’s own thing and wasn’t taking from a set Fairy Tale but it pulled more from myths. I liked that the Beast was a Siren as this show doesn’t do CG effects super well and we had seen James already fight a dragon so the mental challenge  was more interesting.

As for the Storybrooke plot, it was fine. It did seems like the plot was moving a bit forward but then backtracked with David and Mary Margaret. I do like Emma and the Stranger a.k.a August Wayne  Booth, who named these characters? Anyway good episode.  

Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret & Lee Arenberg as Leroy ABC's Once Upon a Time, Dreamy picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret & Lee Arenberg as Leroy

Episode 14: Dreamy

This story focuses on Grumpy’s backstory. Grumpy’s real first name was Dreamy. Dwarves come from eggs and they mine for diamonds which get turns into fairy dust which fuels the world. They couldn’t call it Diamond Dust since that would a Final Fantasy reference. However Dreamy is special because before he was hatched his egg was sprinkled with some fairy dust which makes him capable of love and he is in love with a novice fairy named Nova who seems to like-like him back.   However Dwarves and fairies are bound to their very fixed speice roles so they can’t be together to see the world. This leaves Nova heart-broken and Dreamy becomes Grumpy.

Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Mary Margaret is still being shunned by the town but is trying to sell candles for miner’s day. That is a day where Nuns make candle to trade with Miners for coal. Grumpy’s counterpart, Leroy, whom I’m resisting calling Leeroy Jenkins is enamored with a nun, named Astrid. Now why is Mary Margaret the one with a Nun sounding Nun but the Nun doesn’t? These names!  Anyway, Astrid is Nova’s counterpart and because of a goof she made the Nuns will get kicked out of their convent if they don’t sell all the candles by following day.. Leroy and Mary Margaret rally together but since she is the town tramp and Leroy is the town drunk they don’t sell any candles. Leroy tells Mary Margaret that Astrid was the first person that said he could do anything. Leroy then causes a blackout because some well intentioned property damage is okay. This back-out sells all the candle so the Nuns can stay. While that is happening  Kathryn is missing.  Emma rules out David as her magic internal  lie detector doesn’t go off. Sidney and Regina get the phone records from Kathryn which makes David look super shady has he called her shortly before Kathryn disappeared.

Overall this episode was a average at best. I want to like learning about the Dwarves but it didn’t really connect and felt contrived. This also left me wondering why Emma can’t detect Sidney lying back in episode 11 when all he did wass lie. Is there a reason or is this superpower plot specific? Also Nun’s paying rent for on convent? That seems odd but plot says that is the plot.  I did like how you can tells which candles are real and which ones are fake LED lights.  

Anyway it was an average epsiode, next!

Once Upon a Time Season 1 Episode 3; Snow Falls Review

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Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Prince Charming once upon a time season 1 episode 3 Snow Falls picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/James in Once Upon a Time

I bet you can guess what the first thing I noticed was? Prince Charming’s fiancee’s outfit. WTF? That was so far the ugliest costume in the show? What ever they thinking. I don’t get this styling.

Anyway this episode focuses on Snow White and Prince Charming/James backstory of how they met/ fell into like-like. Most modern take-off on fairy tale have to move away from the love at first sight angle and have to opt for an ass-kicking female who while she might get saved from the guy does save the guy at some point. So their meeting, which precisely this, does come off a boring from a story/character angle. Snow White is thief who robs the Prince’s jewel so she can move somewhere else and she has a secret weapon she is saving for the evil queen but uses it to save Prince James. This is a weird point of contention where Snow White’s actions and motivation  are concern. She says she wants to move to another realm seemingly avoiding the Queen and yet she want to squish her like a bug, no actually that is her secret weapon. So what is her motivation? It’s a little confused since she is activity working towards one end. And if she is a thief who bother hanging around the woods? Why not just leave and steal in a new place? I dunno I guess they need to keep the mystery levels high.

While the back story is playing out, in Maine the prince is a comatose dude  and Mary Margaret reads him the story book of how Snow and James meet which causes him to wake up and run off. Emma, Henry, the cop guy Graham maybe, and  Mary Margaret find him unconscious in the river. In the standard gender reversal Mary Margaret gives him CPR/kiss and he wakes up and they go back to hospital where evil mean Regina introduces them to his wife who has BS story Blah blah blah.

I feel like the acting isn’t that great in this episode or it may be the writing but there is a certain level of  stilled acting. I also don’t get how Snow White had this snarky tough persona in this episode but not so much earlier and not at all with Mary Margaret. And  who named her Mary Margaret as a combination name?  Don’t get me wrong I like the thief and royal pairing but meh it did do much for me here. Then it’s still only episode three so I’m incline to forgive it.

Dumb side-note, I wish the Prince’s name was Jon so I could make a Jon Snow joke but alas no.

Once Upon a Time Season 1 Episode 1; The Pilot Review

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Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Prince Charming once upon a time pilot season 1 episode 1 picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Prince Charming in ABC’s Once Upon a Time

I have started watching Once Upon a Time. For the moment, till I can find my groove with these reviews (probably not the right word), I’m just going to one episode at a time. Perhaps later I will cover more episodes per post but for a least the first moth or so,  one episode at a time.  Also no promises on pictures all the time.

I don’t want to say I’m reviewing the episodes, I would say it’s more like feedback  though I could get into more a review stance once I find a groove.

Right off the bat, Boston and Maine. I’m from New England, Massachusetts to be more precise. I went to school in Boston and South Station was my part of my daily life for a while. So I’m kind of happy that the story takes place in Maine and Boston gets a mention. I get that like this whole of a place of no Happily Ever After is the real  would but I find it a little funny to say Maine is the horrible place of no happiness, Maine is pretty nice.  Also Emma has a REALLY nice apartment for Boston. Like wow, she makes bank.

So first impressions, oddly my first like gut reaction was really liking the scenery. Otherwise I hated the costumes at first. The Fairy Tale costumes looks so cheap, like they didn’t have a budget. With the sets and the special effect it’s meant to look sort of cheap, cheap isn’t the right word but still. Over the episode the costumes  grew on me a little to where I didn’t mind them. Also consider this, I just got done re-watching The Tudors, so with costumes I got used to that level of just stunning costume and I’m a big fan of Game of Thrones. Costumes are not the selling point of this show, oddly I like the real word costumes.

I’ll admit I was confused about the goings on of the plot for a while it is pretty much spelled out but it did hold my interest. Now when I say that I mean it as a huge compliment. I have no attention, like zero. The fact that I watch with with out clicking away is impressive. In fact I didn’t realized I was paying attention until my computer screen went black and I thought my computer died on me, I’m paranoid. It turns out was just my screen saver. I’m being serious. I so like the weaving of fairy tale characters in reality angle.

Were there things I didn’t like? Yes. I really don’t like the kid, Henry. He is very annoying and he isn’t written like a child. It’s not just, I do also think the dialogue is awkward. It doesn’t sound all that natural, I mean the acting is fine, it’s the fault of the dialogue. It’s not really enough to make me hate the show outright, it’s a pilot, the writer may not even be used to the characters yet.  I oddly so far like Regina Mills a.k.a the Evil Queen  but I also REALLy dislike her fairy tale costume.

Also the guy who plays Rumplestiltskin, Robert Carlyle, Someone! Cast him as Clopin. OMG, He would make a fantastic Clopin!