Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 5 & 6 Review

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Episode 5: Dreamcatcher

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 5 Dreamcatcher picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

This episode has Emma and Regina freeing Merlin from the tree or in tree form. To do this, they need a tear of lost love. Emma gets this by manipulating Violet, Henry’s Camelot crush. Henry however sees this in Storybrooke via a dreamcatcher. Making Dreamcatcher is to Emma what spinning straw is to Rumple; a hobby to pass the time once filled with sleep. Dark Ones don’t need sleep.

Anyway they do free Merlin and he can free Emma if she is willing to let the dark power go. Clearly that didn’t happen since Emma is manipulator and like Cora.

There are a few nitpicks. If Merlin was a tree or stuck in the tree how did he visit Emma in the movie theater in 1989? Was it a vision? Second nitpick, why didn’t David look at the security footage after the guy died by drank the poison in the jail which Arthur convinced him to do? I mean Arthur wouldn’t have know about security footage. But no, they are going to plan a dance for Hope. Or maybe a Hootenanny of Hope. It just prolong things.

The show is really good at prolonging this just enough to give the character some easy out for completing their next task. In this case a Dreamcatcher shows Emma the anti-venom to fix Merlin and the task is done in the same episode. And David and Snow are all better too. Or are they in theory broken since the “sand” that “cursed” them “fixed” them? Doesn’t matter.

Boring episode. The date was awkward and Camelot is a bore.

Episode 6: The Bear and the Bow

Amy Manson as Merida Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 5 review picture image

Amy Manson as Merida

While it’s nice to escape the dullness of the Camelot plot not sure how much the Brave location adds. It feels like a rehash, like Merida wants to be a bear so she can save her brothers from the clans who don’t think she is fit to rule. Belle convinces her she don’t need magic just her bow and confidence.

The Storybrooke plot is Merida trying to get Rumple to be a hero so he can pull out Excalibur. Her method for motivating him is threatening Belle. Also Arthur is still a douche and the Charmings, Regina, Hook and Henry get Merlin’s voice mail, seriously. Merlin tells them the way to beat the Dark One is find someone called Nimue. Nimue is another name for Vivian a.k.a the Lady if the Lake. Though I’m pretty sure Lancelot mentioned in season two that the Lady of Lake is his mother, so could be his mother. It’s about time we saw other Arthurian ladies like Vivian or Morgan le Faye. This show could have had a field day with Morgan le Faye.

All in not much to this episode. It’s on the line of being alright but again I’m bias, not a fan of Brave. Emma and Zelena’s interactions were fun. Not sure how I feel about Jennifer Morrison’s acting on Dark Swan but the attitude is still preferable than her whiney attitude.

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 3 & 4 Review

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Episode 3: Siege Perilous

Colin O'Donoghue as Captain Hook & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 3 Siege Perilous review picture image

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

I found this episode mostly boring. It centers on David and Arthur going on a quest to get a mushroom so they can chat with Merlin who is a tree. Arthur turns out to be sketchy as he steals the mushroom from David in the flashback and convinces a dude to kill himself in Storybrooke. To be fair, Arthur was sketchy in the legends as he tried to murder his incest baby and killed the May Day babies, so he wasn’t that great. At least Lancelot reappears to tell Snow about Arthur, sometimes you just got to tell these people or they won’t learn who the villain is.

In other events Emma tricks Hook and learn how to wake Rumple up so he can pull excalibur for her from the rock in her cave-like basement. Apparently he is a perfect hero as he is a blank slate. Not really sure how the makes sense. All his karma is wiped away because he not the Dark One? Good thing he cured his heart of darkness from the last season. And hey, where is Lily and Maleficent? Guess the show dropped them too.

Aside from a few action set-pieces and Emma’s crafty new attitude this episode was a bit of a snooze.

Episode 4: The Broken Kingdom

Liam Garrigan as King Arthur & Joana Metrass as Guinevere Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 4 The Broken Kingdom review picture image

Liam Garrigan as King Arthur & Joana Metrass as Guinevere

I mostly liked this episode. The exploration of Guinevere and Arthur’s broken relationship was the most compelling aspect of the episode. Guinevere didn’t like Arthur’s obsession with getting excalibur mended at the cost of ignoring his Kingdom and wife. He basically uses a sand that fixes things to brainwash her into being supportive. Arthur is a selfish A-hole.

I more like like the fake-out between David, Snow, Arthur and Lancelot but since Arthur uses that sand it doesn’t amount to anything. Might as well not had the plot at all since it doesn’t seem to further the arc. The only thing it add was getting Lancelot locked-up and apparently Arthur wants to kill Merlin for some reason. Could be as simple as Arthur hates that the sword was broke. Made he thinks Merlin is making fun of his manhood.

Emma and Hook have a date to make her forget the voices in her head. It was visually pretty with the flowers and Emma’s white cape. I really like the cape. Speaking of the costumes I do like Emma’s dark one jacket. Nice nod to the crocodile.

The only part that took place in Storybrooke is Emma using Merida to make Rumple “Brave,” they literally name drop the movie. Though you could have made a drinking game with the number of times they say “Frozen.” Oh and Merida is in Arthur dungeon and she doesn’t like him very much. While I don’t love the character of Merida, I do think the actress, Amy Manson does a good job.

 

 

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 1 & 2 Review

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Episode 1: The Dark Swan

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 1 Dark Swan review picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

So I have elected to finish the Once Upon a Time reviews. Not sure how in-depth the reviews will be but here we go with season 5.

Ok, Hold up, only 30 seconds in and I have an issue. I thought Emma was in Boston till she ran away to Minnesota when she was 13 or 14. She is clearly a kid in 1989. Was she moved to   Minnesota and then moved back to Boston and then ran back to Minnesota? I know it’s part of the show to change everyone’s past when ever but this is a  headache to people who are paying attention.    

Confession time, I don’t like Brave so seeing Merida doesn’t bode well. This episode has Emma re-solidifying as the Dark One at vault of the Dark One. Emma sees a vision of Rumple who is the embodiment of all the Dark Ones to train her in the ways of the Dark Side. Emma however is trying to resist. Rumple-vision tells her the way to find Merlin, who can help her, is through the will-o-wisp which is how she meets Merida.

While that is going on the Storybrooke crew is trying to get to Emma. The apprentice gives them a wand but only Zelena can wield it. After some tricky they get her to open a portal and the crew goes to the Enchanted Forest via Grannies along with the Dwarves in a cyclone.

The crew gets to Emma and convinces her not to kill Merida. Then go to Camelot BUT then there a flashforward back to Storybrooke where 6 weeks have passed but everyone has forgotten what happened after they entered Camelot. Emma is also a fully-relieved Dark One. So we have another memory loss plot. They did it  again. Third Time in 5 seasons?

Nitpick time, someone who recalls season one, when Rumple became the Dark One, did he go to the vault? Because I think he remained where he was and just transformed. Unless Emma had to because she in the Land without Magic  And someone who recalls season 2, didn’t Hook use that heart taking potion to take Aurora’s heart in season 2? He mention how he got it but did the writer forgot him taking Aurora’s heart?

I did like this episode, even with a Disney character I don’t particular care for. It does seem like Merida was very on the nose, making it seems like she will be recurring. It’s weird how sometimes the Disney characters are straight out their movies and other are different.

I also like how the Dark One’s dagger is the tip of excalibur, that is  neat plot development.  The design on both is a given away.

While I don’t like how liberally this show used the memory loss trope for drama we’ll have to see how this Camelot/Dark Swan plot goes but  the whole Light and Dark side of magic is Star Wars,,. #Reginaisvader   

 

Episode 2: The Price

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 2 The Price review picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Jared S. Gilmore as Henry

So we’re back to magic having prices. This concept of the show never really went away but it hasn’t been mentioned in a while. What price does Regina pay for silencing Zelena or fixing sneezy or transporting everywhere?

This episode has  Robin’s life being threatened by a fury who wants to drag him to hell because Regina had Emma saved him Camelot. The power of friendship saves the day in the end. That is actually what happens.

I do like Emma’s new attitude especially considering how whiny she was in season 3 and 4. Can’t really tell how much she committed to being the Dark One or if it’s part of some larger plan. Emma does have a nice house though.  Speaking of being whiney, Hook is the whiney one now trying to figure a way to save her.

This episode did introduce my new favorite character The Nonchalant Duck on the pond as the hellish ferriman comes. The duck is like “hell is opening? Whatever.” Seriously my eyes go right to the duck just swimming by.  

I also liked Emma’s flower child ball gown. It’s like they’re trying really hard to make the juxtaposition of her as Dark One before she “embraces” the darkness and after so they dress her as innocent as possible. Her outfit in the season opener looked like moss. She seemed more like a forest hermit than a creature of pure darkness.

And they mentioned a pull to the light, #EmmaisKyloRen so is Rumple either Snoke or Palpatine? Guinevere is quite pretty. She is played by Joana Metrass. Do you think she would make a good Esmeralda?  

 This episode seemed average. Seems like most of this arc will deal with the 6 missing weeks and Emma’s dark plans. I’m sure there will be other flashbacks.

The Ferryman and the Duck Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 2 The Price review picture image

The Ferryman and the Duck

 

Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episodes 21 – 23 Review

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Episode  21: Mother

Lana Parrilla as Regina Once Upon a Time Season 04 Episode 21 Mother review picture image

Lana Parrilla as Regina

So Rumple needed Emma to go all dark side to charge the author’s ink but turns out Lily could do that because she had Emma’s potential for darkness. And instead of writing  a fix to Rumple’s heart problems, Isaac is going to rewrite the rules so that villains win. But since the author can literally write whatever he could just literally fix Rumple’s problem without this fate changing thing they are doing.  Also if Rumple issue’s was his heart going black from bad deeds why can’t he do good deeds? Also Rumple was FINE prior to the flashback. Sure there was time gap and he took some medicine but there was no indication of his heart dying.  This plot has too many outs and variables to be compelling.

The real theme of the episode is mothers, as you can tell by the title. Emma FINALLY forgives her mother and stops acting like a pouty child. Lily meets Maleficent. At first it didn’t go great as Lily expected a “Dragon Bitch”  and not a normal snappy dresser who can turn into a dragon, but they reach an accord.  

The past section was about Cora trying to get Regina some love in her life along with a baby. Regina thinks this a power grab on Cora’s part and takes the infertility potion to thwart her mother. This backstory also leads Regina to not erase Zelena from the book because of the pain Cora inflicted on both of them.

I dunno why but I love Zelena, I think it might be  the actress more than anything. She was also an episode of 30 rock, in Season 7 Episode 8 My Whole Life is Thunder, where she was virgin widow nymphomaniac. Kermit the Frog was also in that episode but in a different scene.  

You know what else is stupid about the author and Rumple’s plan? Aside from Cruella, who was a bad egg from the start, all the villains got their happy endings. So this changing fate is EVEN MORE DUMB. Just going to say it again, the author can write a cure for Rumple on a slip of paper even. Like Rumple can have his Dark one powers without the limits of being the dark one if Isaac wrote it down.

This show depiction of Maid Marian pisses me off. I have seen MANY versions of Marian even that BBC version that was weird but this Marian’s only value to the plot has been sick/dying and a manic pixie dream girl to Robin (sort of). She didn’t have much personality and even Disney Marian did and she barely in the movie.

This episode was mostly fine. It worked mostly but the plot of this arc has been too all over the place and seems to be leading to a dumb conclusion.

Episode  22: Operation Mongoose Part 1

Lana Parrilla as Regina Once Upon Time Season 04 Episode 22 Operation Mongoose Part 1 review picture image

Lana Parrilla as Regina

Isaac has vanity issue which makes him the worse of the “villains.” We also get a bit of a backstory on Isaac, it’s nothing super amazing or interesting. Just a writer wannabe who can’t sell TVs in the 60s.

This episode bring us to an alternative reality where the former villains are heroes and the heroes are villains. So Rumple is a kindly knight who saves people and Snow and Regina are literally swapped. Henry enters the book with Isaac to try and save the day    

Henry however enters at the final chapter which means there is a ticking clock. He has to change the ending so the book loses its power, I guess. I don’t know literally theory or principles, but why would there be an inciting incident in the final chapter?  The  inciting incident  is the event or decision that begins a story’s problem. So no. Wrong term writer with a job.  

The trouble is Villains can have happy ending UNLESS Ursula and Maleficent were never really Villains? Gasp, Disney needs to rebrand them.

While the episode is handle well it seems like a concept was childish. Snow White as the evil Queen is painted as just cruel and evil whereas Regina was shaped into a heartless bitch because of her mother killing her boyfriend.  Snow lost her love because of Regina but she was already cruel before that, so the only point of this is to see Ginnifer Goodwin acting “evil” which we saw in season 1 when she forgot about loving David. Also I think the styling of Regina as “Snow White Bandit” and Evil Queen Snow should  have expressed their own characters more than just costume switch.

Also poor Graham, he for written out of the story too.

This of course is a two part episode so we can’t fully look it till… Right now!

 

Episode 23:  Operation Mongoose Part 2

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 23 Operation Mongoose Part 2 review picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

Full Disclosure, I been watching Once on Netflix and the image between episodes is Dark Swan so the twist of Emma taking in the darkness and being the new dark one wasn’t too much of a twist for me BUT I can imagine this when it aired because it’s a neat twist. The show does do twists well. Should mention Emma took on the darkness to protect Regina’s happy ending and it finally gave Emma the push to tell Hook she more than liked-liked him but loved him.  It also tied into the Emma asking her parents to remove the darkness from her again. So the all plotpoint did converge fairly well even though the it seemed all over the place for most of the season.  

As for the second part of this episode, things got wrapped up neatly from the alternative reality. Regina self-sacrifice saved the day and Henry became the new author. I did hate that Rumple was called the “Light One.”  I get that it’s the direct opposite of the “Dark One but it doesn’t sound as good. Light One literally sounds like the first idea the writer came up with. “Lighter Bringer” would have been better, “Pure One,”  “Luminous One,” “Bright One”  I get the magic is called Light magic but “Light One,” Super Meh.

I  did love the Star Wars reference,  Kashsyk is the wookiee  homeworld and Henry is a wookie. So in a way George Lucas true hero of this arc.

We also learned a few new things about the Dark One. Apparently The Sorcerer, or Merlin, tethered darkness to a soul to contain it. Not sure what is special about this particular darkness. Or is it all darkness?

This was an enjoyable episode. Sure, it was more amnesia but it was handle moderately well.  Glad to know the show hasn’t forgotten Black Beard and he also got a happy ending, he got the Jolly Roger.

Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episodes 19 & 20 Review

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Episode  19: Sympathy for De Vil

Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil Once Upon a Time Season04 Episode 19 Sympathy for De Vil Review picture image

Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil

So it was the dragon egg that helped Ursula and Cruella stay young? Great! Good thing we got a half-hearted explanation. It was Dragon Placenta, it does wonders for the skin!

Mostly I really enjoyed this episode. Cruella’s backstory was great twisted play on both the trapped princess in her tower type story and  101 Dalmatians. It’s also nice to see a character that doesn’t have any shades of grey, she just psychotic and much crazier than she Disney counterpart.  Also love that she hair is the result of the ink. But something is nagging me, how did she get to the Enchanted Forest? Remember when Realm hopping was hard?

Her “happy ending” is getting her killing ability back as the author, Isaac, took it way so she CAN’T take a life. Just a nitpicky question and honestly this the SAME Question I had for Return of Jafar, can she set-up someone’s death? Like had she tied Henry to a railroad track? I mean she wasn’t she driving during the mean girl test with Regina back in episode 15? So either she can arrange death or they were never in any danger on the railroad track. GAH, it’s confusing

I guess another slight nitpick I have is that Cruella’s story realm, as they are called, is the 20’s but 101 Dalmatians is set in the 60’s. That means 101 Dalmatians in the context of the show is set in the 20’s  because time doesn’t move. Or is the show implying  Cruella was was in her like in her  50s or 60s during the events of 101 Dalmatians, assuming she was 18 in 1920 making  her born in 1902 but it’s very clearly said in 101 Dalmatians that Cruella was Anita’s school friend making them roughly the same age. Easier to assume 101 Dalmatians was just set in 20’s than to do mental hoops. One other question does Cruella’s story realm have other stories set in the 20’s? Like The Great Gatsby? I mean Isaac was reading  that book in this episode so one can assume that that story is in the realm.   

In Storybrooke, Emma is still whining about her parents lying to her. Basically, Emma holds them to a higher standard, so them lying to her is a super big deal to her. Whereas  former villains, like Regina and Hook, Emma okay with because they were honest. So having remorse over something that Snow and David did with wrapped good intentions and knowing what they did was wrong  is less redeemable than two people who did bad things for the hell of it and out of revengence. Emma needs to grow up she met her parents at the age of 28 and kept them at arm’s length for a awhile, not sure how time passes in Storybrooke. Anyway Emma’s constant complaining about her parents is not a good character arc.

Speaking of Emma, she kills Cruella setting her on the path of darkness like Rumple wants. Though she was acting in defense of her child, so it’s leap to think that this puts her on a “dark” path. But speaking of the Dark one,  Rumple’s motivations for all the fate rewriting is that because of all his dark deeds his heart will be incapable of love. So his “evil” motivation does come from a place of love which is typical of his character but it seems a little too late for him to get back to being interesting.  All Rumple had to do was nothing back when he saw the sorcerer’s hat but he couldn’t resist power so he not sympathetic  because it was the second time his chose power over his family so now that his heart is becoming devoid of love isn’t enough.

I did like this episode, especially the past potion with Cruella. I do wonder how long she will stay dead?  Though Graham and Neal of still dead.

       

 

Episode 20: Lily  

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan and Agnes Bruckner as Lily Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 20 Lily Review picture Image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Agnes Bruckner as Lily

So Emma is Anakin Skywalker and Rumple is the Emperor, he trying to get her to the dark side but gasp girl-pal Regina is a more successful Obi-Won. I do like Gal-pal Regina on their magical road time to save Robin and find Lily.

They do find Lily in Lowell Massachusetts. And hey, the show got the distance between Lowell and  Boston right.  So as you MIGHT have figured this episode is about Lily, Maleficent’s daughter and it’s a mixed bag. Emma is still whiney about her parents till she runs into Lily, who knowing everything about the Enchanted Forest people, wants revenge on the Charmings. Emma is about to kill Lily but Gal-pal Regina talks her out of it and Lily joins the road trip to NYC to save Robin.

The past section is about young Emma and Lily. Lily gets into trouble and gets Emma kicked out or new foster family’s house. After Emma pushes Lily away again, even though fate wants them to be together, the apprentice tells Lily everything. I have a minor major issue with is plot development. The apprentice could have sent her to Storybrooke and given her the entry scroll like Ingrid but instead he tells her the story and leaves her to fend for herself.  I did like the yoda line but I like Star Wars.    

It was mixed episode but the shock at the end was interesting, Zelena is pregnant. I do wonder how long Zelena could kept the Marian glamour going since the child would presumably looked nothing like Marian. She could be lying as Zelena does because she is a liar.

 

Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episodes 17 & 18 Review

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Episode 17: Best Laid Plans

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as David Once Upon a Time Season 04 Episode17 Best Laid Plans picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as David

“Best Laid Plans,” like Maleficent laid an egg, real punny. Let me get this straight, Rumple’s plan is to get the author to make Emma’s heart dark so that villains can get their happy endings but her do-gooder parents swapped her darkness with Maleficent’s baby who they just assumed was a dragon for no real reason and they did this even though they were told by by the apprentice that everyone starts out as a tabula rasa (blank slate) so there is technically no darkness getting transferred but only the potential of darkness from Emma to Maleficent’s baby who is Lily, Emma’s childhood friend, and the only thing this spell did was sending Lily, Ursula and Cruella to the land sans magic but turns out that everyone was being manipulated by the author who had gone rouge and was creating drama, Did I get all that? But what I really want to know is how Ursula and Cruella didn’t age in thirty years? Bit of a plot hole there. Maybe New York is good for the skin.

This episode really does make Snow and David look really bad. They know what they did was wrong but they still throw around the word heros and villains so casually, I mean Maleficent is far and away more sympathetic. Emma being all whiny about her parents lying to her, this lair revealed story is as old a time and super boring.

Not sure how to feel about this episode, since you could just write David and Snow off because they were being manipulated but some sketchy dude. Plus Maleficent was great in this episode. The twist of the who the author was and him taking off running was good, really he seems like a douche. I just wish everyone wasn’t being so whiny, Maleficent is the only one right now who has a good excuse. Also that line about Walt being a great storyteller, way to stroke your ego Disney.

This episode does remind me of 30 Rock quote “Sometimes you gotta do the right thing even when the wrong thing is a whole lot easier… Die, werewolf-zombie”

Episode 18: Heart of Gold

Rebecca Madder as Zelena and Sean Maguire as Robin Hood Once Upon a Time Season 04 Episode 18 Heart of Gold picture image

Rebecca Madder as Zelena and Sean Maguire as Robin Hood

Oh yay,. Zelena’s back! Goody… In a way this feels like some ploy but Zelena is good for shaking things up and I do like her brand of evil so I’m not so against on this turn of events. What I am against is a Robin Hood focused episode, he is boring. He’s better as support character.

This episode is all flashback since it focus is 9 weeks in the past and how Robin went from former thief to bartender to nobel thief and all he had to do was steal something for Rumple that now needs in New York to mend his heart which is steeped in darkness. So the Dark One has some weird time limit now?

Another question I have is Why would Robin go to freaking New York City? Have these people never heard of Portland Maine? Boston exists and so do a LOT of other places between Maine and New York City. Is it because Neal’s place is available? Did Neal keep up the rent while he was in Neverland or in the Enchanted Forest or dead? You know a year has passed or did he own the place? There is also Emma’s apartment. Did she get out her lease? Or did she own? I mean Manhattan Real Estate .

The ending with Zelena posing as Marian made up for the otherwise boring episode and actually Zelena killing Marian and taking her form corrected the time paradox. Marian was meant to die and she did. Though I bet if you rewatch beginning of season 4 with the Frozen characters, she was playing the role of Marian really well and no could have see the twist till this episode. It’s like the planned it after Marian came back from the dead.

On a Different note, Christie Laing (Marian) was on season 1 of UnReal, which I just marathoned. That show is bloody addictive and full of horrible people. Also she was in Tucker and Dale Vs Evil which is the most romantic movie ever. It’s a parody of slasher movies, which I typically hate but that movie is great. I highly recommend it.

 

Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episodes 15 & 16 Review

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Episode 15: Enter the Dragon

Lana Parrilla as Regina & Kristin Bauer van Straten as Maleficent Once Upon a Time Season 04 Episode15 Enter The Dragon picture image

Lana Parrilla as Regina & Kristin Bauer van Straten as Maleficent

Regina is both Snape and a manic pixie dream girl in this episode. Actually I’m not sure she is really pulling a Snape here, I have only a passing knowledge of Harry Potter.

In the Storybrooke part, Regina is trying to convince the bad girls that she wants to join their reindeer games which means some collateral damage and kidnapping. Emma in the episode is super annoying and now she says her super power is working. Whatever. Basically their goal is the same as Regina which is to  find the author but Regina just wanted the author to change her fate, the villains want the author two make villains win and heros lose. Geeze, I think that is a super bad goal. I mean it’s like a 4th grader came up with it.

In the Enchanted Forest, Regina plays manic pixie dream girl to Maleficent who off her grind after she lost to Briar Rose. Briar Rose is also Sleeping Beauty. Aurora is her daughter who ALSO is sleeping Beauty. Basically Regina gets Maleficent back into her groove and her dragon form hence the title. It’s also a reference to the 1973 Bruce Lee movie.  This plot was marginally better than the Storybrooke plot.

In other news Belle is a dummy who couldn’t see through Rumple’s rouse of getting the dagger in Hook’s form. I mean sure it’s convincing at Grannies BUT not so much after that. Belle is  wasted in the show and so is Sarah Bolger as Aurora. Bolger was great in The Tudors and the production wastes her.

Also Pinocchio went through instant puberty and is now August again. Basically the Villains want to interrogate him.

Couple of things. Rumple tells Regina about how Maleficent burnt down a forest that still has a tree on fire because the fire was so hot. Is the fire hot or is the wood strong? Because I don’t think the fire being hot means anything for the longevity of the flame. I love Maleficent’s wardrobe in the real world. It’s great. Also Regina’s leather coat was great.

I liked that this episode focused on Maleficent and Regina but Emma’s annoying brand of worry and trying to insert herself into the plan was taxing to say the least. I think the villains are carrying the arc because it would be so dull without those three ladies.  

 

Episode 16: Poor Unfortunate Soul  

Merrin Dungey as Ursula Once Upon Time Season 04, Episode 16 Poor Unfortunate Soul picture image

Merrin Dungey as Ursula

For the most part this was an enjoyable episode. I liked how they made movie Ariel’s backstory into Ursula’s back story. As she is the mermaid with the beautiful voice who wanted to keep music alive after the death of her mother but her Sea King father shut it down. S Basically it’s the plot of Ariel’s Beginning without Sebastian except with her goes to land to sing. Hook tries to help but ended up taking her singing voice.. It was nice that Ursula got a happy ending and it was nice to see Ariel again, I feel like show should use her more or it could be a case of less is more.

The Storybrooke plot did offer a nice twist that the door to this author is the page itself. The show can be clever with its twists.  But the other twist of how Rumple plans to “change the rules” but filling Emma’s heart with darkness is  dumb and seems convoluted. There was also Hook whining about how he was a villain so he afraid of slipping back into the “darkness” and losing his happy ending. But really, WHAT DID HE DO TO BE A VILLAIN? It was just kind of a ass and pirate.  I guess violence makes on a villains and not evil schemes of power grabbing.

Also if the characters move out of Storybrooke do the rules still apply? Like how does this author work in the “Land without Magic?” Also not fan of seeing CG Wooden August agian. Wish the show wouldn’t reveal in their terrible CG work. But it was a good episode and hey they got Bernie Hudson to play Poseidon .         

While  I’m on the subject of actors, the guy who plays August, Eion Bailey, was on an episode of 30 Rock, Season 4 episode called It’s never too late for now,  and Ursula’s actress, Merrin Dungey, was Sheila on Better off Ted, I love those two shows.

 

Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episodes 13 & 14 Review

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Episode 13: Darkness on the Edge of Town

Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin, Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil & Merrin Dungey as Ursula Once Upon A Time Season 04 Episode 13 Darkness on the Edge of Town picture image

Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin, Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil & Merrin Dungey as Ursula

I have two questions before we dive into the review. What does Snow teach? And what grade is Henry in? Because she was his teacher back in season 1 and she is still his teacher in season 4, color me confused?   And Where is Frederick? He was the gym teacher. I’d really like to know what happen with him and Kathryn   

Another thing I have to question, did Belle REALLY think a Cambridge linguist would know how to translate an ancient spell. Spoiler, it was Rumple. Either Belle is super naive or dumb, really not sure anymore.

So the episode has a few thing getting set-up. Basically the marching orders of  this season are the villains are going to TAKE their happy endings, so Rumple enlists the help of Ursula, who works at and aquarium and Cruella who has fallen financial hard times. It seems like her husband was going to jail for tax evasion or fraud or something. Anyway so Rumple is hanging out with the mean girls and their FIRST goal is to get back into Storybrooke.

In Storybrooke, the crew is trying to release the fairies from the hat. That is the spell Belle got translated although it doesn’t release the apprentice but it does release the Chernabog from Fantasia. And as is typical for this show, the CG Chernabog looks REALLY bad. It looks more cartoony than that cartoon, which scared the crap out me as kid but now it’s amazing so shame on you OUAT.

The Chernabog was the subject of  the past plot line where Rumple used Ursula, Cruella, and Maleficent to steal the Dark curse from the Chernabog. Rumple made it seem like he needed the evil ladies for their skill sets but it was rouse since the Chernabog eats the heart with the darkest potential. Anyway the ladies make it out together with the power of not being assholes to each other.

Ursula and Cruella use their knowledge of the Chernabog to leverage passage into Storybrooke as the Chernabog is going to eat a bitch. Regina knows it’s her but it’s really Emma, what a Twist! Also in a twist Rumple set-up the Chernabog relase so the ladies could get into town.

Snow and David as REALLY against Ursula and Cruella getting into town but are over ruled and they seem to have history together. Ursula and Cruella further prove they are not completely terrible people by not abandoning Rumple at the town line even though they would be justified. Their next goal is bring back Maleficent.                 

This episode was OKAY at best. It had some decent pacing but it’s still in the set-up phase which will take awhile. Snow and David are losing their charm and now they seem like douches. Also the Chernabog coming out the hat was just too funny. How did nd no one saw it? It was oozing evil and RIGHT there!      

I will say I do like Ursula and Cruella. They are delightful in their evilness but I like that Ursula feels like her own character, apart from the movie and how Cruella has like power over animals, that is a rather neat touch.   

 

 

Episode 14: Unforgiven

Kristin Bauer van Straten as Maleficent, Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil, Merrin Dungey as Ursula, Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White and Josh Dallas as David Once Upon A Time Season 04 Episode 14 Unforgiven picture image

Kristin Bauer van Straten as Maleficent, Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil, Merrin Dungey as Ursula, Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White and Josh Dallas as David

Pretty much just lie to Emma’s face, if she likes you enough she  won’t believe it anyway. All her parents do in this episode is lie to her and nothing.   You could start a drinking game or some season bingo game with this plot contrivance

This episode give us hints as to what Snow and David did that makes them wary of Ursula and Cruella. So far Snow only say that she was responsible for Maleficent “losing” her child. Not sure what the means. Lost could be dead or Snow and David lost her like at market or something. Both scenarios could cause all that guilt. That this does retcon Snow’s darkness in her heart. It also seems that the losing of Mal’s baby is the reason for Emma’s super light magic because she had the potential to be Super good and Super bad. Thought it’s curious if Snow and David did something to make Emma good, why did the Chernabog go after her in the last episode?

I do have to wonder,  how are they villains in the context of the show? Sure, we the audinece know they are “villains” but what did they do that gives that stigma in the Enchanted Forest. Because so far aside from Maleficent offing some guards they haven’t done much to anyone. Seems like Snow and David are more like villain. Maleficent wants the same thing as Snow and Snow didn’t know know Maleficent’s method for stopping the curse. Snow didn’t give her a chance.  I guess the characters are all pretty grey but they throw the word Villains around so much you would think the show is brand placement for the Disney Villain line.  Now in sock form! 

The villains are the only noteworthy plot point. The author plot with Regina and Henry is dull and I don’t really care that Belle is playing kissy-face with Will. Hook has some history with Ursula that he keeping from Emma. I’m sure that backstory will get told when it’s dramatic enough.

So I guess we’ll find out  how the Charmings “lost” Maleficent’s baby? Who is Maleficent’s baby? What Hook did to Ursula? Who the author is? How will Regina infiltrate the mean girls? Will Ursula and Cruella go back to granny’s after the bad service? Why Snow felt the need to monologue? What’s wrong with chocolate donuts?  Would claymation look better than the CGs in this show? These are some of  the big questions.  

As for the episode, it was alright. At this point I just like the newer villains, the other character are just starting to become less interesting. I mean it’s all about lies  and the author with them.           

One more thing, I would rather watch a sitcom style show where Ursula, Cruella and Maleficent are all roommates in some city just trying to have it all. Rumple can be the neighbor or something.

Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episodes 11 & 12 Review

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Episode 11: Shattered Sight

Georgina Haig as Elsa, Elizabeth Lail as Anna & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan ABC Once Upon a Time Shattered Sight picture image

Georgina Haig as Elsa, Elizabeth Lail as Anna & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

It’s the Purge, ABC Style! This episode wraps up the Snow Queen’s arc. The past portionis about Emma and Ingrid’s relationship. Ingrid and Emma did have a nice relationship and Ingrid was trying to adopt her. Ingrid messed it up however when she tries to push Emma’s powers out by nearly getting her hit by a car. Emma thinks she is crazy and runs off. Prior to that 28 year deadline Ingrid finds Storybrooke and sets up shop. When Emma wonders into the Ice Cream shop, Ingrid takes her memories.  

Most of the episode is the fairy tale character being horrible to each other or beating the crap out of everyone. Emma releases Regina out because she figures that Regina’s hatred for her will undo the Ribbons. Not really sure how that really works. So as once the ribbons are off Emma and Elsa go to face off against Ingrid, as killing her is the only way to break the curse. Otherwise it’s a Regina and Snow bitch fight.

Anna then finds a the letter that Gerda wrote before she drown which recounts Ingrid and how she loved her and how she should encouraged Ingrid to accept her own powers and  nothide away.  Ingrid realizes that she has what she always wanted; her sister’s love. She then sacrifices herself to break the spell so that she can join her sisters.   

The is arc made some aspects of Frozen make a little more sense. It  serves as somewhat prequel and sequel to frozen and yet NO OLAF, I’m over it but a little annoyed. I wish Ingrid’s plan wasn’t so off. She wanted the love of her sisters but she didn’t want anyone else around. Just seems a little weak of an evil plan. It slightly evil but not really all that evil. She did get redeem though which is more than Rumple can say. His character development is like in the negatives at this point. He’s worse than when he started. Since his plot is still up in the air I bet the next arc will focus on him more.      

I will say that Evil Snow and David  were  fun but why did the spell wear off quickly with Anna but not on the town? Did Ingrid control durations? Or is it like once the person does some task?  Like with Anna it was threatening trapping Elsa  in the urn and for the town it was just death?    

This arc felt too all over the place. There were like so much set-up for other plots and the main Snow Queen/Frozen felt drawn out and nearly divertive of Frozen. It wasn’t a re-imaging but Frozen 2.0 which felt cheap.  Also Will Scarlett is colossal waste of time.

 

Episode 12; Heroes and Villains

Kristin Bauer van Straten as Maleficent, Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil, Emilie de Ravin as Belle & Merrin Dungey as Ursula ABC Once Upon a Time Heroes and Villains picture image

Kristin Bauer van Straten as Maleficent, Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil, Emilie de Ravin as Belle & Merrin Dungey as Ursula

This episode wraps Rumple wanting to be free of the dagger plot, wanting to  kill Hook and the aftermath of the Frozen. See because Rumple lied about knowing Anna, and Anna knows his plan he wants Anna gone. Rumple finds a portal and as the Frozen crew leaves Anna clues them into Rumple’s plan. Emma and Snow try to stop him but fail. Belle stops him with the help of an object that can lead someone to a person’s weakness which leads her to the dagger.

The past plot deals with Rumple trading the object for Belle’s life after Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella kidnapped her. Rumple then got the thing back from them and Belle found in in present day Storybrooke.  Basically Belle thought she was worth more to Rumple than power so in the end she makes him leave Storybrooke. He then goes to New York City, because there is nothing between Maine and New York City. At least Belle got smart again. Smart might be the wrong word, maybe perceptive.          

Robin and Marian also leave town because Marian got refrozen and it was the only way to save her except for Roland’s kiss which could have  if the character remembers things. So even though Marian was going to left Regina and Robin be together NOPE. Also now when people leave town the don’t forget but they just can see the town anymore.  

One question! Didn’t Mulan join the merry man? Or did she lied to Aurora? Where is Mulan? Or Nova? Or Ruby?  Also just a minor nitpick but it’s more of a personal pet peeve, Individuals  do not evolve. Rumple didn’t evolve he either matured or reverted. I hated it the usage of the word  even in Pokemon.  

Mostly this was good episode, though do wish we saw something of Elsa and Anna taking back Arendelle, seems like they just beat up Hans and that was enough. They redid the chocolate line because they had to throw ONE MORE FROZEN thing in the show. Speaking of divertive things we are introduced to  Maleficent in her evil sleeping Beauty costume(though we have seen her before), Ursula who seems the least derivative one and Cruella who has amazing cheekbones. Let’s see where this new arc is going but it has a lot to do with previous set-up arc of finding the author. Which Henry did find a clue of in the sorcerer’s mansion. So either the sorcerer is the author or knows the writer. Seems weird there even is a physical author.
Anyway this a good episode, I like seeing Rumple suffer.

Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episodes 9 & 10 Review

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Episode 9; Smash the Mirror Part 2

Georgina Haig as Elsa & Elizabeth Lail as Anna ABC Once Upon a Time Smash the Mirror Part 2 picture image

Georgina Haig as Elsa & Elizabeth Lail as Anna

Over the course of the season, Ingrid has told Elsa that it was Anna who trapped her in the urn which was true but Anna was under the shattered sight spell. Elsa refuses to hurt Anna so she  lets herself get trapped. Elsa getting trapped in the urn wasn’t part of Ingrid’s masterplan so she took Elsa memories of her but Rumple turns up and wants the hat and takes the urn for leverage. Ingrid is about to summon Rumple to make the  but the apprentice shows up because Ingrid made a deal with the sorcerer which was to exchange the hat for a magical third sister match. He tells her that if Ingrid gives the hat to Rumple she will never get her happy ending. In the end she gives the apprentice the hat and he sends her to “the real world.” That answered how Ingrid got to the real world, or place without magic, who trapped Elsa in the urn and why Rumple has the urn.

So in Storybrooke, Ingrid tries to stop Emma from getting of her magic which she thinks is suspect so she goes to the mansion. Basically Rumple manipulates Emma further saying that as a villain he wouldn’t give up his power but Emma is a hero who makes the right decision so she should.  Elsa shows up and tells Emma that she really needs to love herself to control her powers. This gets through to Emma and she doesn’t go through the door to the hat. Everyone is happy except for Rumple who didn’t get Emma into the pokeball erm magical hat. Instead he takes Hook’s heart as part of what he need for the spell to be free of the dagger and for fun. He needs so one who knew him BEFORE becoming the Dark one.

Then no one is happy since Ingrid put ribbons Emma and Elsa to harness their magic so she can cast the shattered sight spell that will make everyone in Storybrooke hate/kill each other.

B plot is MORE Regina and Robin. Robin is looking for clues on the author and he finds an alternate page where Regina goes to meet Robin at the bar when Tinker bell showed her true love instead of the page in the book where she walked away. Basically it shows her that she has hope if only she makes better decisions and that she not doomed as a villain.

Nitpicks! Why didn’t Ingrid use her powers to puncture Emma’s tires or tried to immobilize her?  I’m not one for noticing continuity errors but Ingrid’s neckpiece falls down between cuts during her scene with the apprentice.       

Also this isn’t really a nitpick but a more of visual metaphor which again isn’t something I tend to pick up on.  Rumple is shutting out the light and love for power when he closes the ball room door to set-up the hat trap. He is literally shutting out from light and the love come from the place where he danced with Belle  

This wasn’t  a bad episode. It did answer a lot of questions and it didn’t feel like it jerked the plot all over the place. I’m sick of the Rumple’s plot though and now Hook is more of a minion than he was before. Still it wasn’t  a bad episode it was pretty okay.   

 

Episode 10: Fall

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Georgina Haig as Elsa, Elizabeth Lail as Anna & Scott Michael Foster as Kristoff ABC Once Upon a Time Fall picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Georgina Haig as Elsa, Elizabeth Lail as Anna & Scott Michael Foster as Kristoff

Anna and Elsa are reunited! Apparently Arendelle was frozen for 30 years and of course once unfrozen Hans is back to being a douche conqueror. Ok but like why would anyone in Arendelle follow him?  Doesn’t matter because Anna and Kristoff are off to find Blackbeard to get a thing called the Wishing Star. Turns out Blackbeard already sold it to Anna’s parent but they didn’t have pure hearts so it didn’t work doesn’t matter though because Blackbeard is in league with Hans and Kristoff and Anna are thrown into a truck and pushed into the sea.  

In Storybrooke, Ingrid sets the curse in motion. Rumple brokerages a deal with Ingrid to protect Belle and Henry so he can leave with them. Awww, Rumple does like Henry. It can be hard to tell with him. The good guys try to climb the wall but that doesn’t work but Elsa finds the necklace she gave Anna for her wedding, the same necklace that was in Rumple’s shop that she lost in episode 2. Turns out since Anna was inflicted by the curse and thus they can make an antidote with her hair. Apparently The Spell of Shattered Sight is like the chicken pox.  So it off to find Anna using the necklace and a locator spell. However Elsa and Emma  hit a literal dead end.  Turns out since time is a factor that they can make the antidote with the necklace but the  it will destroy the necklace. Since the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few they elect that the town is more important so Elsa gives them the necklace however since everyone is super trusting and doesn’t looks in the bag to see if the magical item is there, Elsa switches the necklace for some rocks to find Anna. It’s the bean from season 2  all over again. Hey Emma’s lie detector doesn’t go off here? It’s better for drama if it doesn’t.

Anyway, the necklace is the wishing star, or another magical out, and Elsa wishes for Anna to be with her and POOF Anna and Kristoff are saved from drowning along with a message in a bottle. They try to get Anna to the fairies making the antidote but Rumple has Hook trap the fairies in the hat. Freaking Rumple, just doom the town for literally no reason. You could only be redeemed for your son except no. So with the curse falling everyone locks themselves up in various why to avoid murdering each other.    

The reunion was nice but really Hans shouldn’t have gotten this far being evil. It’s just not believable especially when aside from just wanting to rule he has no other motivation for wanting Arendelle. Is Arendelle the Jean Valjean to his Javert or the Esmeralda to his Frollo. Hugo did a lot obession stories. Tangent, if this show does Les Mis over Hunchback I will quit!
The music as the curse fall is nice. Especially with all those epic stares. Otherwise this episode was fine. Kept the pace and is at least moving forward. Wish all the stuff with Anna getting Storybrooke happened sooner but drama.