Episode 15: A Wondrous Place

Colin O'Donoghue as Hook, Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin, Karen David as Princess Jasmine & Joanna Garcia Swisher as Ariel Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 15 A Wondrous Place picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Hook, Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin, Karen David as Princess Jasmine & Joanna Garcia Swisher as Ariel

Now this was a decent episode maybe because it dealt with the Aladdin plot and Ariel was in it but still it was fun. This episode also finalized the Aladdin plot which is a bit sad since from now on it will be the Gideon show.

Speaking of Gideon NOW he figures to ask Emma to help and uses Savior Tear magic which makes no portals happen so he has leverage. How does that work? Who knows? Even the Storybrooke scenes were nice. Drunk Snow is a woot. Though back when Robin left Regina Henry made her a care package but when Hook leaves Henry can’t be bothered to comfort Emma or even take the trash out. Teens.

This episode felt more like what show was trying to be in its concept, re-imagined Disney characters hanging out, having adventures and maybe getting drunk. I really enjoyed the show’s rework of Jasmine and Aladdin though Jafar was dispatched unceremoniously. Could they have done more with the Aladdin plot and less with Gideon and EQ and Robin and Jekyll and Hyde? Yes! But it could a less is more scenario. All in All it was a highly enjoyable episode. Though what was up with that oracle. After she was killed there is nothing about but in the past section is absent. I also miss that seer in season 2.

Also Aesop’s Table is a great name for a bar.

Episode 16: Mother’s Little Helper

Jaime Murray as The Black Fairy Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 16 Mother's Little Helper picture image

Jaime Murray as The Black Fairy

Funny, the basic rule is show don’t tell but for some reason the tell of Gideon’s story of when the Black Fairy tormented a child and let Gideon’s cell door open was more powerful in the tell than in the show. Could have been the acting, Gideon’s actor was stronger than the child asking for help.

Anyway this episode does answer a big question, why does Gideon act so dumb? Simple, his dear old Grandmama has his heart. Oddly enough Gideon did want the savior to save the children in the mines and wanted to simply act her. The idea here is that The Balck Fairy needs the savior to die so a portal freeing her opens. Now that her plan is done what else does she want to do? I mean she the being that created the dark curse and presumably all darkness. She could be older than Merlin and the dark one(s). Wonder what she saw in Peter Pan? Then again her plan to dispatch Emma was a Giant Spider and for some reason I just can take that seriously.

Also this episode has Hook and Black Beard on a double crossing misadventure the brings them to Neverland. There should have been more of their antics, that would have been fun but there are only six episode left so can’t be helped I guess. Moving on.

There also more with the author plot because people must have really missed Isaac (I don’t think they did). You see Henry’s author powers are taking over because of the final battle and Isaac wants to peace out which apparently now he can. Where did the barrier go? Must have missed that part. And he also wants Hamilton tickets because the show has no clue how much time has passed since season 1 and neither do the viewers.

This episode was f boring. It made up for itself by the Black Fairy chewing the scenery, she’s kind of delightful and also Hook and Black Beard anti-pirate-pal-time. It did answer some questions that made Gideon more tolerable but that Giant Spider fight, no words for that one.

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.

 

Naomi Scott picture image

Naomi Scott

Let’s just unpack this bit of casting news.  Recently Naomi Scott was cast as Princess Jasmine in the upcoming Live-Action Remake of Aladdin and some people are upset. Scott is half Indian and half British and Jasmine is Middle-Eastren which means for a lot of people that she isn’t White or Indian. The reason for her casting is that she can sing and dance. At least that is excuse given.

Karen David as Princess Jasmine in Once Upon A Time picture image

Karen David as Princess Jasmine in Once Upon A Time

It’s a hard one. Personally  I think Scott would have been better suited for Esmeralda, though I would rather see Gigi Radics in the role but this isn’t the first time Jasmine has played by a women of Indian Descent. In Once Upon a Time she was played by Karen David who can also sing and dance, watch Galavant, that show is awesome. One point people are making against Scott playing the role is that is was great chance by Disney to have a Middle Eastern woman in a prominent positive role. Another issue is that casting Scott looks like Disney doesn’t understand  that Middle Eastern culture  and Indian culture are different, even though some have defended Scott by saying there is overlap in the styling of Aladdin  like the palace look like the Taj Mahal and Raja’s name. Also at Disney World Aladdin character frequent the Moroccan pavilion at Epcot. Disney has aways mixed vaguely similar cultures.  I mean Agrabah  is a combination of Arga  and Baghdad, which is where Aladdin was originally supposed to be sets. Agra is an Indian city in Uttar Pradesh where the Taj Mahal is located.

Princess Jasmine, Aladdin picture Imade

Princess Jasmine

Oh, boy am I generalizing today but a lot people feel that everyone should play any role and some feel that if you whitewash you have  to cast everything like in voice acting in accordance with a character’s race and background and it just a can worms. First off Whitewashing is a BIG issue. If a character is a specific race and if it’s important to their character and setting than YES cast someone who fits the mold. I had no idea that years ago bitch about Chinese women playing Japanese women in Memoirs of a Geisha that should have been grateful they were at least East Asians. I did here people complaining about black people in the new Beauty and the Beast movie as historical inaccurate. Forget about the implications of a forgoten Prince hanging out after I guess the Revolution, it’s the race of few minor characters that irked some people.

Mena Massoud picture image

Mena Massoud

Disney is in a unique position with its remake movies, they don’t need bankable actors. Sure, they help but people are going to see these movies more for nostalgia than the actors.  So far with Aladdin, Aladdin is being played by Egyptian- Canadian actor Mena Massoud and Will Smith playing the Genie. If there reason for casting Scott was predicated on Singing and Dancing made they either rethink making these remake musicals or they could considering dubbing.

Naomi Scott picture image

Naomi Scott

I think if Disney had expanded their search or at least rethought the singing necessity there might have been a better Jasmine. Scott might do fine in the role but I can understand both side of the argument of her casting. It seemed like filmmakers gave up trying to cast the role and settled for some who nearly had the right ethnic background.

Or maybe the film will make Agrabah a reverse Mughal-equse regime where the ruling and noble class are of Indian descent and the lower class are Arabic to justify this casting choice. (This will more than likely not happen.)

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/07/17/disney-aladdin-jasmine-naomi-scott_a_23034316/

http://fortune.com/2017/07/21/disney-aladdin-cast-naomi-scott/