Once Upon a Time 1x15 Review

Red-Handed

Once Upon a Time has shown that it is capable of telling very endearing and sometimes campy love stories as we saw last week with Dreamy. They also have shown a capability for very dark and even scary episodes as we saw with The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. This week was clearly the latter. After more than half the season we finally get the back story for Ruby and Granny. It's been known since the pilot that Ruby was Little Red Riding Hood, and we've seen her appear in multiple Snow White stories, but this was the first chance we've had to see her story. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode, and that's not a shock. It was written by the great Jane Espenson. If you don't know the name look it up on IMDb, I guarantee you'll see more than one show that you really like. 

Once Upon a Time 1x14 Review

Dreamy

In this episode of Once Upon a Time we finally learn about the other aspect of the show's favorite fairy tale, the Dwarfs. I personally really enjoyed this episode. I know there are people who don't like when the episodes appear to just be 45 min long commercials for Disney movies but hey, Disney is paying a lot of money for this show and I also love the shout outs. So deal with it. This week I thought both the Fairy Tale Land, and Storybrooke plots were strong. It was a smart move to tie Leroy's story in with Mary Margaret. That way you could continue telling her story of woe, but also still focus on Leroy and Astrid. 

Once Upon a Time 1x13 Review

What Happened to Frederick? 

After last week's powerful ending I really wondered if they would pick up on that story, or move it to the back burner. It seems the latter was the case, and while I enjoyed this episode I missed Mr. Gold and Regina having a nice chat. 

This episode focuses yet again on Mary Margaret and David's relationship. Everything comes to a climax and once again the two different universes experience almost opposing directions for these two love birds. For me though, this was not the most interesting aspect of this episode. The Stranger revealed his name(information that looms large for several characters in this show). I'll get to the name in a little bit, and I am going to refute one of my own theories on who is is. Not based on any information or clues we got, but more so from his behavior. 

Once Upon a Time 1x12 Review

Skin Deep

It was Valentines Day in Storybrooke and love is in the air. Well, for some people anyway. This episode deals with a new classic fairy tales and Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast. I really loved this episode and how they brought it into the main story arcs we've been seeing. Both the Fairy Tale Land, and Storybrooke plotlines this week are deep and further our understanding of several characters, and introduce us to a couple new ones. 

In Fairy Tale Land we meet Belle, one of the most loved Disney princesses of all time and she's played by Lost alum Emile de Ravin.  I was never a fan Claire, but I think she didn't a great job in this episode. This is a side note, but I like that they didn't have her do a French accent. Maybe Eddie and Adam remember everyone making fun of her Australian accent, and decided to go with the classic idea that a British accent simply means "not American" to us here in the States. Good call! I also loved that both Rumpelstiltskin and the Evil Queen played a large role in the story. We usually get one of them, but rarely both being so vital to the episodes. I love their dynamic and chemistry so I hope we get more scenes of them together. 

Once Upon a Time 1x11 Review

Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

This week on Once Upon a Time we learn more about the Evil Queen and the events leading up to the death of Snow White's father(played brilliantly by Richard Schiff). The episode though is the back story and origin of the Magic Mirror. In a pretty surprising revelation it turns out that the Mirror was originally the Genie of the Lamp, and fell in love with the Queen. Like every episode featuring part of the Queen's back story I was wondering if we would learn what Snow did to her to make her hate her so much. We did not learn that, and I am happy about that. This is a mystery that they are dragging out, and in a brilliant way it makes the actual reveals in the episodes more enjoyable.  

Like most episodes the events of Storybrooke and those in Fairy Tale land are about the same characters, but appear to be in opposition to each other. Last week Mary and David found each other and decided to begin a relationship whereas Snow and Charming split up, and Snow wiped him from her memory. That trend continues, or at least appears to in this episode. 

Once Upon a Time 1x10 Review

7:15 A.M. 


In this episode we are told more about Snow White and Prince Charming. We also see how she eventually meets up with the seven dwarfs. I liked the episode a lot, and I'm actually really shocked how much I care about the relationships on the show. I normally don't care about shipping, or who likes who but OUAT really does that aspect well. I think the difference is we don't have to sit through years of "will they or won't they" tension, and we know that there won't be those annoying and predictable love triangles.

We know this because everything that happens in Storybrooke is some how related to what happened or happens in Fairy Tale land. So we know that Mary and David will get together, and that when they do it will be important. We know that Regina is not butting in just to be annoying, we know that as the Evil Queen she both doesn't want them to be happy, maybe even that that could have a huge effect of the curse. Basically what I'm saying is that the relationship stuff isn't just fluff to make people gush over these characters and make cute slash names. The shipping is a major aspect of the show, and the decisions they make have an impact far greater than just who kisses who and if they like it.

Once Upon a Time 1x09 Review

True North


In this episode we meet Hansel and Gretel, or as they are known in Storybrooke Nicholaus and Ava. In Fairy Tale land they lose their father, and then are asked by the Evil Queen to steal a special apple from a blind witch who lives in a candy house in exchange for her helping them to find their father. Turns out of course that she kidnapped him first in a big plan to get the poison apple that has Snow White's name written all over it. Meanwhile in Storybrooke they homeless and Emma sets out to find their father. We meet Mr. K.(Who could he be??), but he can't help her. Mr. Gold though points her in the exact right direction to find the father.

The episode is about daddy issues, and we learn that Emma has serious daddy issues. She always wanted to know her dad, and the fact that he could be Prince Charming I think has her head spinning a little bit. We also learn though that the time she spent in foster care was even worse than we originally thought. We knew this was why she can't make connections easily, but she really made it seem like hell, and I was surprised the episode was so negative toward foster homes in general. She lies to Henry about his father so he thinks he was an awesome firefighter, but really he was probably just some dude.