"Dark" ONCE UPON A TIME

Article originally published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review The Dark Swan on Seat42F.

ONCE UPON A TIME - "The Dark Swan" JENNIFER MORRISON, ROBERT CARLYLE

ONCE UPON A TIME, there was an uneven series that lured its fans into false senses of security with excellent season openers and an occasional good run, but constantly disappointed in the end. This ABC drama returned for a fifth season tonight, and while the opener, “The Dark Swan,” is pretty promising, I don’t hold out high hopes that it will be able to maintain such quality, especially as there are worrying signs present.

As “The Dark Swan” begins, Emma (Jennifer Morrison) finds herself in the Enchanted Forest, haunted by the Dark One (Robert Carlyle) inside of her. She struggles to resist, remembering that, as a child (Mckenna Grace, The Young and the Restless), she was warned not to pull the sword from the stone. Since she will soon be in Camelot, this is wise advice to keep in mind. Oh, and she has a run in with wild, brave (hehe) red-head Merida (Amy Manson, Atlantis).

I really like the way Emma is handled in this episode. I was worried she’d immediately go evil, but instead, she really tries to keep herself in check with Merida, which wouldn’t be easy for the best of people. Emma may very well embrace her role as the Dark One, as the end of the hour indicates, but at least we know the Emma fans love is inside somewhere, doing her best to keep the power at bay.

Quick side note, why does ONCE UPON A TIME do another time jump and memory wipe? They’ve done it before, and I feel like they’re repeating themselves by doing it again. I understand it’s a hook meant to keep viewers coming back, but it has to organically fit in the story for it to not come across as a cheap stunt. It does not gel all that well in “The Dark Swan.”

Emma’s internal struggle raises an interesting point as it pertains to Rumple, the previous Dark One. Rumple manages to be good and redeem himself prior to his death in season three, but then reverts to a villain when he is brought back. If the Dark One’s hold is so strong that it cannot be overcome, how did Rumple manage to stay a hero for so long? And why didn’t ONCE UPON A TIME show us his warring as he fell back into old patterns?

An arc for Rumple similar to what Emma is going through now would have made the entire show make more sense and stave off some of the negative reviews I’d written in the past. The writers should take the opportunity no to bring this up, and even if it’s too late to entirely make up for that past mistake, it would still help a bit with the overall impression of the series.

Of course, the rest of our people will not let Emma sweat this out on her own. It’s a bit convoluted how it all comes about, but the eventual take away is that Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) allows Zelena (Rebecca Mader) to open a portal (and then she is recaptured), which Regina (Lana Parrilla) redirects to Emma. Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin), David (Josh Dallas), Henry (Jared Gilmore), Robin (Sean Maguire), and a surprising number of recurring players, including Granny (Beverly Elliott) and Leroy (Lee Arenberg), hitch a ride with our core cast in Granny’s diner on a twister.

The way the heroes get to the Enchanted Forest is fun and clever, though one wonders if it’s all not just a bit too much. Was it really necessary to bring the whole diner and get it operational again? I’m also super excited to see the dwarves and others come along, as Leroy rightly points out that they’ve been left out of the loop for far too long, but will they be well-used? And it’s weird they bring a baby with them, isn’t it?

I’m excited about Emma’s arc, a meatier role for supporting players, and the inclusion of King Arthur (Liam Garrigan, The Pillars of the Earth) and his realm. I’m worried about the amount of characters drawn unnecessarily into the primary arcs and that ONCE UPON A TIME has a track record of good starts that they can’t maintain. This doesn’t stop “The Dark Swan” from being a mostly enjoyable hour, but does not necessarily bode well for upcoming installments.

ONCE UPON A TIME airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

ONCE UPON A TIME Stumbles On "Rocky Road"

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 4 Episode 3 Rocky Road on Seat42F.

This week’s installment of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME, “Rocky Road,” is an interesting because it’s full of exposition, leaving us with more questions than answers. As our heroes race to save a slowly-freezing-to-death Marian (Christie Laing), they encounter a new villain who seems a little too familiar with them. In flashback, the introduction of said baddie doesn’t exactly match up with what’s happening in Storybrooke, indicating that there are more secrets that must come out to understand the tale.

The “monster” is the Snow Queen (Elizabeth Mitchell). Trapped in an urn, locked in a cave, she is accidentally freed by Hans (Tyler Jacob Moore, Shameless) as he attempts to capture Elsa (Georgina Haig) and steal her kingdom. Once she is freed, it is Hans that is in trouble, and Elsa looks to have a new mentor in the woman that claims to be her aunt.

Yet, in Storybrooke, the Snow Queen isn’t so benevolent. She has attacked Marian for unknown reasons, and tells Elsa that Elsa was locked in an urn by Anna and that the Rock Trolls erased Elsa’s memory. Elsa can’t believe Anna would entrap her in such a way, and is confused by what has been supposedly removed from her brain, kicking off a whole new set of mysteries.

This is a pretty compelling narrative, two sisters on their own quests, long separated, beset by challenges. They will surely find their way back to one another because fairy tales have happy endings (usually), but it’s clearly not going to be easy, and the fall run of ONCE UPON A TIME will document that.

We are also briefly introduced to new main character Will Scarlet (Michael Socha), a.k.a. The Knave. We don’t know why he’s come over from Wonderland (he starred in the short-lived spin-off of this series) or gone back to his thieving ways, but his introduction is a fun one, and I look forward to hearing why he isn’t still with the Red Queen, who should be by his side, and hopefully will be again.

Some fans of the series are sure to be disappointed by “Rocky Road” and the episodes surrounding it because of how heavily it leans on the guest characters. Elsa and the Snow Queen aren’t part of the core cast, and by focusing on them so much, it gives the more familiar people less screen time. Personally, while I would like to get back to some of the larger arcs that seem to move so slowly, I am enjoying this Frozen tale, and I think the recent hours are good enough that I don’t have much reason to complain, at least not about story structure.

After all, there’s still development for most of the main cast. Emma (Jennifer Morrison) uses her powers to good effect in “Rocky Road,” and she finally confesses to Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) why she’s keeping him at arm’s length. It’s not him, of course, it’s that every man she gets close to winds up dead, which sort of backs up what Elsa tells Hook, that responsibility trumps personal feelings. And we see Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) adjusting to motherhood and a mayorship, two tough challenges that she honestly should be doing better with, but she’s getting there. Her story is a little lame (Mysteries of Laura style), but at least she has something to do, which isn’t always the case.

Best of all, there is movement on both of Regina’s (Lana Parrilla) fronts. First, she teams up with a willing Henry (Jared Gilmore) to find the author of the storybook so she can get a happy ending. It’s cool to see how amazed she is when Henry jumps at the chance to help her, and it’s nice knowing he’ll make sure she doesn’t turn back to the dark side to get what she wants. He anchors her to her heart, and she doesn’t deserve to backslide after coming so far. Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) also admits to Regina he’s still in love with her but just can’t be with her, which does seem to soften Regina’s bitterness, just a little. Let’s hope Robin comes clean with Marian that it just isn’t working between them anymore, which could, but probably won’t, create a new villain.

How weird is it that Regina removes Marian’s heart? I have no idea what the implications of this will be, but I dig the twist.

I don’t like a couple of things going on this season. I still hate how Rumple (Robert Carlyle) has slipped back into his shameful ways, and I really don’t like that Hook is covering for him, though I’m sure Hook just sees it as none of his business. It also doesn’t feel right that Granny (Beverly Elliott), Grumpy (Lee Arenberg), and the other townsfolk should turn so cruelly on Mary Margaret. They’ve been through so much together; they should be more understanding, and it seems out of character that they are not.

Fans of Marvel might also have caught the Thor and Avengers comic books Regina gives Henry. It’s a shameless bit of cross promotion, but nothing new for ONCE UPON A TIME. At least it’s worked into the story nicely, the illustrated tales being compared to Henry’s storybook. Any chance there might one day by an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. / ONCE UPON A TIME crossover event? It would be incredibly hard to do correctly, so I’m guessing not, even though it could be awesome.

“Rocky Road” isn’t the best episode because it doesn’t have a lot that makes it stand on its own. But I did find it enjoyable, and it planted the seeds for what I assume will be some neat things coming up. For that reason, it works.

ONCE UPON A TIME airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Lana Parrilla Soars in "Save Henry"

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 3 Episode 9 Save Henry on Seat42F.

The latest installment of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME, “Save Henry,” is more about a mother than the son named in the title. Through flashback, we see how Regina (Lana Parrilla) comes to adopt Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) and how it ties into the larger story. In the present, Regina, Emma (Jennifer Morrison), and Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) attempt to rescue the boy and escape Neverland.

Regina has long been one of the most fascinating characters on the series. While she has done evil things, I do not believe that she is ultimately a true villain because she still has heart. We see this in the hole she feels in her life when she is absent a Henry. And we see how much she loves young Henry and that she will do anything to get him back.

It’s true, Regina kills the first Henry she loves, her father, in order to enact the curse that creates Storybrooke. This is a truly vile thing to do, and as promised to her by Rumple (Robert Carlyle), Regina soon begins to feel the loss, craving something to plug that hole. She finds that something when she gets Rumple to secure her a baby, which just happens to be the son of the savior that can ruin her.

We witness Regina’s early struggles as a mother, unable to stop her child from crying. Does baby Henry sense the darkness in her? And when she finally connects with him, does he sense the love? This is a woman who would go to the ends of the earth for her child, and would not make the same mistake with him that she made in dealing with the elder Henry.

That’s why, when Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) has the three ladies bound to a tree that feeds off their regret, Regina alone is able to break free. It’s not that she doesn’t have remorse for the mistake she’s made; it’s that her focus is on the greater feelings she has for Henry, which makes the rest of it worth it to her. Her love for Henry is true, and she is rewarded by Henry calling her “mom” as she tucks him in, safe back on the Jolly Roger near the conclusion of “Save Henry.”

Will this relationship be what ultimately can redeem Regina? It’s hard to say at this point. There is little doubt she would do bad again if Henry were threatened. But I’m starting to think that she will not do anything too evil without Henry’s survival on the line. She knows that she cannot keep Henry and fall back to her bad habits, so unless she has a driving purpose, or unless Henry dies, she likely won’t truly cross the line again. Not fully.

A sign of this is the way Regina wipes her own memory of whom Henry’s mother is, even though that hurts her chances of stopping Emma. Like Rumple, who has to put Henry’s welfare before his own in order to repair the relationship with his son, Neal (Michael Raymond-James), Regina puts her existence on the line to protect the son she has fallen for from herself. It’s a selfless, noble gesture, done before we even know Regina has such things in her.

Parrilla is a fantastic actress, and she deftly handles the role with a level of skill nearly unmatched in the show. Once more, I am drawn to the way she can find the subtleties and buried qualities in the part, and make us care about someone that we should have written off long ago. I do think both the story arc of the character and her popularity can be majorly attributed to Parrilla’s impressive talent, and wish for more episodes featuring her soon.

The conspiracy and coincidences in “Save Henry” leave a lot of questions unanswered. Does Mr. Gold always know he is Rumple? Is his knowledge triggered by Emma arriving? Is Regina destined to get Henry, or is this something Rumple builds into the curse? Why does Pan send Michael (James Immekus) and John (Matt Kane) to look for Henry eleven years ago, instead of only recently? These answers matter.

It’s fun to get back to Storybrooke and its charming residents. Granny (Beverly Elliott), Archie (Raphael Sbarge), Dr. Whale (David Anders) and even Sidney (Giancarlo Esposito), or Sidney’s voice, play a role in Regina’s flashback. I didn’t realize how much I missed them until they are glimpsed again in the sleepy hamlet. I’m looking forward to getting back there next week.

The only real complaint I have is that Snow, Emma, and Regina set off on their own to face Pan. I understand Neal staying behind to look after the Lost Boys, and can even see why he shouldn’t be left by himself. But the Boys seem to be mostly defeated, happy to help in return for a home, so more than three people can go after Pan. David (Josh Dallas) or Neal, at least, could have gone, too, leaving the other, Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), and Tink (Rose McIver) to watch the ‘captives.’ It’s another case of using half measures against a foe that has proved deserving of more.

It is weird that Henry is quickly dying without his heart when others survive for months or years just fine on the show without one. However, that could have something to do with Henry’s heart specifically, which we know is special, or the way Pan wants to use up the energy from it.

I will not complain about how easy Pan is to defeat in “Save Henry.” It certainly seems too good to be true that he is stopped at the tree, but his sneaky twist at the end, taking over Henry’s body and recruiting Felix (Parker Croft), his one loyal servant, to cause more trouble, is a very satisfying continuation of the arc. He is not defeated; he rises again!

ONCE UPON A TIME still has two full hours left in this fall run, airing Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Once Upon a Time there was a "Pilot"

     ABC's Once Upon a Time is a fairytale come to life. As "Pilot" begins, Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin, Big Love, Ed) and Prince Charming's (Josh Dallas, Thor) wedding is interrupted by the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla, Swingtown, Miami Medical), who promises to curse the land and ruin everyone's happy endings. Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle, SGU Stargate Universe) tells the couple that their unborn daughter will be the savior, on her twenty-eighth birthday. Months later, Snow White gives birth to the girl, Emma, who is spirited away in Geppetto's (Tony Amendola, Stargate SG-1) wardrobe, just before the Evil Queen's curse sweeps through the land.

     In the real world, bail bondsman Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison, House, How I Met Your Mother) is turning twenty-eight when she is approached by a ten year old boy named Henry Mills (Jared Gilmore, Mad Men). Henry tells her that she is his biological mother. And also that fairy tales are real and trapped in Storybrooke, Maine, and only Emma can save them. She reluctantly accompanies him home, much to the displeasure of his mother (also Parilla). Still, while Emma doesn't believe Henry's tales, there is enough of a draw for her to rent a room at Granny's (Beverly Elliott, Harper's Island, 2012) and commit to staying for a week.

     How much of Once Upon a Time is real, and how much is imagined? Obviously, the fairytale premise must be believed in order to enjoy and understand the series. The fact that half of the "Pilot" is set in the fairytale land indicates that, at least in the show's universe, this actually happens. They are not just crazy delusions, which is what Emma thinks when Henry tells her about everything. She especially thinks Henry is delusional after meeting Henry's shrink, Archie Hopper (Raphael Sbarge, Dexter, Prison Break), whom Henry claims is really Jiminy Cricket (also Sbarge). It's easy to see why Emma might think Henry is crazy, but it's only a matter of time before she begins to come around.

     The concept of Storybrooke being frozen in time, the fairy tale characters not aging, is pretty cool. Except... what about the kids? Henry has lived in Storybrooke for the last ten years, as Regina's son. He looks like a ten year old, not an infant, so he has aged. So do, presumably, Ms. Blanchard's (also Goodwin) other students. Even if only the fairy tale characters are frozen, surely the kids and their parents notice that Ms. Blanchard looks the same as she did twenty-eight years ago? This is the sole stumbling block obvious in the "Pilot" of Once Upon a Time. Hopefully, it will be addressed.

     Well, that, and the incredible weirdness that will ensue when Emma realizes she is Blanchard / Snow White's daughter, even though they look about the same age.

     At the end of the episode, Storybooke's clock, frozen at 8:15, moves to 8:16. What does this signify? How late does the clock have to go before order can be restored, and magic can return to its own realm? Midnight would make the most sense, but this will be a delicate balancing act, depending on how many years the series might go on. After all, Emma should not be the savior until the battle is won. Can this concept be stretched for six seasons without a victory, and without fans growing tired of it?

     The show looks wonderful. The special effects are realistic enough, and there are a million tiny touches to lend authenticity. Details, such as Regina offering Emma a cup of apple cider, the bowl of apples in her home, or Ms. Blanchard getting a pear instead of an apple from a pupil. remind the audience of the characters' alter egos. The town of Storybrooke itself, partly from building design and costumes, exudes an otherworldliness that could pass in our reality, but is slightly off, making for an uneasy balance bound to be upset.

     The actors are all fantastic. Morrison gets to bring her cynical performance to a character that must undergo major change, giving her the actress's dream of showcasing a broad range over several seasons, should Once Upon a Time be favored by television viewers. Goodwin is also good, despite the unfortunate haircut she sports in the "real" world. Her chemistry with Dallas looks and feels like a fairy tale in both versions, aided by the great looking setting and production value. Gilmore is that rare child actor that has personality, and can handle a challenge. Thus, he should not drag down the series, but rather improve it with his presence.

     The performers tasked with the evil side of the coin are even better, especially because at least one of them surely knows the truth about what is happening. Parrilla plays the perfect bad guy, able to smile sweetly, while her gaze drips with poison. Jamie Dornan's (Marie Antoinette) Sheriff Graham is more guarded, with viewers left to wonder about his motivations and origin. He has not yet been shown in the fairy tale world. But Carlyle gets the plumb position, running the town in a greedy manner as Mr. Gold, but once offered help to Snow and the Prince in the fantasy realm. What are his goals? What does he want? His character may have offered aide to save his own skin as his world crashes around him, but he's doing well enough in this new life. Will he have a change of heart?

     If the "Pilot" is any indication, Once Upon a Time should be a rich adventure, full of dreams come to life and delightful fancy. Watch it Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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Article first published as TV Review: Once Upon a Time - "Pilot" on Blogcritics.