SHUT EYE Review

Article first published as SHUT EYE Review on Seat42F.

My name is Charlie Haverford. I used to be a magic trick inventor. Until I became a fake psychic for a bunch of gypsies. When you’re a fake psychic, you’ve got nothing: no say in what you do. You do whatever work the Romas who control the area send your way. You disappoint anyone who’s still talking to you: an unsatisfied wife, a screw-up sister, kids, too, a hypnotist, if you’re desperate. Bottom line? Until you figure out how to get out from under the Roma thumb, you’re not going anywhere.

OK, so fun with the intro to this review aside, there are major difference between Jeffrey Donovan’s previous USA series, Burn Notice, and his new drama on Hulu, SHUT EYE, premiering this week. Still, it’s hard not to draw some parallels. Donovan’s Charlie used to be great at something, has gotten into a situation where he’s not doing what he wants to do, and doesn’t have an easy way out, sort of like Michael Weston. Also, those around him, while supportive, are not the A team he might pick, but he’s committed to them.

Yet, I like SHUT EYE a lot better than Burn Notice. Burn Notice was a thin, case-of-the-week procedural that rarely went anywhere until the end. SHUT EYE is a much more complex, ongoing tale in which a man who has been beaten into submission gains an actual clairvoyant gift, which may just be what he’s been waiting for to make some changes.

Donovan is good, building upon his success in Fargo last year. He’s someone who can play pathetic and obedient well, but there’s an edge to him that is interesting. He is surrounded by a decent cast that includes KaDee Strickland (Private Practice), Isabella Rossellini (Alias, Joy), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Entourage), Susan Misner (The Americans), David Zayas (Dexter), Mel Harris (Saints & Sinners), Dylan Schmid (Once Upon a Time), and Angus Sampson (Fargo). Almost all are well cast, and the dynamics are set pretty solidly in the pilot.

The world is one not often portrayed in long-form, that of con men and women running a very successful racket of an industry, which I appreciate. Of course, those involved are little better than thugs and gangsters, and who is on top is purely a matter of showing strength and effectively threatening. It’s seedy stuff, but a new version of the dark worlds that currently populate television.

Somehow, though, through it all, Charlie comes across as being a likeable character. Rossellini’s Rita says it best when she calls him an honest liar. Charlie does engage in the same trickery as the others, but he also helps people and cares about people. He is loyal and he follows the rules, until he is pushed past a breaking point. Even then, his intentions are good, and he’ll only turn on those who deserve it. He’s a bit noble, which is surprising, given his profession and the situation he’s in.

SHUT EYE is set up to be a hero’s journey. We’re likely to see Charlie find his inner spirit and fight back when he needs to. We’ll see him rise from his lowly position and be a man to be proud of. Hopefully at least Linda (Strickland), his wife, will see that, and maybe stop fooling around with Gina (Chriqui) on the side, not that viewers are likely to blame her in the moment; Charlie hasn’t yet awoke when that occurs. Still, I find myself rooting for them to fix their marriage, and thinking Charlie might forgive her if he learns the truth.

SHUT EYE isn’t a perfect series. The story isn’t as gripping as one might like, with the flaws in the characters being a detriment to engaging with the story. Some of the plot twists or momentum seems forced and artificial. None of the performances are the type to make you start thinking of awards season, though they’re serviceable across the board. But it’s pretty good, and I do want to see more of it.

SHUT EYE will release its entire first season Wednesday, December 7^th on Hulu.

ONCE UPON A TIME Not a "Nasty Habit" to Watch

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Recap Season 3 Episode 4 Nasty Habits on Seat42F.


This week’s installment of ONCE UPON A TIME is called “Nasty Habits.” The gang on the island continues to search for Henry (Jared Gilmore), but also realizes that they need to figure out an exit strategy before rushing in. Meanwhile, we see a little more of Rumple (Robert Carlyle) and Bae’s (Dylan Schmid) history with Peter Pan (Robbie Kay), while in the present, Neal and Rumple are reunited.

Here, we learn just a smidgen of the childhood connection that Pan and Rumple share. The series had better show some of the stuff Rumple mentions in “Nasty Habits.” Surely their shared origin story is important? Maybe it’s being saved for down the road, to tie the beginning of Pan to the end? That would make sense.

The timeline of ONCE UPON A TIME isn’t always clear. In “Nasty Habits,” Bae is caught by the Pied Piper (wonderfully tied into the Pan mythology), then taken home by Rumple. This must happen before Bae falls through the magic portal, which takes him to the Darlings, and then eventually to Neverland. So did Pan purposely get Bae at the Darling household?

One thing that makes “Nasty Habits” difficult to digest is that Schmid is so obviously older than in past appearances, in which he plays Bae after these events. I understand that child actors age, and telling a non-linear story means these kind of inconsistencies must be overlooked. However, given the huge growth spurt, I wish some special effects had been used to try to even things out. It’s really disconcerting to try to line these events up with the physical age of the actor being so off.

That aside, it’s a really neat story about Rumple and Bae back in the day. We see yet another crack in the wall of their relationship, which will soon collapse. We see Rumple make wrong decisions to run off his son again. Perhaps we’ve already seen enough that this backstory is unnecessary, yet it’s a timely reminder since it matches so well with the present day thread.

It’s very frustrating that adult Bae, now known as Neal (Michael Raymond-James), doesn’t believe Rumple in his nobility. For one thing, during their first encounter, Rumple doesn’t believe Neal is real and reveals his true mission, which is to sacrifice himself for Henry. Neal seems to accept that, but doesn’t think Rumple will maintain that opinion once he gets home to Belle (Emilie de Ravine). Can’t Rumple just point out that he already left Belle to come to Neverland and rescue Henry, thus proving which would win out?

The sad truth is, and I think Rumple realizes that Neal can never trust Rumple, no matter what Rumple says. Neal has been too hurt by his father, betrayed on multiple occasions by his dad’s “Nasty Habits.” Viewers can see that Rumple has changed. We’ve seen his growth and his journey. Neal, on the other hand, hasn’t been around for any of the development, and only has his memories to go on. Those experiences have taught him not to trust Rumple. From Neal’s perspective, he does the right thing.

The one flaw in this is that Neal sets off into the jungle with Henry, leaving Rumple frozen by a spell. We know Neal wants to be a good dad and protect Henry. Leaving Rumple behind is not Henry’s best chance of making it out of Neverland. Is Neal so screwed up by Rumple that he can’t bury their animosity in the name of protecting his son? There would be time to deal with getting away from Rumple later, but Neal needs Rumple now.

Is Neal right about Rumple? The hallucination of Belle finds a less cooperative Rumple after his most recent falling out with his son. Is Neal turning his back on Rumple enough of a reason to make Rumple want to live again? Rumple is willing to die for Henry mainly to honor Neal’s memory. Since Rumple now knows Neal is alive, he will want to repair their bond, which means he may be motivated to put his death on hold. Of course, should Rumple allow Henry to die, it will destroy any hope of a reunion, ever, though Rumple may ignore that, hoping he can still win the long game.

Of course, Pan does retake Henry. The sad thing is, Henry is asleep the whole time he is with Rumple and Neal, and so doesn’t even know he was rescued, however briefly. This is important in Pan’s game of breaking down Henry’s hope and becoming the guy Henry relies on, but it’s also regrettable because that love Henry’s father and grandfather have for him are his biggest defensive weapons, and he misses an opportunity to rearm himself. Instead, Pan begins to win. For now.

The only question I have here is, why does the sleeping spell last longer on Henry than it does on the Lost Boys? Does Pan use his magic to revive his followers?

Oh, and if Henry is the Truest Believer, as we’ve seen him be and as Pan thinks he is, why does Henry give up on his family so easily? Henry isn’t perfect, of course, and no one is saying he wouldn’t eventually be swayed. It just seems a little too quick and a little too neat for Pan to gain this foothold this quickly.

There is some really great stuff in “Nasty Habits” in which Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) laments that she doesn’t know how to be a mother to Emma (Jennifer Morrison). This is interesting because thus far the focus has just been on how they can relate to one another. Now we see some practical implications of the lost years between parent and child, as Snow never got to figure out the things a mom discovers while raising a kid. In this, Snow is still a newbie.

As Charming (Josh Dallas) tries to comfort Snow, a startling turn sends him reeling. Snow admits to understanding Emma’s pain over losing Neal (they don’t know he’s alive) because she couldn’t go on without Charming. It is plain during Charming and Hook’s (Colin O’Donoghue) earlier conversation about Charming’s slowly-happening-death that Charming assumes Snow will be fine. Now, he looks at her differently. One has to wonder if this will shake Charming and make him play his hand in another way. He isn’t going to want to leave Snow lost; that would go against his hero grain.

With all of this wonderful character development, “Nasty Habits” is definitely a great installment. The game Pan is playing doesn’t really move forward, and the good guys are stalled in their progress, yet it’s how they face these setbacks and troubles that prove who they really are. It’s a wonderful episode for many players.

Next week: the origin of Captain Hook!

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

Morning Dawns On Once Upon a Time

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME RECAP Season 2 Episode 22 And Straight On 'Til Morning on Seat42F.

Grade: 99%

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME ended their freshman run with a completely unexpected development which completely changed the focus of the series. This week’s sophomore season finale, “And Straight on ‘Til Morning,” does much the same thing, switching the rules again, and moving both the setting and missions for season three.

Early in the episode, Greg (Ethan Embry) and Tamara (Sonequa Martin-Green) activate the trigger that will destroy Storybrooke, killing all of its fairy-tale-land-born inhabitants. From there, it’s a race against time to either escape this realm or stop the catastrophe from happening.

But as pressing an issue as the trigger may be, the story, as usual, all comes down to character development. Regina (Lana Parrilla) created the trigger, so she decides to sacrifice herself, slowing the trigger enough for everyone else to escape. She knows she isn’t accepted by anyone in town, and this final act might make up for some of the bad stuff she’s down, as well as redeem herself in Henry’s (Jared Gilmore) eyes. It’s sad that she feels this is the only thing she can do, but she’s right, and her actions earn her forgiveness from everyone in town.

It’s weird to see the fairy tale folk jump to Regina’s defense, Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) being the lone hold out. None of these people like her, and she has caused such irreparable harm to their lives. Even if she does the right thing in the end, it would test the level of forgiveness of any sane person to be able to look past Regina’s spells and feel bad for her. I guess it proves just how good-natured and heroic the main characters are to be able to do this.

This pays off for Regina because Emma (Jennifer Morrison), David (Josh Dallas), Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin), and Henry try to come to her rescue, negating the sacrifice, but it’s the thought that counts, right? They refuse to leave her behind, no matter how tempting that might be. This is the satisfying culmination of Regina’s road towards trying to be good.

I’m not saying Regina will always be on the right side from here on out. Every tale needs conflict, and Regina is a wonderful source of said tension for ONCE UPON A TIME. But by taking her so far onto the positive side of the line, she is bound to keep working with her former foes, who are her family, for the foreseeable future. She’s earned her place in their eyes, and that should have lasting effect.

Sadly, the plan to save Regina almost fails because of Hook’s betrayal, and Emma has to step in with her own power. Together, Regina and Emma cancel out the trigger, thus proving just how strong they are when working in concert. I have a feeling this team up will be important again soon enough, as they will face huge challenges in the future.

While everyone is distracted with stopping the trigger, Greg and Tamara kidnap Henry and jump through a portal into Neverland. Apparently, they work for “Him,” who has been searching for Henry, and thus the trigger is not their end game. These are smart villains who manage to trick our heroes, and that makes them all the more dangerous.

Thankfully, this means they will have to stick around the series in some capacity, Martin-Green’s availability permitting, now that she’s full-time on The Walking Dead. And we still don’t know why Henry has been singled out, or what their intentions with him are, so there’s lots to ponder this summer.

We get a little glimpse of Neverland in “And Straight on ‘Til Morning” as Bae (Dylan Schmid), in flashback, sails on Hook’s ship among the crew. It looks like a terrible place, with the pirates (except for Hook) afraid of the sinister Lost Ones, led by Peter Pan. Peter Pan is not the Big Bad, it seems, but is in service of “Him.” This is a very dark world, and not one anyone would be anxious to venture into it.

Again, what we are shown of Neverland is secondary to a character-driven story, this one focusing on Hook. Hook is a scoundrel, but he has the capacity for good. He protects Bae for his own selfish reasons, out of love for the departed Milah (Rachel Shelley), but then softens towards him. Then he hands Bae over to the Lost Ones. In the present day, Hook betrays Emma, but then comes back and lends his ship and his services to the protagonists.

Is Hook good or is he evil? He definitely realizes that a life bent on revenge is not a life well-lived, but it almost seems like he doesn’t quite know how to be good. Like Regina, he has a bad childhood, mentioned in “And Straight on ‘Til Morning,” and thus finds it hard to make the right choices. But also like Regina, he comes through in the end, making him not completely despicable. It will be interesting to see how he continues to evolve next year, now firmly ensconced with the principal cast.

Unfortunately, or fortunately for an interesting story’s sake, Neverland, with all of its unknown threats, including mermaid curses, will be a major setting next season. This installment ends not only with Greg, Tamara, and Henry going there, but with Hook, Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Regina, and Gold (Robert Carlyle) following in pursuit.

Gold, too, learns to turn his back on his darker nature when he not only spares Henry, whom he considers killing early in the hour, but also sets aside his differences with Hook. It seems Neal’s apparent demise has the desired effect, making Gold questions his priorities and make the right decisions. Yes, there is still a hint of threat in Gold talking to Hook, but they are going to be working together, and Gold is definitely not trying to kill Henry anymore. This is where fans want his character to be.

However, I and many others are very disappointed that Belle (Emilie de Ravin), memory restored through an act of kindness by Grumpy (Lee Arenberg), doesn’t get on the Jolly Roger with the rest, Gold leaving her in charge of protecting the town.. It’s clear that the story of ONCE UPON A TIME is leaving Storybrooke next year, with the entire core contingent departing. This likely means Belle will be downgraded back to recurring player, and won’t have more scenes with Gold anytime soon.

The same can likely be said for Ruby (Meghan Ory), who has been absent from the past few episodes, including the season finale, and has a pilot just picked up by CBS. I hate that ONCE UPON A TIME so frequently dispenses with main characters, even if they aren’t vital to the continued tale, and Ruby and Belle seem to be the latest casualties of this trend.

Neal (Michael Raymond-James) could still be promoted to series lead, though, because, as we find out at the end of “And Straight on ‘Til Morning,” he’s still alive and in fairy tale land with Aurora (Sarah Bolger), Mulan (Jamie Chung), and Phillip (Julian Morris). None of these three are principal players, but Neal is so pivotal to the larger arcs that his latest adventure could steal some screen time away from the rest of the leads. I welcome that.

ONCE UPON A TIME delivers a fantastic finale, with some major developments, unexpected twists, and wonderfully written and performed roles, with Parrilla and O’Donoghue sharing the MVP title for the hour. I am super excited about what will come next, and anxiously await its return next fall, as it has been renewed.

Once Upon a Time Takes The "Second Star to the Right"

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 2 Episode 21 Second Star to the Right on Seat42F.

Grade: 98%

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME begins its two-part sophomore finale this week with “Second Star to the Right.” A young Bae (Dylan Schmid) falls through the portal in fairytale land and ends up in London, England. There, he meets the Darling family, who take him in, give him a bed and food, and treat him as one of their own. But when a mysterious shadow threatens the family, Bae must sacrifice himself to keep magic from destroying their home, like it did his.

The flashback events of “Second Star to the Right” pick up just after we see Rumple (Robert Carlyle) lose Bae through the portal in a previous episode, but thank goodness there is then a six month time jump, since Schmid has definitely aged a bit. He has also grown into a fine young performer, who does a terrific job in this installment.

London itself look good, and ONCE UPON A TIME strikes the perfect balance between making sure it seems like the plot is set in the real world, but including the trademark Peter Pan elements that make the tale so familiar, such as the striking image of Big Ben, the large bedroom window, Nana the dog, the beautiful house, Michael’s (Benjamin Cook) teddy bear, and John’s (William Ainschough) glasses and umbrella.

Yet, there’s also something very sinister that one may not perceive in the classic tale. Peter’s shadow is a scary CGI creation that looks more demonic than playful. And after a visit to Neverland, Wendy (Freya Tingley, Hemlock Grove) remembers it as a sad prison for lost boys, rather than the magical place to have an adventure. This actually makes sense in the context of the larger story, even as it differs drastically from the animated Disney version.

It must be incredibly hard for Bae to give himself up for Wendy and the rest of the Darlings. As noble as he is, he has already lost so much. It’s understandable he would want to keep them from suffering as he has, but to give up the good life he has just fallen into would be so, so difficult. Bae is a hero, through and through, and just as he will eventually, as an adult, give up the love of his life for her own good, he turns his back on a comfortable existence for others now.

I’m a little disappointed we won’t see any of the traditional telling of Peter Pan, with the fun side of Neverland readily apparent before the darkness sets in. And I do want to know where Tinkerbell may be hiding. But the ending, where Bae escapes the shadow and ends up on the deck of Hook’s (Colin O’Donoghue) ship, the Jolly Roger, is an intriguing set up for the last hour of the season.

In Storybrooke, adult Bae (Michael Raymond-James) is faced with yet another unhappy situation. He may have his son, Henry (Jared S. Gilmore), around now, and doesn’t intend to lose him, but he has yet to connect with his own dad, Gold, who is flitting around with bad influence Lacey (Emilie de Ravin), whom encourages Gold to be a bully and get rid of Henry. To make matters worse, Emma (Jennifer Morrison), whom Bae sees as a jealous ex, doesn’t seem to be letting go of her suspicions about Bae’s current fiancé, Tamara (Sonequa Martin-Green).

I’m kind of glad that Tamara is evil, as this clears the way for Bae and Emma to be together now, instead of having to wait around for closure and healing. It’s true, Bae may need some time to get over being betrayed by the woman he loves, finding out his entire relationship is a lie. But it will be easier on him than if she is innocent.

It’s surprising that “Second Star to the Right” has Bae and Emma confess their love for one another. Many series would stretch out such a relationship for years before allowing any culmination of happiness. Bae has only really been in the last part of this season, and is still not a main character. Yet, the couple has expressed their feelings, setting them up for a happy ending.

Except, Tamara shoots Bae, and then he falls through a portal into another world. I don’t think Bae is dead, no matter how dire it looks for him, as he is too pivotal a player in this saga. To see him taken out so easily and quickly, especially as vital as he is to a number of the central characters, just won’t do. It could be awhile before we see him again, but with luck ONCE UPON A TIME will keep his tale going, signing him on full-time next year, even if it takes part of, or all, the next season for Emma to find him again.

Emma is such a pessimist! She holds out no hope Bae has survived, telling her parents, Snow and Charming (Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas), that Bae is dead. Even for one who has had such a depressing life, as Emma has, to give up hope so quickly for the man she loves is not cool. Emma still has a ways to go before growing into a true hero, of course, but that is no excuse for declaring Bae dead immediately, and not even attempting to find him. This is disappointing.

The upside of Emma believing and telling others that Bae is dead is that this might finally shake Gold out of his misbehavior. Clearly, Bae’s angry words aren’t enough to make Gold realize that he’s on the wrong path, but perhaps losing his son again will. I don’t think Gold will just accept, without proof, Bae is dead, and could even be the instrument by which Bae is found again. But it might be enough for him to shake off hanging with the ill-tempered Lacey and try a different approach to get his lady love, and son, back, and will allow Henry to survive.

If not, we’re in quite a bit of trouble, as Lacey now knows that Gold can do magic, and she definitely does not have kind plans for the use of his power.

The final arc addressed in “Second Star to the Right” is Greg’s (Ethan Embry) torture of Regina (Lana Parrilla) as he searches for his long-missing father. What Greg does to Regina, no matter what she has done, makes him seem like the villain. He is cold and causes Regina great pain. In the end, this allows him to find his dad’s body (despite internet rumors, I do believe he is dead), but it also costs Greg whatever bit of a soul he has left.

Which means Greg is now extremely dangerous. And he has the tool to carry out his vengeance. He and Tamara have Regina’s trigger that can wipe out Storybrooke and everything in it, and thanks to their mysterious “home office” (next season’s story?), they know what it is. Destroying the town, including the magic and inhabitants within, is their plan anyway, and now they have a convenient way to do so. There is nothing to stop them from trying.

What might stop them from succeeding is a Regina / Snow / Charming team-up. Snow doesn’t make up for killing Regina’s mother, of course, and with all the bad blood between them, there likely never will be familial peace. Thankfully, though, at least one side sees the value of kinship, no matter what has happened, which allows Snow to save Regina from Greg. This provides some promise that they might find some common ground to work together and save everyone. It’s an unlikely and temporary alliance, but one that could prove crucial at the right moment.

“Second Star to the Right” is a wonderful, nearly (but not quite) flawless installment, and a great set up for the season finale. ONCE UPON A TIME’s second season (there will be a third) ends next Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

"Desperate Souls" inhabit Once Upon a Time

     ABC's Once Upon a Time returns from its December break with "Desperate Souls." In fairy tale world, Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) is a poor man who just wants to keep his son (Dylan Schmid) from being drafted into the army. Unfortunately, the Duke (Michael Phenicie, Angel, Knot's Landing) has the power of the Dark One behind him, which makes Rumpel's plight seem hopeless. Until a beggar (Brad Dourif, Deadwood, Lord of the Rings) tells Rumpel that the power of the Dark One is controlled by a dagger. If Rumpel steals the dagger, he will be able to stop the madness. Rumpel succeeds, but soon learns that by doing so, he makes himself the Dark One, a torment not easily escaped.

     After a rough start to the series, Once Upon a Time has blossomed into quite a show! "Desperate Souls" is a wonderfully complex story about evil, redemption, power, and sacrifice. Rumpel is a sad little man who has no control of his own life, until he turns to a darker power. He doesn't realize the cost of the magic, an ongoing theme in the series, and bites off more than he can chew. Once Upon a Time's central story is of darkness sweeping over good, and the hopeless nature of defeating such an abstract foe. In this, "Desperate Souls" does a great job of capturing that spirit with a tragic tale.

     "Desperate Souls" also provides some surprising back story for a fan favorite character. Rumpel is not the first character to have an entirely different history than has been traditionally known, but his is, perhaps, the most surprising. One always views Rumpel as an imp who plays games with others for his own amusement. Now we learn that it may be desperation and a slim hope of redemption that drives him, not ingrained evil. Is there any way for Rumpel to ever escape his curse, perhaps in a large, self-sacrificial way? Or is he destined to forever be who he is, a troublemaker no one can love?

     The implications of this episode are far reaching. One that might be of serious interest is, where is Rumpel's son? Is he dead, through some fault of Rumpel's? Did he leave his father after seeing the monster Rumpel has become? Is there any chance Rumpel can get his son back, who is his entire reason for living when the back story begins? Also, how much of the real Rumpel is left inside the shell of a body? Is the Dark One completely in control of the host? There is startling personality shift when Rumpel gains his power, and he is certainly not the same person anymore.

     The next piece of Rumpel's past that must be revealed to give viewers an idea of his motivations is what Rumpel's beef with the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla) is. In the real world, Mr. Gold works tirelessly to defeat her. His motivation cannot be purely altruistic, as kindness is gone from the Dark One-possessed man. So does Regina have a hand in Rumpel's son's fate? Might she be the key to getting him back? It seems like these two stories may be intertwined in some unexpected way, and I'm anxious to learn what that is.

     One small point that is kind of fascinating is the lack of power Rumpelstiltskin's name has over him in this incarnation, a distinct departure from his traditional story. It would be tricky to work that element into the type of tale Once Upon a Time chooses to tell, but is it a simple convenience, or is there more to it than that? Only time will tell.

     Back in the real world, the main story of "Desperate Souls" is Emma's (Jennifer Morrison) quest to be the new sheriff in Storybrooke. Not wanting her enemy to have that power, Regina appoints newsman Sydney Glass (Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad) to the position. But Mr. Gold finds a loophole in the town's by-laws that states Regina, as Mayor, only has the power to appoint a candidate, not a sheriff (a distinction that makes no sense, and provides the episode's one glaring misstep). Gold lends his support to Emma, but she is determined to prove to Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) that only by doing good can one truly win.

     Is Emma really the pure hero she seeks to be? Learning that her act of saving Regina from a fire, a move that wins her serious popularity in town, is orchestrated by Mr. Gold, she defiantly calls him out in front of the townsfolk. This wins her the election, which Mr. Gold later says is his plan all along. So she is manipulated, despite her best efforts. How much sway will Gold hold over her now? She already owes him one favor, does her ascent to office mean she now owes him two? He certainly would like to take credit for her win. She can't publicly let him, but now she will always be plagued with doubts and second guesses about whether she deserves to be in the position. Should she resign to cleanse her soul?

     It's also doubtful at this point that Once Upon a Time has a happy ending in store for it's central characters. Sure, fairy tales always do, but the amount of darkness in this story, even before the events of "Desperate Souls," seem overwhelming. Even when Emma tries to be good, she is tainted. She is acting like a hero, but cannot make much headway. It is early in the story, and thus it may be too soon to expect any sort of victory for the good guys, especially after Graham's (Jamie Dornan) tragic murder in the previous episode. But something has got to break soon to give at least a sign of hope to Emma.

     Hope is what some of the characters are getting. Emma's win is celebrated by her friends, including Henry, Archie (Raphael Sbarge), and Granny (Beverly Elliott). They don't know what Emma knows, and so see good things coming to pass. Is their optimism enough to inspire Emma, and to turn the tide for the right side? What would they think to learn that they've all been played by Mr. Gold, someone they fear and dislike? Truth always comes out eventually.

     What's really interesting in "Desperate Souls" is the parallels drawn between Emma and Rumpel. Both are, as the title suggests, desperate souls. Both are seeking to save themselves, their sons, and others, and are thwarted by tricky dark power. Rumpel's ending is obviously tragic, at least for now. Is Once Upon a Time hinting that Emma is doomed for a like fate? Her similarities to Rumpel aren't all encompassing. She is a much stronger person that he was, prior to the incident. Can she avoid making the same mistakes that he did? And might he see himself in her, and thus, possibly lend her a hand where he won't anyone else? Their paths seem destined to run together, but the question remains, in what way? It gives one a lot to think about before next week's episode.

     It's no wonder that "Desperate Souls" is so good, considering it is written by Jane Espenson, of Buffy and Battlestar Galactica, among others, fame!


     Don't miss Once Upon a Time, airing Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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