Falling for THE FALL

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'The Fall - Series One' and 'Series Two' on Blogcritics.

The Fall is a slow-burn British crime drama about a cat-and-mouse game between a member of law enforcement and a serial killer. That sentence accurately describes the series, but it also accurately describes a number of other shows as well. What is unique about The Fall is the wonderful style of the production, tone of the action, and gripping authenticity of the performances. If you haven’t had a chance to experience it yet, both series that have aired thus far are be available on Blu-ray and DVD this week from Acorn Media.

The Fall stars Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, Hannibal) as Stella Gibson, an intelligent investigator sent to Belfast to solve a murder. Much to her boss Jim Burns’ (John Lynch, Sliding Doors), chagrin, Stella sees a pattern in recent deaths, and petitions to run a task force to track the presumed serial killer. Working alongside young, eager Danielle Ferrington (Niamh McGrady, Holby City) and forensic analyst Reed Smith (Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife), and others, Stella manages to be a part of the team while still serving her lone-wolf persona. Seeing how smart she is, there is no doubt Stella can solve the case.

Except, Stella’s quarry, Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan, Fifty Shades of Grey, Once Upon a Time), is equally clever. Paul has a nice suburban life with his wife, Sally Ann (Bronagh Waugh, Hollyoaks), and two children. Not what you’d expect from a psychopath, right? But Paul is a master manipulator, and one is never sure if he cares all that much about his spouse or the teenage babysitter, Katie (Aisling Franciosi, Legends), who is as easy to influence as she is taken in by Paul. And so, despite his patterns and mistakes, Paul proves quite tough to catch.

When I say The Fall is slow-burn, I only sort of mean it. It does take a bit of time to get started, but it picks up speed fairly early on, and only gets faster in later installments, even if it doesn’t get to the end quickly. Series one consists of five episodes. The six-episode Series two, which picks up only a few days later, is where things get crazy and tense, and begin to really take off. With a cliffhanger ending, Series three, which recently filmed and has yet to air, will continue the same story, even when it’s hard to see where else there is to go. The show constantly reinvents itself, telling one connected tale, but frequently upping the stakes and the rules of the game.

The only complaint I really have about The Fall is the awkward transition from series one to two. Of course, there’s an issue with the kids aging more than the time passed would allow, but it seems like nearly every actor in the show changed hairstyle or color, at least a little. One person, maybe two, I’d believe, but when it’s everyone, the break feels a lot longer than it was.

That is only cosmetic, though. The writing itself doesn’t let up and remains compelling, even when the leaps may look big on paper. With the excellent performances of Anderson and Dornan, it’s hard to stop watching, even if it is emotionally draining to binge more than two episodes at a time.

The extras in the included in the sets are a bit weak, not unexpected from Acorn. Series one contains only a single 12-minute featurette that goes behind the scenes, too brief to get much out of it. Series two barely steps it up, with another quick peek behind the camera, as well as some deleted scenes and a photo gallery. Personally, I don’t find a photo gallery a beneficial inclusion, and deleted scenes are pretty much expected at this point. So I the extras certainly aren’t a selling point for these Blu-ray and DVD sets. But that doesn’t really matter since The Fall itself is good enough to recommend, bare bones and all.

You have your choice of Blu-ray and DVD, and, honestly, I can’t say there’s a compelling case for one over the other. The Fall is dark and gritty, and doesn’t make much use of any high definition advantage. But I am a bit of a quality snob, so even if the only difference is an image and soundtrack that’s a bit crisper, I’d still get Blu-ray for the best viewing experience.

The Fall Series One and Two are now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

At the beginning of Once Upon a Time

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Recap Season 2 Episode 17 Welcome to Storybrooke on Seat42F.

Grade: 97%

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME takes us back to the beginning this week with “Welcome to Storybrooke.” As Regina (Lana Parrilla) plots to force Henry (Jared Gilmore) to love her by magic, a spell that requires Regina to kill Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) in the process, we see the earliest days of Regina’s curse, when she first brings her world into ours, and the issues that arise when two strangers visit the town.

After last week, it’s easy to think that Regina’s path to redemption is closed, and she will be completely taken over by evil. But unlike her departed mother, Cora, Regina still has her heart in her chest, and as long as it’s there, there is always a chance that she can allow it to rule her again. Not a big chance, mind you, but a chance, and we see this in the parallel stories taking place in the past and the present.

In both time frames, Regina is desperate and angry. In the past, she is mad because even though those she hates aren’t happy, neither is she. They are oblivious to their situation, and so not suffering as she’d like them to be. Everything in town is boring and the same every day, and she isn’t hailed as the ruler she will assume she will be, even in the job as mayor. In the present, Regina’s problems stem from Snow’s murder of her mom, and the fact that she has lost her son to his birth mother.

Each time, a boy is the one who saves her. Henry convinces her not to kill Snow in the present after she finds him with dynamite at the well. Blowing up the well would harm him, not end magic, and she is willing to stop her curse if it keeps Henry from being injured, as she truly does love the boy she raised as her son. In the past, she stops short of forcing a lad named Owen (Benjamin Stockham, 1600 Penn) to stay with her when she sees the pain it will cause him, showing tenderness again.

But I’m getting slightly ahead of myself.

“Welcome to Storybrooke” starts with a father, Kurt (John Pyper-Ferguson, Caprica, Alphas), and his son, Owen, camping in the woods in 1983. Regina’s curse roils through the forest, and the pair are left in a destroyed campsite, their truck crushed. They wander into the town that has appeared out of thin air, and encounter Regina, who is taken with Owen when he offers her a bit of kindness. She decides this will fill the gap in her life, so she tries to force them to stay. She ends up letting Owen go when she sees he won’t love her, but she has Sheriff Graham (Jamie Dornan) arrest and keep Kurt.

Even in this kindness, letting Owen go instead of locking him up as a prisoner, she still lets the darkness creep in. Only someone evil would keep a kid’s father in jail for no reason, especially knowing Owen’s mother is dead. All of these years, presumably, she’s had Kurt stashed away somewhere, leaving Owen on his own. No amount of redemption in small acts will make up for what she has done in his eyes.

And now, Owen has returned in the present, grown up and going by the name Gregory Mendell, the mysterious stranger that has been in Storybrooke recently. He manages to re-enter the town, even though it appears hidden from the road, and while he doesn’t seem evil, he is certainly back for revenge and to find his dad, whom I hope is still alive.

It’s interesting how the real world and the magic world deal with their problems differently. Gregory is making videos of magic to take back to the public, one can assume, and expose the town. Regina and Snow’s family are prepared to kill one another. There is definitely a different level of danger presented, and one way is much more permanent and harsh than another.

Which just goes to reinforce ONCE UPON A TIME’s theme that magic has its cost. Only Henry sees this, of all the characters that recognize the differences between the two worlds, and begs the adults to get rid of magic, rather than resort to execution. Regina is unwilling to do so because she can’t stand to lose her power, which would leave her defenseless and unable to influence others. I’m not sure the good guys have the ability to take away magic altogether, but neither do they seem all that enthusiastic to try, since magic has been part of their way of life for so long.

Snow is suffering quite mightily over her recent use of magic to kill Cora. She sits and stares out the window, unable to live with what she has done. She even goes to Regina and asks that Regina kill her. Regina considers it, but after ripping out Snow’s heart, she sees the blackness growing within and decides it’s better to let Snow suffer, slowly ruining herself, and so Regina puts the heart back.

One wonders if Regina’s heart looks like the polar opposite of Snow’s, black with a hint of red trying to take hold, or the red ember struggling not to die out amid the black smoke. Is there any hope for Regina? Or is Regina right that once the black infects the organ, the situation is hopeless? Maybe Regina has to believe that, rather than face the truth that her soul is lost.

I don’t think that Snow will lose herself completely. The black is a small part of her, and while it’s horrible that she experiences this, she has no intention of acting in a similar manner again. She’s so desperate to be rid of her darkness that she approaches Rumple (Robert Carlyle), of all people, for help, asking him how he lives with his own misdeeds.

Rumple’s response, tell yourself that you did the right thing until you believe it, isn’t the right one for Snow. After all, following this advice has only led Rumple to make the same mistakes over and over again. Snow needs to remember this time and how this feels, so the next time she is not tempted to repeat the mistake again. By doing that, knowing that she isn’t a bad person and won’t do evil things, then she may be able to begin to live with herself.

Rumple’s anger and feelings that he does not need to help Snow and her family, only doing so out of reluctant obligation and in the hopes that it will settle their score, sucks. He has a family again now, being connected to them through Henry. Family is what can help Rumple save himself. He needs to stop fighting it or acting like he doesn’t know how to be part of the group. It’s the only way he will be able to keep his son and his love in his life.

I absolutely adore the part of “Welcome to Storybrooke” when Emma (Jennifer Morrison) scolds Neal (Michael Raymond-James) for not realizing that Henry takes his backpack with him to the bathroom. Her accusation of “He’s your son!” gives us a glimpse of what parts of Neal Henry has inherited, and the scene is sort of a callback to the Neal / Emma flashback episode, when we see them as con artists. Fantastic!

“Welcome to Storybrooke” is a terrific tale that fills in some important holes in the past, shows us Storybrooke at a time we’ve never seen it before, answers some major questions that have been posed this season, and provides a showcase for the immense talents of Lana Parrilla, which is always welcome. Plus, even though his role is small, it’s terrific to see Sheriff Graham again. It’s a great, memorable installment!

ONCE UPON A TIME airs Sundays 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.

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.