Is ONCE UPON A TIME "Broken"?

Article originally published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review "The Broken Kingdom" on Seat42F.

ONCE UPON A TIME - "The Broken Kingdom" - (ABC/Jack Rowand) JOSH DALLAS, GINNIFER GOODWIN

Tonight’s ONCE UPON A TIME, “The Broken Kingdom,” is very Camelot-heavy. Viewers get the story behind the Arthur / Guinevere / Lancelot love triangle, and the search for the dagger during the missing weeks in Camelot. While it does put our main characters’ arcs on hold, it is an enjoyable installment with some intriguing story.

We already know Arthur (Liam Garrigan) is a villain prior to this hour, but that portrait flies directly in the face of the legend. “The Broken Kingdom” helps connect the disparate pieces. We see how insecure and obsessed Arthur gets. He cannot be happy without the full sword from the stone, but it has always remained out of reach. Feeling incomplete without it, he neglects his kingdom, his best friend, even his marriage, in order to pursue what he thinks is his destiny. He doesn’t see himself as evil; his narrow-vision just fools everyone, including himself, about what he’s doing.

Similarly, we already know Lancelot (Sinqua Walls) is noble, but how does that square with coveting his best friend’s wife? “The Broken Kingdom” adequately answers that as well, showing how Lancelot and Guinevere (Joana Metrass) grow closer as they try to save Arthur. Then, Arthur casts a spell on Guinevere that shuts down the true love between the pair in order to maintain an illusion.

Illusion is a key component of ONCE UPON A TIME this year. In the present day, which is not shown this week until the very end, everyone’s memories are gone, and the characters can only believe what they see. In the past, magic often disguises the truth, from the aforementioned stories, to Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) and David (Josh Dallas) being cursed as well, made to trust Arthur when they shouldn’t. At least they see through Arthur’s plan to distract David with a title and a seat at the round table early in the installment.

In the B story of “The Broken Kingdom,” Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) tries to break Emma (Jennifer Morrison) of her own delusions. No, not the fact that Henry (Jared Gilmore) is too young to love; that bit just results in a fun scene. But Hook tries to help Emma remember the love they share and access the good parts of her brain. This succeeds in dispelling the hallucinations of Rumple (Robert Carlyle) that Emma has, if only temporarily.

In all of this, true love seems to be the most likely answer to break all the spells, as has been the case in the past. A true love’s kiss might bring Lancelot and Guinevere together and break Arthur’s hold on them. It might help Mary Margaret and David and the others get their memories back. And it just might save Emma from herself, even if love never quite manages to save Rumple when he is the Dark One.

The question remaining is, how does Merida (Amy Manson) fit in? Seen early this season, she re-appears in Arthur’s dungeon, when Lancelot is locked up with her, as well as in the present day when Dark Swan gives her a forced mission. Right now she is the X factor that could sway the outcomes of many a storyline. Without knowing why she’s involved or what she will do, there’s no telling what role she may play throughout this fall season.

Some fans of ONCE UPON A TIME get frustrated when the focus shifts to guest characters, away from the core cast. I understand that attitude, and for those viewers, “The Broken Kingdom” will likely be a disappointment, with Merida’s likely key part only heightening that. Personally, I am just glad for a mostly plot-hole-free hour and some promising teases of what is to come. I like this one.

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

"Perilous" ONCE UPON A TIME

Article originally published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review "Siege Perilous" on Seat42F.

ONCE UPON A TIME - "Siege Perilous" (ABC/Jack Rowand) JENNIFER MORRISON, MICHAEL COLEMAN

This week’s ONCE UPON A TIME, “Siege Perilous,” finds several characters dealing with sneaky types. David (Josh Dallas) bonds with Arthur (Liam Garrigan) while on a quest, but is the bromance mutual? Emma (Jennifer Morrison) seeks to reignite her relationship with Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), but he’s reluctant to get involved with the Dark One. And Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) finds himself facing the darkness once inside of him.

You can tell Jane Espenson wrote this episode because even where the larger arcs don’t quite make sense, she makes it work by getting into the complexity of the characters. I often complain about ONCE UPON A TIME failing to follow through or taking short cuts with stories, and some of that is present in “Siege Perilous.” But Jane, always talented and with an extraordinary strong grasp of the players, seems to reign it in the craziness, remarkably managing to make some of the weak spots gel, and deliver an overall enjoyable episode. Any flaws present are likely not her fault, and the solid performances absolve the cast of wrong-doing, as well.

The story in which David accepts not only a seat at Arthur’s Round Table, but the primary seat, for the knight of purest heart, could easily be hokey. After all, David is a hero who has been through a lot and should see through such a blatant ploy. And the fact that Lancelot (Sinqua Walls), whose rumors of death have been greatly exaggerated, tells Snow Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) the truth means that Arthur won’t trick the couple for long, making the ploy meaningless.

However, the way “Siege Perilous” approaches things is to play up David’s best qualities and show he he longs to be something more than just a charming face. This David is insecure as to who he is, so Arthur nudges him perfectly in order to manipulate his emotions. Arthur presents himself as a like-minded individual to David from a similar background, so David assumes Arthur is like him and immediately trusts the king.

All of which makes Arthur a great villain, especially scary as he forces a loyal aide to drink poison. ONCE UPON A TIME hasn’t really targeted David for quite awhile, and by making him the one easily fooled by Arthur, it sets David up to be the hero of the season. I think he can rise to the occasion, and Arthur is a worthy adversary, clearly smart and capable. I’m not sure what is behind Arthur’s motivations, but at least it feels surprising and interesting to have David go up against him. And how about that scene with David in the truck? Pretty cool, eh?

The other bad guy this season is Emma, of course. She tries to pretend she’s not all bad towards Hook. Rumple’s affections for Belle (Emilie de Ravin) always shone through when he was the dark one, so it’s believable that Emma would still want the former pirate.

One might wonder why Hook doesn’t go for Dark One Emma, given his villainous past. The only reason he seems to change is for Emma, so why not change back when she turns? The thing is, though, Hook fell for Savior Emma, not Dark Emma. He knows Savior Emma is in there somewhere and considers her in need of a rescue. In that context, it makes sense for Hook to resist this woman.

The plot in which Emma intends to make Gold pure enough to pull the sword from the stone is very intriguing. Gold has been a poorly-handled character for awhile now, but the removal of the Dark One gives him a chance for a complete reset. For him to become a hero now would not be earned, as it was before his character was ruined, but it could still be a rich way to play him. If nothing else, Belle will finally get the man she deserves, but might she loose interest a bit if Rumple is back to being a coward without an edge?

I am impressed by the way things fall into place in “Siege Perilous.” As I’ve said, I think it would be super easy for certain elements, such as Arthur’s reveal, to not make sense and feel cheap. Yet, in this script, they work, and I came away feeling pretty good about this installment.

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

"The Price" of Watching ONCE UPON A TIME

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review "The Price" on Seat42F.

ONCE UPON A TIME - "The Price" (ABC/Jack Rowand) JOSH DALLAS, GINNIFER GOODWIN

This week’s installment of ONCE UPON A TIME is entitled “The Price.” An evil creature is unleashed upon Storybrooke, coming to collect an unpaid price from magic used. Because only Emma (Jennifer Morrison) has memory of the past six weeks, only she knows why it’s here. She says it’s Regina (Lana Parrilla) who has drawn it to the hamlet. Can Regina step up and be the hero that the town needs?

I’d be lying if I said I weren’t enjoying the role reversal of Emma and Regina. Regina has long been my favorite character, and to see her trying to be the Savior while Emma descends into darkness is great. But I feel like “The Price” is a bit too on-the-nose in portraying this. The situation is too perfect, and because Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) is the life threatened, Regina doesn’t even have to be all that selfless to save him, already being in love with him. It would have been much more powerful to see Regina struggle to step up or do the unexpected for someone she doesn’t care as much about.

That being said, it’s satisfying that the town begins to back up Regina. Many do not believe she has it in her to be the Savior, Leroy (Lee Arenberg) chief among them. And Leroy is one who ends up supporting her and believing in her later. I am sure Regina can be a hero, though not entirely sure she can be the Savior. But I like that Regina has shown enough goodness that others are standing up and paying attention.

On the other hand, I am not entirely convinced Emma is as evil as she seems. She definitely has some darkness in her; the scene where she and the Dark One (Robert Carlyle) look at Excalibur shows she’s still trying to grab power. Yet, she isn’t actively trying to hurt anyone. Rumple, as the Dark One, didn’t always act malevolently. Often, he stayed at home and was just selfish. Emma is displaying the same characteristics, and it leaves me wondering why everyone is so bent on destroying the Dark One. Sure, they want Emma back, but it’s not like the Dark One seeks to kill everyone and destroy the town or anything.

There is the curse, though. Dopey steps across the town line and becomes wrapped up in a tree. Why has Emma cast this curse? What is her purpose? Why did she bring the Camelot group back with her? These are the unanswered questions that will give great insight into this year’s plot when they are revealed.

In Camelot, we see Percival (Andrew Jenkins) try to kill Regina, knowing she was the Evil Queen. He is stopped, David (Josh Dallas) slaying him, and that is when Emma uses deep magic to save Robin Hood at the request of Regina, spurring the creature who is in Storybrooke. (Albeit six weeks late, no? Did it get lost on the way?)

What confuses me is why Arthur (Liam Garrigan) and Guinevere (Joana Metrass) don’t raise a finger to defend their knight. True, these strangers in their midst have come as Merlin’s prophecy said they would, and the king and queen expect something to happen because of them. But why aren’t they more upset that one of their Round Table has been killed? Why does no one in the kingdom, people that know less about the prophecy, demand justice that the interlopers have killed one of their own? Doesn’t anyone seek to know why he attacked? Is the prophecy so clear and so important that and so widely known that the kingdom would allow friends to die in order to not stand in its way? I have serious doubts it will prove to clear this up.

“The Price” is a worrying hour. On the whole, it’s very enjoyable, with some great dialogue and performances. Yet, the holes I’m poking, while not entirely being exposed as flaws yet until we have more information, point to an uneven, non-cohesive story. ONCE UPON A TIME often falls into this trap, starting out strong and then losing steam along the way. It’s a little too early in the fall to be seeing these stumbles, and it makes me worry that season five will not pay off as it should.

At least we get to see Henry (Jared Gilmore) fall for young Violet (Olivia Steele-Falconer, Red Riding Hood) not once, but twice! That softens the blow of the underlying flaws of the hour.

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

"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.

Is This the "Best" ONCE UPON A TIME Can Do?

Article originally written for Seat42F.

This week’s ONCE UPON A TIME is called “Best Laid Plans” because the characters in it don’t always get what they want, no matter how hard they try and how much thought goes into it beforehand. Whether it’s Regina (Lana Parrilla) trying to play the villains until she finds out their plan, or Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas) attempting to ensure their child ends up with a clean soul, things don’t go the way they think they will. It’s hard to control the outcome of anything in life.

In fairy tale land flashbacks, Snow and Charming ask The Apprentice (Timothy Webber) to help ensure their unborn daughter will be good. He tells them a vessel is needed to channel the darkness into, and they decide Maleficent’s egg is just the thing. By the time they realize there’s a baby within, not a monster, it’s too late, and baby, Cruella (Victoria Smurfit), and Ursula (Merrin Dungey) go tumbling into our world.

The whole magic spell in this episode makes no sense, a hole-ridden plot even more shaky than what ONCE UPON A TIME has been delivering on a regular basis lately. If Snow and Charming go to all of this trouble, then Emma (Jennifer Morrison) should be guaranteed to be a hero, right? The darkness has been removed from her. So why do Snow and Charming go to great lengths in the Storybrooke present to try to keep her that way? Why are they worried their fretting over what they did would ruin her as a child? It just doesn’t add up.

This backstory does explain how the female witches came to be on Earth, where Gold (Robert Carlyle) finds them earlier this season. However, when they meet back up with Maleficient a few episodes ago, there is no mention of their disappearance. Assuming they stay on Earth from this point until Gold finds them, why is that not a part of the story earlier in the season? Why doesn’t Maleficent ask what happened to them, or they volunteer what became of her baby, which Gold finally shows her in “Best Laid Plans?”

Lo and behold, Maleficent’s child is none other than Young Emma’s (Abby Ross) friend Lily. Is it just me, or does the coincidence seem too much? ONCE UPON A TIME already shows us how Emma and Lily meet, and it certainly seems like it’s purely by chance. Are we expected to believe there is fate involved, forcing them to come together? That’s not something the show has used before in a major way, especially knowing The Author (Patrick Fischler, Lost, Mad Men) is locked up by this point and can no longer manipulate the story.

Yep, we finally see The Author in “Best Laid Plans,” too. Or, more accurately, we see the last author. He’s the latest in a long line, but unlike his predecessors, he manipulates the story, rather than just observing and recording. Of course, somehow the book continues to be written after he is trapped in the page, as it records the events of the curse, which again, doesn’t make sense.

No amount of great little moments can make up for this gigantic plot holes. Regina and Henry (Jared Gilmore) have a terrific scene in which they communicate with a look, but that is overshadowed by what’s happening around them. Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) is deliciously jealous of Emma’s friendship with August (Eion Bailey), but it’s resolved too quickly. Gold talking to an unconscious Belle (Emilie de Ravin) would be moving, if his character hadn’t already been completely ruined, his redemptive qualities stripped away over the past year. Emma finding out her parents lied to her might be effective, if it weren’t couched in the nonsensical part of the story in which she could still somehow go bad. Ditto for Maleficent’s pain at losing her child to so-called “heroes.” I just don’t get why this show, which delivered half a season of greatness just over a year ago, could fall so far and not recover. It really bums me out.

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

ONCE UPON A TIME Improves But Remains "Unforgiven"

Article originally published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 4 Episode 14 Unforgiven on Seat42F.

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME shows us who is “Unforgiven” in this week’s episode. Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) and David (Josh Dallas) try to prevent the resurrection of Maleficent (Kristin Bauer van Straten), knowing she has legitimate beef against them. The problem is, they want to keep the reasons for the feud a secret, and so have to resort to sneaking around to do so, making them vulnerable for manipulation and prone to failure, which is what happens.

I credit Once Upon A Time for seemingly crafting a story that is at least a little meaty for Mary Margaret and David. They are heroes, and as such, rarely do anything bad, minimizing the drama in their lives. “Unforgiven” talks a lot about the bad thing they supposedly did, which doesn’t seem all that believable, until we learn they did it to protect Emma (Jennifer Morrison). Emma is their precious daughter, a person that could have been a force for great good or great darkness. It’s understandable they may be willing to sacrifice of themselves for her, as many a parent does, taken to the extreme.

The problem is, I still don’t see why they can’t tell Emma their story. She has come to expect nothing less than the truth from them, and that’s what she deserves. If she is going to be a hero, she needs good examples set for her from other heroes, including tales where they screwed up and how they got past it. Besides, if Mary Margaret and David did something bad to save her soul, wouldn’t it stay saved no matter what they tell her now? Is the secret they keep so precarious?

Once Upon A Time refrains from giving viewers everything, still not showing what the couple did, only mentioning that whatever it was caused Maleficent to lose her own baby. This is why Maleficent is mad at them and wants to cause them immense pain, not kill them. I’m intrigued by the mystery, one that seems to stretch the definition of hero and villain, and wonder where the season will go.

“Unforgiven” reveals that Maleficent could perhaps have been a hero once. She tries to team up with Mary Margaret to save the realm and protect her child. This is a noble, selfless act, and she certainly seems ready to bond with her foe in order to do so. Regina (Lana Parrilla) isn’t an anomaly then, the villain who might turn good, and it makes the world even less black and white. What’s more, Maleficent makes this decision in the Enchanted Forest, not our world, where things were more clear cut.

So how will Maleficent make the Charmings pay? I have no idea. She obviously is the leader of the three female witches this season, and so is likely a force to be reckoned with. Whatever she has in mind will not be easy to stop.

And what of Rumple (Robert Carlyle)? His plan still has not come to fruition, and if it was just to get back to Belle (Emilie de Ravin) to talk her into taking him back, that hope is dashed when he sees her with Will Scarlet (Michael Socha). That’s a story that needs more explanation, given we don’t know what’s happened to Will’s love, but I assume that will be dealt with. So what will Rumple be asking the evil ladies to help him with?

At the end of “Unforgiven,” Mary Margaret asks Regina to go undercover with the witches. This makes sense, given Regina is the only one they might accept into her club, assuming they don’t believe she can truly go good. But it risks Regina’s soul, which is still in a precarious position. She is working very hard towards her happy ending and is mostly succeeding, but she snaps at Pinocchio (Jakob Davies). Even as she apologizes to Marco (Tony Amendola) later, who offers her a hint in her quest for The Author in forgiveness, the snap shows just how close to the surface Regina’s dark side continues to be. Yet, should she be able to pull this off, it would definitely go far in solidifying her redemption.

“Unforgiven” is a pretty good episode, with some satisfying relationship moments between Emma and Hook (Colin O’Donoghue), a number of intriguing plot points in the main arcs, and none of the obvious holes that sometimes plague the series. I’m still not sold on ONCE UPON A TIME’s Queens of Darkness half season, but at least they’re not blowing things right out of the gate.

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

ONCE UPON A TIME On the "Edge"

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 4 Episode 13 Darkness on the Edge of Town on Seat42F.

In this week’s episode of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME, there is “Darkness on the Edge of Town.” A down-on-his-luck Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) brings Ursula (Merrin Dungey) and Cruella De Vil (Victoria Smurfit) to the edge of Storybrooke with a plan to get them inside. If only our heroes weren’t such goodie-two-shoes, as a couple of them apparently aren’t, the hamlet might be safe. Alas, evil is allowed within the protective spell once more.

This is supposedly about the lowest Gold has ever been, yet he’s easily able to manipulate not just his cohorts’ way into Storybrooke, but his own as well. If this doesn’t give you an idea of how powerful and forward thinking the Dark One is, nothing will. He may look pathetic eating a cup of ramen noodles in Ursula’s sad apartment, but this is merely cosmetic. Gold is still very much a force to be reckoned with, and far from done with his plans.

I contend, though, that things go far too easily for Gold in “Darkness on the Edge of Town.” Gold is very intelligent, to be sure, but so is Belle (Emilie de Ravin), and he not only tricks her into releasing a demon on the town, he does so without anyone suspecting his spell. Then, while Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Regina (Lana Parrilla) do have reason to think villains can be redeemed, they don’t question how convenient it is that two baddies who can stop the demon show up at just the right time to do so? Not to mention, after allowing Ursula and Cruella in with a magic scroll, our heroes don’t get this key back, allowing the women to sneak Gold in later. This all adds up to a pretty weak story.

Weak, uneven story has been the problem with ONCE UPON A TIME for at least the past year. Ever since the excellent Neverland arc ended, it seems the writers can’t quite manage to come up with a cohesive tale that makes sense. I am very interested in Gold’s past with these villains and how they ended up in the real world, but we need a framework that makes sense to get us there. Having coincidence and laziness move characters that are supposed to be the best of us is sloppy, and it’s hard to get into the story when this exists.

That being said, there are some cool teases in “Darkness at the Edge of Town.” Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas) apparently have a past with Cruella and Ursula they don’t want exposed. This is intriguing because the pair are usually so good as to be boring. The few times their darkness has come out have been among the best moments for their characters. I’m anxious to see what their secret is this time.

Also, after the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy) is rescued from the sorcerer’s hat, she speaks of the sorcerer and the author of the story book being two very different people. As has frequently been the case in ONCE UPON A TIME, Blue seems to know a lot more than she’s letting on. Given the importance of the author and how the show has been teasing his or her identity for awhile, it’s heartening to see this arc moving forward.

Lastly, Gold says that the heart with the darkest potential in Storybrooke is Emma, not Regina. Given just how bad Regina used to be, that’s hard to believe, but our Emma is certainly not as pure as Snow (he he), with her own checkered past. Emma’s use of magic has been slowly growing, and we’ve seen that magic can corrupt. Might Emma be reaching a tipping point where her soul is pulled towards the wrong path? That would be an interesting plot, if done right.

“Darkness at the Edge of Town” manages to be a pretty intriguing hour, despite the flaws in the central plot. The series certainly can’t afford to let every installment be this flimsy, but if it focuses on the established strengths it possesses, Once Upon A Time could get back to being great again in short order. There is enough good stuff here to build a half-season upon. The question is, will they?

Once Upon A Time airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

ONCE UPON A TIME Improvements in "Sight"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Last night’s installment, “Shattered Sight,” may be my favorite this fall for ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME. Ingrid The Snow Queen’s (Elizabeth Mitchell) spell falls over Storybrooke, making practically everyone turn against one another. Ribbons prevent Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Elsa (Georgina Haig) from fighting Ingrid directly, bound as they are to her by the love injected in the material, so they seek out Regina (Lana Parrilla) to break the enchantment with her pure hate. But the real key to everything may be missing memories, some of which are shown via flashback.

Ingrid’s arc has been a moving one. She loves her sisters dearly, and the tragedy that befalls her at a young-ish age is an understandable reason why she turns cold. Her sole mission is to regain the love she’s lost, casting Elsa and Emma in the role of her sisters. Ingrid does not act out of cruelty, and while she doesn’t care if others get hurt, being selfish and narrow-sighted, she only casts the “Shattered Sight” spell to get to her end goal.

Which is why her heroic self-sacrifice is tragic. It doesn’t make up for everything she has done, but had she lived longer, I’m sure she would have worked to do so. The scenes we see of her with a young Emma (Abby Ross) prove that she does care about some people. Sure, the found-letter from Ingrid’s long dead sister proclaiming that she still loved Ingrid and regretted what she did to her is a little convenient, but it makes sense for a fairy tale, which is what this is. That does not cheapen Ingrid’s end, though, a bittersweet conclusion for a mostly-excellent arc.

It’s also a little too easy for Elsa and Emma to get Regina to break the ribbon bond. That was the result of something Ingrid spent decades planning, and Regina can make it go away in a second, accidentally? Then Elsa and Emma run from Regina, who is fully reverted back into Evil Queen, and manage to get away from her? And they’re not even worried about what unleashing the Evil Queen into the town will do?

That being said, Elsa and Emma are busy, so maybe they decide that letting evil Regina out is a risk they have to take. Plus, Regina goes to the jail, which leads to an awesome fight scene between her and Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin), so it’s hard to complain too much. In fact, the whole sequence with Snow, Charming (Josh Dallas), and Regina, ending in an uncomfortable laugh as the three try to process the emotional toll of what they just went through, is terrific. It’s some of the best work Goodwin has done in the series, and as much as I adore redemption-path-Regina, it’s fun to see her as the Evil Queen once more. Regina is my favorite character on ONCE UPON A TIME, and “Shattered Sight” affords Parrilla another opportunity to play her brilliantly.

One character nearly absent from “Shattered Sight” is Rumple (Robert Carlyle), and that could very well be why the hour is so good. Rumple arguably has the best plot in the show from its inception up through the middle of last year. Since then, all his development has been tossed out and he’s been ruined worse than just about any character on television I can think of. His story line this fall has been abysmal, completely out of the established persona, and while Carlyle remains a fine actor, Rumple has been an anchor weighing ONCE UPON A TIME down lately.

Unfortunately, the conclusion of this episode means that Rumple’s “scheme” hasn’t come to fruition, so my guess is that he will be front and center next week. Assuming the writers stay consistent with what they’ve done with Rumple recently, ignoring the previous version of him, he’s bent on power and getting his family away from Storybrooke. I just can’t bring myself to look forward to that, still sad about what’s been lost here.

Because Rumple isn’t important in “Shattered Sight,” though, with the focus on Ingrid, who is mostly well developed, and the episode contains some emotional and fun scenes, with a great battle and an exciting climax, it works very well. I kind of wish it were the fall finale so ONCE UPON A TIME could go out on a high note, but even though it isn’t, that doesn’t take away from a heck of a memorable hour.

ONCE UPON A TIME concludes this run next Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

ONCE UPON A TIME Puts on the "White" Hat

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 4 Episode 2 White Out on Seat42F.

Tonight’s ONCE UPON A TIME is called “White Out.” Panicked as she searches for her sister, Elsa (Georgina Haig) accidentally traps Emma (Jennifer Morrison) in an ice cave, where she slowly begins to freeze to death. David (Josh Dallas) and Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) try to figure out a way to free Emma before it’s too late, and Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) steps into her new role as mayor. Meanwhile, back in the Enchanted Forest, David is inspired to become a hero after an encounter with Anna (Elizabeth Lail), queen of encouragement.

“White Out” is really good with character development, but poor on plot logic. The power goes out and the people go to Mary Margaret, who has absolutely no electrical training, to solve the issue? They don’t just ask her to have someone fix it; they expect her to get the current running again herself. And somehow, she is able to, doing things that have nothing to do with the downed power line that causes the problem in the first place, and with a baby near dangerous circuits. Emma is too weak to talk or sit up, but then is able to limp out of the cave. Hook keeps sticking his hook into the ice, even after David stops him. Elsa thinks she can’t melt the ice, but does tunnel through on the first try, only to have that option fail again when she attempts to repeat it. These things just don’t make a lot of sense.

Luckily, most of the episode is character-centric. Take Mary Margaret, for instance. With the townsfolk looking to her as mayor after Regina shuts herself off, Mary Margaret has to find her strength and step up. She is their leader, and she needs to start acting like it. It’s not a surprise that ONCE UPON A TIME goes to this place, only that it hasn’t done so before now. It makes sense for Mary Margaret to take on this role, and gives her something to do in the hour other than sit at home.

The scenes between Elsa and Emma are even better. Here are two women that have a lot in common. They’ve had to fend for themselves, having lost loved ones, and have powers they don’t understand or entirely control. They are expected to save the day, even when they don’t know how, and they are emotionally stunted. Yet, during their entrapment, they find a way to connect and become friends, a bond that lasts past when they get free. It’s because of this connection that the danger Elsa has placed others in can be overlooked, Emma able to see past the mistakes, which all the characters have made at one time or another, to the type of person Elsa really is.

It helps that David knows Anna, too, from before he meets Snow and becomes king. When David lacks courage and conviction, Anna helps him find it, much as she does for her own sister in the film Frozen, which is set prior to the events depicted in ONCE UPON A TIME. Anna is just the type of person who can bring out the best in people. Snow and the kingdom have her to thank for David becoming the man he is, and because of David knowing Anna, he knows a little about Elsa, too, making him smart enough not to strike out at her.

Thus, only two episodes in, ONCE UPON A TIME has avoided painting Elsa as a villain. This is good because fans of the movie wouldn’t like her being evil, and it allows the plot to move forward. There are enough misunderstandings in this show, so no more are needed.

Among the other great character bits in “White Out” are Emma falling into Hook’s arms once freed and Henry (Jared Gilmore) refusing to give up on Regina (Lana Parrilla). It really is a moving, heart-warming episode.

There are also some new baddies introduced this week. Bo Peep (Robin Weigert, Sons of Anarchy) is a wicked mob boss / warlord who still lives on in Storybrooke, and thus may pop up again. The owner of the ice-cream shop (Elizabeth Mitchell, Lost, Revolution) has some dark, icy powers, too. Their arrival is none too soon, as Regina is no longer bad enough to cause real trouble, and ONCE UPON A TIME needs a villain to defeat. That’s the nature of fairy tales.

Regrettably, Rumple (Robert Carlyle) also appears to be going down the wrong path. He clearly has something to do with Anna’s disappearance, which apparently happened many years ago, making it more tragic, and doesn’t speak up about what he knows when David comes asking. This, combined with other recent actions we’ve seen him take, does not bode well. It’s really sad that he’s being like this, given his heroic sacrifice last year and recent marriage. It kind of ruins the character to bring him so far, then have him backslide so much. Hopefully, that will straighten itself out soon.

In all, “White Out” is a pretty good installment. The weaknesses tend to be minor things that are swept quickly past, while drawn out scenes give us meaty dialogue and pathos that explore the various personalities featured. There may still be no sign of our Knave (Michael Socha), other than the actor’s name in the opening credits, but season four is shaping up to be an intriguing mystery that I look forward to seeing solved. It’s already far better than last spring’s Oz arc, a sign the show is back on track.

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

ONCE UPON A TIME "Drifts" "Home"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME ended their third season last night with two episodes: “Snow Drifts” and “There’s No Place Like Home.” While Zelena (Rebecca Mader) really is dead and is not coming back to cause more trouble, her passing has re-activated her time portal. When Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) get too close, they are sucked back into the past. They decide to seek Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) to help them return to the present, but before they find him, Emma accidentally disrupts the meeting of her parents, so that must be fixed before she can go home.

“Snow Drifts” and “There’s No Place Like Home” are really a stand-alone two-parter, much more than the wrap up of the Oz arc. Well, not stand-alone, because they culminate everything that has been building for Emma over the past three years, but they aren’t strongly tied to the rest of this half-season. It’s a really fun, reference-intensive journey for the central character, not a battle to the death with a powerful foe.

In a way, it’s good that Zelena doesn’t come back because the false defeat would ring very familiar, similar to the way Peter Pan’s fall story wraps up. On the other, this makes defeating Zelena way too simple, as I complained last week about how easily she is taken down. The trouble she causes in these episodes are purely accidental, and she herself is gone.

Emma’s tale is an Enchanted Forest remake of Back to the Future. Not only does ONCE UPON A TIME borrow the story and some of the conceits, it makes reference to the film via dialogue, just in case viewers couldn’t make the connection themselves. I assume Disney / ABC Studios doesn’t have the rights to the film, or else we might have seen a DeLorean in Rumple’s vault. Still, the parallels are obvious.

Which does not take away from how successful “Snow Drifts” and “There’s No Place Like Home” work. Emma has long been dealing with abandonment issues, and plans to leave Storybrooke now that the crisis is over. This tale wakes her up to the fact that she has a home and belongs with her family. Not only does she miss them when encountering younger versions of Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas) that don’t know her, but she becomes a princess herself and is permanently injected into their story. This is Emma belonging, once and for all.

Along the way, ONCE UPON A TIME includes a number of bits for the fans. Recurring players such as Granny (Beverly Elliott), the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy), Marco (Tony Amendola), and lesser seen faces aren’t really needed, but pop up to help the world feel fully rounded out, something the series needs to do more of in the present day. Even better, the familiar characters of Snow, Charming, Rumple, Belle (Emilie de Ravine), Red (Meghan Ory), and even another Hook are trotted out and interacted with, putting Emma back in connection with who these people were, not just who they are.

The story itself is not too complex. Rumple helps Hook and Emma correct Snow and Charming’s path, disrupting Charming’s marriage to Abigail (Anastasia Griffith, a delight to see again after a long absence) by way of using younger Hook and a ball, then making a daring rescue. The individual elements that come together are far more important than the plot arc, yet it feels cohesive and without any glaring flaws, a triumph for a time travel story.

Emma’s flashbacks, at an orphanage and with Neal (Michael Raymond-James, who can’t seem to stay away, thankfully), enhance the main story. They aren’t strictly necessary, but make sense for what “Snow Drifts” and “There’s No Place Like Home” are trying to do. Plus, they are more fun glimpses of the characters of the past.

The seamless blending of past and present are very well done in these two episodes. Not only do the actors get back into hair, costumes, and makeup to match their former roles, but some scenes already seen before are viewed in a different way, especially difficult to film with a now-very-pregnant Goodwin. Yet, though a combination of body doubles and special affects magic, the visual presentation is solid in the finale.

Of course, this being ONCE UPON A TIME, nothing is without kinks. Emma’s bleeding heart results in saving the life of Maid Marian (Christie Laing, whom you may remember from last year’s “Lacey”), which interrupts the budding romance between Regina (Lana Parrilla) and Robin Hood (Sean Maguire). Regina’s first reaction to this is anger, thinking Emma is just like her mother, Snow, in ruining Regina’s life because Emma doesn’t think of consequences. Hopefully, cooler heads will eventually prevail. We don’t need a tame, domesticated Regina, but we do need one that shows how far she’s come, not ignoring all the growth she’s experienced.

The only real problem I have with these episodes are that Rumple drinks the forgetting potion after learning that Neal is dead. This Rumple of the past hasn’t gone good yet (nor has our present Rumple, apparently, tainting his wedding to Belle in an unpleasant way). This Rumple’s sole goal is to be reunited with his son. Why is he content to listen to Emma when she says that Neal’s death is for the best? And Emma is known to be a terrific liar. Why can’t she do it now, when it’s most necessary?

The slightly lesser issue is that of popping up recurring players for no reason, which should be happening all along, but because it doesn’t, it feels odd now. Why is Abigail / Kathryn at the Royal Baby party, even though we haven’t seen her in a very long time? Aurora (Sarah Bolger) is glimpsed, too, but not her husband, and still no talk about which flying monkeys our heroes might have murdered. It’s these cracks that remind us of the larger flaws in the show itself.

The cliffhanger ending is excellent. We see a blue form emerge from a container that is being kept in Rumple’s vault, now unleashed on Storybrooke. Though I haven’t seen the film Frozen myself, the internet seems to be abuzz that the new figure ties into that. It seems like perfect symmetry, bringing on characters from a very popular film onto ONCE UPON A TIME. I guess this means Carrie Fischer and Mark Hamill might want to clear their calendars in the near future?

ONCE UPON A TIME pretty much nailed the landing, after a few missteps in recent months, and now all that’s left is for fans to wait for its fall return.