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 Suffers Huge "Fall" in Quality

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 4 Episode 9 Fall on Seat42F.

In the antepenultimate episode of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME autumn run, “Fall,” the residents of Storybrooke race against time to find a way to stop the spell of shattered sight, knowing it will cause them to turn on one another. Anna (Elizabeth Lail) may be the key to that, but she’s still missing. Elsewhere, we witness what happens to Anna after she is unfrozen from the Snow Queen’s (Elizabeth Mitchell) spell.

The spell of shattered sight had got to be the slowest spell ever. Ever. It takes an entire day to hover over Storybrooke before covering it? It’s not like it’s slowly advancing across the town, as everyone becomes affected at once. How effective, exactly, is a spell that is seen long before it becomes relevant, giving its would-be victims ample time to plan a defense?

I also don’t understand why the Snow Queen’s spell on Arendelle melts when it does. Clearly, all of her ice doesn’t dissolve because her wall stays up and Marian stays frozen (or so we can assume). These Storybrooke ice sculptures exist at the same time as the Arendelle ones for at least awhile, so it’s not because the Snow Queen has moved realms or over-extended herself. What’s going on?

Please correct me in the comments if I’m wrong, but Anna has to have been frozen more than the thirty years that “Fall” claims, no? When she visits David in the Enchanted Forest, that’s only three decades before the present? That doesn’t seem to me to gel with the already established events in that realm shown over the past few seasons. The coincidences that follow, with Hans, (Tyler Jacob Moore), Blackbeard (Charles Mesure), and the trunk being pulled from the sea at the last moment are equally ridiculous.

Though the sisterly reunion is sweet, and I’m very glad that loveable Kristoff (Scott Michael Foster) gets to come to Storybrooke, too. There has been more than enough separation between loved ones. What’s up with that mysterious bottle that somehow tags along?

Worse than these weird plot elements, though, is the absolute and total ruination of Rumplestiltskin’s (Robert Carlyle) character. This has been a frequent topic of complaint for myself and other ONCE UPON A TIME fans recently, and “Fall” just piles on. Rumple makes a deal with the Snow Queen to leave the town and take Belle (Emilie de Ravin) and Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) with him. That she agrees isn’t surprising, since he is somehow immune from her spell and can cause trouble for her. But thinking Belle and Henry will stay with him after fleeing is a leap Rumple is smart enough never to make. He knows they have big hearts and care about others, so abandoning everyone else will surely make them turn against him.

Also, Rumple has never been shown to be power-hungry. He’s addicted to magic, sure, but mostly learned his lesson long ago, one that has been reiterated time and again. To abandon all of his growth and his hard-found knowledge with some generically evil scheme is far beneath this role, and one that the series should never have attempted to do with him.

Why does Belle, who won’t leave the diner with Rumple when he first shows up, suddenly agree to do so just before he locks her in the shop? A few words from him about not trusting fairies and she changes her mind? Not to mention, Belle is a hero, not a coward or submissive wife. It’s very frustrating.

I find it very odd that, as the spell finally does come down, Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas) worry only about themselves, locking each other in jail cells. They are supposed to be leaders for the community, but do nothing other than send a messenger to tell people what’s happening. Shouldn’t they be making arrangements to help their people get through it, rather than leaving themselves helpless (and stupidly next to each other) and ignoring the townsfolk? Plus, giving Emma (Jennifer Morrison) the task of defeating the Snow Queen and taking care of her baby brother at the same time makes no sense.

I don’t believe Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) would betray everyone quite as severely as he does. Sure, he’s a pirate who wants to save his own skin, so working for Rumple is a conceivable bit, up to a point. But knowing he’s about to lose everything, Hook still doesn’t find the heroic side that the show had been cultivating in him? Dumb.

This episode isn’t without its moments. Regina (Lana Parrilla) and Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) have a touching scene that, while a bit repetitive, is moving. Watching the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy) be taken down, surely temporarily, is dramatic. Emma has some emotional stuff that works for her.

However, this is overshadowed by all of the weaknesses in the hour. It’s true you could argue some of my points and we could agree to disagree on motivations. What there’s no denying is there are a TON of plot and character inconsistencies. When added together, this makes for a very disappointing and uneven episode, and the sheer number of them defies defense. I’ve mostly enjoyed the fall run, other than the decline in quality of Rumplestiltskin, but things are coming completely apart at the end and that’s not a good sign. ONCE UPON A TIME has almost always been uneven. “Fall” is some of the worst of that.

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

I've "Not Forgotten" BATES MOTEL

Article first published as BATES MOTEL Review Season 2 on Seat42F.

A&E’s BATES MOTEL has been “Gone But Not Forgotten,” but now it’s back with a second season. After a brief, dark opening, the show picks up four months after the events of last year’s finale. Miss Watson’s (Keegan Connor Tracy) murder remains unsolved, and Norma (Vera Farmiga) wonders why Norman (Freddie Highmore) seems so obsessed with his former teacher. Meanwhile, Bradley (Nicola Peltz) is being released from a mental hospital after trying to kill herself (the aforementioned prologue), and now that she’s out, she isn’t about to just return to the life she lived.

It’s kind of sad to see Bradley turn into such a different person. Surely it’s fun for Peltz to play, and she does just as convincing a job with bad Bradley as she did with good Bradley. But the sweet, popular girl that everyone liked, even those whose love interests looked at Bradley a little too long, has been replaced by someone completely self-destructive. This means that one of the two lights on the show has dimmed considerably, a regrettable thing in a dreary drama.

That being said, the hallmark of a good character is growth, and for Bradley, she’s going through quite a bit of it. Realizing she didn’t really know her father and now won’t get the chance to, she is determined to uncover his lies and get revenge for his death. This is a stronger, more determined Bradley, and if she goes a little off the rails, or even a lot, well, there’s plenty of time left for redemption.

There is still some hope for Bradley. A couple of times in “Gone But Not Forgotten,” we do see glimpses of the old Bradley. So if she survives her coming ordeals, which are kicked up quite a notch by the end of the hour, there is still some chance that she can recover herself. But that’s a real ‘if’ in a show like this.

Norman does offer to help Bradley, but is he in a position to do so? He’s got his own serious problems. We don’t know for sure if he killed Miss Watson, having only seen him in her house and then running through the rain while she lay dead. However, it seems like a solid bet since Norman has a history of blocking out the memories of killing people, such as his own father. “Gone But Not Forgotten” doesn’t clear up the mystery. It seems destined to hang around awhile, much like last season’s murder.

Norma seems relatively sure Norman did the deed, and equally determined not to let her son find out. I know she wants to be a good mother and protect Norman, but is covering up his crimes the way to do it? Shouldn’t she be trying to get her boy help so he can move past his homicidal tendencies? Or does she worry he’s a psychopath and really just not know how to deal with that, and so buries her head in the sand to get by?

Norma spends much of this premiere fighting against the bypass, now starting construction, which will draw business away from their motel, which seems to be doing OK for now. This is an important cause to her livelihood, but I’ve got a feeling that she pours herself into such things to avoid processing what Norman does. She’s selfish at times, but knowing Norman has killed has to affect her more than she lets on, and keeping active will prevent too much quiet introspection.

We get less of Dylan (Max Thieriot) and Emma (Olivia Decody) in the first episode back, but that makes sense, since Bradley, Norma, and Norman have enough important story to fill the installment. Dylan is still fighting his feelings for Bradley, out of respect for Norman, while working the pot business and Emma is still pining over Norman and being jealous of Bradley. So they’re status quo for now.

BATES MOTEL does a nice job of setting up suspense, then letting it play out in unexpected ways. Sherriff Romero (Nestor Carbonell) is investigating what happened to Miss Watson and he’ll probably eventually get to the truth. But there’s no rush, other threads continue, and any breaks in the case will likely happen when we least are looking for it. It’s not as high quality as some other shows, as it does sort of stick to a formula, but the writers do know what they’re doing and it’s quite enjoyable overall.

The only question I’m left with is, as much as Norman seems to keep getting involved in shady stuff, how will he eventually be the unassuming motel proprietor? Will everyone that has reason to be suspicious of him eventually die, finally allowing him to fade into the background of the town? He does seem to keep bringing more trouble on himself, though, and as Norma won’t be around to deflect attention forever, there has to be some good tie up that makes sense at the end. Maybe, by the time Norma dies, the evidence will all point towards her and, for some reason, Norman will accept that?

BATES MOTEL airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on A&E.

PSYCH "Remake" Not Improvement

Article first published as PSYCH "Remake" Not Improvement on TheTVKing.

USA's Psych feels like its taking a victory lap as the series wraps up. I say this because, rather than delivering typical episodes, the writers are getting more creative more often and doing some zany things, from musicals to a European excursion. This week's latest installment, "Remake A.K.A. Cloudy... With a Chance of Improvement" is actually a redo of a season one episode, working off what is a very similar script and storyline, albeit with a different killer.

The original episode (which I re-watched this week) was the twelfth one that aired, "Cloudy... With a Chance of Murder," way back in February of 2007. It is a relatively normal entry in which Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dule Hill) help a bumbling defense attorney named Adam Hornstock (Michael Weston, House M.D.) clear his client of having murdered her lover, a newscaster. In the original version, the victim's jealous assistant (Keegan Connor Tracy, Once Upon a Time), is the culprit.

This time around, the defense attorney is still played by Weston, but now the suspects are a plethora of recognizable faces, rather than the relative unknowns used last time. The guest cast includes Ralph Macchio (Ugly Betty, Eight is Enough), Janet Varney (Burning Love), Katharine Isabelle (Being Human), Carlos Jacott (Big Love), Lindsay Sloane (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch), Alan Ruck (Spin City, Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Ray Wise (Twin Peaks, and a previous Psych guest star twice over), and Dana Ashbrook (also Twin Peaks and Psych). This roster lends the whiff of a stunt episode to the mix.

It isn't surprising Psych would finally get around to a tribute to itself. It has, after all, paid homage to many other shows and movies in the past. With its offbeat sense of humor, it makes total sense to go in this direction, especially if the end is nigh.

That being said, "Remake A.J.A. Cloudy... With a Chance of Improvement" adds little to the series portfolio, and it would be hard to argue it's even a bit better than the first, no matter what the title suggests. I believe part of this is because it picks a very run-of-the-mill entry to play off of, and the other part is that it doesn't do much to change things. The one thing the new one has over the old is that in the original, it's very clear the team hasn't figure out what the show is yet, exactly, whereas here, there's a welcome level of comfort and confidence.

In fact, the character dynamics are much closer to the current relationships that the original chemistry, despite the insistence of text on screen that this takes place years ago. While Jules (Maggie Lawson) says she isn't amused by Shawn, we know it's not true. Lawson doesn't do enough to convince us of that, which, as funny as it is when Shawn insists they will be together, something that can be added to the story in hindsight, is too bad. Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) also goes too soft on the boys.

A couple of things that are nice additions is that Henry (Corbin Bernsen) talks to a baby at the beginning, rather than a child, and Woody (Kurt Fuller), now an important part of the ensemble, is a witness in the case. But even in this, they waste Woody, not even setting him up to be a pal or have his current job.

Overall, "Remake A.K.A. Cloudy... With a Chance of Improvement" is a disappointment. Not because it's not entertaining; it's about as much so as a mediocre, typical Psych episode. Instead, it's the missed opportunities like the jokes that weren't done (such as using an old theme song) that keep it from being memorable. It's a good idea, not executed as well as it could have been, though it does have some good references.

Psych airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on USA.

ONCE UPON A TIME is "Going Home" Happy

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 3 Episode 11 Going Home at Seat42F.

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME is “Going Home” in the midseason finale. Pan (Robbie Kay) unleashes his curse on Storybrooke, which will wipe everyone’s memories and allow him to build a town full of people suffering at his hand. As the others race to stop him, it soon becomes clear that the magic required to defeat the villain will come with a very steep price, and the sacrifices must be made by those who, in the past, have seemed least likely to put others first.

It’s a surprise when Pan kills Felix (Parker Croft). It shouldn’t be, as we’ve seen that Regina (Lana Parrilla) had to murder her own father to enact the first curse. But for some reason, it comes as a minor shock, perhaps because Pan doesn’t telegraph it all. Nor does Pan seem to love Felix, which makes him feel like an unworthy sacrifice, but since Pan loves no one, I guess Felix is the closest person in the world to him. Which means Pan would rule the new Storybrooke completely alone. I wonder if he would cope with it better than Regina did? Probably.

Not that Pan gets the chance to find out. Rumple (Robert Carlyle) has a semi-complicated plan. They must get the black fairy’s wand (who is she and why haven’t we seen this character before?) to switch Henry (Jared Gilmore) and Pan back to their bodies, then Henry can bring the curse scroll to Regina to destroy. No one worries that Henry will suddenly be by evil Felix’s side when the swap occurs (thankfully, Felix is dead by that point, but they don’t know that), and not a single character asks Rumple ahead of time what the price may be, even as Rumple warns them about the cost (why not?).

The wand proves difficult to come by as Pan’s shadow guards it and hovers above where Neal (Michael Raymond-James) can use his coconut to nab it. Cue Tink (Rose McIver) believing in herself enough to reactive the pixie dust and fly up. It’s a simple solution that seems a little too easy, but it’s a story point that has to happen for Tink, so that’s excusable. Then Tink kills the shadow, which seems a little out of character, since up until now, we haven’t seen our heroes execute the bad guys, though Tink isn’t exactly the pure moral soul that Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) is.

Somehow, killing the shadow brings Blue (Keegan Connor Tracy) back from the dead. Does that mean others the shadow has murdered are alive again, too? Will there be any implications from this (probably not)? We have to have Blue remain in the show because she ties into everything and gets to give Tink back her more-than-earned wings. But I’m not completely clear on this plot point.

Then, Rumple uses the wand to make the body switch, putting the magic-blocking cuff on Pan. This proves ineffective, as after everyone leaves Rumple around with his father, Pan wakes up, declares he made the cuff and is thus immune to it, and slaps it on Rumple. Rumple is a very smart man, and while we know Pan is devious to be steps ahead, does Rumple really think it’s enough precaution just to put a cuff on Pan, with no other back up? No wonder Rumple gets his butt kicked.

However, right after that we get the most emotional scene in “Going Home.” With a frozen Bae, Belle (Emilie de Ravin), and others, including the entire main cast, looking on, Rumple has his shadow return the Dark One’s dagger to him and uses it to kill both himself and his father. It’s the ultimate act of redemption, a hero’s death, and everyone is affected by it, even Hook (Colin O’Donoghue). And thank goodness Rumple doesn’t cut off his arm, which is what his first though appears to be after being cuffed.

Many fans think that Rumple is not really dead, and that could be; he disappears in a puff of smoke. But if he is alive, does that mean his father, Pan, now reverted to the older form of Colin (Stephen Lord), is alive, too, to cause more trouble? And if somehow only Rumple survives, is he no longer the Dark One? And how will his friends and family see him differently, since he sacrificed himself for them? Whatever happens, whether Rumple is dead or alive, this teary scene should definitely have ripples later in the story.

With Pan gone, the only thing to do now is to stop the curse. Regina reveals that means everyone is “Going Home” to the Enchanted Forrest, with Storybrooke never having existed, including in Henry’s memories. See, Henry was born in the real world, so even though his parents both hail from fairy tale land, he can’t go back with them, nor remember Storybrooke at all. (So he’s an anchor baby? That doesn’t quite add up to me). Emma (Jennifer Morrison), being the Savior, is a loophole in the curse, so she can stay with Henry under the same restrictions (OK, this does make sense). Regina offers them nice, false memories of a happy life together to fill the gap.

This is almost as big a moment of redemption for Regina as Rumple’s scene is for him. She has to give up the thing she loves most – Henry – sacrificing her own happiness. However, she does it directly for her child, so one could argue a small bit of selfishness, too. Still, it’s awfully nice words that Regina says to Emma upon their departure, and it solidifies the change that ONCE UPON A TIME no longer has a villain in the main cast, no matter what Regina and Rumple call themselves in the end.

The goodbyes for everyone, who have time to gather and walk to the town line, even though Grumpy (Lee Arenberg) already told them the curse was coming from all sides in a panic-stricken tone, are heartfelt and sad. Emma is losing the family she always wanted, and even though she gets to keep Henry, it’s not enough. At least Snow, Charming, and the others will remember Emma, but it’s not a two way street. Neal pledges to find them again, and of course, someone must, or the series would cease to be what it is.

But it’s not Neal who shows up at Henry and Emma’s door in New York (why not Boston?) one year later. It’s Hook. Since Emma doesn’t remember him, and she’s not in love with him so his unwanted half-kiss does nothing to bring back her memories, he definitely has a hard task ahead. That’ll be for the back half of the season, though, so nothing to do now but wait for February.

“Going Home” has flashbacks, as most other episodes do, but instead of telling a complete tale, each scene follows a different character. All of them except the one where Snow gives Henry the fairy tale book give a little insight and are nice. My problem with the Henry one is where did the book come from and why does Henry see Mary Margaret as Snow immediately and how come he immediately leaves town to find Emma that very same month? It doesn’t take him any time at all to figure things out?

As you may be able to tell from my review, there are plenty of holes that can be poked in the plot of “Going Home.” Yet, while watching, it’s a highly enjoyable episode. ONCE UPON A TIME hits the emotional beats right, it just doesn’t always deliver the most cohesive story, with things not quite making sense. If only they would think through the scripts a bit more to eliminate some of those flaws, that would raise this show from a pretty good one to one of the best. It’s just not there yet, and after two and a half years of very slow improvement, it probably always will be B-level, never A.

I still like it a lot, though. There are great questions left to ponder over the break. Will Hook be in a better position to capture Emma’s heart if he’s the one that ultimately leads her back to her family, setting aside their false start? How will the Storybrooke residents adjust to being home? How long will there be two separate settings? Did the writers lie about the Storybrooke / Enchanted Forrest format (seems so, and that’s fine)? Can Emma please recover her memories quickly once reunited instead of another long adjustment period where she doesn’t believe what’s happening (though now that she’s had the love of Henry, she may not be so jaded)? And how does new-baddie the Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader, Lost) and her land of Oz come into play?

ONCE UPON A TIME returns in a couple of months and will air without reruns through the spring.

"New" ONCE UPON A TIME Builds To Climax

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 3 Episode 10 The New Neverland at Seat42F.

In last night’s installment of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME, our intrepid heroes return to Storybrooke, seemingly triumphant. Warm reunions abound as everyone is glad to find their loved ones safely returned. But all this threatens to unravel when it becomes clear that Pan (Robbie Kay) is not trapped in Pandora’s Box, as they believe, and has a very terrible plan to make “The New Neverland.”

The hugging scene on the dock is a little cheesy, but it’s been earned after the long absence. Rumple (Robert Carlyle) gets to be back with Belle (Emilie de Ravin), and that alone calls for a little schmaltz. Ariel (JoAnna Farcia Swisher) finds Eric (Gil McKinney) in what looks like a close of their story, and similarly, Wendy (Freya Tingley) is back with her brothers.

The one completely inexcusable thing about this sequence is that no one keeps an eye on Felix (Parker Croft). They know he’s bad, and sure enough when “Henry” (Jared Gilmore) asks the grownups what should be done with Felix, they toss him in a cell. Why isn’t he bound or guarded before this? There is ample opportunity for him to slip off into the crowd, which Felix doesn’t do because he’s waiting on orders from Pan, but no one else knows this, or even wonders why Felix doesn’t flee.

No one is happy to see Regina (Lana Parrilla). Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) makes sure to publicly note Regina’s help, as relations between Regina and the main characters have thawed a bit, but that doesn’t send the townspeople into her arms. Regina is alone, which is why Pan (as Henry) finds it so easy to fool Regina, playing upon that sense of isolation and telling her exactly what she wants to hear  –  that she is loved by the boy she raised.

Now, the real Henry does care about Regina, and after hearing of her doubts late in the hour, he gives her a hug, proving that Pan’s lie isn’t without a grain of truth. But Henry also has Emma (Jennifer Morrison), Neal (Michael Raymond-James), and assorted grandparents. Will there be enough room for Regina in his life to satisfy her, especially when she has no one else?

It’s time for Regina to find love. I don’t think she’ll go evil again, nor will Henry turn his back on her once more, but she will not be able to move forward without someone else. This will most likely be a romantic partner, though it doesn’t necessary have to be. But it’s definitely time for Regina to be truly appreciated and valued. She deserves it.

The Henry-shaped Pan tricks Regina because she has all the magic, which is the power he needs to enact his plan of reviving the curse, wiping everyone in Storybrooke’s memories and creating himself a new place to rule over. Pan finds Regina’s weakness and exploits it, which actually makes it seem a bad thing that Regina isn’t cold any more. Luckily, this should be a temporary viewpoint.

Pan’s biggest enemies in Storybrooke are anyone that can do magic. This list would include Regina, Rumple, Emma, and Blue (Keegan Connor Tracy). He can’t take them all out at once, and doesn’t need to. Subduing Regina, he is able to get away with what he needs from her vault. He also kills Blue, perhaps because she always seems to know what is going on, and in doing so, stops the one person who can restore Tink’s (Rose McIvers) wings, an occurrence that would give Pan yet another enemy with magic.

Blue’s death is very anticlimactic and not nearly important enough for someone who has been such a vital character. Though never a member of the main cast, Blue is involved in most characters’ stories in one way or another. She should not be able to be taken out so easily, as logical as her demise would seem for Pan’s plan. Which is why I won’t be convinced she’s really permanently dead unless she remains so after next week’s episode. Or unless McIvers signs a deal to stick around for awhile, effectively replacing Blue. (Personally, I feel those room for both in the story).

I assume Tink will be instrumental in saving the day in next week’s fall finale. Otherwise, why bring up her lack of belief in herself or her inability to make the pixie dust glow again in “The New Neverland?” Presumably, she is being set up to find her way on her own, and she’ll be able to step up and lend a hand. ONCE UPON A TIME wouldn’t let a recurring character be the ultimate savior, that’s Emma job, but she should be helpful at a key moment.

In flashback, we see Snow just after her wedding. As much as Charming (Josh Dallas) begs her to just appreciate their moment of happiness, Snow cannot bring herself to do so, worried that the Evil Queen will attack. Charming points out that there will always be danger and they just have to live in the moment, but Snow resists. That is, until a close brush with death at the hands of Medusa opens her eyes.

This may seem like a weird time to visit the seemingly unconnected back story, but it does have an important connection to the present day events in “The New Neverland.” Emma is a like her mother, something we don’t get a lot of chance to see, but is very evident with this bit. Neal is trying to get back together with Emma, but Emma resists because she feels she can’t take the time to just be happy. Hopefully, she will soon learn the same lesson Snow did.

And what of Hook (Colin O’Donoghue)? Many will surely be disappointed when Hook promises Neal to back off of Emma. Yet, he’s clearly still into Emma, and even tries to use Tink to make Emma jealous. Will those Hook / Emma shipper fans get a chance to see the two together? Signs point to yes, at least for a little bit.

While I do have a couple of small plot complaints above, what I am most disappointed in is the way Kay plays Henry and Gilmore plays Pan. I can tell they’re trying, but, for me at least, I’m just not seeing the actors in the other characters’ shoes. They still seem a lot like their own parts, just with different dialogue and an extra face or two. Kay, in particular, maintains some of Pan’s mannerisms. Now, this can all be explained away as muscle memory or something in the bodi, but I really wish this particular element came through better.

Next week, excitement will definitely build as the final showdown with Peter Pan plays out, with the very fate of Storybrooke on the line! ONCE UPON A TIME airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

"Common" Installment of ONCE UPON A TIME

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Recap Season 3 Episode 3 Quite a Common Fairy on Seat42F.

This week’s episode of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME is called “Quite a Common Fairy.” The Operation: Save Henry team in Neverland search for Tinker Bell (Rose McIver, The Lovely Bones), hoping she can help them gain access to where Henry (Jared Gilmore) is being held. Unfortunately, Regina (Lana Parrilla) has a past with Tinker Bell, and that may make the fairy pretty unmotivated to help.

ONCE UPON A TIME frequently takes license in putting its own spin on the traditional telling of a familiar tale. However, I am not sure how Tinker Bell fits into the current understanding. She is in the Enchanted Forest realm when the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy) takes away her powers and wings, then is seen as a normal human in Neverland. So has Tinker Bell never been a fairy in Neverland? Or, is the Enchanted Forest the second chance the Blue Fairy spoke of, and Tinker Bell was a fairy in Neverland earlier before screwing up somehow? Maybe by trusting Pan (Robbie Kay) when she shouldn’t have? We know Tinker Bell has a complex to save those who have gone bad, based on this episode. This definitely begs further exploration, even if Tinker Bell is not a major character, only putting in her first appearance here.

It’s pretty cool that Tinker Bell is tied into the existing fairy world, though. Viewers have gotten to know the Blue Fairy fairly well, and we’ve seen her interact with others of her species. It makes since for Neverland’s famous fairy to not only be running in that social circle, but also to not quite fit in, given her isolation and separation from the group. This is very well handled.

Tinker Bell wants a home. She has been abandoned by many, and not found her place. Snow and Charming (Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas, who recently got engaged off screen) offer her this in exchange for her help. It’s kind of fun to see the pair take in yet another stray, but it seems to be their specialty, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have a fairy or ex-fairy on their side. I just wonder how the Blue Fairy would react if Tinker Bell goes to Storybrooke…

Once more, we’re treated to a backstory of how Regina makes wrong choices. Tinker Bell, seeking to save Regina’s soul, tries to provide Regina with the key to happiness, leading Regina to a man she could be content with. Regina decides against approaching the man, choosing the wrong path yet again, though she doesn’t fully realize it until, late in “Quite a Common Fairy,” Tinker Bell points out Regina is selfish by depriving the man of his happy ending, too.

There’s a lot to dissect in this sequence. For one thing, Regina doesn’t often think about others. However, clearly that has changed, as Tink’s last words about being selfish wound her. Regina also has found happiness in raising Henry, even naming her mission in Neverland as Henry would, which is why she is able to throw herself at Tink’s mercy, risking her own heart and life to try to save Henry. She has changed.

It is revealed that the man Tink leads Regina to is none other than Robin Hood (Sean Maguire). Now, Robin already has had love and has a son, Roland (Raphael Alejandro). Maid Marion doesn’t seem to be currently around (maybe I missed that explanation?), but does this mean that, despite the trouble Robin goes through for Marion, they aren’t destined to be one another’s soul mates? Might Regina really belong in this relationship? At least she’d finally have a son to dote on who might appreciate her.

Those who make ONCE UPON A TIME have promised more of Robin Hood in the back half of the season, so I wonder if this is the direction the show will take. Season three seems awfully early to redeem Regina and let her find a happy ending, and yet, after how far she’s come and all she’s been through, it’s hard not to root for her to find her man and child. Maybe this season could be the end of Regina’s story, which would be sad, but it would be a very satisfying exit for her.

Speaking of being with the wrong person, Mulan (Jamie Chung) is ready to confess her love to Princess Aurora (Sarah Bolger), only to stop short when she finds out Aurora is pregnant. So Mulan joins Robin’s band of Merry Men instead.

Unfortunately, this probably won’t be resolved anytime soon. With Neal (Michael Raymond-James) making his way to Neverland, only recurring characters, no main ones, are left in the Enchanted Forest. ONCE UPON A TIME tends to only follow those guest stars when the central cast is around, so we probably won’t see any more development with them this fall.

With all of these new people introduced, there could be room for a few characters to exit the story, and the cast to be expanded again. Fairy tales are all about a finite journey with a happy ending.  What if we’re nearing the conclusion for more than just Regina? Might ONCE consider moving the story in completely different directions with new protagonists? It’s an interesting concept to ponder, though one that seems unlikely to occur.

“Quite a Common Fairy” does an excellent job of really developing more minor players, not serving too many of the main ones very much, but still an enjoyable hour. It isn’t perfect, with Mulan’s plan seeming too neat both before and after it is enacted, and the CGI still a few years away from being truly great on a television budget. But it mostly works, and I’m very interested to see the things that happen in other installments because of occurrences in this episode, of which there should be plenty.

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

Check Into BATES MOTEL

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Bates Motel - Season One' on Blogcritics.

Horror is a very popular genre on television right now, with The Walking Dead crushing in the ratings, American Horror Story earning accolades left and right, and Hannibal being just plain awesome. Earlier this year, A&E, a network not known for anything but formulaic, procedural dramas, decided to enter the ring with Bates Motel, a prequel to the classic Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho. Imagine my surprise, then, that Bates Motel is every bit as worthy of praise as its peers.

Bates Motel is set in the modern day, and thus inspired by, rather than confined to, the film. The setting looks identical to that which viewers are familiar with, and some clothing and hairstyle choices are pulled straight from the source material. It pays homage quite clearly, though later episodes really take some license to go their own direction.

The reason to give a prequel story like this a chance, and the method through which it soars so well, is that it is made by producers of Lost and Friday Night Lights. These two amazing shows knew how to do character development and slow-burning plots, and they apply it here again. Combine this with a thoroughly creepy tone and place, you have a heck of a TV show. Plus, the cast is terrific.

As the story begins, Norman (Freddie Highmore, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Finding Neverland) moves with his mother, Nora (Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air, The Departed), to a run-down motel in a small town after the suspicious death of his father. Here, the seventeen-year-old boy tries to build a normal life for himself with friends (Olivia Cooke and Nicola Peltz), but is hampered by his controlling mother.

Yes, Norma is exactly what we’d expect her to be, having seen the old movie, or even just knowing she named her son after herself. She’s harsh and unfeeling, despite her assertions of love. She holds Norman a prisoner as much as a son, and even involves him in her murderous schemes, or at least covering them up. She is manipulating and shaping him into the killer that he himself will become, and making sure she sinks claws into him that will stay attached far beyond her death.

Not that Norma is the only dangerous thing in town. It’s hard to trust Sheriff Alex Romero (Nestor Carbonell, Lost), even after Norma worms her way into the arms of his Deputy, Zack Shelby (Mike Vogel, Under the Dome). Pot fields and sex-slave rings abound. Creepiness is everywhere.

Norman’s path isn’t completely lost yet. He’s a nice, obedient boy, most of the time, and he has an older half-brother, Dylan (Max Thieriot), to look up to. He also has a teacher, Miss Watson (Keegan Connor Tracy, Once Upon a Time), that sees untapped potential within him. There is always the slim chance he might get out of this story without being ruined, though I doubt that would satisfy the fans.

High definition is a must for this series. Given the dark tone, there are plenty of shadows and muted colors. This blu-ray release does a fantastic job of showing off the blacks and layers within in 1080p. It’s nice to get such crispness from such richly detained sets and props. The soundtrack is well mixed in DTS 5.1. If a production is going to go this much trouble to deliver a high quality release, both visual and audio, it is worth it to seek the best picture and sound available.

The special features are unfortunately few. There are deleted scenes, of course, and a really cool Paley Center Panel included. For those who buy the initial release, a few of Jiao’s (Diana Bang) neat sketches are tucked in. But that’s it, no audio commentaries or behind-the-scenes extras, sadly.

Bates Motel: Season One is on sale now.

Once Upon a Time Elicits Heroic Traits

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Recap Season 2 Episode 18 Selfless, Brave and True on Seat42F.

Grade: 92%

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME tells a story of redemption, as we learn that August (Eion Bailey) has what it takes to be “Selfless, Brave, and True.” He didn’t always, by the way. We see in flashback how he behaves in Asia, which leads to his return to wood form. But, in the end, he finds the hero inside of himself, and is rewarded for it.

While ONCE UPON A TIME has not tackled the Pinocchio story directly in its fairy tale world sequences, “Selfless, Brave, and True” is very much the same plot. We have a flawed man who seeks comfort and pleasure and the easy way out. He is willing to steal to help himself, even if others are hurt in the process. But when it really counts, when lives are on the line, he manages to sum up the courage to do the right thing.

Pinocchio learns this lesson once, when he was a boy. Now, as an adult, he must learn it all over again. When we first meet August in season one, he is already turning back into wood, thankfully a slow process. “Selfless, Brave, and True” shows us why, taking us to the fall of 2011 in the real world. And now, August must learn the same thing all over again.

This time, the stakes are much higher. Tamara (Sonequa Martin-Green) is on the hunt for magic. She is obviously willing to murder innocents to get it, as she does with The Dragon (Tzi Ma, 24, Rush Hour). She is now manipulating Neal (Michael Raymond-James) to gain access to Storybrooke, the place where magic exists. Since August is the only one that knows this, he decides to give up the chance at becoming a real person again with a potion she has in order to stay and warn the town. For his trouble, Tamara kills him.

It’s upsetting to see August die, even after the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy) restores him to the little boy he once was (Jakob Davies). Yes, the adult August has been corrupted, and becoming the boy Pinocchio again gives him a second chance. But he also loses who he is, the good with the bad, and his memories, which means he doesn’t get to tell anyone about Tamara. It’s a moving scene, seeing Marco (Tony Amendola) hold his boy in his arms. But it’s as much about loss as it is about rebirth.

We don’t know much about Tamara yet, other than that she is evil. But the existence of her character opens up a whole world of possibilities that haven’t been explored on the show before. Greg knows about magic because of his Storybrooke experience. Tamara somehow learns of it another way. And The Dragon either came from the fairy tale realm or also found out about it at some point. So magic has been connected to the real world long before Regina’s (Lana Parrilla) curse.

I do wonder if Greg will turn out to be a bad guy. He has legitimate beef against Regina, to be sure, even if she claims she let his father go a few days after young Owen left the town. This is probably a lie, but we don’t know for sure. However, thus far we haven’t seen anything to indicate that Greg knows of Tamara’s intentions. Did he make a deal with her, and is willing to be bad and help her steal magic in order to find his dad? Or is he so concentrated on his mission that he didn’t check the terms or the source of his help, and his values aren’t aligned with Tamara’s? After all, Greg has been in town for awhile, and surely has seen that not everyone there deserves punishment.

Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) punishes herself enough, and doesn’t need it from any outside sources. She finally does get out of bed in “Selfless, Brave, and True,” and encounters August in the forest. August believes he has done unforgiveable things, and Mary Margaret does her best to convince him that that is not so, and he should return to his father.

Seeing August is just what Mary Margaret needs. She is too close to the situation involving herself to be objective, but she has no problem letting August off the hook for his own sins. In the process, she realizes that she is in a similar situation, and can also seek redemption for what she has done. August helps Mary Margaret out of her funk, and she will now begin to put her life back together.

These parallel plots are well designed, especially because they are the culmination of a lot of story. Mary Margaret and August’s similar circumstances don’t come about all of the sudden in this single episode, but have long been built to, and now intertwine beautifully. The ONCE UPON A TIME writers are brilliant masterminds at making connections and having arcs fit together. This episode is a wonderful example of some of their best work in that arena.

I am still baffled by the chemistry among the Charming family. Henry (Jared Gilmore) seems to have adjusted to seeing Emma (Jennifer Morrison) as his mother and Mary Margaret and David (Josh Dallas) as his grandparents. But Emma is clearly uncomfortable around her own parents, and hasn’t figured out how to treat them yet, likely hindered by the fact that they appear to be roughly her own age. The way that Emma treats Mary Margaret in this episode, annoyed at her being in bed, in stark contrast to David’s nurturing approach, shows she hasn’t accepted them as family yet, at least not in the way they view family. I wonder if this will ever sort itself out, or if it will always feel awkward.

Lastly, it’s a little sad that August won’t have a chance with Emma. I feel like there is some real chemistry between the characters, and given their back story, coming over to the real world together, it’s sweet. But this does clear an obstacle towards getting Emma and Neal back together, which could happen next season, after he gets over the betrayal of Tamara.

ONCE UPON A TIME will be taking a few weeks off of fresh installments, but will air “enhanced” versions of recent episodes instead. It continues Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Bates Motel dreams of death

Article first posted as BATES MOTEL Review on Seat42F.com

Grade: 96%

A&E is not particularly known for their dramas. They’ve had a few scripted series up to this point, like The Glades, Breakout Kings, and The Cleaner, but they are formulaic crime dramas, not a complex, serial show that deserves attention and praise. With the premiere of BATES MOTEL on March 18th, that changes.

BATES MOTEL, as one might expect, is set at the same location as the classic Hitchcock film Psycho, and looks perfectly in sync with the earlier work. This television series is a prequel to the movie, set many years earlier. As the first episode, “Fist You Dream, Then You Die” opens, Norman Bates’ (Freddie Highmore, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Finding Neverland) father dies, and his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air, The Departer), moves them to a small town where she has purchased a motel and the house behind it.

The elements one would expect from such a project are immediately present. Norman is eager to please and mostly obedient. Norma is controlling and manipulative. The motel itself is cursed from the beginning, it having been taken away from a family that has long owned the land by the bank, and a descendant of that family is not happy to let it go. The tone is creepy and disturbing, but not too obviously so.

The cast does a superb job. Highmore is the right mix of good son and budding psychopath. He is trying to be a normal kid, but that’s not the way his mother has raised him, nor does she let explore that option. Farmiga captures the portrait of the type of mother that would name her son after herself. The way she coldly receives the news of her husband’s death, then later handles Norman, is compelling to watch, and surely she is making a mark on the television landscape, owning the role.

Right away, death also comes to the Bates Motel. There are strong hints that Norma might have offed her own husband, and (very slight spoiler) there will be a second body by the end of the first hour. I don’t know if BATES MOTEL is a horror show, per se, and if there will continue to be serial killings throughout; after all, no one suspects Norman long after his mother passes on. But the stage is set for what must be.

Much of the purpose of the series will be to take Norman from normal child to cold-hearted murderer. We see he has a possible support system, with girls who want to be his friends and a teacher offering mentorship. But we also see how the boys don’t take a shine to him, and how Norma cuts him off from social interaction. And then, witnessing what Norma involves him in, we see the seeds of things to come.

Not that Norma is totally obvious in her machinations. To a viewer at home, sure, we can tell she’s a horrible mother because we see it all. To a character in the show, outside of the family, she may seem a little strict, but not someone to worry about. At least, not yet.

The supporting cast is just as good as the two leads, which helps with the overall effect. After all, BATES MOTEL is set in a town, so there must be townspeople. These fellow residents pleasantly round out the world in a very authentic way without distracting or mandating plots of their own. They include Nestor Carbonell (Lost) as the Sheriff, Keegan Connor Tracy (Once Upon a Time) as Miss Watson, Norman’s teacher, and Olivia Cooke as an odd classmate. Upcoming guests (according to IMDB and Wikipedia) will include Jere Burns (Justified), Mike Vogel (Pan Am), Richard Harmon (The Killing), and even Kate Winslet (Titantic, Mildred Pierce).

“First You Dream, Then You Die” is a lot of setup, especially the beginning, but manages to not feel too much like it is. We enter at a critical moment in Norman’s life, one that will put him on a certain path, and he already begins going down that path in the premiere. The start of the action is not sudden or jarring, and yet, this pilot does a good job of actually getting into the meat of the story. Credit writing, directing, and production, as well as the performers, because this is an excellent pilot in just about every way imaginable, with a definite cinematic quality.

My only slight complaint is that there is a bit of heavy handedness present. “First You Dream, Then You Die” begins with Norman listening to dialogue on a television talking about a grown man living with his mother. Norma wears the same dress and hairstyle to dinner that the corpse at the end of the film is sporting. But while it may have been better to spread out such references through multiple episodes, instead of sticking a bunch in the premiere, it does effectively tie this project to its source material, so it’s not totally unwarranted.

BATES MOTEL deserves attention, and Highmore and Farmiga will hopefully get some Emmy credit. Which means you probably won’t want to miss a show this good. I certainly won’t.

Once Upon a Time is a land with magic

Once Upon a Time there was a series on ABC. It featured fairy tale characters stuck in the real world. Despite a promising pilot, the next few episodes sucked, driving some viewers away. Then, like a magical spell that takes a little time to work, things began to come to life in the show. Bit by bit, it revealed the charming, fun and whimsy series it could, and deserves, to be. As the first season draws to a close, a heck of a finale proves that Once Upon a Time should get to live happily ever after.

In the fairy tale segments of "A Land Without Magic," Once Upon a Time finally completes the tale of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas). Their reunion in the real world means more, seeing all of the trials they go through in the past, sprinkled throughout this season. If anyone is still doubting that they belong together, given their difficulties in Storybrooke, this should erase that.

"A Land Without Magic" is the title of the Once Upon a Time finale. But the land isn't entirely without magic. Regina (Lana Parrilla) calls upon the little she has left to do away with her foe, Emma (Jennifer Morrison), once and for all. Sadly, this backfires when Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) sacrifices himself heroically to prove to a disbelieving Emma that the tales he tells are true.

And it works! Instantly, Emma believes. Which means that she can see August (Eion Bailey) turning back into wood! She goes to Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) for help, because, while he isn't trustworthy, he is her only chance to save Henry.

"A Land Without Magic" is interesting because it finally makes Regina truly sympathetic, just in time for her to be shunned. Regina's back story has been told, and it's sad, but seeing her as a mother fearing for the life of her son is another thing entirely. Regina and Emma are able to work together because of Henry, who is a true unifying force in their worlds. The boy could also be the key to saving Regina's soul, and by this episode, there is a desire to see her redeemed.

Too bad for Regina her secret identity is exposed. Emma slays the dragon, which is merely a scheme by Mr. Gold, and then wakes Henry with a kiss on the forehead of true love, Happy Potter style, from mother to son. Henry's awakening lifts part of the curse. All of the fairy tale characters become self aware, remembering their past, and who they truly are. Which means Regina had better flee before they string her up, now that she is powerless to defend herself.

Or is she? Mr. Gold's quest in "A Land Without Magic," for reasons still unknown, is to bring magic to Storybrooke. He succeeds, using the egg that Emma retrieves from the dragon. So, while everyone remains in the real world, again, for reasons unknown, Mr. Gold is bringing a little bit of their land into reality. Might Regina make use of this development? This clash of fiction and non-fiction should make for a hell of a second season.

A musing: Is there anyone in Storybrooke who isn't a fairy tale character? What will become of them?

While Mr. Gold's motivations are murky, he does have a new goal now, and that's to keep Belle (Emilie de Ravin, Lost) safe. Angry at Regina, Jefferson (Sebastian Stan, Gossip Girl, Kings) releases Belle, allowing her to return to her beloved, Mr. Gold / Rumpelstiltskin. Will Belle's presence help ground Mr. Gold, and keep him from descending back into evilness? Or will he make the same mistake with her that he made with his son, choosing the dark power over a loved one? Hopefully, his experiences will push him towards the former.

What will happen now? Snow will certainly realize she's a grandma, though she is about the same age as her daughter! And with everyone remembering their lives, and Emma being a believer, there will be a desire to return home. Magic is back, so there may also be a means to make this happen. But will Gold control all the magic, or will some be available to others? It's a huge cliffhanger!


Once Upon a Time has been renewed for a second season, and will return to ABC next fall.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Catch up with streaming episodes of Once Upon a Time. This article was first posted as Once Upon a Time is a land with magic on TheTVKing.com

Once Upon a Time chases a dream

This week's installment of ABC's Once Upon a Time, "Dreamy," is another love story, ending just as tragically as the others told so far. Sort of. In the fairy tale world, a dwarf named Dreamy (Lee Arenberg, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies) meets a fairy named Nova (the wonderful Amy Acker, Angel, Dollhouse). They are instantly smitten and would like to run off together. Sadly, neither fairies nor dwarfs are supposed to be able to fall in love, and so the bosses of both, Bossy (Ken Kramer) and the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy, Battlestar Galactica), plot to discourage this union. The breakup succeeds, and Dreamy, in his despair, is renamed Grumpy.

In the "real" world, the same story pretty much plays out again. Leroy (Arenberg) is the town drunk whom no one likes, and Astrid (Acker) is a nun whose mistake is about to earn her fellow sisters eviction. Leroy has big plans, vowing to sell 1,000 candles to pay their rent to Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle), who is not interested in a compromise. Leroy fails, deeply disappointing Astrid, especially because he lies about it at first. However, this time Leroy finds a way to circumvent authority and save the day, selling the candles, and making Astrid very, very happy.

These two plots, paralleling each other throughout "Dreamy," expose an element of the universes that Once Upon a Time has not spent a lot of time on: things can be done over. Most of the characters are happier in the magical land, prior to the curse that brings them into reality and wipes their memories. However, Leroy and Astrid are not. Their fantasy story ends with sadness. Now, they get a second chance, and things go right. Leroy has learned his lesson, even if he doesn't remember being taught it, and he makes things better for himself.

Will this bloom into a full-scale romance for Astrid and Leroy? It's hard to think of a reason why not. Sure, Astrid is a nun, but she doesn't necessarily have to stay one forever.

The bigger question is, what will happen when the curse ends, as it eventually must? Will Leroy, returning to being Grumpy, go back to working in the mines, missing Nova terribly? Or will their union survive the transition, both secure in the fact that they belong together?

Of course, there could always be another fairy tale story, untold at this point, where Grumpy sees the error of his ways and makes things right with Nova. But that doesn't really fit the framework Once Upon a Time is building, and it isn't likely from the current perspective.

Wherever the story chooses to go from here, it cannot take away from the fact that "Dreamy" delivers a sweet love story, wherein two unlikely souls find their mates in an unexpected and outside-of-the-box way. It's a timeless tale that never gets old, and touches many hearts. And by using minor characters not explored too much in the traditional bedtime stories, Once Upon a Time frees itself up to go any way that it desires, without worrying about being hemmed in by traditional tellings.

Also, when Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) needs a friend, it's the best one of her dwarfs that comes to her aid. This is a point that should not be overlooked, as a theme of Once Upon a Time is that kindred spirits are drawn together, whatever world they happen to be in. Leroy doesn't abandon Mary Margaret, just as surely as Grumpy would never abandon Snow White. Perhaps it appears that Leroy isn't looking out for MM, but there's an undercurrent there, all the same.

Once Upon a Time doesn't spend a lot of time on the sweet. Instead, much of the series' plot focuses on the darkness that the curse places on Storybrooke. This continues in small segments in this week's "Dreamy," as Regina (Lana Parrilla) plots to frame David (Josh Dallas) for Kathryn's (Anastasia Griffith, Royal Pains, Damages) disappearance. Emma (Jennifer Morrison) suspects that the clues are not adding up correctly, but by not following up these false leads as if they might be real, it puts her job as sheriff at risk.

Clearly, David is not responsible. Any attempt to convict him of such a crime is silly, and stretches out a story that doesn't make any viewer happy. However, there must always be obstacles to overcome if a hero is going to win any battle, and these latest machinations by Regina are just that. What's more, with David and Mary Margaret loathed by the public, it's likely that many characters will believe the evidence against David, no matter how fake it is.

What will Emma do to save David? How can Mary Margaret begin to get her reputation back? It's these questions that are central to the arcs of Once Upon a Time, though, as interesting as the central story is, it's nice to get a break from this for most of "Dreamy."

"Dreamy" establishes a lot of back story for Snow White's (Goodwin) best pals. Now fans know that the dwarfs are hatched in groups of eight (Stealthy, the 8th of this most famous brood, is killed in an earlier episode). They toil in the mines, and make the fairy dust that powers the world. They are named by their axes, which provides a wonderful one-liner about trusting Doc's (David Paul Grove, Elf) medical credentials. There are no female dwarfs. And they cannot fall in love.

While much of this is purely exposition and trivia, it could be important in some way to future stories. Plus, it's just plain cool to get all of these reveals, and enrich the personalities of Snow White's friends. And it's cool to know there are many other dwarfs, such as Bossy and Watchy (Richard Ian Cox, Nana, InuYasha), which expands the world of these beings.

Perhaps most strange in "Dreamy" is the unlikely appearance of a character in an unexpected place. Belle (Emilie de Ravin) is in the bar with the dwarfs, apparently sometime during her plot from the recent (awesome) episode "Skin Deep." She adds a little to this story, encouraging Grumpy to follow his heart. But one must wonder if perhaps the creative team behind Once Upon a Time was so entranced with Ravin's take on the character of Belle that they forced her into an episode that she didn't really belong in, just to use her again. It's great to see her, but the brief cameo only left dissatisfaction, since it really added nothing to her story.

Once Upon a Time may have stumbled in the first couple of episodes, but it has grown into a must-see favorite every week, with consistently good storytelling and acting. Watch it Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

MORE: If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Catch up with streaming episodes of Once Upon a Time. Article first published as TV Review: Once Upon a Time - "Dreamy" on Blogcritics.