ONCE UPON A TIME Finds "Heart" Amid Inconsistencies

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 4 Episode 18 Heart of Gold on Seat42F.

As this week’s Once Upon A Time begins on ABC, Rumple (Robert Carlyle) finds The Author (Patrick Fischler) as he flees through the woods. This surely spells trouble for our heroes, but this installment, “Heart of Gold,” doesn’t deal with that. Instead, we see flashbacks to both the pre-Storybrooke time and New York City of nine weeks ago. Both periods contain some surprising revelations.

First, in the past we see Rumple send Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) to Oz to steal broken heart potion from the Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader). Although Robin has already given up being a thief, he is in debt to the Sheriff of Nottingham (Will Traval) and needs the money Rumple is offering. Robin has promised his wife, Marian (Christie Laing), that he will support her, and without what Rumple is offering, he cannot fulfil that promise.

I could argue that Robin’s code is more than a little subjective, stealing when he feels it is justified, and not seemingly feeling any guilt about it. The fact that he lies to Will Scarlet (Michael Socha), whom he meets in Neverland and also promises potion to, proves that Robin’s perspective is a bit skewed. But I didn’t find these plot holes nearly so glaring, given that Robin is consistent with this in the near-present, and I like seeing more of these supporting characters.

Speaking of Will, he is in Oz looking to mend his own broken heart after the death of his sister. This presumably happens before he makes his way to Wonderland. I am still very, very eager to find out how he comes to Storybrooke after the events of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland and where the Queen of Hearts, his one true love, is, but “Heart of Gold” doesn’t answer that.

When Robin gets back to the Enchanted Forest, he re-commits himself to the outlaw life. This seems a little unnecessary and hokey. It does provide, though, an opportunity for Robin of Loxley to become Robin Hood, thus combining the two Sherwood myths. I’m not entirely satisfied with the way this plays out, but learning Robin gifts Will the potion, Will doesn’t steal it as I had assumed, is pleasant enough.

As mentioned, present day New York finds Robin with the same wavering morality as in fairytale land. Rumple has a heart attack in Neal’s old apartment, where Robin and his family are now living. Robin feels bad for Rumple, whose dark heart is failing him away from the magic that kept it going, and agrees to go after the same potion, which the Wicked Witch conveniently sent to the real world with The Wizard. Robin steals it and, after a Cowardly Lion-like escape through a window, thinks he cures Rumple.

That’s when the hour’s big shocker comes to ONCE UPON A TIME: Marian is really the Wicked Witch, whom replaced Robin’s love shortly before Emma (Jennifer Morrison) brought her to Storybrooke, and who didn’t really die in season three. It’s slightly sad that the real Marian is dead, but it’s also a bit of a relief to learn that no one else has a legitimate claim to Robin’s heart other than Regina (Lana Parrilla), who deserves a happy ending. The Wicked Witch can’t resist rubbing this in Regina’s face, er, ear, and this allows Rumple to hold Robin over Regina’s head.

Too bad Marian makes Robin delete Regina’s number from his phone, but he has plenty of other Storybrooke denizens in his contact list, so he should be able to go home. Get home, he must. Regina may be able to help him, either though teaming up with Rumple to turn Emma dark, or after defeating the bad guys, which is the outcome I hope for. Regina’s face at the end of “Heart of Gold” doesn’t reveal her decision, but since Robin is on the line, she will definitely have strong feelings about the choice.

Rumple’s more vulnerable scenes in “Heart of Gold” would be good if not for how much ONCE UPON A TIME has ruined his character. His ruminations feel unearned and cheap because he has turned his back on the redemption he earned without explanation. I feel like ONCE UPON A TIME is trying to explain away this glaring inconsistency, but it just doesn’t work.

“Herat of Gold” is one of the better episodes this season. I like all of the Robin and Will stuff, even when it drifts into goofy territory, and finding out the Wicked Witch never really went away is cool. Still, the show just isn’t as good as it once was, and this hour doesn’t plug the holes from previous weeks any more than any other has. ONCE UPON A TIME may one day get good again, but this is a weak attempt at that, even if it’s OK when taken on its own.

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

ONCE UPON A TIME "Dragon" This Year

Article originally written for Seat42F.

ONCE UPON A TIME rarely fails to let fans down these days, and this week’s episode, “Enter the Dragon,” is no different. In the hour, Regina (Lana Parrilla) goes undercover with the Queens of Darkness, ditching her friends to do so. In flashback, we see her at the beginnings of her evil journey, hinting that her status as a spy may not last. Elsewhere, Rumple (Robert Carlyle) does one of his worst deeds yet, with absolutely no real remorse in sight.

The first thing the Queens do when Regina joins up with them is to test her, which has many flaws. They do this by parking on a train track and daring Regina not to save them. She waits until the last minute to do so, but in the end, she poofs them away. What did they want her to do? Save herself but not them? Die at the hands of the train? And why does Rumple tell them they may be able to trust her in the first place, having witnessed Regina’s growth arc before he is banished from town?

Despite Regina ‘failing’ the test by allowing them to live, Maleficent (Kristin Bauer van Straten) decides to give her a second chance. This may seem strange at first, until we see young Regina help Mal get her groove back during the semi-traditional unfolding of the Sleepy Beauty fairy tale. Mal is defeated when Regina finds her, Regina still in the early days of her magic training. Because of Regina, Mal is able to put Aurora (Sarah Bolger) to sleep and win the day. It’s no wonder the dragon feels some degree of sympathy towards Regina, Maleficent being the least obviously evil of the three new villains, and the most kindred to the current Regina.

Regina is told that the Queens are after The Author in hopes of changing the game, letting all the villains have happy endings at the expense of the heroes, whose lives are ruined. This seems evil for evil’s sake, not something worthy of Maleficent, who usually acts with defined purpose. So either they are lying about their plan, a real possibility, or, as in many other ONCE UPON A TIME plots, the motivations shown don’t make sense.

The one bright spot from this story is that August (Eion Bailey) returns! Formerly a main character, August was turned back into the boy Pinocchio (Jakob Davies) and has no memory of his former life. August knows things about The Author, so Rumple restores him from the child, whom Regina kidnaps. Setting aside that the Queens aren’t suspicious of how long Regina takes to nab the kid and that Rumple used to be redeemed, so should have restored August back when this first happened if he had the power to do so, it’s really good to see the character return to ONCE UPON A TIME.

The way Rumple has reverted makes me worry for Regina. Rumple is an excellent character, the show’s best, for two and a half season before being completely scrapped in the past year in favor of a flat bad guy. Not long before Rumple was ruined, Regina began her own redemption journey, which has been fantastic, making her the best deep, consistent part on the show. “Enter the Dragon” teases that she may lose that, and while she could go evil again in a convincing plot, it’s much more likely ONCE UPON A TIME would ruin her character if they choose to go that route, as they have done Rumple’s, negating what he previous did. I really, really like the Regina who has struggled for her happy ending, and I want to see that continue.

Rumple has the worst story, in “Enter the Dragon,” though, taking on Hook’s (Colin O’Donoghue) to trick Belle (Emilie de Ravine) into giving up the dagger that controls him. He then goes back to Belle to ask about her relationship with Will Scarlet (Michael Socha). This is cruel and stupid, and if Rumple ever really loved Belle, he wouldn’t do it.

In short, despite some wonderful acting from Parrilla and Bauer van Straten, “Enter the Dragon” is another disappointment in a long series of them. I don’t know why ONCE UPON A TIME went downhill so much after the near-perfect Neverland half-season, but it seems viewers should have taken the warning of the uneven first few episodes of the show and never got invested. Now, those of us who have put in the time are waiting around for it to end, teased by the occasional good hour, and hoping against hope the overwhelming problems will be fixed, which isn’t likely to be the case.

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.

"Breaking" Down ONCE UPON A TIME

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 4 Episode 5 Breaking Glass on Seat42F.

This week’s episode of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME is called “Breaking Glass,” a title that doesn’t really fit exactly with the episode. And that isn’t the only strange thing in the mostly entertaining, but occasionally inconsistent, installment which finds a friendship forming, inner strength being found, and a mother learning how to be more than that again.

First, we have Emma (Jennifer Morrison), Regina (Lana Parrilla), and Elsa (Georgina Haig) all on the hunt for the elusive Snow Queen (Elizabeth Mitchell). The Queen has taken to the woods, and when Emma goes to Regina for help, not only does Regina refuse to do so, but the Snow Queen manages to lure the left-alone Elsa into a trap (after Elsa sits in the car for an incredibly unrealistic long time). Emma and Regina become reluctant partners on the trail, until all have a big showdown in which the Snow Queen triumphs.

We still don’t know the Snow Queen’s plan, but it involves getting Regina’s pocket mirror in order to complete a larger mirror in her lair. Incidentally, this also allows Sidney (Giancarlo Esposito) out of his entrapment when he switches allegiances, but the Snow Queen doesn’t really want him, and it’s certainly too late for him to go crawling back to Regina, so he’s left a bit adrift. But back to the Snow Queen, it’s all ice and mirrors as she plays with everyone, accomplishes her goals, but reveals nothing to the of herself to the characters or the viewers.

The Snow Queen seems interested in Elsa, whom we know is her niece, though Elsa isn’t aware. The Snow Queen gets Elsa out of the way so she can attend to the task at hand, but when Elsa is able to break free, the Snow Queen seems proud. My guess is that the Snow Queen would like to help Elsa, but only if she proves herself worthy of her attention, and Elsa is well on her way to doing so. However, the help will probably only come if it benefits the Snow Queen, at least in casting Elsa (who really needs to change clothes) as an apprentice and heir-apparent.

The Snow Queen doesn’t seem to care so much about Regina and Emma. True, one could argue that the way the bridge disintegrates is designed to lead the women somewhere rather than to kill them, but the Snow Queen is just a little too careless with their lives to seem like she worries about keeping them alive in any way.

Which makes the revelation that Emma lived with her as a teenager, something the Snow Queen has wiped from Emma’s memory, and that doesn’t quite justify the pointless Emma flashbacks in “Breaking Glass,” all the more puzzling. Why is the Snow Queen interested in Emma, and how did she get out of Storybrooke during the original curse? Or why did she join the town sometime during that curse, as seen in pictures?

The welcome outcome of this ONCE UPON A TIME adventure is that Emma and Regina acknowledge something like a friendship. I do feel like Regina shuts Emma down too much, even in keeping with her character, and the way that Emma sees Regina as a much-needed friend comes out of nowhere, not satisfactorily answered in the flashbacks. But “Breaking Glass” gets the women to a place they need to be, on the road to a real relationship, and that is very moving.

Regina needs Emma’s friendship as much as Emma needs Regina. The latter reasons are obvious, as Emma could use some help with her magic. The former may be less so. Regina is losing her humanity, treating Sidney like a pawn again and considering dark options, even as she doesn’t go through with them. Henry’s (Jared Gilmore) faith in his adopted mother helps keep Regina good, but an adult friend, one who can see through the bull in a way Henry can’t, as well as someone whose faith in her that Regina doesn’t expect, can help Regina even more. Emma is important in Regina’s redemption sticking and continuing forward.

Another great scene is a small one in which Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) shows interest in Emma’s past. This romantic, compassionate Hook doesn’t quite gel with the schemer seen last week, but it is the Hook fans want, and the Hook that Emma deserves. Hopefully, ONCE UPON A TIME will give us more of this Hook and less of the other one.

Elsewhere, Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) thinks David (Josh Dallas) leads her on a wild goose chase after the escaped Will Scarlet (Michael Socha) in order to get her groove back. It turns out not be a trick by David, but the side story is a good use of Mary Margaret and David, usually flat, uninteresting characters, and the more Will can be worked into the story, even if his narrative is unfolding as fitfully as the Snow Queen’s, the better.

ONCE UPON A TIME is having a rough fall, better than last spring’s batch, but lacking the cohesiveness and the rich layers of the previous autumn’s Neverland arc. “Breaking Glass” does much to get the show back on track, but unfortunately, in doing so, it has to stray from some established bits in recent weeks. Here’s hoping ONCE figures out what it needs to do and sticks with it in time to salvage this story.

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

ONCE UPON A TIME Might Want to "Apprentice" Itself to a Storyteller

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 4 Episode 4 The Apprentice on Seat42F.

This week’s installment of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME is called “The Apprentice.” Rumple (Robert Carlyle) tries to steal a magical box from the Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Timothy Webber, Men in Trees, Arctic Air) that would allow him to keep the Dark One’s powers, but without the limitations. Meanwhile, Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) and Emma (Jennifer Morrison) have their first date, a thief plagues the town, and Elsa (Georgina Haig) searches the town census for signs of her missing sister.

I need to start this paragraph by saying I STRONGLY disapprove over the spoiling of Rumple’s character this year and last spring, negating his growth arc from the first couple of seasons. Still, at least “The Apprentice” finally offers a plausible explanation as to why Rumple cannot have a happy ending, mentioning that villains cannot find their bliss because that’s not how the storybook works. It would be nice if this were established before now, but still, at least it’s offered now. In Regina’s (Lana Parrilla) quest to end up with true love for herself, might she also show Rumple a way to finally, once and for all, get back to who he should be?

This week’s ONCE UPON A TIME doesn’t give us any positive signs in Rumple. His quest to get the box from the Apprentice is something every Dark One has attempted, as we see in a Zoso (Brad Dourif) flashback, and it is only done for evil purposes. Rumple is tricking Belle (Emilie de Ravin), the woman he supposedly loves, and taking out innocent men to get what he wants. These are not good signs.

Hook lets his inner villain out, too. It’s one thing for him to get his hand back (which, by the way, the fact that the hand is not really cursed is totally predictable), but it’s another for him to engage in a game of mutual blackmailing and lying with Rumple. True, Hook has never had that catalyst moment, as Rumple did, where he turns over a new leaf and truly proves himself, but fans of ONCE UPON A TIME don’t expect him to behave this badly. It’s a bit inconsistent for the character, and not a welcome development.

Henry’s (Jared Gilmore) actions also don’t make sense. Isn’t Rumple suspicious when his only grandchild, whom Rumple has strangely ignored for awhile despite Henry’s connection to Rumple’s beloved son, suddenly wants to spend time with him? Rumple is too bright to be fooled by the kid unless love blinds him, and there is no hint of that. Their family connection also should have been explored more fully before now, and that’s glaringly obvious when it is approach at this juncture.

The Frozen arc takes a sharp left turn this week when Anna (Elizabeth Leil) accomplishes her task of figuring out why her parents went to the Enchanted Forest and she returns home. One does not expect this, given Elsa’s efforts to find Anna, so there’s definitely more story in their land to tell. I like when the writers surprise me, which doesn’t happen every week on ONCE UPON A TIME, and that kicks this episode up a couple of notches.

Less enticing is the Snow Queen’s (Elizabeth Mitchell) behavior. She appears only briefly in “The Apprentice” to taunt Emma. It’s fine if the show is taking the slow-reveal approach and only giving us bits of the Queen’s motivation at a time. But it’s weird to get so much of her last week, and then just a brief look at her this one that has her behaving strangely with no discernable reason as to why she is doing so. That needs to sort itself out.

I’m sorry if this review has leaned negative, as I mostly liked it. There is just a lot more to say about the complaints than the impressive bits. There are lots of good things to say about “The Apprentice,” too, though. I love how Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas) make too big a deal over Emma’s date, the Lady and the Tramp reference at the restaurant, the hints about Will Scarlet’s (Michael Socha) true mission in Storybrooke, which has to be to find the Red Queen again, and the meta references where the characters basically acknowledge their storybook roots. This style of humor is exactly what the show should strive for more of, as it works extremely well for the premise and makes for entertaining dialogue.

“The Apprentice” isn’t a bad episode, but it’s not a great one either. It is very Rumple heavy, and I like his Dark One stories, but his behavior in Storybrooke is troubling, as is Hook’s. If the characters and tone were a little more consistent, that would improve the overall presentation a lot.

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

ONCE UPON A TIME Stumbles On "Rocky Road"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND's Happily Ever After

Article first published as TV Review: 'Once Upon a Time in Wonderland' - Series Finale on Blogcritics.

It seems a little strange that the series finale of ABC’s Once Upon a Time in Wonderland is called “And They Lived…” Do the writers mean to imply that the characters merely survived the final showdown? Because that’s not the case. They triumph and basically get everything they want, just like any true fairy tale (though not necessarily any television show) should close. So why not finish “…Happily Ever After”?

“And They Lived…” is a good conclusion to the 13-episode miniseries. It has action and adventure, a couple of twists, the deaths of some minor players, and a wedding at the end. Those who have romantic partners find them again. The villain is defeated, the heroes go home, and it all wraps up pretty neatly. This from a series with a very rocky start.

Many would-be viewers gave up on Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, including fans of the mother ship Once Upon a Time early in its run. It’s a shame, given how the story continued to get better and better as the weeks went on, but it’s not a surprise. Mostly filmed on green screen, with very little reality to latch on to, the characters seem to have an alien frame of reference, and are slow to add depth to the players.

Part of this is because Once Upon a Time in Wonderland begins very mission-focused, rather than character-driven. We know Alice (Sophie Lowe) wants to rescue the love her life, genie Cyrus (Peter Gadiot), but rather than going through personal growth to get to Cyrus, she instead must overcome external challenges tossed in her way by a couple of bad guys.

A few episodes in, though, this begins to shift. True, Alice stays pretty single-minded, but The Red Queen’s (Emma Rigby) back story is one of broken hearts and missed opportunities (which is a little like the Evil Queen in OUAT, but it feels different enough to be OK). Her arc is all about getting back with The Knave (Michael Socha), which becomes more complicated when he takes Cyrus’ place in the bottle, thus shifting the thrust of the story entirely.

Which brings us to “And They Lived…” Jafar (Naveen Andrews) resurrects the dead Red Queen, then forces her to love him, as he has broken the rules of magic. This is not only the most interesting thing going on as Alice, Cyrus, his mother, Amara (Zuleikha Robinson), The White Rabbit (John Lithgow), and their friends try to save everyone, but also where the most tension lies. After all, even if Jafar is stopped, The Knave cannot have his happy ending without The Red Queen. Would she stay in the land of the living if Jafar’s powers, which resurrect her, are stripped away?

It’s great that Jafar’s own hubris is what brings him down. He thinks he has the situation under control, so gets rids of his henchwoman, the Jabberwocky (Peta Sergeant). But then, he’s being hit from too many sides, and his own spell over The Red Queen fails when true love’s kiss proves to be too powerful. He is soundly defeated by the very woman he forced into the mix.

My one real complaint about “And They Lived…” is the specific way in which Jafar loses. Couldn’t Jafar just give the water back to the well, freeing himself fro the genie curse? And are we supposed to believe that the water witch is more powerful than Jafar, even after he has broken all the rules of magic? I feel like this climax needed to be a little smarter than it is. Ditto how the water witch decided to let the Red Queen live, just because.

Still, between the terrific character moment in which Jafar kills his own father (Brian George), and an Alice / Cyrus wedding that residents from both worlds attend, courtesy of The White Rabbit’s portal skills, there is much to praise. There are dramatic moments, earned and well-wrought, as well as a general a feeling of satisfaction as the protagonists get their happy ending.

News of The Knave’s imminent transfer to Once Upon a Time next fall does raise some questions, though. Will he get to take The Red Queen with him back to Storybrooke? If not, how can the writers separate them without ruining their lovely story? Might others be included? Alice and Cyrus surely will not, but there are plenty of other good candidates, including The White Rabbit, who would be most useful.

I do hope Once Upon a Time in Wonderland‘s ratings failure doesn’t ruin any other OUAT spin-off opportunities. It may have taken a little bit of time to make it work, but in the end, it does. More stand-alone, short-form tales like this would be most welcome indeed. Oz, in particular, seems a ripe vein to mine.

"Down the Rabbit Hole" We Go

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND Review on Seat42F.

With the success of Once Upon a Time, ABC decided it was a time for a spin-off. Called ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND, said show premieres this week with the episode “Down the Rabbit Hole.” Picking up many years after the classic Alice in Wonderland story took place (and admittedly, the tale probably plays out quite differently for show purposes than the book remembers it), Alice (Sophie Lowe, Beautiful Kate) heads back to the magic realm after learning that the man she loves, Cyrus (Peter Gadiot, Hot Mess), whom she thought dead, might still be alive.

Fans of the mothership know that these writers like to mix fairy tales up, pulling one world into another. ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND is no different. While the main structure and cast do hark back to Alice’s familiar story, her love is the Genie of the Lamp, recognizable from Aladdin. Similarly, although The Red Queen (Emma Rigby, Hollyoaks) is a malevolent presence in this world, so, too, is Jafar (Naveen Andrews, Lost).

And, because this is ONCE UPON A TIME, who is good and who is bad is not so clear. One of Alice’s friends, well, someone she is friendly with, is helping The Red Queen. It may be under duress, but this character is still leading Alice into danger.

The beginning is quite interesting, with Alice being locked up in a mental institution under the “care” of Dr. Lydgate (Jonny Coyne, Alcatraz). This makes sense for a little girl that is missing for quite some time, then returns with tales of talking rabbits and Mad Hatters. What else would a parent such as her father (Fringe’s Shaun Smyth) do with such a child than seek psychiatric treatment for her? And from the dialogue in “Down the Rabbit Hole,” it’s clear that Alice didn’t make the journey only once, leaving her not only crazy in the eyes of the people around her, but also worldly-wise and prepared to handle herself in dangerous situations. She is not a meek, malleable patient.

Efforts are also made to tie ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND into the previous series. We see the Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha, Being Human) in Storybrooke at the start of the episode, interacting with a great guest star hasn’t been seen in awhile! Plus, Granny’s diner figures in, so there are definitely connections.

Which doesn’t mean that one must know much about Once Upon a Time to jump into this, or that the plots are tied closely together. I believe the purpose of that Storybrooke sequence was to solidify that these shows are set in the same universe, though not necessarily that they have anything much to do with one another. Alice’s mission is her own, and she herself does not encounter any familiar faces in the premiere.

I do wonder if each episode of this new venture will be partially flashback, as Once Upon a Time is. There are scenes set in the past throughout “Down the Rabbit Hole,” but these seem for a specific purpose, setting up the story. It is unknown if there will be more in future hours.

The animation and special effects in ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND are excellent for a television budget, perhaps even a step up from Once Upon a Time. The White Rabbit (voiced by Dexter’s John Lithgow), for instance, is fully realized as an individual, with mannerisms and expressions that make him feel authentic. He may not be realistic looking, by the standards of a rabbit you might find in your garden, but he interacts well with the actors, and definitely fits into the setting and tone established for the program.

The story is also well constructed. A Wonderland favorite ends up being a deadly attacker. There are twists and betrayals in the first episode alone. Alice, in particular, is a carefully thought-out role, and while her journey may be easy enough to figure out, there will definitely be fun surprises along the way, such as a marshmallow marsh.

While initially skeptical that Once Upon a Time needed a spin-off, this is definitely a completely separate tale, and an enjoyable one at that. The two can co-exist without being dependent or taking away from one another. ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Blu-ray Review: ‘Being Human: Season Five’

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: ‘Being Human: Season Five’ on Blogcritics.

The BBC recently released the Blu-ray and DVD of Being Human‘s fifth and final season. Longtime fans of the show may be disappointed that by the final season, none of the original characters remained. Yet, the writing is high quality, the stories are fantastic, the tone and mission of the series is kept true, and the last installments deftly balance serious character development with a larger arc, making sure that viewers actually know and care about the relatively new stars of the show, while still being entertained. It’s an all-around top notch job.

Season Five essentially picks up where the fourth year leaves off. Tom (Michael Socha), the werewolf, and Hal (Damien Molony), the vampire are now sharing the inn they inherited with Alex (Kate Bracken), a ghost of a woman Hal killed. Needing income, the boys take jobs at a local motel (as opposed to the non-active one they live in). The trio all struggle with their personal issues, figuring out the kind of life they want to leave despite their secret, supernatural sides, not realizing all the while they are being manipulated by Captain Hatch, a.k.a. the Devil (Philip Davis).

Hal may be the most messed up. That’s because as much as he’d like to pretend he’s kicked his addiction to human blood, he can’t help but be tempted by it. This leads him into a couple of compromising situations, complicating things with Alex, for whom he still harbors feelings. He also faces his brutal element in a large way.

Tom, meanwhile, feels inferior to Hal, and desperately wants to prove he is as good as the vampire. This is especially true as Tom wonders how much the wold holds him back. Finding that Hal isn’t quite reformed helps Tom’s self-esteem, but strains the bond of friendship between the two.

Alex wants to help both guys figure out what’s best for themselves, but also learns a bit about being a spirit along the way. She has some serious juju, getting a quick grasp of her capabilities, but is a little too trusting, and perhaps a bit blinded by her own emotions.

Interestingly, Being Human brings in a couple of new characters for Hal and Tom to mentor. They see these new characters as reflections of themselves, and, providing Hal and Tom with meaning and purpose for them moving forward. It’s a cool dynamic, and it’s sad the show comes to an end so soon, leaving little time to explore these relationships fully.

Rook (Steven Robertson), a supporting player for awhile, also steps into the forefront this season. He is losing the department he runs to budget cuts, which is unfortunate given the very special interest Rook takes in his work. Faced with the threat he feels endangers humanity, he must decide how important it is to restore his work in the name of saving lives, and what cost may be too high.

The ending of Being Human: Season Five is surprising, and I will not spoil it (though I did previously review it). Suffice it to say, there is a lot of personal examination and a major showdown, forcing the roommates to decide what being human means to them. Because of the nature of this confrontation, the personal stories unspooled throughout the season get closure, rather than growth being pushed aside in favor of action. And Rook gets pay off, too.

The extras are plentiful for such a short run, with a wealth of footage that could have been, but was not, used within the episodes themselves. We get deleted scenes galore, comprising all six installments. There are a number of interviews with various cast and crew members. Five bits about Alex trying to complete her unfinished business are present, and probably my favorite extra, though I wish they hadn’t been split between the discs, the only bonus divided in half this way.

Likely the best inclusion for fans is an exclusive scene that is set after the series’ finale. It neatly resolves some of the ambiguity left hanging, and provides an idea of what a sixth season or feature film could look like. I was actually content with the finale prior to watching this, but now that I’ve seen it, it feels the characters are screaming for more. Might this be what creator Toby Whithouse (who guest stars in the final season) was hoping for?

Blu-ray is definitely the way to check out this release. The effects aren’t too plentiful, but aside from some cheesy-looking werewolves, they are well used and natural. There is a lot of darkness in the color palette and tone, so it helps to have the high def version to see the detail in the shadows and the layers of blacks. There is also a great soundtrack, crystal clear and well mixed.

In short, Being Human: Season Five is a must-see for people who enjoy the show, and a fine example of how to both reboot a story with a fresh cast, and also how to end a series properly in that situation. Kudos to all involved.

"The Last Broadcast" of BEING HUMAN

Article first published as "The Last Broadcast" of BEING HUMAN on TheTVKing.

The British series Being Human recently aired their final season finale, "The Last Broadcast," on BBC America. Capping a short, six-episode run, the central trio face who they are, what they want, and battle the Devil for control of the world. So, just another day for our heroes.

I had my doubts about this fifth series, mainly because all of the original characters are now departed. It's rough to put three newbies front and center in a final season, even if they have appeared on the show prior to it. I wondered if Being Human would concentrate solely on a villain, pay homage to the former stars, or develop the fresh personalities.

"The Last Broadcast," and the rest of the series leading up to it, focus mainly on the last of those three, and that is a good decision. Being Human has always been about supernatural creatures finding their way in a world run by human beings, and discovering how they might fit in. That's what people tune in for, and the show really captures the drama of each spirit, as well as what their internal struggles are. This last season is remarkable in that regard.

There's Hal (Damien Molony), the vampire who likes to pretend he has the evil streak beaten, his craving for blood tamed, but he does not. He has a past that haunts him, and if the red stuff spurts in his field of vision, his carnal needs come raging to the surface. He will never fully defeat that part of himself, and keeping it locked in a cage isn't a cure.

Tom (Michael Socha) is also ashamed of himself, or rather, the wolf inside of him. Rather than celebrating the physical enhancements that come with the werewolf curse, he dwells on the dangerous creature he becomes once a month. This prevents him for bettering his position and career, in his mind anyway, and so he is kept in place.

Finally, Alex (Kate Bracken) has unresolved romantic feelings for Hal, since he killed her on their first date, not to mention that being a ghost keeps her separated from her family and former life. She isn't happy with her limitations, even as she is empowered by her abilities, and wishes for something different.

The Devil (Philip Davis) wisely exploits all of these shortcomings in the final battle, giving the three an opportunity at a normal existence. They can live as people, not as freaks. They resist, though, because as much as they war with who they are, they are deep down proud of the life they've built together. Hal says it when he boasts to the Devil that if the Devil really wanted to win, he'd have put them together.

This is a very interesting observation, and one that feels right as the trio wakes up in one place, defeats their foe, and become human once more. It's everything they've wanted, the best of both worlds, not forgetting the trials they've been through, and also getting to be an average person again. This is the best possible ending for the characters and fans of the series.

But the writers are smart, too, leaving plenty of clues that the Devil may have actually won. We see the paper wolf on the mantle. The ritual to defeat the Devil was supposed to kill the trio, and somehow they survived as humans. Everything is a bit too perfect. This is the ultimate bad guy, and while a film where he is defeated once and for all might be cool, the ambiguous, creepy, sort of depressing ending is kind of neat, too, even if it never goes past this.

Plus, there's always the debate, if Hal, Tom, and Alex truly believe they have won, fooled or not, isn't that still a happy ending for them?

Being Human and "The Last Broadcast" additionally serve up a juicy part for Rook (Steven Robertson), too. He is the bureaucrat who believes in his supernatural-control department whole-heartedly. It's a shame the Devil is able to convince Rook that there must be sacrifice for the greater good, so Rook helps with evil deeds, but Rook's end goal is still a noble one. Rook even is willing to sacrifice himself, which stills holds meaning even if the sequence isn't real, because it fits his arc. This indicates he is a misguided savior, but still someone to remember fondly. It's a complex portrait, beautifully acted and written.

Everything about this final hour is well crafted. From the contrast between Hal's song and dance and his brutality, to the bringing back of former characters for the Devil's offers, to Tom's grief, to Alex's inner strength, to the banding together despite all of their ill will, these roles are served, and the result is incredibly entertaining. Even if this had been taken alone, "The Last Broadcast" stands well on its legs, besides being a pay off for the earlier install

It's a little sad that there are only scant references to George, Annie, Mitchell, and Nina, and yet, this isn't their story anymore. The fifth series is fully about Hal, Alex, and Tom, and so it makes sense for the finale to be about them, too. This is a whole different story, almost a whole different show, but it ends as it should. The finale is to be lauded.

Being Human has completed its run, but all five series are out on Blu-ray and DVD, so there is plenty of time to re-live it, or check it out if you haven't done so yet.

BEING HUMAN Gathers "The Trinity"

Article first published as BEING HUMAN Gather "The Trinity" on TheTVKing.

BBC America presents the final series of Being Human, starting this week with "The Trinity." The events of last season are calming down, but all three house guests, the new vampire-werewolf-ghost trio, have their own matters to attend to, while getting used to each other and finding their equilibrium.

The central premise of Being Human, one that sort of takes a back seat last year, is a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf sharing a home. With the original three gone, a new group takes their place, which makes it feel like a different show. But it's still about them all finding ways to get along, and help each other control their more undesirable urges.

I really like the parts of "The Trinity" that have the roommates together. This is a dynamic that is still being worked out, and they aren't completely comfortable around one another. Tom (Michael Socha) really wants to trust Hal (Damien Molony), but is finding it difficult to do so. Hal is used to worrying mainly about himself, and has to figure out how to rely on others. Alex (Kate Bracken) has a sense of humor the others consider inappropriate. Give how natural the previous series stars had grown with one another, this is an interesting reset, to explore new personalities clashing all over again.

Interestingly, "The Trinity" shows us that this sort of alliance is nothing new. Ninety years ago, Hal teams up with werewolf Catherine (Victoria Ross) and a man named Emil (Jeremy Swift, Oliver Twist) to trap the Devil in a human body. This goes horribly wrong, and the Devil escapes.

So this season of Being Human will have to not only focus on the chemistry of the threesome, but also a battle with the Devil, currently in the form of Captain Hatch (Philip Davis, Whitechapel), who happens to be in town. This is a heck of a villain to face, certainly with bigger stakes than past bad guys.

Which is not to say that the Devil is all this year will be about. There are several other stories going on, too. Hal is fighting his urge to drink blood, and turns a dying guy named Crumb (Colin Hoult) into a vampire to save his life. Mr. Rook (Steven Robertson) is still trying to recruit Hal, and also faces seeing his department downsized. Alex wants to complete whatever unfinished business she might have, which "The Trinity" rules out as being finding her body. And Tom is working on trusting Hal.

I really like Rook's story. It's funny that government cutbacks could threaten the safety of the country or the world. Every slash in the budget risks unintended consequences, but this is taking that to a whole new level, providing social commentary, and giving a previously detestable character something interesting to do.

Flash backs have grown into a tiresome trope on television, but "The Trinity" seems like a fresh take, really setting up the first chapter of a larger arc, and deepening the mythology of the show in an unexpected way. This may be a biased view, but I do think this is one of the best examples of such an element that's been shown lately on the small screen.

I admit to being skeptical going into "The Trinity," missing the original cast, and having to ease into the tale. But by midway through the hour, I was completely engrossed, and am already sad these characters only have this year to complete their journies. Rebooting a show is risky, but it's done very well here. It should be a great season.

Being Human airs Saturdays at 10 p.m. ET on BBC America.