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ABC's Once Upon
ABC's Once Upon A Time.
So I finally jumped on the bandwagon on Tuesday and started watching it because free time. (Yeah, yeah, a whole season late, I know.)
I finished the season one final about an hour ago.
My feelings are—mixed. On the one hand, I love it. Well, I love Regina. And Rumpelstiltskin. And Kathryn (but not Abigail). And Red. And Belle. And Graham, short-lived though he was. And Jefferson. And sometimes Emma, when she isn't filling me with unspeakable rage. On the other hand, there is a part of me that just head-desks constantly whenever Snow/Mary Margaret and Charming/James/David are on screen, which is often because the writers like them for some reason. Also, Henry. I LOATHE HENRY SO MUCH.
So! Spoilers for the first season. Mostly I'm going to ramble aimlessly because I NEED to ramble about it because reasons.
It's usually not a sign of very good writing when the villains are MORE sympathetic than the heroes (sympathetic villains are fine—see: Tom Riddle, Wildhorn's Hatter, the Giant and the Witch in Into the Woods—but the heroes should be MORE sympathetic—see: Harry Potter (mostly), Wildhorn's Alice, the rest of the cast of ItW except the Princes). And that's DEFINITELY the case with OUAT, because Queengina? Needs hugs times infinity at least ONCE PER EPISODE. More than that, in the episodes which feature her heavily (and one episode is devoted purely to giving her a long string of needs-hug moments one after the other). This EVEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the fact that she is a textbook narcissist with a huge sadistic streak towards anyone who isn't named Henry (and even then, willing to go stabby on Henry Sr. when she felt it necessary).
Compare this to Emma, who alternates between being a believably flawed hero and doing such staggeringly hypocritical things that it's hard to take her seriously as a protagonist/intended-to-be-more-likeable-than-the-villain-hero. Because, seriously: "We can't break the law! I'm the sherriff!" *Gilligan cut to Emma breaking into Regina's office with a brick* (I'm exaggerating a bit, but, seriously, THAT HAPPENS). Really? Really? (To say nothing of paragon-of-virtue-and-innocence Mary Margaret, in that VERY SAME EPISODE, arguing that it's fine and dandy to do illegal things if it's for the greater good. GUESS WHO ELSE THOUGHT THAT? GRINDELWALD AND EVIL!DUMBLES, THAT'S WHO.)
And it's not enough for them to give Regina the most heartbreaking backstory EVER (seriously? Watching your mother rip the heart straight out of your TWU WUB's chest just seconds after you thought she was going to let you go? Because a kid you had a mutually caring relationship with and TRUSTED caking told your mother you were going to elope? And then being shunted into an uncaring/borderline emotionally abusive marriage? UM, YEAH, I'D HATE HAPPY PEOPLE TOO. *hughughug*). No. They had to make her son OPENLY HATE HER GUTS. (I don't CARE that Emma's all, "You're not his mother, I am!" No. No. Emma gave birth to him. Regina IS HIS MOTHER.) I mean, their last scene together? For those of you who don't watch the show/don't mind being spoiled, it goes like this:
Regina: *to Henry, who has literally JUST COME BACK FROM THE DEAD* No matter what you think, no matter what anyone tells you, I do love you.*
Henry: *sneers*
Regina: *runs away because angry mob* *gets home* *bawls into Henry's pillow*
*That's legit the actual line. And she's, like, about to BURST INTO TEARS when she delivers it. SAD. FACE.
HOW IS THIS NOT THE MOST TRAGIC HORRIBLE AWFUL THING TO HAPPEN IN THIS SHOW SO FAR?! HOW?!
And yet... *sigh* At least Lana Parrilla really gets her. That's something.
Seriously, though. I feel more awful for Regina than I do for Azkadellia (syfy's Tin Man). And that is SAYING SOMETHING.
Another problem I have with the show is that the primary fairy-tale characters are just... boring. I love that Snow's all action-girl-thief-let's-all-storm-the-castle, because that's fun, but then she kills it by turning around and being naive and silly and overly-reliant on TWU WUB and that sort of thing. And yeah, I get that it's a fairy tale world with magical happy endings, but still. Yech. And Charming/James isn't much better. Actually he's worse because PERSONALITY? WHAT PERSONALITY?!
And their Storybrooke counterparts are absolutely horrific. And not in a good way like, say, Jefferson. Mary Margret is smug and self-righteous and tastes like diabetes and is STILL. NAIVE. And David is a bloody creeper. And indecisive and wishy-washy and, and he kind of makes my skin crawl. EW. Get it OFF.
ALSO: TWU WUB. I know it's fairy tales. BUT COME ON. REALLY?! REALLY?! BUT: Parental love apparently counts as magical "True Love" too. YAY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF NON-ROMANTIC LOVE YAYYYY! even though it WAS Henry. boo Henry.
Um. That's all.
(Contrary to the tone of this post, I actually really really like this show. It intrigues me. [Also, Regina. #belaboringthepoint])
submitted by TNÖ, age 19, Deep Space
(October 6, 2012 - 12:37 am)
(October 6, 2012 - 12:37 am)
I love this show, but I got really behind last season, so most of my knowledge is based on the recap episode. That scene between Regina and Henry made me cry. The new episode is really good. *spoiler alert* The backstory between Sleeping Beauty, Phillp, and Mulan is so sad. And the fact that they're still there is crazy. Also, who knew a schoolteacher knew so much about fire?*spoiler alert*
(October 6, 2012 - 11:51 am)
*poke*
(October 7, 2012 - 10:49 am)
Spoilers included in this post.
I just watched Sunday's episode, and the whole thing with Cora? Crazy. I'm guessing that's why that part of the land remained untouched... Regina somehow knew she was there.
I'm also starting to suspect Bay is Henry's father. And I'm also suspecting the man in Boston at the beginning of the Season 2 premiere (that was Boston, there was an MBTA sign in one scene) is Bay.
And am I the only one that figured out in the Season 2 premiere, the things in the fairy tale land happened in the other world's future? I mean, it's just logical. The wraith came into Aurora's castle in the beginning of the episode. At the end, when Aurora and Mulan find Emma and Mary Margaret, Mulan says they brought the wraith there. If they brought the wraith there, that means they landed there in the beginning of the episode. However, they left our world at the end of the episode, meaning that whatever happened in our world happened before what happened in the fairy tale world, a rare occurance.
(October 8, 2012 - 7:51 pm)
*le spoilers*
*has finally gotten around to watching season 2*
My rather scattered and disorganized thoughts on the season so far (warning: may contain some epileptic trees):
I'd called that Cora was in Wonderland—the Hatter episode made it painfully obvious that the Queen of Hearts was someone (a) important and (b) not someone we're supposed to recognize yet, so when that was followed up by introducing Regina's horrible mother (who steals somebody's heart no less) it was... kinda obvious. (Subtle, this show is not.) What I'd really like to know is how she got from Wonderland back to FTL. I'd also be interested to know what will happen between her and Mary Margret once (if?) MM wakes up. Because while Emma has no reason to distrust Cora, MM certainly does.
I've been kicking around the idea of Bae being Henry's father for a while (and it's a popular fan theory, apparently), but I'm not entirely sold on the idea. It just seems too... pat. (Then again, see previous note re: subtlety). As far as Boston Boy goes, I'm thinking it's definitely Bae, if only because of conservation of details/characters. On the other hand, if Rumpel is centuries old as the show seems to be implying, and the FTL and our world run on the same time scheme (as implied by 2.02), then... shouldn't Bae be dead by now? Maybe Boston Boy is a descendant?
I LOVE the horrible awkwardness of the Snow/Charming/Emma reunion. Poor, poor Emma. I think that's the most sympathy I've felt for her in the entire show.
Puppet!August IS SO CREEPY. (also: we thought his acting was wooden before... *snicker* #badpun)
Wraith=Dementor. That is all. Waiting for the Harry Potter expy to show up.
OUAT Abridged!Dr. Whale has been canonized. YES. DYING OF LAUGHTER.
The lynch mob. Really? That was the most pathetic lynch mob EVER. They were lucky Regina didn't have her powers back yet (also: I refuse to belief that Regina wouldn't even bother to MAKE SURE before going out and gloating at them. She's not very good at thinking things through and almost completely genre blind [although she sort of seems to be getting better as of the end of 2.02), but, cake it, she's not stupid.) (Also, if Dr. Whale was going to do what I think they were implying he was going to in that scene... um. Scared. No please no.)
Charming still infuritates me. GO AWAY, DAVIDJAMES. LET RED BE THE LEADER, SHE'S ACTUALLY SMART. and awesome. <3 Red. So does Henry, although he redeemed himself SLIGHTLY by finally admitting that Regina is still his mother. (And Regina's reaction when she finds out about Henry not wanting to hurt her. Excuse me while I melt into a puddle of sad goo.)
Prince Phillip annoys me too. He's so bland. (Also, I can not be the only one getting major Mulan/Aurora shippy vibes. They're so better off without him, amiright?)
Laughing forever at Granny shooting the bolt at Regina and Regina being like "pfft, whatever." YES. THAT WAS AWESOME. THAT WAS EVEN MORE AWESOME THAN RUMPEL'S BARE-HANDED BLADE BLOCK.
...On that note, REGINA. Regina Regina Regina. Two episodes and I think I love her twice as much now as I did after the first season. SO MUCH CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. Much-needed heel realization and being brave enough to own up about it in front of someone she hates. Proving once and for all that's she's a better person than her mother was and that she just might be able to break out of the cycle of abuse. Committing herself to pulling a heel face turn (or possibly heel face revolving door). Her speech to Henry when she lets him go. Needing endless hugs and actually doing something not self-destructive about it? ENDLESS. SQUEEING. Now all she needs to do is become more genre savvy and she'll be magnificent. (And it would not surprise me in the least if she did just that; she's started on that path already, if the end of 2.02 is any indication.)
Post-despair event horizon!Regina is really heartbreaking. I think because she's fully aware that she's becoming like her mother and she doesn't know how to stop and she's obviously clinging to the last scraps of her humanity by her fingernails (andyoung!Regina's imagine spot with young!Snow was kind of hilarious and tragic and creepy at the same time). And then when she finally does break, she doesn't immediately go all power-hungry and start abusing dark magic. I love that so much. (Also, Henry Sr is useless in this episode. >_> ...More so than usual, I mean.) The parallels between Cora/Regina and Regina/Henry were a bit anvilicious, though. I mean... we get it. Regina fell into the same trap that her mother did (but Regina realized it and decided to stop because she is SUPERIOR IN EVERY WAY). PLEASE STOP RUBBING OUR FACES IN IT.
ALSO: why can't she remember Jefferson? :\ is she just pretending for... reasons (or possibly just to be a jerk)? or is it something more sinister? (I initially thought that it might be an effect of the curse breaking, somehow, but that seems to have been jossed because Jefferson remembers perfectly well and so does everyone else. Except Regina. WHY.)
((Also, I am in love with Lana Parrilla's acting. She has such wonderfully nuanced micro-expressions.))
Rumpel's interactions with young!Regina were brain bleach levels of creepy. And not in a good way like most of Rumpel's creepy moments are. Gahhhhh. do not want. (It was... shippy. And I'm sure some people ship them BUT I DON'T. ick. Belle/Rumpel forever.)
Also: Dr. Whale is Dr. Frankenstein. NOTHING WILL CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE. (Hey, if they can have the Hatter and Greek mythology and caking Mulan in the FTL, they can have Frankenstein.)
What's the deal with leaving Storybrooke now? It's clearly contrary to Rumpel's ultimate scheme (chessmaster <3), so it's definitely not a direct result of the curse. Is it Regina's doing? (Did she pull another fast one on Rumpel, somehow? Has some of her genre blindness been nothing but obfuscating stupidity? Why? That would necessitate her knowing about Bae... somehow... and having a vested interest in preventing a reunion... It would also explain why she let Rumpel get away with all those painfully-obvious gambits in the first season, and she's shown herself perfectly capable of running Batman Gambits of her own [two at once in the otherwise-horrible Sidney Glass episode]. On the other hand, I find it hard to believe that she's THAT good at obfuscating—I don't think she's subtle/chessmaster-y enough to maintain that kind of deception for that long [unless the writers are trying to tell us something by having mayor!Regina turn off the ham so effortlessly]. She's awesome, but she's no Vetinari...) Is it just an unexpected side effect of introducing magic into a non-magical world? Does it have something to do with Boston Boy? Is it just a cheap trick on the writer's part to keep the characters trapped? (I will be SO annoyed if it's that. Especially if they never offer any kind of explanation at all.)
I miss Graham. :( (I don't know why I'm bringing this up. He's barely even been MENTIONED since he died except for that tiny bit at the end of season one. BUT I STILL MISS HIM) ((Maybe because, in spite of everything, I still kind of ship him with Regina? Ugh, I'm a terrible person aren't I?))
I feel like there needs to be a Tin Man/OUAT crossover. The interactions between Regina and Azkadellia would be so fascinating. They would either bond over mommy issues or hate each other. Either way, Kathleen Robertson and Lana Parrilla could have a micro-expression face-off. And I truly have no idea who would win. It would be PERFECTION.
(October 11, 2012 - 8:15 pm)
I was reading this and thought up multiple responses, so I'll right my responses, numbered according to your paragraph number it responds to.
For anyone besides TNÖ, spoilers!!
1. Wonderland... Never thought of that. I got dreadfully behind at one part, so I've never watched the Wonderland episode.
2. When he jumped through the portal, it was only obvious Bae was landing in our world, not when he was landing in our world.
3. Yeah, that was really awkward. But I get how it would be... I mean fairy tale peoples normally get married early, so she's probably OLDER than her own parents. *shudder*
4. August... I missed so much of last season. I'm running off the recap on him.
5. My aunt pointed that out. I must admit, they do bear a certain likeness.
6. Dr. Whale had a fling with Mary Margaret. Awk, seeing as how they're completely different.
7. I get what you mean. The woman has powers, for goodness sake. And she's still the mayor. She still has authority over them. They may be from another world, but they're in America. I would find the lynch mob more acceptable if they at least had pitchforks. Every good mob needs at least one insane guy with a pitchfork.
8. I honestly love those three characters. Red kicks butt, I think Henry deserves more credit seeing as the kid's twelve or so and he's the only one to figure it out (on his own), and Charming... Cughcoughsuckerforromancecoughcough. We're complete polar opposites on the Charming thingy.
9. I think Prince Phillip was awesome to sacrifice himself like that, but Mulan and Aurora are better on their own.
10. Don't remember that part. Will rewatch it later.
11. Agree, agree, agree. That was awesome. At first, I didn't really like Regina, but after this thread, I think she's awesome.
12. I got the impression that she was just being a pompous jerk and really knew who he was.
13. (Parentheses thingy) She's really good at that:)
14. Yeah. Because normally Rumpel's all like creepy but he can't help it because he's the dark one. In this one Rumpel's all like creepy. Just creepy. And I think the underlying motivation is to see someone suffer like he did when Bae ran away. He knows what it's like to lose someone, so he would have to have major motivation to do that to someone.
15. Just had an epiphany about this. Peter Pan. My clues: he wouldn't have a king, he is kinda rude in the originals, he doesn't look like anybody in any of the previews, the fling thingy w/ Mary Margaret reveals they were cursed is the only good reason (who would wanna have a fling with a little boy), and only six out of ten thousand people can guess who he is. There are other theories out there that he's Monstro, which I guess is supported. I've heard one person say he's Robin Hood. The thing is, there was something having to do with his arm in pictures from his revealing episode. I'm not saying you have to change your position here (Dr. Frankenstein's a really great idea), but who are fairy tale people who have an arm thing? I've already shot down my Captain Hook idea because they're completely different actors. Guess we'll find out on Halloween.
16. I think it's to go find Bae/Boston Boy. Someone had to send Boston Boy the postcard in order for him to get it, and Rumpel knows Bae's out there somewhere.
17. Graham's amazing! Like, amazing amazing.
18. I don't watch Tin Man:3
(October 12, 2012 - 9:49 pm)
1. Oooh you do need to catch up. Especially Stable Boy. That episode was fantastic and awful at the same time.
2. But regardless of what time he landed in our world, centuries have still (probably) passed, since Rumpel's implied to be several hundred years old and the FTL and our world apparently run on the same time (both were frozen for 28 years). So Bae is most likely dead either way.
4. August was always just really bland and uninteresting. Boo. Made me miss Graham even more.
7. The feeling amidst the mob after Regina comes out initially was DELICIOUS. That was the best part of that scene (even if Dr. Whale ruined it by being creepy immediately afterwards).
8. Henry's ten. And his only purpose is to be an exposition fairy and Regina's morality pet (which is horribly tragic because he's such a heinous jerk to her). Although I am starting to warm up to him as of season two. (Also, I find it very neat [in a good way] that Henry frequently shows signs of being emotionally and psychologically manipulative, cunning, selfish, and generally behaving quite similarly to Regina. Nurture over nature, eh?)
As to Davidjames… I just… ugh. David was a wishy-washy, indecisive, stalkerish wimp, and James was bland and uninteresting. Davidjames isn't looking to be much better, although at least he's less of a wimp now. (On the other hand: "So simple even David Nolan could do it." I LOL'd so hard. Perhaps the writers really have been reading OUAT: Abridged?)
9. Philip could at least have had the decency to, I don't know, tell them. Two-timing jerk. But, yeah, Mulan/Auror FTW.
10. Basically: Granny shoots her crossbow at Regina. Regina catches it one-handed without batting an eye, smirks, sets it on fire, and throws the fireball across the room. 'Twas rather epic.
11. Regina is, hands-down, the most complex and interesting character on the show. She fascinates me. And I want to hug her ALL the time. And I think this season's going to have a caking awesome character arc for her because, to paraphrase LP, her season one mask has been utterly obliterated and she has to put herself back together now. And it's going to be great. *fangirls* (also, does this mean I converted you into a Regina fan? :D)
12. I hope so. Because otherwise… :/
14. Well the thing with Rumpel and young!Regina was… honestly I think he was just doing it to mess with her head. Because just watching that scene made me want about a gallon of brain bleach and a shower because ew. and young!Regina clearly felt the same way. So.
(On a slightly unrelated note: the dialogue after Regina gets rid of Cora ("I'll never use magic again" "Why?" "Because I loved it"). That was pure, utter gold (…heh.) and I loved it.
15. Have you seen the Facebook Untold Stories app? It describes Dr. Whale as having a "classic 'god complex'" and framing himself "as a victor in all conflicts," feeling "persecuted and misunderstood," and having an inflated sense of self. And, you know, he's a doctor. He's totally Frankenstein (and could Mr. Gold's 12-foot-tall body guard... thing... in the Belle episode be the monster?). I mean, "god complex." They couldn't spell it out any better than that, right?
16. But the reason Rumpel wanted to leave Storybrooke was to find Bae. Ergo, he didn't intend for the boundary to still be in place at all, let alone with that effect. I'm thinking he's going to have a vested interest in getting Emma back to our world so he can finally call in that favor.
17. Graham was awesome. *mourning forever*
18. It's a miniseries, so technically, it's "haven't watched." :) You should, though, it's great. Cheesy at times, but then so is OUAT.
(October 13, 2012 - 1:25 am)
This Dr. Whale thing is really bothering me now. Chernabog. Maybe that's too hard-core Disney, but the episode's coming out on Halloween, and Chernabog's the most evil Disney villain. Or what if he's someone from Aladdin?! Aaaaach.
(October 12, 2012 - 9:55 pm)
In regard to the whole Bae thing, it is possible. I'm trying to think of an example to explain this... If the portal DISTORTS time, then he could have totally skipped whole centuries. If he lands in the early 2000s and totally centuries, he could be that age and still alive.
I think I've figured out the Dr. Whale thing. I know you're going to keep on saying he's Frankenstein, but I think he's Ahab from Mody Dick. I mean, Dr. Whale?! And he's maimed, albeit not in the arm.
My original idea was Capt. Hook, and it kinda all fits together for him, except there are different actors for the two of them, possibly to try to trip us up.
(October 13, 2012 - 2:21 pm)
I am awaking this thread before it is gone forever.
I love as in LOVE red.
Spoiler, Dr. Whale is Dr. Frankinstein.
Melody and I think Hook is cute, well he is.
I have to stop.
My dad is bugging me that I have to go to bed so I will post more on this soon bye!
(October 28, 2012 - 9:06 pm)
Thanks, Blu. Why'd you have to prove me wrong, lol?
(October 29, 2012 - 6:05 pm)
(March 7, 2013 - 9:20 am)