Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 19 & 20 Review

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Episode 19: The Black Fairy

Jaime Murray as Fiona (The Black Fairy) & Sara Tomko as Tiger Lily Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 19 The Black Fairy picture image

Jaime Murray as Fiona (The Black Fairy) & Sara Tomko as Tiger Lily

In theory this could have been a great episode as it goes into Rumple and the Black Fairy’s origins. Unfortunate the fan theory about The Black Fairy being the Hyde to The Blue Fairy’s Jekyll were not true. The Hyde plot exist solely for Regina.

The Black Fairy was just a loving woman named Fiona who is told by Fairy Tiger Lily that Rumple is the or A Savior, who will die by some great evil born in winter of that year. Question, why doesn’t Tiger Lily get a color name? Like Tink was Green. Anyway I could understand this show a little better if Saviors are always or at least sometimes the product of true love but nope just random lottery with too much light magic and a tragic fate. Still doesn’t explain why Emma’s magic went from being True Love based to Savior base. Ho-hum!

Miraculously, Fiona is peasant woman who can read and reads enough Fairy Lore to turn herself into a fairy. Okay, who is else finds it interesting that she a yellow coded fairy and sports a hairstyle very similar to Belle’s hairstyle in the movie. Clever.

Anyway her dark secret is that by trying to make save Rumple she crafts the Dark curse but when Tiger Lily tries to stop Fiona, Fiona tries to kill her turning her into The Black Fairy and the evil destined to kill Rumple. Tiger Lily gives her the shears to cut off her destiny and magic but The Black Fairy cuts Rumple ties to his Savior status and Blue banishes her. Why is that such a dark secret?

There are many issues with this backstory. The biggest is that Rumple says something to effect that dark magic originated with The Black Fairy but that can’t be true. Dark Magic started with Nimue turning into the first Dark One which had to been at least 100 years prior to Rumpe being born. I mean if we go off the timeline Nimue lives 500 years prior to Snow and David’s time. The Timeline is very shaky though. Another problem is the authorship of Dark Curse is all over the place. It seems like Rumple crafted it back when he wanted to follow Baelfire to the Land without Magic. Or did he just modify it? Seem less impactful if he did.

The backstory really didn’t clear up much. If anything is raises more questions like, why did she steal children? Was it an echo of Rumple’s original tale? Because his children kidnapping made no sense. In fact it made such little sense the show offers two maybe reasons. There was the selling of his 2nd born and luring his mother out. How did he even know The Black Fairy was his mother? His father thought she was dead.

Probably the biggest question it raise is what is The Black Fairy’s motivation for killing Emma now? It makes zero sense. Her first plan was to break out her from her realm to get to Rumple. It just seems like something she fixated on with no reason and makes ” The Final Battle” even more contrived.

One more thing that could be considered interesting, Rumple and Aladdin both cut their fate but it still did creep up to them. Aladdin became a Genie to save Agrabah and Rumple died killing his own father to save Storybrooke. Perhaps Saviors never truly get cut from their fate they just lose their light magic. Tragic fates still pending.

However that is not the only issue with the episode. But before we get more into that, anyone notice that the design of the Dragon Egg is straight out of Game of Thrones? Because it was obvious.

Okay the other issue, Rumple lied to Emma’s face and nothing! Why do people trust this guy so readily? Honestly there didn’t need this “superpower” for Emma. I probably would have forgotten about it, if only Emma hadn’t brought it up. You know someone should watch the series all over again and see how many times Emma catches a lie and how many time she doesn’t. That would be interesting infomation. She probably fair better in season 1 but trails off after season 3.

Another issue and this is a nitpick, Regina telling Zelena to flee to New York with Robin and Henry. Why is it always New York. Anywhere in Maine is technically safer as there no magic but they bring up New York all the time. I mean they know Massachusetts exists and Boston hasn’t been mention since like season 4. But for fun let’s say that Storybrooke is somewhere near Cutler, Maine, it’s on the coast much like Storybrooke and judging from a map doesn’t have much nearby, could be wrong. Cutler Maine to New York City is a 9 hour drive. I think this constant escape to New York City is just annoying me. Seriously is because there are two empty apartments? Does Rumple rent the apartment? Prime Manhattan real estate is left unoccupied? That is the really fantasy of Once Upon a Time.

Another bit of fantasy that is another logic issue is that in the previous episode season 6 Episode 18: Where Bluebirds Fly, Emma says that the wedding should be postponed. Now in season 6 episode 19: The Black Fairy, the wedding is next day! What the heck? And Hook asks Henry to be his best man the night before? What the what? Are Emma and Hook eloping? Who does this? They rushed this because I won’t pretend to be an expert but weddings take planning. Maybe in Storybrooke they can expedite things with magic. But a pesto royal wedding that’s pure fluffy fantasy. Can’t really suspend logic for that one

The only highlight of this episode was Zelena hitting The Black Fairy with a car.

Regina makes with teasing quip about ig Zelena has to flee with Henry and Robin, that it would be Henry raising Zelena but come to think about Zelena might be the best mother. She clearly loves and takes care of Robin all by herself pretty much and she cared for Roland in New York. How much do Snow and David do for Neal? Oh well maybe they just royals and have someone else looking after their baby.

This episode was wasted potential and a mix of poor choices. If they hadn’t done the whole Jekyll and Hyde and EQ plot the Origins of The Black Fairy and Rumple could have been better but still with the origins of the Dark one and Season 1 Rumple, this backstory just clashes with the show’s own mythos.

Episode 20: The Song in Your Heart

Colin O'Donoghue as Hook, Jennifer Morrison as Emma & Raphael Sbarge as Archie Hopper Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 20 The Song in Your Heart picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Hook, Jennifer Morrison as Emma & Raphael Sbarge as Archie Hopper

What? A musical episode? Okay, going to separate this one out a little bit. Going to review it as an regular episode then as a musical.

The opening maintain the wrong continuity that Emma was in Minneapolis young child. Season 4 called it said she was in Boston. So unless there is a past section that corrects this error I’m going to blame a writer.

Anyway young Emma start singing into a tape record and then some other older orphan tells her that because she’s alone no will want to hear her sing. Not sure that makes sense. Loneliness doesn’t equal lack of singing talent.

Turns out in the past Snow and Charming wished for something to help Emma get her happy ending which is a song but Snow and Charming start bursting into song. The spell affects everyone around mainly Regina, Hook and Zelena who is in OZ. Rumple isn’t affect and while the joke about him not singing was obvious it still was cute. Zelena decided to help Regina break the song as weird way of oneupmanship. Snow and Charming feel defeated but The Blue Fairy, who cast the song, tells them the song wasn’t really broken it still in fetus Emma and she will use it against the final boss, who is not Regina.

As Emma plans for wedding later that night, The Black Fairy tells her the curse will drop at 6pm unless Emma gives up her heart. Emma tries but Henry finds the Song part of the story and Emma uses her songstress powers against The Black fairy. After the wedding the curse falls. Doesn’t the Black Fairy dust turn people into bugs? Turns out everyone thinks it will transport them somewhere, a Dark Curse 4.0.

Before discussing the musical aspect of the episode let’s nitpick it more. I have a problem believing Emma took the tape recorder from her group home, kept it, brought it to Storybrooke, never used it again but she rewound it? I mean what? Then again the camcorder from season 4. It’s the same thing.

Hook also tries to nearly kill Rumple with Dreamshade but it doesn’t even remotely work. Season 2 called however and it said that the dreamshade was seconds away from killing Rumple. Remember when his name was fading off the dagger. It was only Snow traded Cora’s life for Rumple that he didn’t die. And Rumple can die remember season 3 when he died? Also Dark Ones die, that is how Rumple became a Dark One in the first place. Show is it asking too much that you remember events that happened?

Oh and The Black fairy reveals her motivations for fighting Emma. It because Good and Evil were destined to fight. Weak! For a show that keeps trying to redeem its villains and heroes do questionable things, this one is so black and white. It’s super contrived.

I don’t care if this show is a fantasy, what kind of bride doesn’t pick out a wedding gown on her big day but literally has three wedding dresses on stand-by? Hook did the same thing. He had a white suit but then wore an all black tux.

I was also really disappoint by Emma’s wedding gown. First off it was a copy of Grace Kelly’s gown and on its own was pretty but didn’t suit Emma’s character at all. Apparently the reason for that was Jennifer Morrison liking Kelly’s dress. Costumers shouldn’t curtail to actors as much. It’s not about the actor it’s about character. The red gown she wore to that Ball in the past end season three suited her better. But then again there was an odd dress code at the wedding. Why were all the men in tuxes but the ladies were not in formal attire. The men were dressed for a formal nighttime wedding but the ladies’ dresses were suited more for an afternoon garden wedding. Why did the show miss a chance to dress up the ladies? Also astroturf as a aisle runner on a roof? Show, are you smoking-crack-crazy?

That brings up to the musical part of the episode. The story really just facilitates the musical segments. They are integrated well and the past doesn’t really retcon other events so that is plus.

Let’s not mince words, the actors are not professional singers, they all got tech help though they don’t sound robotic or super obvious for the most part.

The first song is called “Powerful Magic” and it sung by David and Snow. Snow wishes for a way to give Emma a happy ending and poof they sing all the time. It’s a nice upbeat song. Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas’ voice are suited to this song. Overall it was enjoyable

Regina is next. Turns out she doesn’t like this spell. Her song is called “Love Doesn’t Stand a Chance.” Aside from Lana Parrilla chewing the scene this not a good song. It’s kinda all over the place. She is clearly having fun with so I can see people enjoying for that reason and her ruining other people’s song is fun. The song doesn’t seem suited to Lana Parrilla’s voice even though it was written for her. You can just hear her struggling with it even though the auto-tuning

Hook is the next one to get a song. It’s called “Revenge is Gonna be Mine,” you can guess what that is about. Snow and David hire him to take them to Regina. Hook refuses until Snow and David offer Rumple as the payment. So far this is the best one. Colin O’Donoghue has really good voice and it’s a fun jointy song. Who doesn’t like singing dancing pirates in a bar?

For some reason the spell affects OZ so Zelena gets a song. It’s called “Wicked Always Wins.” It’s not the strongest song and the visuals are weak by Rebecca Mader has a nice tone to her voice.

The next song is “Charmings vs Evil Queen” this just a remix of “Powerful Magic” and “Love Doesn’t Stand a Chance.” It’s a battle in song.

The next one is the weaponized song. “Emma’s Theme” is the song that Emma uses to beat The Black Fairy or really just unfreeze her family as they got frozen in time. Jennifer Morrison doesn’t have the strongest of voices. It much softer than you would accept. It could be a case that the song was not all that suited to her voice.

The last song of the episode is “A Happy Beginning.” This is an ensemble piece where all the major characters get a solo. Jennifer Morrison isn’t much of a singer. Oddly Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas were weaker in this song but Lana Parrilla’s voice sounded much better. This song is better with the ensemble singing than with the solo. The “Nah Nah Nah’ part was unnecessary. The song went on a bit but was okay.

So visuals for the song were a little weird. They did make good use of the sets and angles. They also made the dancers make sense as they felt natural in the scene except for Zelena’s song where she just terrorize the munchkins. There was a habit of playing to the camera like an audience which was off-putting. You don’t have to do that with the medium. Make it more of a music video and less stagey.

When I heard there was musical episode I thought it was going to be awful but it was pretty good. The episode’s plot is just an excuse to make it a musical. The plot didn’t however ruin any of the previous plot elements and did advance the story. Was it perfect? No. Was it enjoyable? Yes. I can even forgive the weird style of the wedding and even the Dreamshade/immortal thing. Also did Belle not get an invite?

 

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 17 & 18 Review

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Episode 17: Awake

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White and Josh Dallas as David Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 17 Awake picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White and Josh Dallas as David

There is so many issues with this episode that I’m amazed it got written in the first place. First off as it turns out Snow and David woke up from the curse ten years in because of pixie flowers. These deus-ex-machina flowers unite people with their true love which does connect Snow and David to Emma, remember that for later. So when they have a chance to get Emma back they can’t because if they do she’ll never be the savior. How? How does Emma growing up alone without her parents make her the Savior? Because if recall she was the “savior” or the one to break the curse because Rumple put that into the curse that a product of true love would break the curse. Her being a savior has zero to do with her being an orphan. They could have raised to the age of 28 and something else could have led her to Storybrooke. This just a retcon for no purpose. It doesn’t even make sense. No wonder the rules of magic keep changing, the writers can’t remember the reason why Emma was a chosen one or where her powers come from, they just made up the Savior thing as they went. I do wonder if they started that to keep Emma special because there is another product of True Love who keeps getting forgotten, Baby Neal, who is somewhere, probably, maybe. Are Snow and David good parents?

Also Snow and David wake up from the curse and not in the way you think. The Idea of their curse is that since they share a heart they share the curse and when one is awake the other is asleep. Oh, if only there was another person that was part of this True Love triangle. Oh but wait there is.

By the episode’s own admission Emma is part of that love ergo she could have woken them up this whole time. The freakin epsiode said she was their true love as children often are BUT the episode didn’t do that. Instead of the logical method which they have done before the show opts for a Kumbaya method where the town’s people take the curse to share it with them to wake them up. How does multiple people taken a weaken sleeping curse even wake them up in the first place? It makes no sense. The only reason I can think of for why the didn’t have Emma kiss her parents because it would have less dramatic and kind of a “duh” moment if it had come to that. But then again Rumple was under the dark curse till David woke him and then went back under even though in season 1 and past section in that Welcome to Storybrooke episode in season 2, he was clearly not under curse, so whatever.

They only decent part of this episode was Tiger Lily and Hook. They teamed up to get Hook home so that he can give Emma a wand to banish the Black Fairy apparently Tiger Lily has a history with her. And also Hook return via the pixie flower and pops the question again.

This episode was a trainwreck. It retcon elements to the point of ruining the story and the previous set-up which the writers have clearly forgotten.

Episode 18: Where Blue Birds Fly

Lana Parrilla as Regina & Rebecca Mader as Zelena Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 17 Where Blue Bird Fly picture image

Lana Parrilla as Regina & Rebecca Mader as Zelena

This epsiode rounds out Zelena’s arc as a sort sidebar friend-sister-enemy. The Black Fairy tricks her into charging some fairy crystals with dark magic as Zelena wanted to prove she was the best like no one ever was. Turns out she chooses to fix her mistake and picks friendship over magic and in doing so elects to drain her magic from herself which drains the crystals. So Zelena is sans magic.

The b plot was about finding a wedding venue. Snow is all cheery and happy saying a diner would be perfect but David has higher standards. Turns out David just wants to stall things till the battle is done so Emma can enjoy the day but Snow is all hope speeches. But I agree with David, a diner, really Snow. If only there was a lavish unoccupied space like the Sorcerer’s Mansion? Or A park that is the gates to hell? They also plan on postponing the wedding till the Black Fairy is dealt with. Anyway not a bad B-plot but very much a b-plot.

This episode was alright aside from rounding out Zelena’s arc it didn’t do all that much for the plot. There is this part where the Blue Fairy wakes up from her coma which Gideon caused to reforge the sword that kills Emma. Apparently the Black Fairy wanted her off the table because she know her darkest secret. What could it be? If it’s that she is really Blue’s darker side, that would bring the season full-circle and aside from the Aladdin plot, the other plot threads would make sense. Would also make Blue more interesting.

Also Pancakes are to Hook and Emma to what Tacos are to Snow and David. ^_~.

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 15 & 16 Review

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Episode 15: A Wondrous Place

Colin O'Donoghue as Hook, Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin, Karen David as Princess Jasmine & Joanna Garcia Swisher as Ariel Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 15 A Wondrous Place picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Hook, Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin, Karen David as Princess Jasmine & Joanna Garcia Swisher as Ariel

Now this was a decent episode maybe because it dealt with the Aladdin plot and Ariel was in it but still it was fun. This episode also finalized the Aladdin plot which is a bit sad since from now on it will be the Gideon show.

Speaking of Gideon NOW he figures to ask Emma to help and uses Savior Tear magic which makes no portals happen so he has leverage. How does that work? Who knows? Even the Storybrooke scenes were nice. Drunk Snow is a woot. Though back when Robin left Regina Henry made her a care package but when Hook leaves Henry can’t be bothered to comfort Emma or even take the trash out. Teens.

This episode felt more like what show was trying to be in its concept, re-imagined Disney characters hanging out, having adventures and maybe getting drunk. I really enjoyed the show’s rework of Jasmine and Aladdin though Jafar was dispatched unceremoniously. Could they have done more with the Aladdin plot and less with Gideon and EQ and Robin and Jekyll and Hyde? Yes! But it could a less is more scenario. All in All it was a highly enjoyable episode. Though what was up with that oracle. After she was killed there is nothing about but in the past section is absent. I also miss that seer in season 2.

Also Aesop’s Table is a great name for a bar.

Episode 16: Mother’s Little Helper

Jaime Murray as The Black Fairy Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 16 Mother's Little Helper picture image

Jaime Murray as The Black Fairy

Funny, the basic rule is show don’t tell but for some reason the tell of Gideon’s story of when the Black Fairy tormented a child and let Gideon’s cell door open was more powerful in the tell than in the show. Could have been the acting, Gideon’s actor was stronger than the child asking for help.

Anyway this episode does answer a big question, why does Gideon act so dumb? Simple, his dear old Grandmama has his heart. Oddly enough Gideon did want the savior to save the children in the mines and wanted to simply act her. The idea here is that The Balck Fairy needs the savior to die so a portal freeing her opens. Now that her plan is done what else does she want to do? I mean she the being that created the dark curse and presumably all darkness. She could be older than Merlin and the dark one(s). Wonder what she saw in Peter Pan? Then again her plan to dispatch Emma was a Giant Spider and for some reason I just can take that seriously.

Also this episode has Hook and Black Beard on a double crossing misadventure the brings them to Neverland. There should have been more of their antics, that would have been fun but there are only six episode left so can’t be helped I guess. Moving on.

There also more with the author plot because people must have really missed Isaac (I don’t think they did). You see Henry’s author powers are taking over because of the final battle and Isaac wants to peace out which apparently now he can. Where did the barrier go? Must have missed that part. And he also wants Hamilton tickets because the show has no clue how much time has passed since season 1 and neither do the viewers.

This episode was f boring. It made up for itself by the Black Fairy chewing the scenery, she’s kind of delightful and also Hook and Black Beard anti-pirate-pal-time. It did answer some questions that made Gideon more tolerable but that Giant Spider fight, no words for that one.

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 13 & 14 Review

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Episode 13: Ill-Boding Patterns

Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin, ‎Giles Matthey as Gideon & Keegan Connor Tracy as The Blue Fairy Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 13 Ill Boding Patterns picture image

Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin, ‎Giles Matthey as Gideon & Keegan Connor Tracy as The Blue Fairy

No, just no on this episode. Let just start with Gideon’s dumb plan of killing Emma to be the savior, highlander-style. It’s dumb, really dumb, just ask for help. Gideon apparently has something to prove trying to be a hero and Rumple wants to help but doesn’t want to darken Gideon because Bae was darken once which retcons Bae/Neal’s personality. And apparently as we learned in season 5 if you forget you inner darkness you don’t have any temptations afterwards, ever.

Also Beowulf for some reason. Beowulf is the antagonist of the past section though it just seems more like name drops than anything story related. The past section was boring and all it does is give weak backstory to why Rumple didn’t want to darken his son’s soul. Also Beowulf before Hunchback. Grrrrrrr!

But it gets worse. EQ is no longer a snake because of some undoing magic spell that didn’t work on the town barrier but did work on EQ.

And yet it still gets worse since Hook is all emo about telling Emma about killing her grandfather but as he is about to tell her, she hijacks the conversation and kind of forces the proposal on him because she was in his sea-chest, found the ring and then took the ring with her. Who does that? I would be PISSED off I spent the last three or so year shipping these two to get this as the proposal. Though I started this show less than a year ago and it still irritates me that this is the proposal.

Hated this episode.

Episode: 14: Page 23

Lana Parrilla as Regina Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 14 Page 23 picture image

Lana Parrilla as Regina

That’s a wrap on EQ and wish-Robin, they are living it up in the wish realm. Basically the episode has Regina redeeming EQ by giving her love and taking her darkness. This brings Regina full circle, she has balanced her darkness and the light and loves herself. The past section dealt with Regina discovering she hates herself more than she hates Snow White.

Speaking of Snow, can you believe this is the first time Hook and Snow have had a one on one conversation? Crazy!

Which brings us to Hook, oh Hook. Emma discovers Hook’s secret because he wanted to erase the memory of killing her grandfather, not sure how he used the dreamcatcher to get the memory or why he was watching it in the living room but now the wedding is off for now. Emma gave the ring back not for the murder but for the lying and the memory wipe attempt. So Hook decides to go with Nemo to figure shit out but after learning from Snow that the EQ got a happy ending he thinks he can too. But when Hook tells Nemo he isn’t going with him, Gideon shows up and makes the submarine leave. Uh-Oh.

But really, how many times does Hook have to be redeemed? He went to hell and back and ONLY came back because he helped defeat Hades. What does he have to do? How many conversation about villains not getting happy ending but can be redeemed does there need to be?

This episode was still ok. It’s nice that the EQ and Robin’s story are hopefully ended. Also it was nice to see Tink but there didn’t need to be an homage to Frozen. And Gideon still sucks.

 

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 9 & 10 Review

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Episode 9: Changelings

Emilie de Ravin as Belle and Keegan Connor Tracy as The Blue Fairy Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 9 changlings picture image

Emilie de Ravin as Belle and Keegan Connor Tracy as The Blue Fairy

So the Black Fairy is really Rumple’s mother. This family tree gets more complicated all the time especially when you think that Regina is both Henry’s mother and step great-grandmother.  

Basically it seems that Rumple has had a dark origins this whole time and is the reason he hates fairies. Not sure how to feel about this twist especially with the better twist that Aladdin became a Genie! That’s a good twist. I hate how little the show is doing with  the Aladdin plot unless it goes into Emma’s death vison plot or Rumple and Belle. I’ll admit  Rumple and Belle’s dynamic this episode was interesting but they have been having variations of the same conversation since the start  now they just have a baby thrown into the vocabulary.

The scene with Belle giving her son to Blue was emotionally charged but the episode was just alright. Good in parts and dragged in others.  

 

Episode 10: Wish You Were Here

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 10 Wish You Were Here picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma

 

Are you kidding me with this episode? Another alt-timeline? Really show? I have to ask even though it’s a wish, how does Emma and Neal get together to even have Henry and why is he still called Henry? That name was because of Regina! It might be a fake wish reality BUT STILL SHOW! And somehow in this world Rumple could get a bean with ease when in reality he got Regina to cast the dark curse so he could get to his son. On a context level this episode hurts. Plus Robin is back now in the wish world.

In other plots, when Aladdin became the Genie, Jasmine didn’t make her wish to return to Agrabah. For some reason they waited and EQ got the lamp prompting the whole wish world. In other, other plots Belle and Rumple’s son got taken by the Black Fairy and turns out to be the hooded figure who is destined to kill Emma, so that’s how they worked Rumple and Belle’s plot to have more importance.  And EQ is now a Snake and at two masters later, Jasmine has the lamp and made her wish. Still wish Aladdin and Jasmine weren’t side-plot fodder.  

Did not care for this episode, sure it’s another twist that Baby Gideon is one who kills Emma but the wish-world shenanigans literally hurt my head with all the mental leaps it asks of the viewers.  

Also this show has a pattern of having a character telling other characters to meet they at place in one hour. Is that ever enough time?

 

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 7 & 8 Review

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Episode 7: Heartless

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White and Josh Dallas as David Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 7 Heartless picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White and Josh Dallas as David

And we are back to having a sleeping curse in play. This time it’s a shift based curse on the Charmings. If Snow is awake then David is asleep and vice-versa. It’s rather clever. Too bad the rest of the episode hinged on being boring aside from the puppy. What happened to Charming’s dog?  

The past section rewrites Snow and David’s first meeting so instead of meeting when Snow robbed him, now they actually have their first encounter when Snow got captured by a bounty hunter. Why? Why retcon this? Is it so they have more True Love to their story because they literally drown in true love mythos.

So show of hands, who sick of Belle and Rumple’s toxicity? I hate that they take up  so much screen time. The show murdered their relationship because it needed Rumple to always be in the villain position but they can’t make Belle a doormat so it’s sucks to watch them. You can’t root for them.    

Emma and Hook are getting boring since more of their scenes are just pep talks. And that just leave the Charming who are too perfect but now they are curse. So I guess that makes them compelling? Not really.

Liked the twist on the curse and the puppy. Also the line about the Dying of the Light reference. Sure they were referring to the poem but my mind went to the George R.R Martin book.

 

Episode 8: I’ll be your Mirror

Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen and Jared S Gilmore as Henry Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 8 Ill be your Mirror picture image

Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen and Jared S. Gilmore as Henry

Well don’t the Charmings just adjust super well? No curse is going to get in the way of making pancakes. And hey and the curse allows to actually  care for their baby whom they haven’t talked much about this season but at least baby Neal is there, still a baby and  yet Henry keeps on aging.  

This episode has Regina and Emma getting trapped in the Mirror world with the Dragon. The Dragon seems like he has a compelling backstory which we will probably never see. EQ tries to pull a Darth Vader on Henry when she gives him a Sophie’s choice which is kill the Dragon, whose heart she holds or let the Dragon, who can turn into a dragon, kill Emma and Regina. Henry opts for that heroic third option which is the smash the mirror which works and not just taking  the heart from EQ and telling the Dragon  to stop. They never do things like that. Maybe heart stealing is that fourth option.  In anycase  since Regina has had a light and dark battle in her soul, is she Kylo Ren?

In other plots, Aladdin steals the portal wand so that Belle can go to the Enchanted Forest because Rumple is a mammoth  asshole who wants to use the Shears of Destiny on their son so the kid won’t hate him or something? Rumple forces Belle to stay and now he wants Zelena killed since she has leverage on him because he can’t hurt her. Just sick of  the Rumple plot. The show loves the actor but they can’t do much with character without constantly making him an ass-face.

Also Emma is going on and on about her death again. This season lacks focus

Also RIGHT before EQ throws Hooks I swear there some weird effect in the water. Maybe it’s a subliminal message?

subliminal message or weird effect in Once Upon a Time

subliminal message or weird effect or compassion error?

 

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 5 & 6 Review

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Episode 5: Street Rat

Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin & Karen David as Princess Jasmine Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 5, Street Rat picture image

Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin & Karen David as Princess Jasmine

Sigh, this savior business has gotten out of hand. So being “The Savior” in the first season seemed like a cute nickname for Emma to bring back all the happy endings and her “light magic” was the result of being the product of true love which is what fuel her nickname as the Savior. Turns out “The Savior” is now a status with a tragic fate. All Saviors Must Die, All Saviors Must Serve. However, the savior status can be cut with  special scissors.

Didn’t dig the Storybrooke section with EQ and Zelena getting a spa day. Gotta wonder which story the spa workers are from.

The past section on the other hand, savior business aside, was pretty good. Jasmine and Aladdin are likable and the aesthetic of Agrabah was fun. Sure they mixed cultures and the leads have English accents but whatever. Rather would have the story focus on them than moody Emma.   Basically the Aladdin is also a savior and his story feed more into Emma’s story than his or Jasmine’s plot.

 

Episode 6: Dark Waters

Colin O'Donoghue as Hook & Faran Tahir as Nemo Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 6, Dark Waters picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Hook & Faran Tahir as Nemo

A MAN IS NO ONE!?  OMG IT’S A FACELESS MAN! RUN HOOK RUN !!!!!!!!!!! Or Nemo (no one) HA! How droll.

Basically this episode is another episode about how  revenge isn’t all that great yadda yadda yadda.  You have heard it all before, agian and agian and then agian.

There are some issues with this episode. First off, apparently the past section takes place during the Dark Curse BUT BUT BUT didn’t the dark curse freeze the Enchanted Forest? Isn’t that what Cora said to Hook right before it fell in season 2 in another past section? And yet here is Hook now having an adventure with Captain Nemo and his  brother Liam, his other brother. under the sea.

Also when did Henry start hating Hook? His weirdness toward Hook was contrived. Plus if you had a drinking game going where you take a drink anytime someone says “Hope” and “Family” you would have extreme liver cirrhosis  by now. Suppose if you added “Dearie” to the mix you’d be dead.      

And finally and this isn’t so much an issue with this episode BUT more on the season as a whole. What are the stakes anymore? The characters have been told that splitting a heart with one’s true love cheats death so long as it’s done quickly before the soul can leave the body and back in season 5 hell Emma and Hook passed the true love test so what’s the problem with Emma’s fate?  Let fate play out and BOOM heart share.

Otherwise the episode was weak, less revenge and Emma’s visions and more Jasmine and Aladdin. They are the saving grace of this season so far.

This episode did remind me of Song by Sarah Brightman called Captain Nemo.

 

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 3 & 4 Review

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Episode 3:  The Other Shoe

Jessy Schram as Cinderella & Tim Phillipps as Prince Thomas Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 3, The Other Shoe picture image

Jessy Schram as Cinderella & Tim Phillipps as Prince Thomas

I had forgotten that Rumple was also the Fairy Godmother.  He just has so many roles in this show. This episode revisits Cinderella a.k.a Ashley and her step-sister who was in love with a footman but got hauled off to land of untold stories with the wicked step-mother because she didn’t want her daughter marrying beneath her. Apparently working for royalty isn’t good enough for a woman who sold porcelain for some dresses and uses slave labor.  Or is Cinderella an indentured servant?

The other plot going on is Emma’s issues with the  future and finally asking Hook to move into the house that he picked out for them to live. Emma’s proposal was sweet but weird when she added the bit about getting hit by a bus and space for leather jackets. Also there is a plot with Regina trying to out-think EQ, Snow White wanting to teach, David learning about his father’s death and Rumple getting a mixtape to Belle.  These plots are all at the expensive of the other stories going on like the Dwarves saved Dopey from being a tree and Dopey got into a masters program. In what and where? Fuck you, that’s not important when we got a mixtape and a 40+ year old hot cold case. I still wanna know how Mulan and Aurora saved Philip from the wraith back in season 2. That could have been an epic adventure but instead we got Tamara and Owen, Peter Pan’s anti-magic zealots.  It’s just like Why on that one.     

The past section was good, nice to see Cinderella’s step-sister get more characterization than nothing. How  she met the foot-man could have been interesting but there is no time for a line like that when there are like five plots per-episode  and a weird pilgrim lady coming to town,  the  show has its priorities people. Got to wonder what story that Pilgrim lady is from and why didn’t she want her story played out?

It was a good enough epsiode, loved Emma’s white embroidery shirt  especially with the leather jacket and the step-sister’s gown. That gown was awesome.

Mekenna Melvin as Clorinda Tremaine Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 3 The Other Shoe picture image

Mekenna Melvin as Clorinda Tremaine

 

Episode 4: Strange Case

Hank Harris as Dr. Henry Jekyll & Sam Witwer as Mr. Hyde Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 4, Strange Case picture image

Hank Harris as Dr. Henry Jekyll & Sam Witwer as Mr. Hyde

Well that was super unceremonious way to end the Hyde and Jekyll storyline. So many questions left unanswered only to answer a question that made Hyde’s story play into Rumple and Belle’s toxic relationship and to get the EQ to be her own character. I did like how their backstory played out but right when you start liking the plotline POOF it’s gone because we have to make way for the Aladdin plot.

Speaking of Aladdin, the b-plot with Jasmine being a teacher’s aid to Snow was SUPER boring. What does Snow White teach? Don’t care, I want to know what Dopey is getting his M.A in, I’m super curious about that. Maybe it’s dendrology, the scientific study of trees? I mean he was a trea.  In my head canon that is what he’s studying. I mean if the show’s not going to answer it might as well make something up.

This season seems like a kitchen-sink of plotlines. It’s like they knew there wasn’t going to be a continuous story for season 7 so they had to jam back season 6 but they had already started the Hyde/Jekyll/EQ plot. So while the backstory and ultimately Hyde and Jekyll were interesting in the heart/mind and social politeness vs not giving a fuck about society was interesting, nothing came from it.   I mean WHAT WAS HYDE’s PLAN? WHAT DID HE WANT?

Also Rumple got his hair cut! That’s an important plot point OR the actor got sick of the wig.     

Not a great episode. Minor points for concluding a story instead of having characters fizzle into the background, Lily and Maleficent.  The past section was really good.  

Also where are my Avonlea fans at because Jekyll reminds me a lot of Jasper Dale, sans the murder part.  

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episodes 1 & 2 Review

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Episode 1: The Savior

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 1 The Savior Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

Wow, this episode has no past section, well except for that Aladdin is a has-been savior and Belle’s dream world but no plot based section set in the past. There was no time to have a past section when there is like 30 story plots going on. Regina being pissed at Zelena while mourning Robin, Zelena pissed at Regina for destroying her dark part as well as not thanking her for destory the man she loved to save Regina, Hyde’s secret evil plans, Belle’s baby, the island of Misfit untold story characters, Emma’s future, Aladdin is another savor, what drinks did the Evil Queen make and what does she want, Robin’s soul, Archie trying to find more patients, Granny trying to make ends-meet after Snow volunteers her place as a soup kitchen, Pongo trying to take a walk in peace, Hyde trying to have enough money in his canteen account, Hook’s new haircut, and Henry trying to get in on all the action while Hook and Emma try to get some action. I’m sure I missed something but there is lots and lots of plot this episode. Hopefully they will all reach a nice conclusion since this sort of is the last season since NEXT season seems to be a soft re-boot with most of the cast not returning.

Was this a good episode? It was alright not good but okay. It did get the ball rolling in many, many directions.

Episode 2: A Bitter Draught

Lana Parrilla as Regina Omce Upona A Time Season 6 episode 2 A Bitter Draught picture Image

Lana Parrilla as Regina

No thank you I like fruity beers. A bad Beer Joke! And now the review.

I do not get this land of untold story plotline. There is a magical realm where time stops and stories are halted and the people who live there chose to live there so they didn’t have live those stories and YET they all chose to follow Hyde, who is like their leader for some reason not explained, to Storybrooke to play out the stories they didn’t want played out? Enter characters like the Three Musketeers who are just extras, some Bellydancers, Steampunk people, a cowboy and Edmond Dantes a.k.a The Count of Monte Cristo.

So they changed up Edmond’s story for drama so that instead of Mercedes (his fiancée) marrying Morcerf, Mortcerf kills her and Dantes doesn’t know about Danglar and Villefort’s involvement. And forget about Haydée, she wasn’t mentioned or Albert. They also suggested that Monte Cristo was a place but it wasn’t, it was a rocky spit of land hence the joke of the title but props to them getting that it’s also a sandwich. I’ll admit it I might be harsher with adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo since Gankutsuou is a near flawless adaptation and one of my favorite anime, go watch that but adaptation is an art since so let’s just look this version of the Count for what it is. ((( also that they did Monte Cristo before Hunchback, am I bitter about that? Yes even if they jacked it up I would still love to see what they do with the story and characters.)))

It’s not a terrible re-work of the Count since his deal his how revenge isn’t as sweet as previously thought much like Regina but Edmond’s story is a means to an end since he died as a point from EQ (Evil Queen) to Regina. It just seemed more of a waste since all his actions were because of EQ had his heart. And apparently people can just say when someone has their heart. Well then why didn’t Hook say that to Emma in season 4 when Rumple had his heart? There are no real magic rules anymore. EQ used a magic damping spell and messed up Henry’s phone. What price did she pay for that?

Speaking of nitpicks, the show needs to do a better job styling the double’s hair on Regina. Regina has this flair out layer that is missing on the double when Lana Parrilla is playing the EQ in the stand-off scene. Also how did Regina get to Edmond’s Dantes/Dumas world? Was it the Hat? Realm hoping isn’t an issue since season 3.

Also gotta love Disney lack of self-awareness when talking about how sequels are more “involved” than the original. It’s funny given their terrible record for Disney sequels as well as recent remakes, which are more misguided.

This episode has like three balls in motion although one is dividing. You have the EQ’s machinations which involves Regina, Zelena and David. There is the untold story characters which might just be episodic stories used to move the main plots forward whatever that turns out to be, and Emma’s issue with being A savior and her death by cloaked figure in the future. Oddly Hyde was absent in this episode. Guess no time when the EQ tricks Edmond Dantes to teach her other-half lesson and how did Regina use Edmond to get her revenge in the past? Like how did she know Villefort and Dangler involvement? Magic? Seems like the Count of Monte Cristo should have been smarter but that’s adaptation for you.

Meh episode but it’s still set-up for the season.

Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 21- 23 Review

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Episode 21: Last Rites

Sean Maguire as Robin & Lana Parrilla as Regina Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 21 Last Rites review picture image

Sean Maguire as Robin & Lana Parrilla as Regina

Ok, so Hades’ plan this whole time and the real reason he gave up on the time travel thing to switch places with his brother and focused on Zelena was because Zeus broke the Olympian Crystal and Hades couldn’t repair it with his heart stopped in addition to not being able to leave the underworld. Also it seems like Hades wants it all, Storybrooke, Olympus, no-calorie cookies and power. Now the Olympian Crystal is the only thing that can kill or end a god. This the same plot device the show uses a lot towards the end of each arc, some magic thing that either saves everyone or doom everyone, like season 2 it was that fail-safe trigger, or is season 4 with that necklace. Or how a cut from Excalibur just murders you.

Trouble is Hades he can, like everyone else, can snap a person’s neck with magic, so why not just do that? He did it with Arthur. Why really do you need the trouble of forging your only murder weapon, even if they do-gooder don’t know about it? Why bother?

Except Arthur and Hook found the pages about Hades and the crystal and they put in the book and TA-DAnce, pages in the Storybrooke version for Emma to see. But it is Zelena who kills Hades after he obliterates Robin’s being and lies about this schemes. Hades did love Zelena though he just fell victim to being a villain and wanting to have it all. Power, love, family, power, a kingdom to rule, power and more power. He didn’t explicitly say it but he probably wanted to kill Zeus with the crystal. Anway Zeus restores Hook to life because he was a good boy. So Hook stayed officially dead for like one episode. Arthur is cool with being in the underworld since he now knows Camelot wasn’t the kingdom that he was prophesied to repair, it was UnderBrooke. Looks like Cruella is going to have some opposition.

It does suck that Robin’s existence has been wiped out, like his soul is gone. It was a noble sacrifice for Regina. It might have been sadder if he wasn’t being such a douche about his daughter, how Zelena was dangerous and how Regina shouldn’t trust Zelena.

This conclusion to the arc felt very underwhelming. Robin’s death is only going to cause more drama for Regina because this show loves its drama. Girl can’t be happy because that’s not dramatic.

All in all this was an arc of cameos and call backs.

Episode 22: Only You

Jared S. Gilmore as Henry & Olivia Steele Falconer as Violet Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 22 Only You review picture image

Jared S. Gilmore as Henry & Olivia Steele Falconer as Violet

Remember in season 2 when Henry tried to destroy magic? Well he’s at again though with more teenaged angst. He thinks magic is the root cause of all the suffering in Storybrooke expect Storybrooke is made of magic so when Rumple steals a piece of that Olympian Crystal and tethers Storybrooke’s magic to it after Belle’s father refuses to wake her, Henry using his author powers steals the crystal and goes to New York to destroy it and Violet goes with him. At a library they find other Once Upon a Time books like one has Don Quixote and Paul Bunyan, not sure why they are in the same book. Violet also sees a “twin” of the Holy Grail which they conclude can destroy magic. Why is it in the Mid-town library? Rumple however shows up and takes the Crystal before Emma and Regina can get there.

Regina is once again go through the fine line of being good and suffering and following her impulse and be evil which means she would lose everything and everyone. This was an emotionally charged scene and the best of the episode.

Speaking of the balance of good and evil we have Jekyll and Hyde now. Because of the impending Doom, there is an evacuation of Storybrooke. Before Zelena can close the portal it goes crazy and her, Snow, David and Hook are pulled to somewhere. With the wand broken they captured and are the prisoners of Mr.Hyde. Hyde is not a fan of the Dark one. Jekyll repairs the wand but is caught and Hyde allows the plan to continue as he wants everyone in the steampunk zepplin land to go to Storybrooke too. Hyde also steals Belle in pandora’s box from Rumple. Rumple actually picks to save the power object over his love. Classic Rumple. Don’t feel bad for him. Hyde does this for leverage.

Here’s a thought, couldn’t Henry, as the author, just write that everyone loses their magic? Then no more magic. Or is that not dramatic enough? He just uses his author power to steal the magic but not remove it from people.

This episode is more of the same just upcycled. We have seen Regina’s struggling with her darker self and now there the Jekyll and Hyde plot. Henry wants to destroys magic again, people trapped in a weird land again. Rumple wants power for love but choice power again. This episode reverts to it’s old patterns and just repackages it. Characters don’t get arcs they grow a little bit and then a setback happens and people accuse them of following back to their old patterns, just like the show. That maybe how real life goes but it’s not interesting in a show about how gray fairy tale characters are and redemption arcs.

This episode is serviceable as the first part of the two part finale. On a plus side the violin music at the end was amazing. It had a Phantom of the Opera vibe. Do Phantom of the Opera Once Upon a Time. Or Hunchback. I don’t really want to think those curiosity were a weird Hunchback reference, I’d rather be reading too much in their extra choices.

Episode 23: An Untold Story

The Land of Untold Stories Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 23 An Untold Story review picture image

The Land of Untold Stories

This episode is the 2nd part of the finale. Zelena, Snow, Hook and David find out the identity of the Good Gardener/Doctor and the Warden and they try and flee Mr.Hyde who has been separated from Jekyll. Turns out they are in the Land of Untold Stories which is full of Outcasts, show’s own words, so high hopes for Hunchback. To be fair yet another extra looks like Esmeralda.

Meanwhile, Henry successfully destroys the magic of Storybrooke with the Dark Grail only to find out that most of his Family is trapped in another realm. They meet the Dragon, who isn’t dead and he tells them that magic is everywhere. They go a fountain and make wished which charges the crystal but it’s not enough. Henry makes speech about magic and belief which is enough to restore the crystal and open a portal which brings back Zelena, Snow, Hook and David along with Jekyll. Rumple slips through the portal to save Belle. The New Yorkers then think it was a act. Regina then uses Jekyll’s serum to remove the Evil Queen and crushes her heart. However Evil Queen isn’t dead, she on the war path for the next season.

Rumple and Hyde come to some deal and Rumple gives Hyde Storybrooke and Rumple gets intel on saving Belle. Hyde brings all the untold story people to Storybrooke for next season shenanigans

Also Violet’s dad was from the Twain’s story, A Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Funny didn’t he chastised Henry for not being a knight. But they did say his name was Sir Morgan so might have been planned that way.

This episode has the flaws of the last episode but it have lot more set-up for next season with three plot threads, Regina versus Evil Queen in the flesh, no subtle internal struggle anymore, the show will eats its cake dammit, The Untold Stories featuring Hyde and Jekyll, and Rumple saving Belle which more than likely will get wrapped up quickly but it’s still a plot thread.

Henry flip-flopping on magic was annoying and his speech was awkward.

There was a heavy-handed foreshadowing when Emma tells Hook she loves him without being in peril there is a wedding gown positioned in between them in the background. What could happen next season???

So on to next season. Will there be Hunchback? Feel like I would have heard if there was by now since the season has ended. That extra might be it but she looks more like Esmeralda than the underworld waitress. Do you guys think that is Esmeralda?

Another Curious Extra or maybe Esmeralda Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 23 An Untold Story review picture image

Another Curious Extra or maybe Esmeralda