Once Upon A Time 3.10 Review: Evil Will Always Exist

All those that have yet to watch tonight’s episode of Once Upon A Time, entitled ‘The New Neverland’, this would be the point in which to stop, turn around, and go do that. For this is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

Well, that was a decent outing for this series, nothing spectacular – like the first season – but decent. I do find that this very much felt like a precursor to the Winter finale, but then that made it disappointing when I was under the impression it was. Alas, there will be another episode next week, so that’s not as upsetting as it could have been.

One problem I do feel that this episode had was that the Blue Fairy’s death didn’t feel like it had enough impact. This is the fairy that made Pinocchio a real boy, but it didn’t seem like there was enough grief behind it, or behind the characters for that matter. These characters are very much supposed to feel as if they’ve been interwoven into each other’s lives, but there was just something lacking in this moment. It honestly didn’t feel like it mattered.

Now, regarding Pan and Hook switching bodies, I very much felt like Jared Gilmore was adept at playing the way Pan walked, but there was almost too much weight behind the way he spoke. Even when Pan was just with Felix, it was as if he were incapable of expression and was simply just putting force behind his words. That was too much for me. Robbie Kay, on the other hand, didn’t exactly seem to fit the part of Henry as well as he did Pan, but I’m kind of wishing that Henry could stay in Pan’s body so I wouldn’t have to see the dismal acting abilities of the aforementioned Gilmore. I mean, the kid could get better as he gets older, but he needs more acting lessons before that happens.

A few other comments I had concerning this episode, one being that I felt Gil McKinney’s turn as Prince Eric this week was much better than the last episode he played him. Perhaps it was because he was only seen for a brief moment, or because the actor felt more natural in a non-green screen setting, either way I liked him better. Also, Snow’s wedding dress looked frillfully ridiculous, and her hair in the Fairytale Land that Was scenes appeared way too much like a wig, it kind of made her head like bigger than it is. Once again, I feel like the relationship between Rumple and Belle is way too weird, and not only because she looks young enough to be his daughter – almost twice over. I just don’t really see it between them, quite possibly because a) I don’t feel that Emilie de Ravin fit the part, and b) I feel like they ruined my favourite Disney movie, so maybe those are my issues to deal with. I’m glad that they weren’t really going for a relationship between Tink and Hook, but I did enjoy that brief moment between Emma and Hook because of that. Finally, I have to say that I quite enjoy the moments between just Emma and Charming. These two actors have such great working chemistry between them that I really feel like they honestly connect on a friendly, almost familial relationship, far more than Emma and Snow.

Basically, I do think that this episode worked for this series, but it was a little too filler for my liking. I think that it could’ve used a little bit of tighter writing, and that some shots didn’t necessarily need to happen. Hopefully the actual Winter finale – of which I initially thought this was until just before reviewing the episode – is better than this, and that it has a more fulfilling plot. I would really like to see some actual action scenes, and not just in the flashback sequences.

My rating: 7 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“Let his parents have a fair shot without a devilishly handsome pirate standing in their way.” – Hook explains to Neal his plan to stay away from Emma. “You serious?” – Neal asks. “Yep, I am devilishly handsome.” – Hook replies.

“I just can’t shake the feeling that something bad is still going to happen, and I need to do everything I can to stop it.” – Emma shares her worries with Charming.

“I don’t know; does he eat with his mouth open?” – Charming asks Emma, of Neal.

“You think I’m interested in Hook? Emma, I’m a married man?” – Charming jokes with Emma.

“I know. That’s why this was so easy.” – Penry (Pan in Henry’s body) remarks as he knocks Regina out.

“There will always be something else, we can’t let it define us.” – Snow speaks of evil to Charming.

“If you have to throw a fireball at something, at least don’t hurt the face.” – Han (Henry in Pan’s body) suggests to Rumple.

Okay, so that’s one review down, one to go. I’m off to watch Revenge now and review it, before hopefully getting some sleep. I have to be up in less than ten hours to hit the road to go pick up my sister, so the next review will likely be quick. Stay tuned.

Once Upon A Time 3.07 Review: What Matters Most

Anyone that has yet to watch tonight’s episode of Once Upon A Time, entitled ‘Dark Hollow’, now would be a good time to do so before reading ahead. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! You’ve been warned.

Okay, can I just begin by saying how bewildered I was when I learned it’s only been five days since they reached Neverland? That’s just plain ridiculous, we’ve had more episodes this season than we have had days passed. They could’ve at least had each episode equal one day because Henry is going to age faster than this series can keep up with if this is the way they’re going to write the series.

Aside from that, this was a surprisingly good episode. Perhaps it’s that I kept an open mind, but I actually thought that the acting had mostly improved in this episode. The only two that really stood out as not being very good were Belle and Henry. Otherwise, I really liked the rest. Not only that, but there was a nice balance of characters this week. I got my fair share of Emma, with Neal and Hook tagging along, and everyone else was able to get their fair share of the rest of the cast. I really think this is more of the direction this series should go in, definitely an improvement on past episodes.

I have to say that I was surprised by Wendy being the other prisoner, although it made sense with the way they wrote the Darling’s into this episode. I just think it would’ve had more emotional depth to it, had it been Rumplestiltskin’s father. Still, it was a nice way of keeping her and the Darling’s involved with the series, as well as Neverland. I’m just not sure why they would’ve needed to destroy Pan if Neal had kept the shadow from taking them when he was with them.

At first, I actually thought Henry was getting smarter and that I was going to start to be able to like him again, a thing that hasn’t been true since the pilot. But then he goes and gets all naïve again, and I’m back to thinking of his character as merely a plot device. I mean, really, he’s not a good actor, what other need do they have for him other than progressing the story? Also, what’s this heart of the truest believer nonsense? His family basically had to prove to him they were there to get him before he stopped believing in Pan for that millisecond of time. He just, he really aggravates me sometimes. Why couldn’t they have found a stronger child actor?

Elsewhere in the episode, I was really happy with Ariel this week, and her unchangeable optimism. Her perky but clueless attitude perfectly played into her scenes. Although, when Regina said she’d just have to trust her, I think it was less that than Regina was basically her only hope of reuniting with her prince with legs. Also, I once again have to state how much I love Hook. He’s amazing, with his quiet bad boy-ness. I may have loved Emma and Neal being together last year, particularly during that flashback of their past together and when they found each other again, but this year it’s Emma and Hook that seem to have more chemistry. I’m just glad they’re not going the True Love root just yet. It may come eventually, being that this is a series about fairytales, but I’m glad it hasn’t happened yet.

All in all, this was a good episode this week. Very enjoyable, full of drama and emotional scenes. I loved the whole speech between Snow and David, but let’s be real, they’re going to find someway of getting him off that island alive. For a series that is mostly iffy each episode, this one made me very evenly happy. This is definitely the way this show needs to keep going, aside from Henry being so blatantly stupid. If only they could just swap actors for the character, or get the boy some acting lessons and a bottle full of talent… I don’t know, but otherwise I’m happy.

My rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Best Lines:

“You might want to believe a little harder.” – Grumpy tells Belle.

“Now you’ve got a dress code? I seem to recall some Ruby outfits that are seared into my brain.” – Grumpy exclaims to Granny.

“Well, this is awkward.” – Hook mutters after relaying the kiss he shared with Emma to Neal. More like awesome.

“He’s a prince… The kind with legs.” – Ariel says to Belle, concerning Eric.

“So when I win your heart, and I will win it…” – Hook begins his speech to Emma, with a squeal worthy confidence.

“Welcome to the twenty-first century.” – Neal says to Hook, regarding lighting the candle and his lighter.

“Or a fin. Whatever Eric’s into these days.” – Regina mutters to Ariel, after enchanting her bracelet so that she can have legs or fins of her own choosing.

Okay, I’m off to watch Revenge now. Stick around for my review of that.

Once Upon A Time 3.04 Review: Escape Is Key

Anyone that has yet to watch tonight’s episode of Once Upon A Time, entitled ‘Nasty Habits’, then I suggest you go and do so immediately. This is not a spoiler free blog. THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! Proceed at your own discretion.

Up until about the last ten minutes of this episode I was thinking, for a Rumplestiltskin centric episode, this wasn’t all that bad. But then the writers go and throw the obvious, the cliché, Henry gets recaptured and hears the flute’s music. Why would he be so stupid as to think there’s no possible way Peter Pan could be evil? I just can’t comprehend someone that was basically kidnapped to the island, somehow seeing their kidnapper as a friend. Is Henry getting Stockholm syndrome?

Elsewhere, I’m beginning to get a little sick of Rumplestiltskin’s character, especially all of his interactions with young Baelfire. He just constantly plays into this cliché character, where his cards have already been dealt and he’s stuck playing the one game. Over, and over again. It’s growing tedious. And the need to throw Belle into his scenes, it’s stupid; she doesn’t even seem like the same character. I much prefer his character in the first season, when he was this sinister, clearly evil character. But this series is turning everything upside down, next thing you know Peter Pan’s going to good at heart.

Seeing Neal in Neverland for the first three-quarters of the episode was pretty decent. The actor is much better at playing the character angry, intense, or in scenes with Emma. I’m not much for the Rumple scenes, so any of Neal’s scenes with him weren’t completely great.

Okay, I’m just going to call it now, Charming is somehow going to be cured; there’s no way they’ll kill off his character. This series has yet to kill off any beloved characters (*cough*Rumple*cough*), and I doubt they’ll kill him off now. This show is just too typical, they need to bring Joss Whedon in here to throw a few wrenches in the happily ever after love scenarios. Really, I’ll be completely and utterly shocked if he is killed.

While short, I was happy with Tinkerbell scenes; particularly how difficult Emma found it to say her name. It was good to see that put them all on the trail of an escape plan; don’t ever make a plan of breaking someone out when you have no way out. Unless you plan on making it a suicide mission, but then what would be the point in going in to save someone?

Anyways, while there are interesting points to this season, it isn’t going nearly as well as previous series. As always, the CGI work is terrible and distracting, find a bigger budget for it. Stop focusing on terrible characters, and try making it less cliché.

My rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Best Line:

“I remember plenty, it’s why I didn’t coat the tip.” – Neal tells Pan, after having shot an arrow at him.

Alright, I’m off to watch Revenge. Stay tuned.