Season Two Rewind

I got the season two DVD of "Once Upon a Time" and have spent the last few weeks catching up on all the episodes so I am ready for season three.  "Once" is one of those shows that you should watch more than once if you want to catch everything that is happening.  Having now seen each episode a few times, I have changed some of my original opinions.

Rumple is awesome - and awesomely bad - The man truly is a villain.  He has a few redeeming qualities, such as his intelligence and his ability to love his son and his girlfriend, but it is never enough to make him truly good.  Robert Carlyle is the best actor on the show and he is probably the only one who could pull off this character.  Upon rewatching, I realized how terrible he could be to the ones he supposedly loves.  After foolishly letting Bae go back in season one and finally finding him in NYC this season, Rumple pretty much ignored his son and did his own thing.  You created the curse to find him and can't be bothered to be around him?  Weird.  As for Belle, how many times did he try to get rid of her?  "Oh, you are alive!  Well, I am still a monster, so please leave." "Oh, you're dumping me because I am incapable of sharing my feelings with you?  That's fine.  I'll see you in five or six episodes."  "Oh, you want to come with us to Neverland?  Sorry Toots, I need to go alone and you'll probably never see me again.  Deal with it."  Yikes.  And what about when Rumple was trying to fray the rope swing Henry was swinging on so that he would hit a rock and get hurt?  Henry might be Rumple's undoing, but he is still his grandson.  That was just mean.  I think a lot of the problems with Rumple and how he deals with people is the writing.  I truly think the writers just didn't know how to deal with Rumple reuniting with his son and him having a girlfriend.

Regina is inconsistent - She tried to be good for awhile, but it didn't last.  Good Regina was boring, but what is even more boring is that the writers want us to feel sorry for her.  I don't.  Sure, Rumple and Cora taught Regina bad things, but she didn't have to follow their advice.  I would prefer Regina to just stay evil. Regina's love of Henry also takes away from her evilness.  That is why I prefer Henry to be with Emma. Lana Parilla is also a really good actor, but I think she can only do so much with a script.

The Charmings are annoying - I have always thought they were both annoying, but I have softened my opinion about Snow.  She isn't as bad as I originally thought.  The thing is, goody-goodies are annoying to watch.  And I also hate Jack Sheppard-types who are the cocky unquestioned leaders, like Charming.  I get it, he is a prince and is used to being in charge, but it is still annoying to watch.  Mess up sometimes!  Let someone else lead!  Snow is the ultimate goody-goody, especially in Fairy Tale Land.  How many chances did she give Regina and how many times did Regina let her down?  Every single time!  Snow killing Cora, however, was a step in the right direction.  She grew a pair and did what she had to do.  The guilt that followed for the next several episodes was dumb, but baby steps are good.

Belle needs better material - Belle is pretty and awesome and has the best boyfriend on the show.  She is tough and brave and smart.  She also has very little to do.  When Belle is alone, she can accomplish great things, such as rescuing Archie, Prince Phillip, and Mulan and she easily makes friends with everyone around her.  Belle's downfall is that she is also a goody-goody (like Snow).  She doesn't believe in retaliation, which really would make her life so much easier.  Regina deserves to be punished for locking her up, but Belle didn't want that.  Hook deserved to be killed for attacking, punching, and shooting Belle, but Belle didn't want that.  Why?  Is is poor writing or does Belle like being a punching bag?

Hook isn't as awesome as everyone thinks - Ladies LOVE Hook.  I don't get it.  Pirates are pretty cool but this character only exists to be eye candy and to cause problems.  He was horrible to Belle, flirts with Emma, and stole Rumple's wife.  Heck, he might as well date Regina so they can be awful together.  I do recognize that Hook adds conflict to the show, but he is not my favorite character.

Henry is annoying, but he is probably smarter than everyone else - Kid actors are often annoying, and Henry is no exception.  Sure, he was raised by the Evil Queen, but the kid still runs wild.  I will give the kid some credit, he is reason the curse was broken and that is a pretty good thing.

Bae/Neal might be dull, but I like him - Neal is definitely a straight-man.  Sure, he was a thief when he met Emma, but he is remarkably well-adjusted for a 300 year old guy who was abandoned by his dad, lived in Neverland, and had his girlfriend shoot him.  I think he will be a good father for Henry and I hope he and Emma can get back together at some point, provided Emma learns that he is still alive and can find him.  I also hope he and Rumple can begin to heal their relationship.

Mulan, Aurora, and Phillip are good additions - At first, their story seemed pointless.  Phillip left quickly and the girls were only there to help Snow and Emma get home.  Now that I know how Belle saved Phillip and introduced him to Mulan, I want to know more.  How did Phillip get his soul back?  Are the three still in a love triangle or will we meet Shang?  I am excited to see them again with Neal in Fairy Tale Land and I hope they will somehow make their way to Storybrooke.

Emma is awesome - She always has been, always will be.  She is funny, tough, and brave.  Don't change, girl.  (Although a shorter haircut might be nice)

New Characters for Season Three

Season three is only a few weeks away and I couldn't be more excited!  The cast has been filming for a few weeks now and we are starting to get info about new characters that will appear.  When the season ended, the characters were in three different locations.  Belle and many of the recurring characters, such as Granny, Red, Archie, Dr. Whale, and the dwarves were in Storybrooke.  Neal, after having been shot, fell through a portal into Fairytale Land, where he was discovered by Prince Phillip, Mulan, and Aurora.  Hook, Emma, Snow, Regina, Charming, and Rumple took a ship to Neverland to rescue Henry from Greg and Tamara.

Most of the new cast, of course, are characters that will appear in Neverland.  Tinkerbell (Rose McIver) and Ariel (Joanna Garcia) have been cast along with a lost boy (Robbie Kay) who may actually be Peter Pan. There is a bit of confusion there.  Robin Hood is also set to appear for several episodes, though he will be played by a new actor (Sean Maguire).  Robin Hood, I believe, was last seen in Fairytale Land.

We know that most of the first half of the season will revolve around the majority of the characters (the Charmings and the villains) trying to rescue Henry in Neverland.  Obviously, since Belle (Emilie de Ravin) and Neal (Michael Raymond-James) are main characters and we will see them as well, though probably not as much.  Since Robin Hood will be part of the season, I wonder if he will team up with Phillip, Mulan, and Aurora to help Neal return home.  Hopefully, in the second half of the season, we will see Rumbelle reunite as well as Neal and Emma.  Is it September yet?

Will You Watch Wonderland?

"Once Upon a Time" season three isn't the only thing to look forward to this fall.  "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" will also be airing this fall.  Unlike the original series, "Wonderland" is a thirteen-episode mini-series.  Many people (myself included) complained about the scheduling last season for "Once".  We would sometimes only get one or two episodes, following by a several week break.  It make it very hard to follow the story and many viewers lost interest.  This season, a new plan was created to split the season in to two smaller seasons, with very few breaks in between.  Not only does this create almost two complete mini-seasons without breaks, but it leaves a large gap (probably from December to almost March) where a thirteen-episode series can be shown.  That is where "Wonderland" came in.

The plan didn't last for long, and ABC decided that "Wonderland" would begin in October and air on Thursdays instead.  So, we don't know what will air during the break, but we do get two potential awesome series to watch at once.

"Wonderland" is, of course, about Alice.  Originally, there had been talk about the series revolving around the Mad Hatter, played by Sebastian Stan, but he was unavailable.  The series takes place in modern-day Wonderland, with flashbacks to a time when perhaps Cora was queen.  What is different about this Alice, as opposed to the cartoon, is that Alice is being treated by doctors who think she is insane.  She also has a love interest in this series named Cyrus who I believe I heard is a genie.  Much of the series will involve Alice trying to rescue Cyrus.  The white rabbit will appear, along with a new red queen, and a villain you might not expect - Jafar from "Aladdin".  Jafar is played by Naveen Andrews, from Lost.  I am quite curious how he will fit into this story.

This series, we are told, will have a beginning, middle, and end.  That does not mean that the series will be over after thirteen episodes.  If it does well and is renewed, there will be a new story next year.  Will we need a second season with Alice or will we want to explore a new land?  We know that the original series will focus on Neverland the first part of its season, but where else do we want to visit?  Oz?  Agrrabah?

So, will you be watching?

Cast Changes

Season two may be over (boo!) but we are already starting to hear news about season three.  Most of the news so far has involved casting changes.  Ruby (Meghan Ory) will no longer be a regular on the series.  Heck, she may not be on the show at all.  She was a series regular last season but was rarely seen after a few episodes.  Word is, because her part had reduced, she found employment elsewhere.  She will now be on a CBS show called "Intelligence" with the always awesome Josh Holloway (Sawyer from Lost).  So, Meghan is open to doing guest appearances (in an interview she said maybe once per year) but we will be seeing a lot less of her.  I have already wrote a blog entry about Ruby and questioned why she is still on the show, but I still am sad to see her go.  She was a good friend to many characters on the show.

Where we are losing one regular, we are gaining another.  Neal/Baelfire (Michael Raymond-James) will be a regular next season.  This news was both surprising and not surprising.  Surprising because Neal had be shot through a portal into what is probably the Enchanted Forest and we don't know if he is alive or even how he would get home.  Not surprising because a lot of this show is about Rumple and his son, so it would be silly to introduce him and have them reunite in season two just to kill him off or to send him away again.  I am glad we will be seeing more of Neal.  He is connected to so many people on the show and especially because he and Emma realized they still loved each other.  The question is, how will he get home?

I was a little concerned that Belle (Emilie de Ravin) would no longer be a series regular.  After all, the rest of the main cast went to Neverland to rescue Henry and she was left behind with everyone else.  But, Emilie will be a regular next season and Rumbelle will reunite!  Yay!  While we don't know if they will show any of Storybrooke while everyone is in Neverland, we can be certain that we will see her eventually.

I don't have confirmation of this, but Mulan (Jamie Chung) and Aurora (Sarah Bolger) may have been cast in mid-season shows.  I don't even remember where I read this, but if it is true, I really hope we still get to see them next season.  It took awhile to warm up to them, but I really like those two characters.  Plus, we never got to see how they saved Philip.  And now that they found Neal, there could be a good story there.

Is it fall yet?

Belle Remembers and Gets Left Behind

Season two ended on Sunday, and I have mixed emotions about it. This show just drives me crazy sometimes. We learned a little more about Neverland through flashbacks with Hook and Baelfire.  Hook rescued the kid and had him work on his ship and Bae was just starting to trust the pirate.  Of course, once Hook found out that Bae was the son of his former love Milah and his enemy Rumple, his tune changed.  He told the kid that Rumple was the one who killed his mom.  Bae blames Hook for breaking up his family.  Peter Pan, who we can safely assume is a villain, sent out his evil lost boys to capture Bae.  Once Bae is captured, we learn that it wasn't Bae who they wanted, it was a boy who wouldn't have been born for hundreds of years - Bae's son Henry.  Yikes!

Rumple is trying to kill his own grandson with his mind when the Charmings show up to tell him that his son has been shot through a portal and is probably dead.  Rumple of course is very sad, but refuses to help save the town.  He has lost the will to live.

The bad guys Greg and Tamara activated the self-destruct diamond to wipe Storybrooke off the map.  Regina thinks she can slow it down with her magic but it will kill her.  The others plan to open a portal and escape to the Enchanted Forest.  Snow thinks there is a way to save Regina too and Henry would be heartbroken without his mom.  After a tearful hug with her same-aged parents and little son, Emma harnesses the magic in her and helps Regina absorb the energy from the diamond and saves the town.  The magic throws them back and just as they are getting to their feet, they notice that Henry has been taken.  Good job grandparents!

Meanwhile, Grumpy has a bottle of blue stuff that can bring back the memories of those who went over the town line - Sneezy and Belle.  The only catch is that they have to drink the solution from a cup that belonged to them.  As much as Rumple enjoys Lacey, he would rather be comforted by Belle in his last moments.  He uses magic to put together the pieces of the chipped teacup that she had broken and poured in the drink.  Since Lacey never met a drink she didn't like, she drinks without hesitation.  Belle is back!  She tearful makes out with Rumple and comforts him while he cries about his son.  It was beautiful.

Regina and the Charmings are determined to save Henry and high-tail it toward the docks.  They are just in time to see them open a portal in the water and jump in.  Rumple and Belle show up.  Hook brings his ship and everyone boards.  Hook has a bean that can take them to get Henry.  Rumple stops Belle.  She can't go!  She needs to save the town!  Really?  Why must you push her away Rumple?  Stay with your hot girlfriend who would undoubtedly be all over you or board a ship with all your enemies to find a grandson you don't care for and leave your woman forever.  Tough choice!  Of course, it won't be forever, but seriously, he needs to quit abandoning her.  So, Belle walks away crying and everyone else boards the ship and heads to Neverland to rescue the kid.  We also got to see where Neal landed when he went through the portal - on a beach where he can be tended by Aurora, Mulan, and a newly-alive Phillip!

So, overall, lots of good stuff happened.  Belle came back and we get to see what Neverland looks like.  Next season will probably be in that location while we are left to wonder what is happening with Neal and Storybrooke.  Is it fall yet?

To Neverland!

I have to admit, I was never a fan of "Peter Pan".  The cartoon just didn't interest me and "Hook" was only a little better.  But, for some reason, I was super psyched to see Bae (with a much deeper voice!) meeting the Darling children.  I have never quite been able to figure out the timing in "Once Upon A Time", but if Rumple is around 300 years old and Bae was sent to England when he was fourteen, shouldn't it have been mid-1700's, not 1900?  Things that make you go hmmmmmm.

The Darling children were, well, darling, but the shadow who took Wendy away definitely was not.  Being not so familiar with the Peter Pan story, I do recall Peter being separated from his shadow but don't recall that shadow being an evil tyrant who kidnaps children and never lets them leave.  There was a lot of speculation that Bae was Peter Pan, but now we know that he is not.  He was actually picked up from the water by Captain Hook and presumably worked on his ship.

It was very frustrating to see Emma try to convince everyone that Tamara was evil and everyone just patted her hand and told her to sit still.  With Neal, it was a little more understandable because Tamara was his fiancee, but Emma's parents are just morons.  There, I said it.  It's one of the things that kills me about this show.  It is basically a story about Snow White (my least favorite Disney princess), but Snow and Prince Charming are so stupid and unlikable that they are hard to watch.  The really good parts of the show have nothing to do with these characters.  That is a problem.

Of course, Emma was right, and Greg and Tamara are up to know good.  I have said many times before that I dislike Regina, but I also dislike seeing someone (especially when it is a man to a woman) being tortured.  It's gross.  Isn't this supposed to be a family show?  Kill her quickly or yell at her, but torture is just gross.  I get that Greg just wanted his dad back and Regina killed him (probably) for no reason, but still.  Tamara is also gross because Neal is a pretty good guy and she told him she never loved him and then shot him.  She needs to go.  Now.  I am pretty curious about this whole organization that they work for.  I have a sneaking suspicion that this is some sort of religious organization, which I really have a problem with.  I don't like religion being made fun of or mocked.  It has become popular in Hollywood to do so, but I am just not cool with it.  So, I am hoping I am wrong about that.

Even though this episode was pretty great overall, there were definitely some annoying moments.  The Charmings rescued Regina.  Genius move.  She will try to kill them again.  Although.....  (ha ha!)  "Lacey" was drinking again and bringing out Rumple's violent side.  And how creepy was it when she asked if he could make her be young forever?  Is she just using him?  It was really sad to see Neal fall through that portal and Emma refusing to let go of him.  It was surprising to hear them admit they loved each other being apart so long, but it was nice too.  I hope they can be together someday.

So, what is next in the season finale?  According to the episode synopsis, Greg and Tamara will use that diamond to try to destroy Storybrooke and Regina will try to stop it.  Rumple will find out what happened to his son, and of course, be really bummed out about it.  But, will Neal live?  I don't know, but if you pay attention to spoilers, there have been a few pictures of Neal hanging out with Mulan, Aurora, and Philip in the Enchanted Forest.  So, I am guessing, he will be found next season some time after the actor has a chance to film some movies.  :)  And what of the villains?  Well, again, spoilers say that they will be kidnapping Henry and his extended family will travel to Neverland to get him back.  I am not sure if this includes Rumple and Belle.  So, we will probably have another great episode and then have to wait another four months to see what happens!

Regina the Unsympathetic

There are characters on "Once Upon a Time" that I love and even more that I hate.  I love Rumpelstiltskin and Belle.  Emma is usually one of my favorites when she is not acting like an idiot. Snow can be really annoying and self-righteous, which I hate.  Charming annoys the spit out of me with his "I am your leader and I know what's best for you!" Jack Sheppard-like qualities.  Henry is an annoying kid who I don't care for.  Hook hits women and is a Jack Sparrow knockoff without any of Jack's charm or appeal.  And then there is Regina.  The one I hate the most.

Regina, like Rumple, is a complicated villain.  She has reasons for doing bad things, but she never seems to learn anything to actually become a better person.  Once upon a time, she had a really crappy (literally) heartless mother who killed her boyfriend.  Instead of blaming her mother, she blamed Snow, who was a little girl at the time.  It became her mission in life to destroy Snow.  It is all very tragic, because the two liked each other at first.  She chased her down for years with no success.  She decided to enact the curse, pulling everyone from the Enchanted Forest to Storybrooke, Maine.  I never understood this.  Is Regina's idea of paradise living in a small town with terrible winters and having to see your mortal enemy every day?  Why didn't she just stab Snow with a letter opener?

In Storybrooke, Regina was the town's feared mayor.  She had no magic, but she also had no one to talk to.  See, when you kill a whole bunch of people, you don't become very popular.  Her only friend in her old land was Maleficent and that didn't work out so well.  (And how creepy was it that old Mal keeps regenerating in the pit under the library.  Can't that woman get some peace?)  Her only romance was with Sheriff Graham who was only with her because Regina was able to control him by removing his heart.  Regina had adopted Henry as a baby and even he wasn't very fond of her.

You almost want to feel sorry for Regina.  Crappy childhood.  Dead boyfriend.  Married to a king she didn't love.  Friendless.  You know what?  I don't feel sorry for her.  At all.  As much as I hate Hook, she really could have used him as an ally.  And what did she do?  Leave him to fight Maleficent until he died.  Only Hook somehow escaped.  Hook even took her magic.  It was awesome!  You see, Regina has run out of chances.  She can't be good.  She is a villain through and through.