Once Upon A Time

[Blayke]

Emma Swan’s life has been anything but a fairytale. A 28-year-old bail bondsperson, she’s been taking care of herself since she was abandoned as a baby. But when Henry—the son she gave up 10 years ago—finds her, everything changes. Henry is desperate for his mom’s help and thinks that Emma is actually the long, lost daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. Yes, the actual Snow White and Prince Charming. Even stranger, Henry believes that Storybrooke, the sleepy New England town he calls home, is really part of a curse cast by the Evil Queen, freezing fairytale characters in the modern world with no memory of their former selves.

Of course the seen-it-all Emma doesn’t believe a word, but when she gets to Storybrooke, she can’t help sensing that everything’s not quite what it seems. As Henry shows Emma around with the help of his fairytale book, the town, and its inhabitants like Henry’s therapist Archie Hopper and the enigmatic Mr. Gold, seem just strange enough to set off her already suspicious nature. She becomes even more concerned for Henry when she meets his adopted mother, Regina, who he suspects is none other than the Evil Queen herself!

Storybrooke is a place where magic has been forgotten—but is still powerfully close—and happily ever after seems just out of reach. In order to understand where the fairytale world’s former inhabitants came from, and what ultimately led to the Evil Queen’s wrath, you’ll need a glimpse into their previous lives. But it might just turn everything you’ve ever believed about these characters upside-down.

Meanwhile, the epic battle for the future of all worlds, modern and fairytale alike, is about to begin. For good to win, Emma will have to accept her destiny and fight like hell.

Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, two master storytellers behind Lost and Tron: Legacy, invite everyone to brace themselves for a modern fairytale with thrilling twists and hints of darkness, brimming with wonder and filled with the magic of our most beloved stories.

Started Sunday, 23rd October 2011.

This is the new ABC show that's about Fairytales that intertwine with reality. The pilot was VERY strong and I can see this lasting a couple of seasons as it really is a niche show.

FIRST LOOK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz9VFa7Z6Y0

[WowWowWowWow]

I watched the premiere on Sunday. I wasn't totally blown away by the pilot, but I wasn't horrified either. It definitely earned another 'watch', though. And if they can go ahead and put Jamie Dornan in every episode, I'll be there.

[poshlopez]

I loved it. The story, the premise and the actors were great. There were some flaws with effects and cinematography but overall it was worth watching. The pilot ended great so I can't wait for another episode.

[Mikal]

And if they can go ahead and put Jamie Dornan in every episode, I'll be there.

FUCK YES. He is all kinds of insane hotness.

Good things about this show (or the pilot) - Jennifer Morrison is great. Ginnifer Goodwin could be if the role is written interestingly. The kid was good. The 'real life' stuff in Storybrooke was good (better than the fairy tale bits). It's pure escapism. Jamie Dornan is in it.

Bad bits - Prince Charming is not. Lana Parrilla seems woefully miscast as the Evil Queen/the mayor. The CGI was all kinds of appalling. Jamie Dornan is not naked in it.

[Mr Telephone Man]

This show is amazing. I am like a kid again evbery time they flashback to fairytale scenes, the way they are intertwining all the fairytales is brilliant. The scene with Maleficent and the Evil Queen was brilliant, the best bits of the show are easily when they are in fairytale mode.

I really looked forward to it every week, the hour goes by so fast. To me it is one of the most ambitous and intriguing shows of the season.

My one grip is that I'm so afraid, since it is the producers of Lost, that they will try to pull some St. Elsewhere kind of crap in the end.

[Mikal]

I thought the second episode was so much better. I still don't like the 'Evil' Queen (not in a love to hate her way, just a she's-so-boring way) but I have to admit the scene where she killed her father was pretty grim!

[poshlopez]

Just watching the latest episode and I must say it's really getting better and better.

But one thing confuses me ... Does the Evil Queen knows she is what she is or she is just as clueless as the other characters but is just evil/bad person with some hidden agenda ? Because sometimes I think she knows something but then later in the episode she is just as clueless as the others.

And I must say I'm loving Ginnifer Goodwin. Her acting is flawless and Lana Parrilla is getting better in portraying Evil Queen (in the beginning she was not so convincing).

[flapjack-]

I absolutely love this show. It does get much better.

[duckface]

I actually quite like this, and I was in no way expecting to.

Only minor complaints:
1. Emma should not look older than Snow. It's very odd, was it that hard to find an actress that actually looks 28 and not 38?
2. I'm a bit worried about this going on and on with no clear ending in sight, a la Lost Season 3.

But I can't wait for more characters to appear. Looking forward to things like Snow's sister Rose inevitably showing up (probably to cause trouble).

[poshlopez]

I just started with a list of who's who in Storybrook town :

Snowhite/Teacher
Prince Charming/Coma patient
Evil Queen/Mayor of the town
The Hunter/Police chief
Geppetto/ Jail keeper (???)
Grumpy/ Electrician (???)
Sleepy/ Hospital security
Granny/ The inn owner
Red riding hood/ Slutty waitress
Jiminy Cricket/Psychiatrist
Rumplestilskin/Town racketeer (???)
Doctor/???? (maybe The Wolf)

maybe I missed someone ?... I hope we will see more fairytale characters in Storybrook town.

[Dazzle]

New favourite programme alert... dot com. I'm obsessed with it!

[rossaroni]

A week ago they announced this show got a full season pickup! Very exciting.

[Someboy]

It's good, but it just skews so far over towards the female demographic that there's really nothing for me. Good for ABC, though.

[poshlopez]

Who would have tough that Cinderella was that desperate or that Rumpelstiltskin would kill her godmother ? This episode was very interesting especially how they translated Cinderella story in today's world as her being poor pregnant teenage girl and her price rich kid whose father doesn't approve of that relationship.

[rossaroni]

Who would have tough that Cinderella was that desperate or that Rumpelstiltskin would kill her godmother ? This episode was very interesting especially how they translated Cinderella story in today's world as her being poor pregnant teenage girl and her price rich kid whose father doesn't approve of that relationship.

I agree. I really like the translations they do for how these fairytale characters would living in the modern day. I did not like that Lana Parrilla (Evil Queen) only had a few scenes this past episode. She is my favorite.

[Mikal]

Lana Parrilla is awful in this! The only bad thing about the show.

[poshlopez]

I think thatshe's improving by episode. At the beginning she was awful but now she is bearable to watch.

I think that she has a problem how to portray Evil Witch in reality and still be "caring mother".

And one thing is strange to me I thought that no one remembers that they are fairy tale characters including Evil Queen (because I can remember someone telling her that even her will not remember) and than suddenly at the recap in the beginning of the episode it was said that there is one person who remember and than they showed her. ???????

[weatherconor]

Just seen the second episode of this and rather enjoying it especially the 'real-life' scenes.

[duckface]

Third episode was pretty good, although it's getting slightly more soap opera-ish. I really do think this would work better as a miniseries.

[weatherconor]

Anyone seen the latest episode yet??
Amazing as always, I love the Prince Charming/Snow White story and the Jiminy Cricket story this week was great.

[flapjack-]

Is "their world" hidden underneath? How interesting. That would explain why the mayor wants to pave it over.

[Wuming01]

I'm kinda late because I'm only at episode 4 but I hate that useless crying wreck Cinderella. Seriously. Charming and Prince Thomas (who looks more like a surfer dude) were the ones who had to bail her ass out in Fairytale Land. And she doesn't even make a bargain with Mr. Gold himself in Storybrooke and needed Emma to save her ass.

I was also disappointed with Emma - selling a baby is clearly illegal, why doesn't she get authorities from outta town to haul Mr. Gold's ass to jail? Does she even remember that an outside world exists? And she knows how shady Mr. Gold is and still makes a deal with him, especially when the favour he asks from her might well be deadly?

Finally, if I were Emma I would absolutely strike the kid. STOP BEING SUCH AN ANNOYING LITTLE SMARTASS TERROR.

[Mr Telephone Man]

Lana is one of my favorite parts of this show, she is the perfect combination of frigid yet vulnerable. At times you just want to hate her, but then she'll do that soapy "wide-eyed lost gaze" and then you just want to feel bad for her. I'm curious about this great love she lost to Snow White.

But seriously the biggest downside of this show, is the show's main protagonist, Jennifer Morrison. Emma is so grating, and extremely unlikeable. I just can't stand her, especially how she acts like she has a right to Henry. I know he searched her out and all, but girlfriend, you gave him up and singed your rights away to him YEARS ago. DNA is not what a parent makes, when Regina read her the riot act in the first episode about what she has been doing for the past 8 years while Emma was off doing whatver, had me and my roommate cheering.

And Prince Charming, Josh Dallas, continues to make me swoon!

Yeah, I now she is the Evil Queen and put this all in motion, but outside of that it's not hard to side with her on this one. But still, Jennifer is the biggest weak spot of this show, not just her character, but her in general. And Henry himself, is VERY annoying. When he went in that cave and it collapsed all I could say was "Eh...It was for the best". Too bad, he survived.

[poshlopez]

Last nights episode was amazing. That scene with Snowwhite and Prince Charming was so hartfelt. I just wanted to punch him at that moment for making her so vulnerable and sad.

Ginnifer's acting is the highlight of this show. I love her.

Lana is one of my favorite parts of this show, she is the perfect combination of frigid yet vulnerable. At times you just want to hate her, but then she'll do that soapy "wide-eyed lost gaze" and then you just want to feel bad for her.

I completely agree with bold parts. She truly has that bitchy/evil yet vulnerable side. In last nights episode I just knew she will ruin everything for Prince ans Snowwhite. And I don't think that she was referring to Snowwhite when she said about her loosing the loved one. I thought that she was talking in general.

Prince Charming was indeed charmin. Great cast.

[Wuming01]

I have to respectfully disagree. While I am entertained by Regina (mostly by alternately laughing or cringing at her), Jennifer Morrison is honestly much better in this role than she was in House or How I Met Your Mother. I know she might come off as unlikeable, possessive or trying to be tough, but to be fair Regina is almost completely evil and I believe that if she wasn't being a nasty [censored] to Emma, Emma wouldn't have insisted on staying in the first place. So in a way, she watered the seeds for her own destruction (Mr. Gold planted them by bringing Henry into Storybrooke in the first place). Yeah Regina may be sad or miserable but at the end of the day she made her own bed and now she has to lie down on it.

Also, if they kill off whoever has been widely speculated to die next week, my interest in this show will immediately plummet by over 50%, as good as it currently is.