Once upon a time
There was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters that we know
Or think we know.
One day they found themselves trapped in a place where all their happy endings were stolen.
Our world.
This is how it happened...
Hmm, it was only a matter of time. ^_^ I would have blogged about this show a long time ago, but I was waiting for the season to end before I did. Because I will, of course, be analyzing the major characters in this post (as well as the plot) and you find out more and more about each of them as the show goes on so I didn't want to make an assumption about something or miss something entirely. (However, there's not any real spoilers as far as the finale goes in this post).
Anyways, this is one of the two non-british TV shows I watch and thoroughly enjoy. Therefore, more people have heard of it and watch it where I come from, so I'm not entirely alone in my fangirling and obsessing. BUT, for those of you who may not know what it is about, let me enlighten you:
It is about a bunch of storybook characters who are stuck in our world, who don't remember who they are because of a curse that Snow White's evil queen cast. Their only hope of breaking the curse is Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter, Emma, who escaped the curse when she was a newborn. Emma comes across the cursed town, Storybrooke, 28 years later and the "final battle begins". Each episode tells what's going on in Storybrooke while giving background stories to each storybook character in fairytale land.
It's tradition when I blog about a movie, TV show, or book for me to give my background of how I was introduced to it. Why break that tradition now? I saw people praising it endlessly on my other blog when there were only like three episodes out. I ignored it for a while since people tend to freak out and obsess over their own things that I don't really care for a lot, over there. There weren't even that many posts about it in comparison to other posts about Doctor Who or Sherlock or whatever, so it's not like I saw it a whole lot. However, it did capture my interest a little since it was about fairytales. The posts continually made it look a little bit more interesting to me. Finally, one night, I had nothing to do in my dorm (fall semester) and decided to look the show up. I thought the pilot episode was a little bit cheesy, but everyone claimed that the show was so good, so I decided to watch the next episode. It was a little better, but I wasn't hooked, yet I still watched the third one. Finally after that one, I decided I liked it enough to keep watching it without forcing myself. I kept watching it until the most recent episode (which was episode 5, I think). By the time I watched that one, I was hooked and couldn't wait until the next one came out. Episode 7 was my first time showing any real emotional attachment for it. Then by... mmm, probably episode 12, I was so emotionally attached it, it was pretty much a lifestyle for me. Now, I basically need it as much as I need air!
So, now you know my story. On with the post!
STORYBROOKE: Every single resident in Storybrooke, Maine is a fairytale character, but none of them remember who they are. Only the mayor remembers her past identity, and it is implied that Mr. Gold remembers as well. They have been all been given fake memories, identities, professions, etc. Time is frozen there. They have been living in a haze for the past 28 years and don't remember when they came to Storybrooke, how they met each other, or anything like that. That is, until Emma arrives, then time starts moving. No one can ever come to Storybrooke, which makes the mayor awfully suspicious of Emma (and later, August when he arrives). Also, they cannot leave Storybrooke or else something bad will happen to them (mostly, all I saw were car accidents right at the town limit).
CHARACTERS:
SNOW WHITE/ MARY MARGARET BLANCHARD played by Ginnifer Goodwin
Her alter ego, Mary Margaret, is the elementary school teacher of Storybrooke. She's mostly the sweeter side of Snow White and a lot more soft spoken than her fairytale counter-part. Although, sometimes she does manage to channel her inner Snow White (like when she kick-boxed Jefferson out the window, surprising herself with her moves).
I remember when I first saw him, I didn't exactly disapprove of him, but I just didn't really picture him as Prince Charming. Now, I can't see anyone else in the part! This guy makes THE most heartbreaking puppy faces! Seriously. And then he'll occasionally throw in the single tear rolling down his cheek as well. Rips my heart out every time! Anyways, moving on. He's got an interesting backstory. He's not really a prince, but he takes the place of his twin brother (who was adopted by the king and later killed) to slay a dragon for the king. However, he is roped into continuing the charade when he is forced into an engagement with a princess from another kingdom. Then he meets Snow White while on a journey through the forest and falls in love with her instead. She's the one who gave him the nickname of "Charming" saying that it "suits you" and it just sort of sticks and everyone starts calling him that. He's noble, passionate, and he definitely lives up to his nickname.
His alter ego has had a tough life. First, he was in a coma, then he had amnesia and fell in love with Mary Margaret during that time despite being "married", then he "remembered" and went back to his wife, but was still in love with Mary Margaret, then there were lots of complications that could have been prevented or improved upon by better choices. My point here is that, he is still a charmer, but he is not the best at making good decisions. He does manage to man up and try to fix things once they've been wronged though. But, you know, this is all because of the curse. He can't be Prince Charming in the real world, he can't embody all of the prince's good qualities.
EMMA SWANN played by Jennifer Morrison
She's an interesting character. She won't just blindly believe in something, which is why the curse isn't broken instantly (as Henry puts it "I know the hero doesn't believe at first. because if they did, then it wouldn't be a very good story."). She always needs physical proof (which is actually very frustrating most of the time. On several occasions I was shouting at the screen, "EMMA, Y U NO BELIEVE!?!"). She's one of the most grounded characters, since she's not afraid to stand up to Regina or Mr. Gold (the two people in Storybrooke whom everybody is terrified to cross).
EVIL QUEEN/ REGINA MILLS played by Lana Parrilla
Our main antagonist! She's much deeper than she originally appears to be. We find out why she hates Snow White so much, about her horrible mother, and how she was once a loving person. But now, she is just the ultimate butt-head! (Sorry for my crudeness, but I really have no other way of putting it). She is awful! Her basic grounds are that she's miserable, so everyone else should be as well. She's trying to find her own happiness and she steps on so many to try and get there. Like, OK, I can maybe understand why she is trying to ruin Snow White's life, but she ruins so many other people's lives as well (and a lot for really no reason other than she's selfish and/or unhappy). She tricked the Mad Hatter into abandoning his daughter so she could get her own father back, she separated Hansel and Gretel from their father just because she they rejected her, and she lied to Rumplestiltskin about Belle being dead because they're just very antagonistic towards each other and she was trying to hit him where it hurt. Speaking of that, I absolutely LOVE their rivalry. They're in a sort of power struggle with each other, always trying to beat each other. In the end, it's always Rumplestiltskin that comes out on top, but the queen still tries to get at him somehow. However, despite their constant antagonism, they often work together. No matter what they're doing, I love all their scenes together. They're always so intense. The queen is conniving, wicked, and downright terrible.
Her alter ego keeps her fairytale name of Regina. She is also (supposedly) the only one who remembers her past life as well. She is as equally awful as her fairytale counterpart, but is a bit more subtle about it. She still continues to try and ruin everybody's life. She does seem to genuinely love Henry... but I have yet to determine why she wanted him in the first place.
RUMPLESTILTSKIN/ MR. GOLD played by Robert Carlyle
My favorite character (even though he's a total creep). I've already written a long analysis on him, which you can read here. But I'll just put a little one here anyways. This dude is behind like EVERYTHING that ever happens (like literally, it doesn't always seem like it at first, but later...). He's probably one of the deepest characters on the show as well. You keep peeling back the layers of the onion and don't reach the end, but more buried treasure. He's more likely to be classified as a villain than a good guy, since that's the role he predominately plays in most situations, plus he's not very trustworthy. However, I say he's not really either one. He just does whatever benefits him, so if that means doing something bad, he'll do it, or if that means helping the good side, he'll do it. But he ALWAYS has a reason behind literally everything he does. And like I said earlier, he is behind pretty much everything that happens, For example, he's the one that actually created the queen's curse (but he had a deeper reason for that other than she just wanted him to), she's just the one who enacted it. Also, he wanted the curse to be broken eventually, so he set up a very complicated series of events so that it would happen eventually. He is mysterious, extremely tricky, and almost even twisted.
His alter ego is Mr. Gold. As Rumplestiltskin, he made a deal with the queen that he would tell her how to make the curse work if she would give him a good life in the new land, so she made him a wealthy pawnshop owner, who also "owns the town". Everyone in the town is more intimidated by him than they are by Regina. He still continues to be mysterious and untrustworthy in all his actions. It's implied throughout most of the season that he remembers his past life and it is later revealed whether he does or not. I love how he just trolls everyone in the town (meaning, he asks questions or makes comments to people that he knows will push their buttons and/or make them uncomfortable.)
HENRY MILLS played Jared S. Gilmore
OTHER CHARACTERS:
Jiminy Cricket/Archie Hopper
Red Riding Hood/Ruby
Huntsman/Graham
Princess Abigail/Katherine Nolan
Magic Mirror/Sidney Glass
Pinocchio/August W. Booth
Cinderella/Ashley Boyd
Gepetto/Marco
Mad Hatter/Jefferson
Hansel and Gretel/Nicolas and Ava Zimmer
TOP 5 FAVORITE EPISODES (IN ORDER FROM GREATEST TO LEAST):
1) Heart of Darkness
2) Red-Handed
3) A Land Without Magic
4) Skin Deep
5) 7:15
EPISODES THAT MADE ME SOB LIKE A BABY (literally):
1) The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
2) The Return
3) A Land Without Magic
SOME BITS THAT MADE ME LAUGH:
Granny: For one thing, you were late. For another thing, you dress like a drag queen during fleet week.
Ruby: And you dress like Norman Bates when he dresses like Norman Bates’ mother!
Archie: Anger between a parent and child is the most natural thing in the world.
Mr. Gold: I think he might be here to try to kill me.
Archie: Ah… Right… that’s… that’s not
(Archie's face here is priceless)
Prince Charming: Undo the potion. All magic can be broken.
Rumplestiltskin: Oh, yes, with “twu wuv.”
(When Rumple says this line, I can't help but think of The Princess Bride)
Graham: I thought you were a wolf.
Mr. Gold: Did I forget to shave?
Prince Charming: It’s me, Charming!
Snow White: Charming? I’m beginning to see why I drank that potion.
Prince Charming: Name your price.
Rumplestiltskin: How about... your cloak.
Prince Charming: My cloak? Why would you want my cloak?
Rumplestiltskn: It's drafty in here.
Jiminy: You must be James.
James: You can talk?
Jiminy: Yeah. And you can listen.
Prince Charming: I told you, I will always find you.
*Snow White bashes him over the head*
Henry: When did your flashes start?
Graham: Right after I kissed Emma.
Henry: You kissed my mom!?
Mary Margaret: What are you doing?
David: It's 7:45
Mary Margaret: I know.
David: I'm trying not to see you.
Mary Margaret: Well I am trying not to see you.
David: This is a problem.
Mary Margaret: Yes.
David: She's not pregnant.
*Smooch*
(This scene is hilarious to me for a number of reasons. #1- David runs away from Mary Margaret like a schoolboy afraid of cooties, #2- "she's not pregnant" is like the most unromantic line to lead into a kiss, and #3- [after the terror of the first time seeing it] Regina watching all ticked off from her car just makes it funnier to me.)
Mary Margaret: Please don't do it!
Leroy: I'm not going to jump.
Mary Margaret: You're not?
Leroy: No, are you crazy? I could hit someone. You know how much damage I could do? I'm solidly built.
Regina: My tree is dying. Why?
Mr. Gold: Perhaps it's your fertilizer.
(I totally laughed out loud here. What a troll!)
Snow White: You would really die for me?
Prince Charming: *with an arrow in his shoulder* Does it look like I'm making this up?
Mr. Gold: Two valentines? Sounds like a complicated life.
David: No. I just couldn't decide.
Mr. Gold: These are both for the same woman?
David: Well... they're both so... us.
Mr. Gold: I see.
(Mr. Gold trolling David here. He totally knows that something's going on and the smugness is written all over his face. It's hilarious.)
Happy: You are the most nasty, horrible--
Grumpy: Enough! Look what you're doing to Happy!
Emma: Hey, what's the emergency?
Henry: Shh! This is sensitive.
Emma: If it's sensitive, why are we at Granny's out in the open?
Henry: I'm hungry.
(Henry has my priorities. Food trumps subtlety)
Check out the trailer HERE
Ahhhhh! Such a great show!
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