Once Upon a Time 1x19-1x22

[oyceter]

In which I actually finish something I started watching.

Spoilers

• I am totally amused Annoying Writer Dude became ten times more interesting when it was clear he was not romantically interested in Emma and instead wanted a reunion with his father.
• Also, thank you, show, for having a non-biologically-related parent-child dyad that is positive (Gepetto and Pinocchio). It doesn't counterbalance the extremely strong pro-bio-family lean of Emma-Henry vs. Regina-Henry, but I am really glad it is there.
• I generally roll my eyes at the True Love thing, but the show has actually sold me so much on Snow/Charming that I was happy both when Charming kisses Snow to wake her up and when he remembers in Storybrooke and they kiss in the street. I am also so happy that David's terrible choices are basically attributed to the curse. And really happy that Kathryn got a nice send off and is not dead. I just. I could have gotten tired of the constant flip-flopping of who is rescuing whom, except I kind of love it. I also love how it very nicely subverts the much more traditional-seeming relationship they have in the pilot, where Charming is the one to throw the sword at Regina while Snow worries about the baby. I like that they make Snow actively eat the apple instead of being tricked into it, I love Snow and company (including Granny and Red!) storming the castle, and I really love how Charming and Snow feel like an actual couple who respect and like each other.
• Oh poor fridged huntsman. I didn't recognize you until you mentioned your heart.
• I'm guessing Pinocchio turns back once the curse is broken, but I'm okay with not seeing it on screen, given how annoying I found August.
• I really wish they hadn't had Regina coming on to James.
• I laughed at Emma trying to take down the dragon with her handgun.
• I also love how Emma is the cut-and-run, afraid-of-commitment character.
• For a moment, I was nearly convinced that the show had actually fridged Henry to construct a reluctant alliance between Emma and Regina as they go after Rumpelstiltskin in the next season for revenge. Alas, it was not so (though I totally would have watched more if it had been!). I do like that the kiss of True Love isn't limited to romantic love.
• I continue to hate Rumpelstiltskin, and I constantly worry that he will be the Woobie Factor that eats up the entire show. I am really glad that the show blames him for his own choices re: his son, but the romance with Belle annoys the fuck out of me. I'm glad Jefferson got her out of her cell, but I really really really hope the show isn't going to go for Belle/Rumpelstiltskin as an uncomplicated romance, because ew. He's basically had a few brief moments of niceness in his entire time, but overall he is just as manipulative and skeevy as he was in the beginning. And Belle standing next to him as he throws the true love potion in the well and talks about magic and power and nearly cackles makes me go WTF?! Hello! Wake up!
• I was also hoping the tentative Regina-Emma alliance near the end would mean slightly less bwahaha-ing from Regina, but her smile as the magic returns makes me think not.

In conclusion: enjoyable light show with somewhat clunky writing that stands out for the number of important female characters, many of whom are very kickass, and how often said characters interact with each other in ways that are not two sides of a romantic triangle competing over a guy. It is kind of sad that this is remarkable, and yet, it is, and I also don't get too bad a feeling that the writers are going to elevate the male characters over the female ones (see also: Nikita, Vampire Diaries).

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