3. Plots! I have to say it: I feel like for most of season one, this show was very badly scripted. I said above that I am confused; no matter how many plates are spinning, I should be able to tell what’s going on and I can’t. Maybe some of it is me. I feel like the decision to tell Snow and Charming’s story in pieces of flashbacks out of order was a bad one, it veers dangerously close to retcons. It also gets old after a while. Towards the beginning, Rumple/Gold showed a high interest in names and in babies, which I felt like was close to his character, but that petered out after a while.
I get that Regina wanted to keep the curse going. No idea what Rumple is doing, ever. I guess his ultimate goal is always to find Bae but I can’t really see his path. Or possibly, whatever path he is taking is the longest and most ridiculous path ever as it seems to have taken him decades just to get the curse going. (Really, Rumple, this was your best idea?) August, what? Jefferson, what?
I guess I really feel like I have to struggle to understand what’s going on at any time and I feel like that is an effect of bad writing and/or too many things happening at once. Slow down, show!
ETA on Lady of the Lake:
We talked about this some already, but just for posterity:
-I am disappointed that they touched very, very little on Arthurian legend (the title set it up! If not for the title, I wouldn’t have anticipated it) -But I like the possible parallel between Guinevere, Lancelot’s doomed love, being barren and Snow (supposedly) also being barren -I am tired of more things (usually soap-opera-y things) getting shoved into Snow and Charming’s story/flashbacks -I like Mulan -I like Aurora -I like the relationship between Mulan and Aurora -I really liked Emma in this episode-I like it when characters show weakness, and she is pretty much all wrong or all weakness here. She has a tendency to just kind of flail around and/or roll with things, all in a fairly together manner, but this is an occasion when her flailing did not work out for her. I liked it! -Also liked the relationship stuff between Snow and Emma -LOVED that little scrap of Regina we got -Cora…eh -Still waiting on that character development for Henry -If it were up to me, Mulan would become the new queen on account of she is awesome, and either she and Aurora would be BFFs or they would hook up. Mulan might or might not be evil in this scenario.
ETA on The Heart is a Lonely Hunter:
I find it interesting how some people are more susceptible to having their memories relieved from the curse (like Rumple and Graham) but most are thoroughly cursed. Plot hole?
I like Graham. Especially towards the end when he was freaking out, he really showed a lot of vulnerability. Literal vulnerability as Regina had his heart. I liked how he listened to Henry with relative patience (maybe a side effect of the curse is that no one believes when they are told about it?). I liked his freaking out. He just seemed like a nice guy, and I am sad that he is gone. In terms of shipping, he and Emma would have made a good team.
Here is another example of things in early season one that still don’t make sense to me: why was Rumple out there digging? And something about Regina and hearts doesn’t add up to me either but looking back I’m not sure what.
I think this one was a good character episode because Emma showed some good common sense (I like the advice she gives to Mary Margaret in this episode and the previous one), Regina showed a longing for companionship in her own way, Graham showed vulnerability and some crazy, and Gold was mysterious…with hands of blue. Also Mary Margaret’s clothes were adorable, although that is nothing new.
(Half the reason I want to learn how to screencap anew is so I can keep track of the costumes on this show! In these first seven episodes Mary Margaret has worn at least two Anthropologie dresses.)
Good talk today though! It made me realize that I think my main problem with this show is that I want it to be more adult than it is or ever will be. I get that it’s supposed to be a family show, but all the marketing I see presents it as a badass adventurey show. I will have to try harder to adjust.
I get that Regina wanted to keep the curse going. No idea what Rumple is doing, ever. I guess his ultimate goal is always to find Bae but I can’t really see his path. Or possibly, whatever path he is taking is the longest and most ridiculous path ever as it seems to have taken him decades just to get the curse going. (Really, Rumple, this was your best idea?) August, what? Jefferson, what?
I guess I really feel like I have to struggle to understand what’s going on at any time and I feel like that is an effect of bad writing and/or too many things happening at once. Slow down, show!
ETA on Lady of the Lake:
We talked about this some already, but just for posterity:
-I am disappointed that they touched very, very little on Arthurian legend (the title set it up! If not for the title, I wouldn’t have anticipated it)
-But I like the possible parallel between Guinevere, Lancelot’s doomed love, being barren and Snow (supposedly) also being barren
-I am tired of more things (usually soap-opera-y things) getting shoved into Snow and Charming’s story/flashbacks
-I like Mulan
-I like Aurora
-I like the relationship between Mulan and Aurora
-I really liked Emma in this episode-I like it when characters show weakness, and she is pretty much all wrong or all weakness here. She has a tendency to just kind of flail around and/or roll with things, all in a fairly together manner, but this is an occasion when her flailing did not work out for her. I liked it!
-Also liked the relationship stuff between Snow and Emma
-LOVED that little scrap of Regina we got
-Cora…eh
-Still waiting on that character development for Henry
-If it were up to me, Mulan would become the new queen on account of she is awesome, and either she and Aurora would be BFFs or they would hook up. Mulan might or might not be evil in this scenario.
ETA on The Heart is a Lonely Hunter:
I find it interesting how some people are more susceptible to having their memories relieved from the curse (like Rumple and Graham) but most are thoroughly cursed. Plot hole?
I like Graham. Especially towards the end when he was freaking out, he really showed a lot of vulnerability. Literal vulnerability as Regina had his heart. I liked how he listened to Henry with relative patience (maybe a side effect of the curse is that no one believes when they are told about it?). I liked his freaking out. He just seemed like a nice guy, and I am sad that he is gone. In terms of shipping, he and Emma would have made a good team.
Here is another example of things in early season one that still don’t make sense to me: why was Rumple out there digging? And something about Regina and hearts doesn’t add up to me either but looking back I’m not sure what.
I think this one was a good character episode because Emma showed some good common sense (I like the advice she gives to Mary Margaret in this episode and the previous one), Regina showed a longing for companionship in her own way, Graham showed vulnerability and some crazy, and Gold was mysterious…with hands of blue. Also Mary Margaret’s clothes were adorable, although that is nothing new.
(Half the reason I want to learn how to screencap anew is so I can keep track of the costumes on this show! In these first seven episodes Mary Margaret has worn at least two Anthropologie dresses.)
Good talk today though! It made me realize that I think my main problem with this show is that I want it to be more adult than it is or ever will be. I get that it’s supposed to be a family show, but all the marketing I see presents it as a badass adventurey show. I will have to try harder to adjust.
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