Once Upon a Time Shamelessly Copies Haven (But That's Okay)
I've recently been getting into Once Upon a Time, a new show detailing the lives of fairy tale characters who are unknowingly cursed to live in our world by the Evil Queen. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying it and it's different enough that it's no real problem. But after last night's episode, I started thinking about parallels between OUaT and my lifeblood fandom, Haven. I tried to keep spoilers to a minimum, but you've been warned.
1) There is a small town in Maine where something supernatural is going on. To be fair, Haven totally has rights to this, since it's based on a Stephen King novel and approximately 99.9% of his stories happen in Maine. But also to be fair, Maine is a completely gorgeous and magical place. I can't really blame OUaT. There also seem to be a disturbing number of memory issues in both towns. Both mayors have an unnerving degree of control over the town (Regina through magic and bitchery, the late Mayor Brody through his Trouble of extreme popularity).
2) A pretty blonde woman comes from Boston to solve the towns' respective situations. They were both raised in the foster system and had no real sense of family until information in the small town hinted at her origins. They both have aggressive, law enforcement jobs. They're both sort of loners, rough-around-the-edges on the outside and hesitant to let people in. They both initially stay at hotels, but then move in with a friend. Both have pasts that might not be all they seem. Both have car accidents at the town line and are saved by a dashing police officer.
3) There is at least one older male who knows what's going on but won't divulge the information to the heroine. OUaT has Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin and Haven has the Teagues brothers and the Chief. I'm not quite sure what Mr. Gold's motivations are yet, whether he wants the town to stay the way it is or not. Similarly, what the Teagues and the Chief want is a little murky; I think they want to protect the town, but not helping Audrey seems counter-productive.
4) Heroine is offered a police job with the local PD because of her law enforcement background after demonstrating her skills to the...
5) ...hot, thirty-something loner police officer. Both Nathan Wournos and Graham (who apparently has no first name, now that I come to look. We should have seen 1x07 coming.) are both attractive, rather sardonic men. They always wear their badges in an obvious place, and at least for a time were the head of the PD. Pretty blonde is their deputy, their partner. They both cannot feel. Nathan can't feel physically, but both are emotionally disconnected from the world around them. Graham literally had his emotions ripped from his body, and Nathan is an intensely cautious and private person. They also have awesome, sexy jackets.
6) Hot, thirty-something officer is obviously attracted to pretty blonde. He cares what she thinks, wants a closer relationship. They make eyes at each other in the police station. She has seen him drunk. She is the person with whom he can feel. They kiss, expecting this to be the foundation of something more. Tragedy strikes, separating them with varying degrees of finality (i.e. in Haven they will find Audrey, in OUaT, probably not so much).
7) There are definite parallels between Regina Mills and Reverend Driscoll. They both want to control the town and do indeed wield power. They both have less than altruistic intentions. Let's hope they suffer the same fate.
I will update this list as I think of things. If you think of something, let me know!