Once Upon a Time: Season Two, an Overview (Part 2)
In honor of season three of Once Upon a Time starting on September 29th (for 11 whole weeks!), I thought I would discuss the hot mess that was season two. Why was it such a hot mess? Oh, dear. It was a mess of characters acting out of character, back sliding for no reason, plot holes, story lines that were started and forgotten, underused characters, overused guest characters, badly written characters and plots, and writers rewriting history and character motivations every five episodes or so.
Below you will find the episode titles and what of importance - if anything of importance - happens in the episode. They are listed as:
Watch It - you should watch it because it actually moves plots forward or because it is just a good and solid episode.
Fast Forward It - watch it for your favorite characters or because there is a cool scene here or there or there are bits that move the plot forward.
Skip It - you never need to watch it. It adds nothing.
Watch It, But Be Prepared - you probably should watch it because of story. However, it's not a great episode and is probably full of holes.
Episodes:
10. "The Cricket Game" - This was the first episode after the Fall/Winter break. I remember being so excited for it. . .and being really let down that it was really nothing more than more set up. Cora and Hook arrive in town, and they both quickly start working my nerves. Cora slowly begins her development into a cartoon villain (she seriously overstayed her welcome) and Hook just spends the rest of the season teaming up with whomever suggests it. Because of magic, the town (or rather Emma, MM, and David) believe that Regina killed Archie. Because. . .he told people she was battling her magic addiction and the magic dream catcher Emma used said she did. Apparently there are no proper police things in Storybrooke. And Regina always betrays them. . .or whatever. In flashbacks, we have another pointless Snow/Charming/Regina flashback that lets us know that the Charmings could (and should have) killed Regina a year or two before Emma was even born. Good is dumb. Fast Forward It - There are a couple of important scenes that you need to understand/watch for later. You could probably just read the episode summary (that is detailed) on Wikipedia, though. I'd read it instead of watching.
11. "The Outsider" - Gold figures out that you can leave Storybrooke with a special powder and your most beloved object. Hook attacks Belle in the library and she defeats him and a new 'ship is born: Hook/Floor. Hook steals Bae's old cloak and Belle uses her mind to get it back. She promises to wait for Gold while he goes in search of his son. It's all nice and lovely and reminds us why Belle is brave and kind. And than Hook shoots her in the shoulder and she falls over the town line - forgetting who she is. A car from outside Storybrooke crashes into Hook. Oh, and Emma figures out (because he is saved by Belle) that Archie is alive. So, the Charmings should be super sorry. . .instead they worry about how Regina will get 'revenge' for that, like day. In flashbacks, we see Belle a) being a bookworm badass, b) befriending Mulan, c)saving Philip and introducing Mulan and Philip, and d) being kidnapped by Regina. Watch It - It's a great episode for Belle, though it is sadly the last great episode Belle has for the season. The stuff with Rumple and Hook is good, too. The flashbacks are nice back story for three great characters. The episode weakness? The Charmings, including Emma. They really just annoyed me this season.
12. "In the Name of the Brother" - Dr. Whale is asked to save the driver. Gold tells the Charmings, Leroy, and Red that the driver may have seen him do magic. So, that little click spend the episode wondering if they should tell Whale to let the driver die. Because. . .you know, they get to decide everything for the town. Cora offers Gold a globe that will help him find his son, and in exchange he promises to stay out of her way. Gold cashes in his favor from Emma and tells her she's coming to help him find his son. Cora finds Regina and promises to tell the truth about Archie. The driver calls someone to tell them about what he saw. In flashbacks we learn that Whale is Dr. Frankenstein and that he once struck a deal with Rumple (which lead to the events of "The Doctor") Fast Forward It - There are a few key important scenes. And the flashbacks are well down; loved me some Whale/Red stuff, too.
13. "Tiny" - Gold, Henry, and Emma set out to find Gold's son. Regina is upset when she learns Emma took Henry out of town. . . and MM makes it worse by telling Regina that Emma's Henry's mother and that Regina has no say in what happens with Henry. (Either she is clueless and that naive or she's secretly a horrible person poking the dragon.) David, MM, and Leroy make Hook bring them to his ship - where a shrunk Anton is found in a crate. Anton attacks David, believing him to be his dead twin brother. Later, Regina helps Anton get back to his normal (large) size. Anton then rampages through the town. David tries to stop him, but things get worse and Anton falls into a sinkhole just as the mushroom wears off, leaving him human-sized and clinging to a pipe. David leads the townspeople in rescuing a despondent Anton from the pit, restoring his faith in humans. Anton tells the Charmings that he can help them get back to the Enchanted Forest, as he has beanstalk stems. In flashbacks we learn that Prince James and a woman named Jack (as in Jack the Giant Killer) con Anton out of magic beans. Skip It - The flashbacks are pointless and the stuff of Anton growing beanstalk with dwarves (who take him as a brother and rename him Tiny) will be explained on later. Just read the Wikipedia page for the episode and that is all you need to know. There is some important stuff, but nothing you cannot find online and read/watch.
14. "Manhattan" - Gold, Emma, and Henry arrive in Manhattan and we quickly learn that Neal Cassidy (aka Emma's ex and Henry's father) is Bae. He runs, Emma follows. Neal tells Emma that August more or less told him to get lost, so Emma could one day break the Curse. Emma goes back to Gold and tells him that she lost his son in the streets. Angry, Gold goes up to Neal's apartment to wait, and starts yelling at Emma for losing his son. Neal rushes into protect her. Emma is forced to explain things to Neal and Henry, both of whom are upset with her. Neal is also angry with Gold and tells his father that he wants nothing to do with him. Meanwhile, Cora, Hook, and Regina look for the "Dark One's dagger" in an effort to control him and kill MM and David. Hook figures out the map that will lead them to the dagger and is (of course) betrayed by Cora, who deems him useless now that they know where the dagger is. In the past, Rumplestiltskin is sent out to the Ogre war. A young seer tells him that Milah is pregnant and that he'll never see his son. Rumplestiltskin breaks his own leg to get out of the war. He returns home to find Milah has given birth and she thinks him a coward. Watch It - Not only do lots of important things happen, but it was a solidly written episode. I would say the only weak point was the StoryBrooke stuff with Cora, Regina, Hook, etc. Yes, it comes back in the next couple of episodes. . . but I felt like they spent a little too much time on it.
15. "The Queen is Dead" - MM visits Johanna, an old friend of her mother's, and finds out that Johanna had sent her a tiara that her mother had once given her. MM then finds Regina and Cora looking for Rumple's dagger in the forest. MM and David decide to try and find the dagger before Regina and Cora. MM decides to try and drive Regina and Cora apart. She meets with Regina and tells her the truth: Cora doesn't care about her or Henry, but Regina dismisses it. David gets a call from Emma and learns that the dagger is in the clock tower. Just as they get the dagger, Regina and Cora show up (with Johanna). Cora rips Johanna's heart out and demands the dagger. Cora mocks MM over MM's mother's hopes that her daughter would always be good at heart. This leads MM to realize that Cora killed her mother. MM agrees to give Regina and Cora the dagger, and Cora kills Johanna. Regina realizes that Cora has been planning everything: she killed MM's mother, made sure Snow would have her horse riding accident, her marriage, etc. MM vows to kill Cora. In New York, Gold asks Emma to ask Neal to come back with them. Hook - whom Neal recognizes - appears and stabs Gold with his poisoned hook. Neal reveals that he can sail Hook's ship. He also explains that he has traveled to many different lands. Emma finds out Neal is engaged. In flashbacks, we learn that MM/Snow was bratty in her youth. Her mother, Eva, falls ill and MM/Snow has a chance to save her with a magic candle that will save Eva's life - in exchange for another's. Cora vows to turn MM/Snow's heart dark. Watch It, But Be Prepared - There are some really important scenes that set up the rest of the season and MM's struggles. But, the flashbacks rewrite everything again and I honestly don't get why Cora would want to make MM/Snow's heart dark. Killing Eva could have been her revenge. Why drag a child into it? I'm not sure. . .the flashbacks felt off. The New York stuff was okay, but felt like just a way to get them back to SB quicker - you could skip it.
16. "The Miller's Daughter" - In flashbacks we learn that Cora knew Eva in their youth. Later on, Cora crashes a royal ball and lies that she can spin straw into gold. Rumplestiltskin teaches Cora and falls in love with him, but she rejects him by taking out her own heart and marrying Prince Henry. In Storybrooke: Emma, Neal, and the Charmings value to protect Gold from Regina and Cora; they also try to find a way to save him. MM realizes that they can save Gold if they use the candle and take Cora's life. In a moment of weakness, MM tricks Regina into giving Cora her heart back. Regina kills Cora, vowing revenge on MM. Fast Forward It - Some of the StoryBrooke stuff was boring and even the flashbacks were a bit 'been there, seen that. . .okay', but they were important in the overall story of both Cora and Rumple. And the last few minutes are fairly important for most of the rest of the season, sort of.
I will admit that these episodes were better than the first nine. However, there was still a lot of Fast Forwarding, past rewrites, characters acting out of character, plot holes, etc. There was a better overall story arc with Cora, Regina, MM and their shared pasts - but, even that was a little awkward and all over the place at times.
My next post (which will hopefully be up before Sunday's two hour premier) will have episodes 17-22.
Below you will find the episode titles and what of importance - if anything of importance - happens in the episode. They are listed as:
Watch It - you should watch it because it actually moves plots forward or because it is just a good and solid episode.
Fast Forward It - watch it for your favorite characters or because there is a cool scene here or there or there are bits that move the plot forward.
Skip It - you never need to watch it. It adds nothing.
Watch It, But Be Prepared - you probably should watch it because of story. However, it's not a great episode and is probably full of holes.
Episodes:
10. "The Cricket Game" - This was the first episode after the Fall/Winter break. I remember being so excited for it. . .and being really let down that it was really nothing more than more set up. Cora and Hook arrive in town, and they both quickly start working my nerves. Cora slowly begins her development into a cartoon villain (she seriously overstayed her welcome) and Hook just spends the rest of the season teaming up with whomever suggests it. Because of magic, the town (or rather Emma, MM, and David) believe that Regina killed Archie. Because. . .he told people she was battling her magic addiction and the magic dream catcher Emma used said she did. Apparently there are no proper police things in Storybrooke. And Regina always betrays them. . .or whatever. In flashbacks, we have another pointless Snow/Charming/Regina flashback that lets us know that the Charmings could (and should have) killed Regina a year or two before Emma was even born. Good is dumb. Fast Forward It - There are a couple of important scenes that you need to understand/watch for later. You could probably just read the episode summary (that is detailed) on Wikipedia, though. I'd read it instead of watching.
11. "The Outsider" - Gold figures out that you can leave Storybrooke with a special powder and your most beloved object. Hook attacks Belle in the library and she defeats him and a new 'ship is born: Hook/Floor. Hook steals Bae's old cloak and Belle uses her mind to get it back. She promises to wait for Gold while he goes in search of his son. It's all nice and lovely and reminds us why Belle is brave and kind. And than Hook shoots her in the shoulder and she falls over the town line - forgetting who she is. A car from outside Storybrooke crashes into Hook. Oh, and Emma figures out (because he is saved by Belle) that Archie is alive. So, the Charmings should be super sorry. . .instead they worry about how Regina will get 'revenge' for that, like day. In flashbacks, we see Belle a) being a bookworm badass, b) befriending Mulan, c)saving Philip and introducing Mulan and Philip, and d) being kidnapped by Regina. Watch It - It's a great episode for Belle, though it is sadly the last great episode Belle has for the season. The stuff with Rumple and Hook is good, too. The flashbacks are nice back story for three great characters. The episode weakness? The Charmings, including Emma. They really just annoyed me this season.
12. "In the Name of the Brother" - Dr. Whale is asked to save the driver. Gold tells the Charmings, Leroy, and Red that the driver may have seen him do magic. So, that little click spend the episode wondering if they should tell Whale to let the driver die. Because. . .you know, they get to decide everything for the town. Cora offers Gold a globe that will help him find his son, and in exchange he promises to stay out of her way. Gold cashes in his favor from Emma and tells her she's coming to help him find his son. Cora finds Regina and promises to tell the truth about Archie. The driver calls someone to tell them about what he saw. In flashbacks we learn that Whale is Dr. Frankenstein and that he once struck a deal with Rumple (which lead to the events of "The Doctor") Fast Forward It - There are a few key important scenes. And the flashbacks are well down; loved me some Whale/Red stuff, too.
13. "Tiny" - Gold, Henry, and Emma set out to find Gold's son. Regina is upset when she learns Emma took Henry out of town. . . and MM makes it worse by telling Regina that Emma's Henry's mother and that Regina has no say in what happens with Henry. (Either she is clueless and that naive or she's secretly a horrible person poking the dragon.) David, MM, and Leroy make Hook bring them to his ship - where a shrunk Anton is found in a crate. Anton attacks David, believing him to be his dead twin brother. Later, Regina helps Anton get back to his normal (large) size. Anton then rampages through the town. David tries to stop him, but things get worse and Anton falls into a sinkhole just as the mushroom wears off, leaving him human-sized and clinging to a pipe. David leads the townspeople in rescuing a despondent Anton from the pit, restoring his faith in humans. Anton tells the Charmings that he can help them get back to the Enchanted Forest, as he has beanstalk stems. In flashbacks we learn that Prince James and a woman named Jack (as in Jack the Giant Killer) con Anton out of magic beans. Skip It - The flashbacks are pointless and the stuff of Anton growing beanstalk with dwarves (who take him as a brother and rename him Tiny) will be explained on later. Just read the Wikipedia page for the episode and that is all you need to know. There is some important stuff, but nothing you cannot find online and read/watch.
14. "Manhattan" - Gold, Emma, and Henry arrive in Manhattan and we quickly learn that Neal Cassidy (aka Emma's ex and Henry's father) is Bae. He runs, Emma follows. Neal tells Emma that August more or less told him to get lost, so Emma could one day break the Curse. Emma goes back to Gold and tells him that she lost his son in the streets. Angry, Gold goes up to Neal's apartment to wait, and starts yelling at Emma for losing his son. Neal rushes into protect her. Emma is forced to explain things to Neal and Henry, both of whom are upset with her. Neal is also angry with Gold and tells his father that he wants nothing to do with him. Meanwhile, Cora, Hook, and Regina look for the "Dark One's dagger" in an effort to control him and kill MM and David. Hook figures out the map that will lead them to the dagger and is (of course) betrayed by Cora, who deems him useless now that they know where the dagger is. In the past, Rumplestiltskin is sent out to the Ogre war. A young seer tells him that Milah is pregnant and that he'll never see his son. Rumplestiltskin breaks his own leg to get out of the war. He returns home to find Milah has given birth and she thinks him a coward. Watch It - Not only do lots of important things happen, but it was a solidly written episode. I would say the only weak point was the StoryBrooke stuff with Cora, Regina, Hook, etc. Yes, it comes back in the next couple of episodes. . . but I felt like they spent a little too much time on it.
15. "The Queen is Dead" - MM visits Johanna, an old friend of her mother's, and finds out that Johanna had sent her a tiara that her mother had once given her. MM then finds Regina and Cora looking for Rumple's dagger in the forest. MM and David decide to try and find the dagger before Regina and Cora. MM decides to try and drive Regina and Cora apart. She meets with Regina and tells her the truth: Cora doesn't care about her or Henry, but Regina dismisses it. David gets a call from Emma and learns that the dagger is in the clock tower. Just as they get the dagger, Regina and Cora show up (with Johanna). Cora rips Johanna's heart out and demands the dagger. Cora mocks MM over MM's mother's hopes that her daughter would always be good at heart. This leads MM to realize that Cora killed her mother. MM agrees to give Regina and Cora the dagger, and Cora kills Johanna. Regina realizes that Cora has been planning everything: she killed MM's mother, made sure Snow would have her horse riding accident, her marriage, etc. MM vows to kill Cora. In New York, Gold asks Emma to ask Neal to come back with them. Hook - whom Neal recognizes - appears and stabs Gold with his poisoned hook. Neal reveals that he can sail Hook's ship. He also explains that he has traveled to many different lands. Emma finds out Neal is engaged. In flashbacks, we learn that MM/Snow was bratty in her youth. Her mother, Eva, falls ill and MM/Snow has a chance to save her with a magic candle that will save Eva's life - in exchange for another's. Cora vows to turn MM/Snow's heart dark. Watch It, But Be Prepared - There are some really important scenes that set up the rest of the season and MM's struggles. But, the flashbacks rewrite everything again and I honestly don't get why Cora would want to make MM/Snow's heart dark. Killing Eva could have been her revenge. Why drag a child into it? I'm not sure. . .the flashbacks felt off. The New York stuff was okay, but felt like just a way to get them back to SB quicker - you could skip it.
16. "The Miller's Daughter" - In flashbacks we learn that Cora knew Eva in their youth. Later on, Cora crashes a royal ball and lies that she can spin straw into gold. Rumplestiltskin teaches Cora and falls in love with him, but she rejects him by taking out her own heart and marrying Prince Henry. In Storybrooke: Emma, Neal, and the Charmings value to protect Gold from Regina and Cora; they also try to find a way to save him. MM realizes that they can save Gold if they use the candle and take Cora's life. In a moment of weakness, MM tricks Regina into giving Cora her heart back. Regina kills Cora, vowing revenge on MM. Fast Forward It - Some of the StoryBrooke stuff was boring and even the flashbacks were a bit 'been there, seen that. . .okay', but they were important in the overall story of both Cora and Rumple. And the last few minutes are fairly important for most of the rest of the season, sort of.
I will admit that these episodes were better than the first nine. However, there was still a lot of Fast Forwarding, past rewrites, characters acting out of character, plot holes, etc. There was a better overall story arc with Cora, Regina, MM and their shared pasts - but, even that was a little awkward and all over the place at times.
My next post (which will hopefully be up before Sunday's two hour premier) will have episodes 17-22.