This will be my 8th post about 5A, the first half of Once Upon a Time’s Season Five. It’s been a roller-coaster ride, with each episode twisting in ways I didn’t expect, blowing theories out of the water and generating new ones.

The journey is now over, the arc for 5B has been set. We know where we are going, or at least the main destination. The next new episode won’t air until March 6th, it’s going to be a long hiatus as despite the arc being wrapped up there are still many questions, some of which I rate as quite important. We all have our favourites and this mid-season finale made for a lot of uncertainty, and a fair bit of doubt, regarding the happy ending of my favourite character.

I will go along with the writers on most things because I don’t mind angst, I don’t mind the journey, so long as it ends up making everything right in the end. Now obviously I don’t know how long this show will go on for, if there are several more seasons (I can only hope) then if the journey is a long one then I can accept that. However, sometimes some things can not be undone, people can cross the line and go too far and then they can’t come back. So long as there’s hope I’ll go along with it, but if there is no hope that things will end how I want then I won’t be happy.

However, for now I’m willing to see where the writers are going to take this. I have some hopes and I have some suspicions, see under the cut for the Swan Song.

Continue reading →

This week there was a double bill of Once Upon a Time to watch. Episode 8 and Episode 9, Birth and The Bear King and the first episode contained a shocking plot twist, the second was any of the main characters actually really in it?

The revelations sparked questions and the frustrations come from the message on the netflix site. The next new episode will be “January 1st” – excuse me? Now Once Upon a Time has a really long hiatus, three months from December 6th to March 6th. That is expected, that’s why they split the season into two story arcs A and B. They wrap up one story arc so people aren’t mad as hell for three months waiting to see how it ends.

Netflix have been brilliant, putting up the new episode on the wednesday, after it airs in the US on the sunday. Why are they suddenly breaking from form? The last two episodes of 5A and saying we have to wait 6 weeks for them. Have to wait for the episodes that will wrap up the story arc, explain everything and bring resolution to the conflict which has ramped up over the previous 9 episodes. Why do that? That is mean, that is cruel and unusual and mean and very, very frustrating.

Alright so let’s talk about the episodes that have aired and that shocking plot twist. Obviously massive spoilers below.

Continue reading →

Episode 7 of Season 5, you know the drill. I’m going to make this snappy as I have novel writing to do, plus I don’t have that much to say about the episode this week.

Continue reading →

I missed writing a post about last weeks episode. I had a cold (man-flu) and I felt really tired, then NaNo started and too much time had passed. However, the episodes did sort of lead from one to the other, or at least when it came to the important part – Rumplestiltskin of course!

My friend just asked me what I thought of last nights episode (5.06 – The Bear and the Bow) as they thought I would really have liked it. They know I’m a big Rumple and Rumple/Belle fan and this was a centric episode for them, they finally got their moment in the spotlight. When it came to my answer I was a bit more conflicted than I think either of us had expected.

The problem with head canon is that then on screen things happen that don’t seem right. I agreed with a lot of what happened last night, likely all of it but the episode was only 40 minutes and they had to show a transformation in that time. I suppose it’s no surprise that it came across a bit false but more on that under the cut.

Continue reading →

The Broken Kingdom, episode 4 of season 5 was added to Netflix yesterday.

I reached the end and had the exact same thought as a friend of mine – next episode please! It almost felt like it was paced as a two-parter. The credits started to roll and I couldn’t believe that was the end already, a lot had been covered but so much more was just set up and teased for what was coming next.

One of the things that I really like about this show, I think I’ve said this before, is it’s capacity to surprise me. I’ll see the promo, or I’ll see the live tweets which have pictures and quotes. This will form a picture in my mind, I’ll add it to my theories of what I think will happen. I then watch the episode and something totally different happens, but it’s not wrong, it makes as much sense as my theories.

I’ve never watched a show that seemed to encourage speculation as much. I am worried though because the ratings aren’t as healthy as I’d like. They are still winning the timeslot but it’s an expensive show, and this season will reach the magic number 100 for syndication.

With the numbers much lower than in the past, I could see ABC wanting to save the money. I really hope not though because I want this show to go on forever, or at least much longer than just the rest of this season! It’s too awesome, just like Stargate, and there needs to be a healthy amount for rewatching.

Ok so I’ve rambled on enough to now go to the cut.

Continue reading →

The third episode of Once Upon a Time’s season 5 was put up on Netflix last night. I had read the live tweets and seen a couple of preview clips courtesy of the official twitter account. One of those clips I thought was for next weeks episode, so I was very pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be the ending of this one – and wow what an ending!

This is a show which I believe encourages speculation about where plot lines are going. However, it seems every time I come up with a theory the writers take a totally unexpected turn. The turn might be unexpected but it also makes perfect sense, it’s just a plot twist that never occurred to me. It keeps the show surprising and makes me count down the days to the next episode.

Right, usual disclaimer though surely I could dispense with that by now? Spoilers under the cut …

Continue reading →

Episode two, season five was put up on Netflix last night. It was entitled – The Price and the episode surrounded the price of magic. Both for previous events and for events that are yet to come.

I don’t entirely know what to say above the cut because of spoilers. Perhaps I could make a confession, it’s unusual for me to watch shows live. I usually binge watch because I have the DVD, waiting each week for the next episode is a little bit torturous.

Just randomly, I’m actually dictating this post using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. I usually type, and I have to say this is really weird, it’s almost a different process like my brain and my mouth aren’t connected the same as my brain and my hands. I have a shoulder injury at the moment which makes typing painful. If it isn’t fixed by next month then this will be good practice for NanNoWriMo.

I think I’ve rambled on long enough now. As always, consider this a warning of spoilers under the cut.

Continue reading →

There is no savior in this town anymore.

Season five of Once Upon a Time has started. Thanks to Netflix picking up distribution for the UK I only have to wait three days from the US broadcast to watch. That is just brilliant and makes me wish all my shows could work like that. I mean seriously in the days of the internet, I don’t see why it can’t. I’m permanently 18 months behind on some of them, not getting the previous season until they are halfway through the next one. However, that is probably a rant topic for another day.

I know I was going to post my thoughts on season three and four. Quite frankly I just haven’t got round to it yet and now I don’t know whether I should do it at all. The last post I made to wrap up season two was rather difficult, as I was halfway into season four at the time.

Perspective is everything and watching what happens later, does change my opinion about what happened before. I’ve been rewatching season one lately. First time through I hated Regina and was cheering for Emma. Now Regina is my second favorite character, I’m cheering for her and thinking Emma is the mean one. Perhaps I should do a post about that. I know, I know, I find it way too easy to ramble on about this show. It’s not my fault the show is so damn awesome.

Anyway, this post is supposed to be about season five, the premiere episode. Obviously, there will be spoilers for that episode under the cut.

Continue reading →