S04.E03: Rocky Road

[mtlchick]

 

Hook and the cell phone. Love it. We need more of that.

 

Reminded me of Sleepy Hollow: hot British/Irish guy wearing a long coat not of this world dealing with technology.  

 

I just marvel at the people of this town: "Of course Elsa did it! There is NO WAY that in the fairy tale town we live in, there is NO ONE ELSE that could have strong weather powers like that!"  

 

Regina, Robin...get a room.  Or at least one where Marion's body isn't in it.  

Edited October 13, 2014 by mtlchick

[TwistedandBored]

Now, I just want Marian to wake up & leave Robin's ass. Confessing your love to the woman who killed/tried to kill your wife when said wife is freezing to death is just low!

 

The rest of the episode was good. 

[stealinghome]

Wow, so did Robin just declare that he loves Regina, right in front of his wife's frozen body?  They really are meant to be; both of them are just so selfish and pig-headed.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but plan to kill Marian aside (I know...), Regina has shown 500% more grace through this entire situation than Robin has. She may, actually, deserve better than him.

Edited October 13, 2014 by stealinghome

[Mari]

I'm afraid to say this, because, well, I've learned what happens on this show if I appreciate something about it.

 

The Snow Queen is turning into an interesting villain.  So far, she's managing to sound creepy and damaged, without going full blown bug-eyes and gleefully sadistic like the Mills sisters did--in some ways, she reminds me a little of Cora, who had an agenda, but wasn't foaming away at the mouth like her daughters.

 

I'm actually interested to know a little more about the Snow Queen's background.  I don't need episode after episode on it, but at this point I'm not dreading the inevitable fairybacks on it.

[ParadoxLost]

Regina's storyline isn't bugging me as much as I thought it would.  I appreciated that they blatantly showed Regina manipulating Henry for her own selfish reasons.  And for once, plot works in my favor.  The townsfolk want to string up Elsa because that's Snow Queen's motivation and I'm spared poor innocent Regina being wrongly accused.

 

I think I may be cutting this storyline a break because I'm ridiculously happy with the last two episodes of Emma/Elsa/Hook/Charming.  If Regina's shenanigans with Henry and Robin can keep Emma's storyline on the right track (through lack of involvement) then I'll take it.

[KaveDweller]

Robin, I get that you are conflicted, but seriously that isn't a conversation to have over your wife's freezing body. Why not try to warm her up?

 

Did anyone else get the sense that he was going to kiss Regina and have that wake Marian? Cause Regina's really his "true love?" (Not that I think she's his true love, just that the show would claim it).  It would be a kind of awkward awakening though.

 

t's nice to know there are things we can depend on. The book only reported what HAPPENED, not what some third party told it, yet Henry says it's all wrong about Regina and she implies it's wrong to present her as a villain.

 

I also thought the book only told what had already happened (in the enchanted forest).  It doesn't continue after that, right? It didn't say Snow and Charming were going to have another baby or that Emma and Hook are going to end up together.  It doesn't even mention Storybook.  So, Regina's future is still TBD.

[El Seed]

Maybe she's one of Neal's stepmothers? Regardless, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Better put out another place setting.

 

 

Thanksgiving dinner on OUaT would top the WTF Thanksgiving dinner in season 6 of Smallville (as much as I loved Lionel, that magnificent bastard), and I never thought I'd be able to say that.

[KingOfHearts]

 

I'm actually interested to know a little more about the Snow Queen's background.  I don't need episode after episode on it, but at this point I'm not dreading the inevitable fairybacks on it.

 

I found it interesting she "befriended" Elsa right away in the past. But, what's even more intriguing is that she knows Rumple, and Rumple knows her intentions. In fact, he even said he was happy to help her. But what's even more is that he knows she knows Emma!

 

Elizabeth Mitchell nails that shadiness, especially in the eyes.

Edited October 13, 2014 by KingOfHearts

[Rumsy4]

I too was reminded of Cora, especially the part where she set Elsa up (like Cora did in S2 with Regina). I feel like she wanted revenge on Elsa's parents for entrapping her in the Urn, but it got derailed for some reason. Looking forward to learning her connection to Emma.

[Mari]

I found it interesting she "befriended" Elsa right away in the past. But, what's even more intriguing is that she knows Rumple, and Rumple knows her intentions. In fact, he even said he was happy to help her. But what's even more is that he knows she knows Emma!

 

Elizabeth Mitchell nails that shadiness, especially in the eyes.

 

 

I too was reminded of Cora, especially the part where she set Elsa up (like Cora did in S2 with Regina). I feel like she wanted revenge on Elsa's parents for entrapping her in the Urn, but it got derailed for some reason. Looking forward to learning her connection to Emma.

She does a great job of sounding slightly sympathetic and warm, at the same time.  I'm not sure yet if the character actually is a little emotionally attached to the idea of Elsa, (and from her voice, Emma), or not.  It's obvious she was manipulating Elsa, but it was well-done enough that it's possible to believe she wasn't ONLY manipulating--that there was real feeling there, too.

 

That has the potential to be very interesting.

[KingOfHearts]

That whole scene with the Snow Queen and Rumple at the end felt very much like the end of 1x02 with Regina and Rumple at the apple tree. It's a good thing, because that's one of my favorite scenes of the series.

Edited October 13, 2014 by KingOfHearts

[ParadoxLost]

I also thought the book only told what had already happened (in the enchanted forest). 

 

And that's the one really positive thing about the Regina/Henry story.  They basically have to end it with someone telling Regina and Henry that her actions was what made her the villain in the story.

[Sakura12]

Elizabeth Mitchell excels at being shady and warm and stoic all at the same time, the Snow Queen reminds of Juliet from Lost. Which means she's awesome and I can't wait to know more about her and what her connection to Emma is and how she and Rumple know each other. I'm happy I already figured out that she was Elsa and Anna's aunt, so I wouldn't roll eyes at yet another person related to everyone else. 

 

I loved Hook's "I press the Emma button and she answers...usually" line about the cell phone. Kristoff is fun and so is Will from Wonderland. I'd love to see them both interact with Hook. 

Edited October 13, 2014 by Sakura12

[legaleagle53]

I guarantee you that as nonsensical as it will be, Will (Knave) will be the one to deliver true love's kiss.  Its the perfect thing to absolve Robin of being a bad husband by making Marian Guinevere to Robin's Arthur and Will's Lancelot.

 

Except that Will already has his own True Love waiting for him back in Wonderland (Anastasia, to whom he's married).  Not only would it be nonsensical, it would completely disregard established canon.

Thanksgiving dinner on OUaT would top the WTF Thanksgiving dinner in season 6 of Smallville (as much as I loved Lionel, that magnificent bastard), and I never thought I'd be able to say that.

 

As David himself once observed, it's a good thing that they never celebrated Thanksgiving in the Enchanted Forest, because that meal would suck!

[AmeliaBedelia]

MVP's for me in this ep were Kristoff, Will, and Hook. I am a sucker for charming, funny men (especially when they have accents). I love just listening to Will talk and Hook's delivery of "Meself" had me rolling. Hook and Will should have a "bloody hell" off. Maybe that will happen in an upcoming episode lol.

 

I find the Snow Queen intriguing. I like that EM is not chewing the scenery (looking at you Zelena). She comes off as distant and cold (heh) which I appreciate, but there is underlying tension there. I am curious to know about her connection to Emma.

 

Sucks to be Marian. I like the character, but I already not paying attention to that storyline. Helps keep my blood pressure down.

 

Only major disappointment of the season so far has been Snow's scenes. I would like a moment where she and Charming get to enjoy their new baby together. I would also like to see Emma bonding with her little brother.

Edited October 13, 2014 by AmeliaBedelia

[FabulousTater]

And that's the one really positive thing about the Regina/Henry story.  They basically have to end it with someone telling Regina and Henry that her actions was what made her the villain in the story.

That would be the logical conclusion. That would be where any rational person would go with that. But it's. This. Show. And If I've learned nothing in the the 3 seasons I've watched this batshit crazy, morally twisted fairy tale farce it's that they never do what makes sense (not if it in any way can be stopped). I mean, let's all take a look at who Emma's brother is named after. Oh, that's right....The guy who banged the homeless teenager and sent her to prison for his crimes and never looked back. Awesomesauce. So ya, you can't tell me the writers won't end Operation Mongoose/Operation Moral Whitewashing with the storybook author being "The Truest Evil EVAH!" that Regina must defeat (by being extra special evil) in order to get the book rewritten to how she wants.

Edited October 13, 2014 by FabulousTater

[ParadoxLost]

Snow Queen is quite interesting.  She froze Marian and tried to kill Hook and yet she didn't come across as particularly villainous.

 

She definitely has a maternal feeling for Elsa and Emma.

 

She sees everyone without powers as the enemy and, with the exception of the Charmings and Hook, you can kind of see her point.  They definitely have a 'burn the witch' mentality going on.  But what makes it work is that this is not out of nowhere behavior.  These people form a lynch mob on a fairly regular basis. 

 

Add to that her reaction to Rumpel seems very similar to how the Charmings deal with him.  A tense truce.  She wants to avoid aligning with him and making a deal.

Edited October 13, 2014 by ParadoxLost

[Primetimer]

The real villain of the season reveals herself, and she's fabulous.

Read the story

[stealinghome]

She's see everyone without powers as the enemy and, with the exception of the Charmings and Hook, you can kind of see her point.  They definitely have a 'burn the witch' mentality going on.  But what makes it work is that this is not out of nowhere behavior.  These people form a lynch mob on a fairly regular basis.

Yeah, this episode definitely suggested that she's Once's version of Magneto. Who is a wildly compelling villain (for all that he's also a huge asshole), imo, so I really hope the show goes there with her fully.

[Mari]

Yeah, this episode definitely suggested that she's Once's version of Magneto. Who is a wildly compelling villain (for all that he's also a huge asshole), imo, so I really hope the show goes there with her fully.

With actually a good motive.  I mean, yes, he's wrong in his methods--but he is a villain with a background/motive that makes sense.  If they manage that with the Snow Queen, that would be nice. 

Edited October 13, 2014 by Mari

[Trini]

Except that Will already has his own True Love waiting for him back in Wonderland (Anastasia, to whom he's married).  Not only would it be nonsensical, it would completely disregard established canon.

So what you're saying is, this pretty much guaranteed to happen? ;-)

(Nonsensical disregard of "canon" has never stopped these writers before!)

Edited October 13, 2014 by Trini

[Souris]

Does Snow White ever put that baby down? Is she still going to be carrying it when it's 16?

Given she lost her first to a curse and Snowflake briefly to Zelena it makes total sense she would cling. She's paranoid about him being taken away.

I watched this ep with a friend who had never seen an ep. Oy, it is hella hard to explain all the relationships without a flowchart.

[ParadoxLost]

Except that Will already has his own True Love waiting for him back in Wonderland (Anastasia, to whom he's married).  Not only would it be nonsensical, it would completely disregard established canon.

 

I just remembered time travel.  Its entirely possible they'll decide Hook and Emma did something to change the past to hand wave away any Will backstory.

[Shanna Marie]

“I was written as a villain.”  That Henry/Regina scene was repulsive.  Out and out repulsive.  It’s one thing to claim that Regina has changed, it’s a whole ‘nother thing to claim she wasn’t one.  You kill villages, abuse children, and rape people, you’re not being “written” as a villain.  You were one.

I got a lot of rage knitting done during that scene. Because how is the book wrong about Regina when it only reported her actions? Did it in any way get what she did wrong? I just don't get Henry here because if he knows the book that well, he'd know that, duh, Regina's ending hasn't been written yet and is determined by what she does. Also, calling it Operation Mongoose is just plain tacky, considering his work with Emma was Operation Cobra. Nice slap in the face to the mom who didn't tell him to take a hike because she was sad about the breakup of her two-date relationship.

 

"Regina lets me." Oh Christ, give me strength.

This is where they really need to watch the timeline because, really, it must have been once. They didn't have time for Regina getting Roland ice cream to have been a habit. Then again, small children can be manipulative that way. Do something once and it becomes "but you let me do it all the time."

 

I wonder what David was thinking when Emma showed off her thief skills, perhaps, "Great, I just named my kid after a guy who taught my daughter breaking and entering.!?"

That and, "Okay, now the (ex?) pirate's not looking quite so bad."

 

Reminded me of Sleepy Hollow: hot British/Irish guy wearing a long coat not of this world dealing with technology. 

Though Hook's voice mail message was very short and to the point rather than him dictating a formal missive, complete with salutation and closure. Then again, I don't think Hook was ever much of a letter writer. I loved the "Emma button" because my parents joke about how they've programmed their speed dial to have a "Shanna button." While it was fun to see Hook trying to explain the phone to Elsa, I feel a little robbed not to have seen Emma trying to explain it to Hook, finally giving up and just saying, "If you want to talk to me, press this button."

 

We've talked some about how good Elsa might be for Emma in giving her a friend who's not part of a romantic relationship with her, but I rather liked the developing friendship between Elsa and Hook. They're both outsiders who didn't get the memory download, so they've got a similar perspective, and since she's new and apparently doesn't know him by reputation, he gets a bit of a blank slate with her, a fresh start as his new self without her thinking about his old self. She made a good sounding board for him in this episode.

 

The Snow Queen's plan was rather Coraesque. They're repeating themselves a bit, and I hope it goes off in a different direction, but the framing Elsa so that Elsa would have to depend on her was exactly what Cora did to Regina. Only Elsa was smart enough not to fall for it.

 

Hook may as well have a flashing neon sign over his head saying "Walking Presumed Dead Man." There was the "all the time in the world, unless a monster kills me" line, then the "would I put my life on the line for someone I consider loot" line and now the "I'm a survivor." If he were in a war movie, he'd be the first one in the squad killed. I don't think they'll kill him permanently (he's too pretty to die), but you can pretty much bet on a scare, and not even a moment of jeopardy like tonight. He's going to be cursed, shot and sucked through a portal or something drastic that will flip Emma out, and it will probably be something he does to protect or save Emma so she can feel really bad and blame herself.

[stealinghome]

This is where they really need to watch the timeline because, really, it must have been once. They didn't have time for Regina getting Roland ice cream to have been a habit. Then again, small children can be manipulative that way. Do something once and it becomes "but you let me do it all the time."

Yeah, I actually didn't mind Roland's line so much because it was intentionally written to be manipulative/bratty, imo. (Though the child actor is so charming it didn't have the full bite it should have!)

[Trini]

 

... I don't think they'll kill him permanently (he's too pretty to die), ...

Speaking of Graham (thanks for remembering him, show), I still don't think anyone knows that Regina killed him.

[Shanna Marie]

Speaking of Graham (thanks for remembering him, show), I still don't think anyone knows that Regina killed him.

Except Henry. He backed away from Emma after Graham died because he was afraid Regina would kill or hurt Emma, too. And now he's helping Regina because the book is wrong about her being a villain. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

 

Robin is so very gross. He got over the loss of his wife by falling in love with the woman who was responsible for him losing his wife, and now he just isn't feeling it with his wife because he's too into the woman who had imprisoned her and was going to execute her. Does he know what Regina did to Marian? Is he okay with this? Someone needs to tweet the idiots in charge about this. When Marian gets defrosted, she needs to find herself a killer divorce attorney and take him for custody of Roland and every pine cone and golden arrow he owns. Thanks for ruining Robin Hood, show! Even the Daffy Duck version is saying, "That's dethpicable." Kevin Costner is saying, "Hah, how do you like me now?"

Edited October 13, 2014 by Shanna Marie

[andromeda331]

"There's no problem that can't be solved with a bit of ice cream." It really is magical, like whiskey.

 

Its always had that effect on me. And on a shallow note, I hope Storybrooke doesn't lose its ice cream shop.

 

 

That would be the logical conclusion. That would be where any rational person would go with that. But it's. This. Show. And If I've learned nothing in the the 3 seasons I've watched this batshit crazy, morally twisted fairy tale farce it's that they never do what makes sense (not if it in any way can be stopped). I mean, let's all take a look at who Emma's brother is named after. Oh, that's right....The guy who banged the homeless teenager and sent her to prison for his crimes and never looked back. Awesomesauce. So ya, you can't tell me the writers won't end Operation Mongoose/Operation Moral Whitewashing with the storybook author being "The Truest Evil EVAH!" that Regina must defeat (by being extra special evil) in order to get the book rewritten to how she wants.

 

 

I agree. I would love to see it end with Regina realizing she is a villain because once again she's blaming someone else for everything she did. She killed peasants, she stole hearts, she cursed the entire town, she did it all. But your right it'll never happen. The writers love Regina too much for her to actually have to take responsibly for all the things she did. Its much easier for them and her to blame other people or who wrote the book and want them to change her story, only so she gets her happy ending, despite the fact everything she did in the book was true. And no matter how many  times she insists she changed the moment something goes wrong or she's faced with yet another person that she wronged, she blames someone else. 

 

I was hoping I wouldn't be disappointed in Elizabeth Mitchell's performance, I loved her on LOST and worried she lost her acting abilities on V. I was happy to see I wasn't disappointed. She really knocked it out of the park.  I can't to find out how she knows Emma that was a surprise.

 

I don't think I will ever tire of watching the fairytale characters interacting with modern technology and things. Hook not knowing what the cellphone was but I loved his answer. "I push the Emma button and she usually answers" and of course the best one of all "Dairy Queen" 

 

Emma saving her daddy and Hook will never not be cute. She remembers Graham! Also Charming's face when he saw his daughter picking the lock. I'm loving the David-Emma relationship. I do wish Emma-Snow's relationship would return they had such a good one  the first season and now its just gone. I miss it. 

 

I love Elsa.

[Jean]

I'm starting to think someone kidnapped the usual crew of writers and locked them up for the Frozen storyline. The fairyback was the most interesting one in forever and it didn't have a single regular. Or maybe that's why it was so refreshing. The dialogue seems snappier too if a bit anvilicious.

They should just do an episode of Will, Hook and Kristoff. Comedy gold.

I'm loving Mitchell and the Snow Queen. I don't even mind that she's Elsa's aunt in typical Once soap opera fashion cause her and Haig/Elsa were awesome together. Their scenes were my favorite. I can't wait for to see the Emma/Snow Queen dynamic either. Just her saying "Emma" came with a wealth of emotion. Those 3 together is the the most excited I've been for this show since S1. It cracks me up though that both Elsa and Emma conveniently forgot her. And while I'm interested in the Snow Queen and Rumple's history, for once Rumple's tie-in isn't the most dynamic one with the villain du jour like it was with Cora, Pan and Zelena.

[Artsda]

 

I kind of laughed at Dairy Queen's idea that the town would be upset about Hook's passing. Not sure if it's supposed to show that DQ is an outsider or possible newcomer and thus has no idea about the workings of the local gang or that Hook has really grown on the town. If it's the latter, I love Hook, but I don't think that angry mob would really care if something bad happened to him,

They've only known Marian for like 2 days and they were ready with their pitchforks to go after Elsa over Marian being frozen. 

 

Hook is town royalty compared to her.

[El Seed]

This is where they really need to watch the timeline because, really, it must have been once. They didn't have time for Regina getting Roland ice cream to have been a habit. Then again, small children can be manipulative that way. Do something once and it becomes "but you let me do it all the time."

 

 

Yeah, I actually didn't mind Roland's line so much because it was intentionally written to be manipulative/bratty, imo. (Though the child actor is so charming it didn't have the full bite it should have!)

 

 

I don't mind the line in a vacuum, but it's this show. Where Regina is the biggest victim ever and can do True Love's Kiss without a heart (and in season 5 her tears will cure cancer). It just...grates. Though it's not as bad as Robin declaring his love for the woman who killed his wife in the original timeline while standing over the frozen body of his wife. The phrase "poor taste" doesn't even begin to cover that.

[KingOfHearts]

Wouldn't it be bad for Robin if it turns out Marian could hear while she's frozen?

[daxx]

Very fast paced episode, I really want to see it again. I loved the stern pirate talking to Rumple about the dagger and helping Elsa. I know this will come back to bite him in his leather clad derrière. I am assuming he isn't going to tell emma about his blackmailing of Rumple. He really didn't like Emma telling him to stay away from danger.

[scenicbyway]

Wouldn't it be bad for Robin if it turns out Marian could hear while she's frozen?

We can only hope.  That was Robin won't have to worry about breaking his vow.  I get the impression that Marian wouldn't put up with him after hearing his confession.

[InsertWordHere]

They've only known Marian for like 2 days and they were ready with their pitchforks to go after Elsa over Marian being frozen. 

 

Hook is town royalty compared to her.

As I said in my previous post, I'm very aware that they form witch hunts with alarming ease. I just think they would more easily form a witch hunt against Hook than for him. Then again, my opinion of the townsfolk, including my previously much loved Granny (who, out of anyone, really shouldn't be allying with the pitchforked people), is very low at the moment. Marian was a kind woman and mother who Granny and Gepetto saw getting carted off by Regina's guards in the EF. Hook is an alleged villain with a reputation both in the EF and in our world. Given the mob's recent bullying of Snow, I doubt a connection to the Charmings would mean anything to them.

Edited October 13, 2014 by InsertWordHere

[Camera One]

Hello everyone, welcome to this episode of Adam and Eddy's Wheel of Character Assassination!  Who do we have this week?  Oooh, it's a rare one... step right up here, Granny and Grumpy!  So Gran, remember the Season 2 episode where the Town Mob was trying to kill Red?  Since we couldn't get King George back, YOU get to be play King George's role!  And Grumpy, you get to be King George's assistant! 

 

They seriously need to introduce a few random semi-villains from Disney movies so they don't have to destroy Granny and Grumpy when they need the Irrational Town Mob.  Sheesh.  There was also no way they would have been so disrespectful to Snow at the town council meeting.  How they mistreat or neglect their minor characters...

 

Aside from that, this episode was the first one this season that I enjoyed.  I thought it was quite solid.

 

I was relieved that everyone now knows the Snow Queen's identity and that won't be dragged out.  There were some awesome Emma/Charming investigation scenes and I was happy that they gave Emma a chance to have some character moments, and be frustrated with herself. 

 

I also liked the Elsa/Hook scenes, and I thought they did a good job of paralleling what Emma was going through with Elsa not trusting Kristoffe in the past (though she probably didn't remember that entire incident due to the selective amnesia).   In a way, though, this was very 3B where Emma went investigating with her father while sending Hook on a babysitting mission.  But just much better done.

 

I liked Will on "Wonderland" but he was not necessary in this episode.  There could have been better uses of screentime... the ice cream parlour is next to Granny's, so why not have her discover the weirdness of that shop.

 

The flashbacks were good, and I liked Kristoffe more than in the first episode.  I just found it a little ironic that we got to see Elsa trying to rule, but we were largely deprived of seeing Snow and Charming do this in the past after taking back their kingdom.

 

Did they film this episode before the other two?  Since Henry looked younger to me.  I was disappointed they had him condone Regina's plan to find the book's author, but I was glad she told him the truth about her plans and now, it is out in the open.  The first episode was a complete misdirect about her return to evilness, then?

 

So Marion really is just a block of ice to these writers, isn't she?  How tasteless was it for Robin to proclaim his love for Regina with Marion lying right there.  If they were trying to gain a few more Outlaw Queen fans, epic fail there... could that have been any more disturbing?

 

Maybe it was because I have seen too many bad TV shows with the actress in it, but the Snow Queen didn't impress me yet.  I loved her on "Lost" (eventually), so I'm keeping myself open to the prospect.  She better not turn out to be Emma's real mother or something given her sad face.   I didn't find the scene with Rumple at the end intriguing enough for a cliffhanger.

 

I'm pretty sure Elsa isn't hard of hearing... there was no way she couldn't have heard what Gold and Hook were saying at the Shop.

 

I thought this episode had a lot of funny lines as opposed to last week when there was a bunch of trying-to-be-clever lines.  I enjoyed Snow's hideous bird painting and Hook's line about the cell phone.

 

I hope they can keep up this quality next episode.  There was a good balance of character and plot.  For me, this was the first episode with a strong flashback and current-day.  The season premiere had good flashback and horrible current-day stuff.   The second episode had good current-day material with Elsa/Emma but horrific let's-assassinate-Charming's-base-character-traits in the flashback.  But this one, both were relatively good... so amazed.  

Edited October 13, 2014 by Camera One

[shapeshifter]

Wouldn't Henry have seen The Jungle Book in New York and therefore know the cobra-mongoose connection? In case some of you aren't familiar or thought it was only a fairy tale thing, from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongoose#Diet):

...The Indian gray mongoose and others are well known for their ability to fight and kill venomous snakes, particularly cobras....

In other words, Operation Mongoose will destroy Operation Cobra, which the OUaT Wiki (http://onceuponatimeabc.wikia.com/wiki/Operation_Cobra) summarizes as:

"Operation Cobra" is the name given to the "adventure" Henry Mills embarked on to get his biological mother, Emma Swan, to believe in the Dark Curse and its effects on the town of Storybrooke, Maine.

So if the book gets rewritten, everyone gets amnesia. Makes sense to me.

[Leia1979]

I'm going to watch this again and just skip the Woegina/OQ nonsense. Poor Marian. I quite enjoyed the rest.

 

The Elsa and Kristoff comedy show was fun, although Elsa going after the urn wasn't smart. I thought she was going to be sucked in the moment she touched it. I don't trust Snow Queen (who has yet to give us any sort of actual name) was telling the truth about being Elsa's aunt. It makes sense, but it was also a very convenient story, considering Elsa's parents are dead.

 

I'm glad Hook got a cell phone. Maybe he'll soon reach Ichabod Crane proficiency. I actually thought he was going to take a photo with it when he first took it out. Then I realized he's not that tech-savvy yet, but the "Emma button" was cute.

 

I didn't like how Emma snapped at Hook at the start of the episode, but I appreciate that they built on that over the episode culminating in the conversation in the middle of the street (anyone else see the irony in discussing fear of loved ones dying in the middle of main street?). The lens flare in the over Emma's shoulder shot bugged me in that night scene, though.

 

And lastly, Grumpy and Granny must have been the leaders of that mob scene in "Beauty and the Beast."

[Rumsy4]

So if the book gets rewritten, everyone gets amnesia. Makes sense to me.

The Show can't survive another memory curse! :-p

[FilmTVGeek80]

I feel like the past season and a half they've been trying to balance out the lack of Emma/Charming scenes in the first two seasons. I love it, but I miss Mary Margaret/Emma bonding. They used to be best buddies and now they're not!

 

 

I was just thinking that watching this episode. I don't want to complain partly because I know with these writers you'd complain and they'd Regina the situation and turn it around on us - "Damn them, they said they wanted more Emma/David scenes and now they're complaining?! How dare they want equally balanced familial relationships!" I mean I love, love, love that we're finally getting meaningful scenes between David and Emma and I love that relationship. But I also loved her relationship with Snow; just because she's spending time with one doesn't mean she should never have scenes with the other.

 

Another really enjoyable, solid episode...IF you can overlook the total intelligence FAILS that every.single.character had tonight. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it enough to overlook them. This is the most engaging and fun the show has been since S1. I'm really loving this season so far.

 

 

Could basically quote your whole post. Other than the usual Regina crap (and Emma/Hook which I'm not a fan of but can deal with at this point) I'm really enjoying this season (well minus episode 1 because of the aforementioned Regina crap.)

I could buy that she'd changed, but to pretend like she wasn't evil at one point--that Evil was just a misunderstanding, and propaganda written by some mysterious author?

 

I want to spit.  And flip tables.

 

 

THIS! Ugh, it's so enraging! Though of course only an idiot teenager like Henry would actually think Regina's plan makes a lick of sense. The book was just reporting the facts. It didn't get Regina wrong.

 

I also want to echo someone else's post from earlier that seeing Snow dealing with the trauma of being separated from Emma as a baby, so much so that she can't even let David hold their son, and Emma bringing up the pain of losing Graham, highlights for me how wrong the Regina/Snow, Regina/Emma friendships are. I will never buy Regina's redemption. But in general I can see a redemption of her working in that she could do good things and not always be a villain. But I don't think I can ever buy Snow or Emma getting past what Regina did to them to be anything but politely cordial to Regina. Not this crap where they give Regina pep talks and root for her and devote time to making sure Regina gets a happy ending. It rings so horribly false.

 

Never saw OUAT in Wonderland, but I liked this Will guy. I liked the accent and the attitude and in their brief scene, I saw more chemistry with Emma and Will than I've ever seen with Emma/Hook.

 

I'm digging the Snow Queen so far and really wondering about her connection to Emma.

Edited October 13, 2014 by FilmTVGeek80

[Camera One]

The Show can't survive another memory curse! 

 

It basically replicated it already with Emma and Elsa both having selective amnesia regarding to the Snow Queen.

[Blue Plastic]

OMG.  It's a talking device; I just press the Emma button!  Dairy Queen!  Talk about laugh out loud moments.

 

Loved that Elsa gave orders to Kristoff that he disobeyed, while in present day Emma gave orders to Hook that he disobeyed.  Interested to see how Dairy Queen knows Emma.

 

I liked that they used a well-established OUAT magical technique (heart removing) to keep the deep freeze from moving to Maid Marian's heart, rather than having to come up with some cockamamie potion that requires a single petal from a flower that only grows for one day once every 1000 years on the top of Mount Vesuvius or something.  I can't stress that enough - I really, really liked that they had an oft-used (sometimes too oft-used) magical technique that is part of the show's canon and actually came in handy for something and didn't have to pull some BS out of their asses to keep Marian in limbo.

 

Liked that Emma was wielding magic left and right with ease, although that seems like kind of a big turnaround since she's usually shown having problems with it.

 

FLOVED that they had the painting of Elsa and Anna's parents, just like in the movie.  Eeeeee!

 

So glad that Jiminy Cricket addressed the fact that Snow carries that baby every-freaking-where.  I thought the show was trying to say that every new mother should have her baby at her side constantly or something.  I was beginning to wonder how Snow goes to the bathroom, frankly.

 

Did Granny take Snow shopping for shoes at SAS?

[Camera One]

I find it refreshing that Charming, Emma, Red, etc. don't give Snow a second thought and just lets her do everything herself.  Even Archie just watches and he's standing right there.  And her loyal friends like Grumpy and Granny even pushes her to do extra stuff like restore power to the city and ensures her decisions on the first day on the job is challenged publicly.  Power to the Independent Mother!  Or something.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Camera One

[AndySmith]

 

Why is Belle even on this show anymore? All she does is stand around looking concerned, maybe getting to speak once per episode.

 

Just like Claire during much of her run on Lost!

[FabulousTater]

I find it refreshing that Charming, Emma, Red, etc. don't give Snow a second thought and just lets her do everything herself. Even Archie just watches and he's standing right there. And her loyal friends like Grumpy and Granny even pushes her to do extra stuff like restore power to the city and ensures her decisions on the first day on the job is challenged publicly. Power to the Independent Mother! Or something.

 

In Charming's defense, he did try. Charming tried to get Snow to let him hold Snowflake while she officiated over the "fireside chat" but she refused and held the baby tighter. And, tbh, I don't think Emma is going to go near that situation even with a 10 ft pole and I don't blame her one single bit. 

 

I think Archie was going to try and help, but Snow was all "I'm fiiine." She was very clearly refusing anyone's attempts to help her and that's where Archie chimed in. He was making a point and one that needed to be made because I don't think that baby will ever learn to walk otherwise.

Edited October 13, 2014 by FabulousTater

[Rumsy4]

Liked that Emma was wielding magic left and right with ease, although that seems like kind of a big turnaround since she's usually shown having problems with it.

She usually is able to work up her magic in an emergency. Like when Zelena tried to kidnap Henry. Or at Dark Hollow. Or when splitting Nealfire from his father. This time, both Hook and her dad were in danger.

[Camera One]

It must be an emergency that affects someone else, but not necessarily her, since she couldn't get rid of the Ice Wall last week?  Though she did save herself by building that bridge.  

[Minneapple]

I loved everything nearly about this episode. I just love the team of Emma, Hook, Charming and Elsa. In fact I'd be happy if they they just spun those four off into their own magical detective show. "Hey, Dairy Queen!" ruled. Hook's "I just press the Emma button and she answers. Usually" was so adorable. On my Magical Detective show, Hook and Elsa will have a segment each week where they figure out technology like GPS devices and microwaves.

 

The Snow Queen looks like she's going to be evil and fun. I can't wait. How is she connected to Emma? And I think she was lying about being Anna and Elsa's aunt. Still, I liked Elizabeth Mitchell (never watched Lost so am unfamiliar with her).

 

Dear Robin, you are gross and inappropriate. Confessing your love for Regina over his near-dead wife? Don't make me hurl. I will give Regina credit for getting over herself and actually trying to help Marian, but her "I was written this way" (the meta is KILLING ME HERE) instead of owning her actions made me roll my eyes. And it came in the SAME EPISODE where we saw her remove a heart the way she did when she USED TO* be evil. Not to mention an episode where we got a mention of Graham. Remember when Regina killed him, writers -- OOPS, I'M SORRY, WHEN YOU WROTE REGINA KILLING HIM (I can't take the meta, it's making me dizzy now).

 

And trying to rewrite the ending of the book? BAD IDEA, LADY. I have a feeling it will knock your fake redemption into Neverland.

 

Next week: Hook and Emma date! I feel like a teenager, but I don't care. Squee! I love how cute they are together.

 

*Yes, I know people won't believe me, but when I watched this show in season one, Regina was a villain. I know, it's hard to believe. She was a better character then, too.

[jellysalmon]

I gave up on OUAT because I couldn't handle the kid, but this inclusion of Elizabeth Mitchell + my love of Frozen might be enough to drag me into the fold. 

 

...I am weirdly attracted to her.

 

To the recap episodes!

[Rick Kitchen]

Did anyone else get the sense that he was going to kiss Regina and have that wake Marian? Cause Regina's really his "true love?" (Not that I think she's his true love, just that the show would claim it).  It would be a kind of awkward awakening though.

 

Tinkerbelle told Regina that Robin was her one true love.