The Storybrooke Daily Mirror: OUaT in the Media, Cons and Other Real Life Encounters

[Rumsy4]

The biggest problem A & E are going to have with extending the Show's life span is Jared's rapid ageing when compared with Henry's age, and the snail's pace at which time has moved in the past two seasons. They can't keep making one year time jumps to deal with it. 

[retrograde]

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/07/15/abc-once-upon-a-time-in-wonderland/

I'm kind of excited for a pre-curse Hook spinoff now!

I think pre-curse Hook would be too much of a villain to play the lead in what would effectively be a Disney show (unless they just want to retcon a bunch of stuff). If they chose to spin-off current Hook (which I can actually see them doing) and have him go back to fairytale worlds, the only catch is that they'd have to have him break up with Emma. And that he has kind of turned his back on piracy. 

 

A big problem in any spin-off of any of the fairytale characters is that the show would lack the audience-perspective outsider character of Emma. Part of Once's appeal is (or was) the clash of the fairytale and real worlds. I don't really see many current characters you can do that with. Maybe Henry -- I can see him growing up into someone who travels between realms, has adventures, etc. Whether the actor grows up into someone who can carry a whole show remains to be seen, though. 

[Souris]

I think they just meant the Neverland arc when they mentioned Hook, since the other things they mentioned were past things.

 

As much as I adore Hook, I absolutely positively do NOT want a present Hook spinoff, for the very reason mentioned that they'd have to break up him and Emma to accomplish it, and no. Just no.

 

Though now I imagine all the SQers and STers will jump all over the concept like my cat on catnip.

[pezgirl7]

I don't think they would ever really have a Hook or spinoff, I just excited at the possibility. :) Right now the only spinoff I can see working is Frozen. I suppose they could revisit the missing Neverland years, but knowing who Pan really is might make it a little strange.

[retrograde]

I guess Neverland is the most workable, because Hook is less evil than Pan, and I'm assuming they didn't do that much indiscriminate plundering and killing during those years, because how many other ships were even around to rob? But I still see any past!Hook as problematic, because the audience would know going in that he will never achieve his goal of getting back to kill Rumple, and they can never give him a romantic subplot, and he will never defeat Pan. They could flesh out the world with other characters, sure, but Hook was their, well, hook for the show, I think they'd run out of things to do with him pretty quick.

[stealinghome]

I suspect if Once does any more spinoffs, they're going to be like Once: Wonderland--maybe featuring a few Once characters in cameo roles, but largely self-contained and quite separate from the mothership.

[Mari]

Right now the only spinoff I can see working is Frozen.

Between the movie, and the inevitable sequel, as well as the Once Frozen arc, won't Frozen have reached a certain oversaturation point?

 

I mean, I know I'm not Frozen's target demo, but would there really be the audience for something big budget enough to be live action and be Frozen, but not really Frozen?

 

It just seems like you'd need to appeal to more people than would watch the short half/hour cartoon spin-offs from other Disney cartoons.

[Souris]

If they want to do a past-Neverland spinoff, they best hurry up before Robbie Kay ages any more!

[retrograde]

He's already 18 -- I think he might just have a boyish look about him. 

[RadioGirl27]

So they really didn't learn anything from Wonderland. Right now a Neverland spin-off will be pointless, and so will be an Oz spin-off.

[Serena]

I don't think it's fair to slam Adam and Eddy for a possible Frozen, Neverland, or whatever spin off, since 1) they have never mentioned anything about it and 2) the ABC president said they have no current plans to do one. It's not their fault that Kristin from E! Online is a terrible journalist, hears "we have to current plans to do a Frozen spin off" and decides to write the headline "OUAT may be getting a Frozen spin off". She's the worst.

Edited July 16, 2014 by Serena

[FurryFury]

I suspect if Once does any more spinoffs, they're going to be like Once: Wonderland--maybe featuring a few Once characters in cameo roles, but largely self-contained and quite separate from the mothership.

 

But it crashed and burned, rating-wise - so I'm not sure they'd repeat the experiment. Maybe if Frozen arc is really well-received... but I still doubt that.

And if we're talking spinning off any of the regular/recurring cast, I don't think any of the current characters could work, including Hook. They're all either too integrated with each other, too well explored or just not that interesting/don't have enough narrative potential. Actually, Jefferson's the only character of Once I could ever see headlining a spin-off, and I assume they've originally wanted him for Wonderland, but no such luck, and everyone hated the recasting idea so much they've (wisely) put it off.

[sharky]

I could still see a spin-off even after the Wonderland debacle. The ABC president himself said it was his fault that didn't work. The original plan was to use it as a bridge between the two half-seasons and the ABC execs got all twitchy and pushed it much earlier into the schedule than it should've been. We'll have to see how the shows work in between this season's halves to get a better idea of if it'll work -- if ABC does what it's supposed to this time by holding the gap show until it's planned run.

[Serena]

I agree, I think if Galavant works - and it's pretty compatible with Once - they may try a spin off again, maybe during Once's last season. But if live action Elsa and Anna prove really popular, maybe even as soon as next year.

[Camera One]

If it's like Neverland and Oz, they're going to run "Frozen" into the ground by the end of 4A to an extent that none of us will want to see any of these characters ever again.

[stealinghome]

I could still see a spin-off even after the Wonderland debacle. The ABC president himself said it was his fault that didn't work. The original plan was to use it as a bridge between the two half-seasons and the ABC execs got all twitchy and pushed it much earlier into the schedule than it should've been. We'll have to see how the shows work in between this season's halves to get a better idea of if it'll work -- if ABC does what it's supposed to this time by holding the gap show until it's planned run.

The ABC president is deluding himself, though, if he thinks Once: Wonderland's great problem was simply the time slot.

[Serena]

I don't think Wonderland was much more problematic, writing-wise, than Once, so I don't think it would be strange to expect the people who are still watching Once to check out Wonderland if it's in the same timeslot. OUAT:IW started with awful ratings right off the bat, it's not like all of OUAT's audience watched it and decided it was too bad to keep up with it (this is all second hand information re: Wonderland's quality, though. I only watched the premiere to check it out and the finale to see what we could expect from A&E finale-wise).

[Geeni]

 

Though now I imagine all the SQers and STers will jump all over the concept like my cat on catnip.

 

Actually, from what I've seen, most of them don't want it because Hook is just too one-dimensional and uninteresting with lack of any story to warrant a spin-off. His useless ass literally adds nothing to the main show as it is.

 

I would so take a Jefferson or Whale spin-off, though. But any would fail, because of how awful the mother show already is.

[Camera One]

I don't think Wonderland was much more problematic, writing-wise, than Once, so I don't think it would be strange to expect the people who are still watching Once to check out Wonderland if it's in the same timeslot.

Replying in Ratings thread.

[stealinghome]

I don't think Wonderland was much more problematic, writing-wise, than Once, so I don't think it would be strange to expect the people who are still watching Once to check out Wonderland if it's in the same timeslot.

Also replying in Ratings.

[FurryFury]

I don't think Wonderland was much more problematic, writing-wise, than Once,

 

It was. Comparing just the pilots, the difference was staggering. Wonderland felt like a Saturday Morning cartoon, only in live action. Of course, I hear it got much better, but it was too late... and I actually doubt it got that better, too. It just felt too fake, for me. Once was grounded by Emma and by the cursed memories plotline from the get go - it was the dichotomy between real and fairytale that hooked me in. Wonderland was a straight-up fairy tale - no playing with the tropes, no real edge.

 

However, the ratings were bad even for the pilot, so they sorta are correct in assuming time slot was the real problem, true.

[InsertWordHere]

You can tweet Yvette Nicole Brown (Ursula), who will be moderating the OUaT panel at San Diego Comic Con, suggestions for questions you want her to ask here

[Serena]

Well, I'm sure some of the things people will tweet her will be... enlightening.

[Souris]

Anthony Covino @AnthonyHolic  ·  25m

Mark your calendars @OnceABC fans: @jenmorrisonlive is scheduled to appear on @KellyandMichael on Wed. July 23! Set your DVRs @UDucklingsInc

[retrograde]

Second round of Teen Choice nominations are out, and Robbie Kay is up for "best villain". 

[Shanna Marie]

There was a photo of Elsa in costume on the front page of today's USA Today entertainment section, with a blurb about shooting beginning on the Frozen-related arc on Once Upon a Time.

[Serena]

Yeah, I've seen the shots of Elsa circulating in lots of sites, even those that don't usually cover OUAT. So if attracting attention was their goal, I'd say they've succeeded.

[stealinghome]

The AV Club named New York City Serenade as the #14 worst episode of this past television season. I kind of have to agree with their reasoning--it wasn't an inherently bad episode, but it just completely deflated everything that was awesome about the winter finale--and, more broadly, it also kind of represents how meh 3B was as a whole.

 

Also, they really summed the show up well in two sentences:

Once Upon A Time definitely has its moments, which is what can make it frustrating to watch. For every few steps forward the show takes, a giant leap back always seems just around the bend.

[Shanna Marie]

I actually disagree with their reasoning. I don't think it would have been a good idea to drag out Emma not having her memories. We know she's going to get her memories back and end up in Storybrooke, so why waste more than one episode on her resisting the potion and not believing? I think the failure that deflated the end of the half-season before came later in not exploring the missing year more on both Emma's side and the Storybrooke side. I'm fine with this episode itself and where it left us, but the rest of the season didn't live up to the promise.

[snarkastic]

I actually disagree with their reasoning. I don't think it would have been a good idea to drag out Emma not having her memories. We know she's going to get her memories back and end up in Storybrooke, so why waste more than one episode on her resisting the potion and not believing? I think the failure that deflated the end of the half-season before came later in not exploring the missing year more on both Emma's side and the Storybrooke side. I'm fine with this episode itself and where it left us, but the rest of the season didn't live up to the promise.

I didn't even think of that. We could have gotten a flashback all about how Walsh was sent to meet Emma and what the heck he was actually doing. Argh! Wasted potential!!!!

[FurryFury]

I found the episode underwhelming. It wasn't anywhere near the worst in 3b, but after the awesome midseason finale, it was disappointing. The setup was so good, and I loved the idea, but its execution... pretty meh.

[stealinghome]

I don't think it would have been a good idea to drag out Emma not having her memories. We know she's going to get her memories back and end up in Storybrooke, so why waste more than one episode on her resisting the potion and not believing?

For me, Emma gave into drinking the potion way too easily. Like, I'm not opposed in theory to Emma regaining her memories in the first episode back--but it was just too easy! There was never any real sense of struggle, no sense that Emma was not going to take the potion. And like, I know for out-of-universe reasons that it was a foregone conclusion that she would get her memories back, of course, but the writers really failed at communicating that sense of urgency, that Hook had to convince her or everyone was fucked. And they failed to convince me that nu!Emma could/would not get her memories back. Say what you want about Emma's very protracted believing process in S1, but at least then it seemed dire, and her refusing to believe seemed like it might well happen. Not so here.

 

I also think that going right back to Storybrooke-as-it-was was a bit of a letdown. The town wasn't even gone for an entire episode! I loved David and Emma's moment at the door, but I really think 3x12 should have ended with Emma regaining her memories. The entirety of 3x12 should have been focused on Emma remembering and should have made that process more difficult for her. Then you could have had her fight with Walsh and return to Storybrooke in 3x13 (or really just dropped the Walsh subplot altogether, as at the end of the day it added less than nothing).

 

With that all said, though, I do agree that 3x12 was far from the worst episode in 3B. I think that honor has to go to 'Quiet Minds.' That episode was just a hot mess. But I still think picking 'New York City Serenade' is emblematic of how 3B was just meh in general.

[Shanna Marie]

We could have gotten a flashback all about how Walsh was sent to meet Emma and what the heck he was actually doing.

How he got there. How he found her. How he targeted her. And enough of her life in New York, even if it was in montage form, to explain the constant refrain of "life was good there." From what we saw, she had a boyfriend who turned out to be a flying monkey and a neighbor who was willing to look after Henry. She hasn't had any phone calls from friends wondering how long she's going to stay in Maine. Was her life really all that great? Did she find herself missing things that she didn't know she was missing, feeling a loss she couldn't explain?

[myril]

Pssst, Maybe we should take the discussion to All Season Thread, or what we wish would have happened, or to Emma discussion. Just a suggestion to make life for our mod easier. ;-)

Edited July 20, 2014 by katusch

[formerlyfreedom]

Thanks, , you read my mind!

[Writing Wrongs]

For anyone that is a Disney Movie Club member, they have Season 3 blu-ray for pre-order for 18.98.

[Emma]

Robert Carlyle has cancelled his press room interviews. It's still up in the air if he'll even be at the panel.

[Emma]

Once Upon A Time' Season 3 DVD Features

Wicked Villains: 11 Minutes 34 Seconds

The Tale of Ariel: 7 Minutes 13 Seconds

Inside the Writer’s Room: 2 Minutes 57 Seconds

The Fairiest Bloopers of Them All: 1 Minute 43 seconds

Comic Con Meets Ariel: 1 Minute 18 Seconds.

Deleted Scenes:

Mr Van Winkle: 1 Minute 08 Seconds

A Helping Hook: 1 Minute 09 seconds

Father of the Bride: 1 Minute 27 seconds

A Helping Hook 2: 50 Seconds

Baby Gift: 3 Minutes 41 seconds

Force Fed: 37 seconds

Connected: 58 Seconds.

Princes Leia: 50 seconds.

Liar: 40 seconds.

Audio Commentary:

Season 3 Episode 2: Lost Girl

Commentary with Andrew Chambliss and Kalinda Vasquez (Writers)

Season 3 Episode 8: Think Lovely Thoughts.

Commentary with David Goodman, Robert Hull (Writers) and Robert Carlyle (Rumplestiltskin, Mr Gold)

Season 3 Episode 17: The Jolly Roger:

Commentary with David Goodman and Colin O’Donoghue (Hook, Killian Jones).

Source: Film Ratings

[Amerilla]

Three minutes in the Writers Room. That's probably two minutes more than the writers themselves spend there.

[wingster55]

Well, I'm sure some of the things people will tweet her will be... enlightening.

 

And she'll only choose the positive questions as is her way (not judging...just noting)

 

Robert Carlyle has cancelled his press room interviews. It's still up in the air if he'll even be at the panel.

 

Did he do them last year? I only remember the group interviews with EW etc which he wasn't in. 

[Curio]

Less than 2 minutes for bloopers?? Come on! That's basically the most important thing that comes out of a DVD release!

 

It would have been nice to get Jennifer Morrison to do a commentary, since she's always really well spoken and really cares about getting inside Emma's head. But oh well, at least Colin is doing a commentary again. Interesting that Adam and Eddy aren't doing any commentaries, though...

[daxx]

Once Upon A Time' Season 3 DVD Features

Wicked Villains: 11 Minutes 34 Seconds

The Tale of Ariel: 7 Minutes 13 Seconds

Inside the Writer’s Room: 2 Minutes 57 Seconds

The Fairiest Bloopers of Them All: 1 Minute 43 seconds

Comic Con Meets Ariel: 1 Minute 18 Seconds.

Deleted Scenes:

Mr Van Winkle: 1 Minute 08 Seconds

A Helping Hook: 1 Minute 09 seconds

Father of the Bride: 1 Minute 27 seconds

A Helping Hook 2: 50 Seconds

Baby Gift: 3 Minutes 41 seconds

Force Fed: 37 seconds

Connected: 58 Seconds.

Princes Leia: 50 seconds.

Liar: 40 seconds.

Audio Commentary:

Season 3 Episode 2: Lost Girl

Commentary with Andrew Chambliss and Kalinda Vasquez (Writers)

Season 3 Episode 8: Think Lovely Thoughts.

Commentary with David Goodman, Robert Hull (Writers) and Robert Carlyle (Rumplestiltskin, Mr Gold)

Season 3 Episode 17: The Jolly Roger:

Commentary with David Goodman and Colin O’Donoghue (Hook, Killian Jones).

Source: Film Ratings

I was really hoping for commentary on either 21 or 22 with both JMo and Colin. Now that would be fun.

[snarkastic]

2 of those deleted scenes have the same title... um, weird?

 

Boo to a short blooper reel, no Good Morning Storybrooke, and only 3 commentaries (and one on an episode I couldn't care less about)

 

Has anyone heard about a bonus disk of extras yet?

[Serena]

The Blu Ray is supposed to have more content.

[Serena]

Robert Carlyle has cancelled his press room interviews. It's still up in the air if he'll even be at the panel.

What, where did you read that? It's a bummer... Robert is the one you can usually rely on to drop some spoilers, because he just doesn't care ;)

 

I believe last year he did way less press for OUAT than the other cast... I think he had another thing he was promoting at CC? I have no idea what it was.

[sharky]

He was on the panel but I don't think he did much if anything after that. All the group interviews were done without him.

Based on some photos, they have a Mr. Gold's pawn shop at the ABC booth and some pins that look like an urn with the Once logo and a bit of frozen blue.

http://37.media.tumblr.com/e58404b43de168e1be0890c2305e0dfa/tumblr_n97wso2v0Z1qkydt4o2_500.png

[Mathius]

2 of those deleted scenes have the same title... um, weird?

 

Boo to a short blooper reel, no Good Morning Storybrooke, and only 3 commentaries (and one on an episode I couldn't care less about)

No, it's "A Helping Hook" and "A Helping Hook 2". Note the "2."

And I can't help but suspect that info source is leaving out commentaries for the other two discs, which would most likely be Adam & Eddy for "Going Home" and "There's No Place Like Home".

[Souris]

That's IT for bloopers??? Give me a break. So disappointing. You know there's tons more than that. Bloopers are always my favorite extra.

 

And I'm disappointed there's not commentary with multiple actors -- those are always the best commentaries. Colin and Jen on the finale would be the best.

Edited July 24, 2014 by Souris

[snarkastic]

No, it's "A Helping Hook" and "A Helping Hook 2". Note the "2."

And I can't help but suspect that info source is leaving out commentaries for the other two discs, which would most likely be Adam & Eddy for "Going Home" and "There's No Place Like Home".

 

Hehe, I read the "2: 50" as 2 minutes and 50 seconds in my head, not realizing that it would be a completely different format than the rest that way.

 

Anyway, here's hoping for the Blu-Ray content soon.

[Stuffy]

Of course there's 11+ minutes about villains.