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

[Camera One]

I find it kind of funny that the same people seem to tune in at 8pm to catch the first half hour.  Maybe the typical viewer is like A&E... after 30 min, they go after a new shiny toy.

How did the second half do in comparison with the new show that was in the 9pm timeslot the last few weeks?

[cappoe]

1 minute ago, Camera One said:

I find it kind of funny that the same people seem to tune in at 8pm to catch the first half hour.  Maybe the typical viewer is like A&E... after 30 min, they go after a new shiny toy.

How did the second half do in comparison with the new show that was in the 9pm timeslot the last few weeks?

Worse. Inhumans did better in the demo. 0.5 for a couple of weeks. OUAT dropped to a 0.4.

[Souris]

39 minutes ago, Camera One said:

I find it kind of funny that the same people seem to tune in at 8pm to catch the first half hour.  Maybe the typical viewer is like A&E... after 30 min, they go after a new shiny toy.

Some of the people at Spotted Ratings put the in-ep drop down to people who don't switch channels immediately after their local news ends at 8 p.m. I don't know the veracity of that. Other 8 p.m. shows don't seem to experience that big in-ep drop.

That must be the schedule in other time zones. In the Eastern time zone, there are syndicated programs on at 7:30 -- Jeopardy, Entertainment Tonight, Wheel of Fortune, etc., depending on the local affiliate.

The December ratings should be ... interesting. Historically, Once's December eps have had a significant drop.

[Camera One]

I can kind of see how people who are used to watching this show, might be willing to give it a shot every week, and then they lose interest.  I know a lot of people who turn on the TV because something is on, and then get distracted on the phone, making dinner, etc. and eventually just shut it off, ultimately only watching one segment (between commercial breaks).  Commercials is often when people drift away and the show loses them.  I need to be literally beside the TV saying, "It's back!" for them to actually remember to return.

Edited November 18, 2017 by Camera One

[maryle]

Wont even lies I was smiling when I saw the first but not last .4 !

Its always hard to know the cause of rating cause they are multifactor at play!

Always,  remember the rating is up cause last episode when it was regina centric befor a cs episode... But, the tendance are not good for the most rapist fairytell family show! 

Cause this time the rating for many show can grow, but when once get lower it usually still there! And, even if they get back to low .5 more .4 in the spring with probably less than 2 millions viewers! For, me the show jump the shark with 3 raped , 2 babies and confirm its cancellation in spring! I was waiting for .4 and how soon it will be! 

So, I got my Christmas present early, thanks Adams and Eddy! 

But, the third rape surely didnt help the second hours that seem a very good possibility!  Once upon a rape got the rating they deserve!

[superloislane]

2 hours ago, Rumsy4 said:

Where there are two episodes back to back, it is inevitable that the second one is going to lose viewers

Actual viewers may drop yes but every other two hour episode block they've had in the past never dropped in the rating but this one did - I find that interesting

[KAOS Agent]

3 hours ago, Rumsy4 said:

I wonder why they chose to air the second hour last night instead of the week after thanksgiving. As it is, it now leaves a three week break before the next episode.

They are running a two hour premiere for Agents of SHIELD that week. AoS is basically set to run for the rest of the season with a break for the Olympics.

[Curio]

Quote

There something that stink in the once universe bts

I hope someday in the future we'll get to hear some of the behind the scenes drama, because there have been several red flags over the years where things start to look fishy. When Jen was promoting her farewell episode 7x02 on Instagram, she posted a photo a day for about a week leading up to the episode to celebrate. She posted photos of bts stuff and had multiple selfies with the cast including Colin, Rose, Ginny, Josh, Jared, and even A&E. Curiously missing in any of her memory lane photos was Lana. Emma's last episode didn't have nearly any Regina and Emma interaction. Jen also didn't really seem to promote Season 6's midseason finale which was heavily Regina focused that tore down Emma's character, but Jen had no problem promoting Emma's musical wedding episode. Jen still admits her favorite episode to film was the Season 3 finale. There was also the whole debate over one of the summers where Jen had to be very firm and give a reporter a long explanation for why Emma saved the entire town and not specifically Regina, going against what A&E said in another interview. I hate to look too deep into these things, but considering how Jen declined to move forward with Season 7, how A&E gave Lana a lot of freedom to influence Season 7, and also considering how Emma and Regina battled for the top position of "main character" on this show for several seasons where the writers couldn't seem to understand who was the true lead at any given point, you can't help but wonder if there's more going on behind the scenes we don't know about.

And then there's the numerous times former cast members have come out and said/hinted they were disappointed in how the writers handled their character arcs, and it's a very interesting bts situation.

[Camera One]

Whatever happened behind-the-scenes, A&E do seem to have the Midas touch.  They got sour grapes actors who griped online to come back and rave about the show (eg. Robin, Merida).  Red also came back despite dubious treatment in Season 2.  Rumple complained but at the end of the day, he returned for one more season with complimentary comments about the writing for Episode 4.  Zelena wasn't originally part of the Season 7 cast and now she's back, with glowing comments from both sides. 

Jennifer Morrison had no obligation to return for an additional season, especially after the boring material she got in Season 6.  She did at least get some interesting stuff in 5A and part of 5B.  Ginnifer Goodwin though hasn't really had anything meaty to work with since Season 3, so I can see why the decision would have been simpler for her and Josh Dallas.

Edited November 18, 2017 by Camera One

[Souris]

1 hour ago, Curio said:

I hope someday in the future we'll get to hear some of the behind the scenes drama, because there have been several red flags over the years where things start to look fishy. ... you can't help but wonder if there's more going on behind the scenes we don't know about.

Oh, yeah. I'm sure there's a trove of juicy BTS stuff. I doubt we'll hear most or even any of it. But I'd LOVE to! You know there's good stuff.

[KAOS Agent]

Quote

They lost a lot of viewers by the end of 7x07 and at the beginning of 7x08 they lost viewers and gained a very small amount back at the end.

The ratings for 20/20 were way up this week. I wonder if that slight uptick at the end of 7.08 was people tuning in early. Whatever was on 20/20 must have been interesting because by the end of the hour it had doubled its lead in audience.

It's also a big strange that the demo is shown to have increased slightly at the end because viewership is reported to have dropped. The splits in total viewers for both episodes are as follows (in millions): 2.90 ... 2.23 ... 2.04 ... 1.97.  Yes, Once not only hit a .4 but it dropped below 2 million this week.

[ParadoxLost]

6 hours ago, Camera One said:

I can kind of see how people who are used to watching this show, might be willing to give it a shot every week, and then they lose interest. 

I do this.  I tune in because there is nothing on opposite the show that I have more interest  in than OUAT.  And really, I'm actively annoyed that there is nothing I want to watch instead. Halfway through, I resort to channel surfing in search of something else to watch and get no more than random snippets of the last half hour.

[Shanna Marie]

1 hour ago, KAOS Agent said:

Whatever was on 20/20 must have been interesting because by the end of the hour it had doubled its lead in audience.

They did a story on a real-life "Wonder" boy, tied into the release of the movie about the kid born with severe facial deformities. They were hyping it all week on the ABC news and on the local affiliate news, pitching it as something to watch with the whole family and teach kids compassion.

[Watt]

I'm always checking blind gossip for ouat bts gossip, but I've only ever seen one where the majority of guesses were ouat related. That was about a rumored affair and everyone guessed Jen and Colin.

Well I don't mind if this show ends. I need Colin to do some Netflix or HBO show.

[cappoe]

52 minutes ago, Watt said:

I'm always checking blind gossip for ouat bts gossip, but I've only ever seen one where the majority of guesses were ouat related. That was about a rumored affair and everyone guessed Jen and Colin.

Well I don't mind if this show ends. I need Colin to do some Netflix or HBO show.

With Jennifer please. Caise Colin and Jen's chemistry is special and needs to be used as much as possible.

[maryle]

Well, just following the fandom is fascinating it seem the backslash after the rape by deceive episode is more big than I first thought cause at least 2 actress including a child who was not directly implicated in the storyline decided to weigh in! 

Interesting by what he tell me! They must be getting a lots of negative feedback at abc and since they are in a very weak position rating wise they probably their best to killed the negative feedback before it escalate more! I mean all the sexual abuse is a very hot topic right now! Now, I will really like to know if Allison was encouraging by the show to make her statemant! Just, seem too odd! And, if they are in someway using a child as pr tool ist despicable! 

[Rumsy4]

Yeah. The kid actress weighing in this topic is pretty weird to me. 

I have a feeling the new cast is completely out of their depth with social media surrounding Shows like ONCE. So far, they've been getting likes and adulations for all their antics. Now they're experiencing the other side of the coin, and they don't like it. The viewers have been with the Show for longer they've been actors in it. It seems pretty out of line for them to tell us how to feel about this Show and its writing. 

[buildmeupbuttercup]

I have not commented on this forum for years but I was logging on to weigh in on how despicable and disturbing I found it that they reached for their old reliable "rape by deception" for their latest plot point when I saw the stories of the dumpster fire that has become social media related to the people involved with this show. I work in PR and my coworkers and I get annoyed with the old saying "any attention is good attention". No. There are times when you just need to shut up and not make things any worse than they actually are. Now would be a good time to make sure everyone involved with your show brushes up on their comprehension of "consent" and "rape by deception" because again its kinda a bad time not to have a firm grasp on definitions of those. Also? Social buzz/press/attention that makes you or your show look completely out of touch with rape and sexual assault in a time when brave women and men are finally getting the support they need to stand up and tell their #metoo stories gets you the complete PR shitshow nightmare that has played out this weekend. And its a shitshow that could've all been avoided if the showrunners had just learned from all the previous times people lost their mind over this EXACT.SAME.STORYLINE.

What everyone from the new(ish) writers to the new cast seem to be missing is people aren't necessarily raging about Friday's storyline in isolation but the fact that this is the THIRD time with male rape, on top of statutory rape, on top of some other instances (Gwen and Arthur) that all told equal about half a dozen instances of dubious consent. The writers Brigette and Leah flopped all over themselves over the weekend defending it as "she's a villain and it's supposed to be bad" and somehow seeing it as a proud honor that "75% of the 2 hour episode was written by women" like somehow people have to hand in their feminism card if they criticize the THIRD time the show depicts male rape and completely ignores  the implications. But even with the writers they are somewhat "newer" and just writing the words that their bosses dictate is where the plot needs to go.  They are sent out to live tweet and deal with the blowback while A&E sit back and say nothing. Not that their comments on the issue in the past showed that they had any understanding of why people were upset or that they treated it with the seriousness that it needed. Nevertheless this is THEIR show, THEIR mess, THEY need to own up to it.

With the actors, literally they didn't have to say anything at all. They didn't write it so they didn't owe people any explanation. People are upset that it was written they didn't demand that the cast walk out in protest and risk their jobs. The witch actress (who is a guest star) I guess first stuck her foot in it with a tweet something along the lines of "don't like it don't watch." And then unsurprisingly longtime fans lose their mind with her. Her two options after that are just stop talking (which might've been the best immediate solution) or consult the PR people and issue a crafted apology. She apparently opted for "none of the above" and instead made door #3 for herself which is issue a "defense" that her character is bad but she is a totally nice person...who doesn't understand "consensual" and describes the exact opposite of "consent" in the same sentence. And then cue the (justifiable) outrage again. The actress didn't need to prove that she's not like her character. 99% of people who watch can distinguish actors from the characters they play no matter how horrible the acts that character commits. The actress did need to not open her mouth and make things worse and prove she too doesn't quite (at all) understand consent or rape by deception and why people are so upset over this. Don't get me started on the kid actress. She's anywhere between 10-12 from what I've seen and not even involved in the storyline. Its not like shes the rape baby from this mess. She owes NO kind of statement whatsoever. And yet here is her account (probably run by a parent?) that uses her name and image to basically prop up A&E and their disgusting "storytelling" and crap about hero's needing adversity like this to blah blah blah. Its disgusting.

Honestly how does it even get this bad? Literally the easiest thing they had to do was just not write the third male rape plot (which is identical to the "twist" three seasons ago that also caused significant outrage and backlash) on a show about fairytales that airs on Disney-owned ABC. Take that in for a second. I don't let my kids watch a show about fairytales and "hope" because in 7 seasons they still haven't learned how not to write rape into their storylines that they first got backlash from all the way back to season one.

Its really just amazing to watch how badly everything from promotion to throwing their former lead actress under the bus to the depiction of sexual assault on a fairytale show (I guess I just can't stop stressing the fairytale part) has gone in season 7. Hope all of the Netflix money that ABC got for renewing this is worth all the wonderful attention and "buzz" they're receiving. 

[jhlipton]

2 hours ago, buildmeupbuttercup said:

Hope all of the Netflix money that ABC got for renewing this is worth all the wonderful attention and "buzz" they're receiving. 

Netflix money that could have gone toward renewing Sense8 or buying Dark Matter. But I'm not bitter.

[sharky]

On 11/18/2017 at 9:48 PM, Watt said:

I'm always checking blind gossip for ouat bts gossip, but I've only ever seen one where the majority of guesses were ouat related. That was about a rumored affair and everyone guessed Jen and Colin.

I remember that and can’t recall where I would saw it. It would be interesting to revisit it now with the recent gossip that came out about other people on set. 

On 11/20/2017 at 4:02 AM, jhlipton said:

Netflix money that could have gone toward renewing Sense8 or buying Dark Matter. But I'm not bitter.

I’ve read a few places that the show is really popular on Netflix U.K. and Ireland so perhaps it may not be as popular on Netflix US but makes them money elsewhere. 

[Rumsy4]

5 minutes ago, sharky said:

I remember that and can’t recall where I would saw it. It would be interesting to revisit it now with the recent gossip that came out about other people on set. 

Huh. I guess now we know who that was. Robin Hook and Belle. lol 

[Featherhat]

On the one hand I hope AF wasn't the one in charge of her SM accounts because a kid her age shouldn't have to wade into a quagmire of a storyline that doesn't even involve her character. OTOH I find it a little disturbing that her parents or management would talk about this on her behalf, potentially because they're worried about the backlash against the show which makes me remember a pre teen is a lot of adults meal ticket. 

But seriously, these issues have been going on since S1. At least acknowledge that it's non consensual and use that, don't continually use it as a plot device and ignore all ethical ramifications. I mean they've dialled back on Regina being a mass murderer so the rape of Graham is small potatoes to them but you'd think they could find other ways. 

Edited November 21, 2017 by Featherhat

[Rumsy4]

7 minutes ago, Featherhat said:

potentially because they're worried about the backlash against the show which makes me remember a pre teen is a lot of adults meal ticket. 

It reeks of just that. 

[Rumsy4]

Another interesting Lana interview (X). 

Some quotes:

Quote

“I always wanted her to be multi-layered,” Parrilla says. “I always wanted to tell a story that wasn’t necessarily on the page.”

Looks like she's continuing to claim credit for the writing. For instance, she came with these brilliant ideas:

Quote

Now, Roni wears jeans and boots. When producers talked to her about the reboot, “I said, ‘We’ve got to change these shoes.’”

Quote

Because Regina found redemption, Parrilla says it’s possible for other characters as well.

“Like Tony Soprano and Walter White, they’re these controversial characters you can’t believe you’re rooting for. It’s the same with Regina – ‘I can’t believe I’m rooting for someone who slaughtered these villages.’”

Count me out of the cheering masses. 

Quote

 She’s like the wise owl with a bit of the fairy godmother in her. Now, she’s being generous with her lessons and inspiring others.

Yeah--like teaching an emotionally vulnerable young girl magic and telling her all about the Dark Curse.

Quote

With the reboot, however, Parrilla has a chance to change viewers’ opinions.

Creator Adam Horowitz’s children “were terrified of me for years,” she says. “Now, they’re wearing T-shirts with my face on them.”

Looks like Adam's family is part of the cheering masses. I really think Lana is having a hard time separating her character from her own self.  

[Free]

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 4:01 PM, Camera One said:

Whatever happened behind-the-scenes, A&E do seem to have the Midas touch.  They got sour grapes actors who griped online to come back and rave about the show (eg. Robin, Merida).  Red also came back despite dubious treatment in Season 2.  Rumple complained but at the end of the day, he returned for one more season with complimentary comments about the writing for Episode 4.  Zelena wasn't originally part of the Season 7 cast and now she's back, with glowing comments from both sides. 

Jennifer Morrison had no obligation to return for an additional season, especially after the boring material she got in Season 6.  She did at least get some interesting stuff in 5A and part of 5B.  Ginnifer Goodwin though hasn't really had anything meaty to work with since Season 3, so I can see why the decision would have been simpler for her and Josh Dallas.

I think that it's more likely that those actors don't really have much going for them, but someone like Jen can easily move on which is probably why she left.

On ‎11‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 10:04 PM, maryle said:

Well, just following the fandom is fascinating it seem the backslash after the rape by deceive episode is more big than I first thought cause at least 2 actress including a child who was not directly implicated in the storyline decided to weigh in! 

Interesting by what he tell me! They must be getting a lots of negative feedback at abc and since they are in a very weak position rating wise they probably their best to killed the negative feedback before it escalate more! I mean all the sexual abuse is a very hot topic right now! Now, I will really like to know if Allison was encouraging by the show to make her statemant! Just, seem too odd! And, if they are in someway using a child as pr tool ist despicable! 

It's baffling that Adam and Eddy would do the same thing that wasn't even well received the first time around to begin with.

[AnotherCastle]

Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town which aired in OUAT's place last friday was able to get a 0.8 in the demo and gain viewers during the half-hours, instead of losing them like OUAT.

[maryle]

Funny, just cause I was preparing myself to consider once could be back for a short s8 cause my favourite the reaper still at them at 55% of renewal today he decided to finally adjust down to 45% so for me ... its game over! Cause, his the one I listen the more and seem fairly conservatively in his method! Adding the other predictor I know have already once in big trouble or predicting cancellation!

Now, I just hope that ABC and Disney decide to invite the original cast back!  They are the one who made this little fantasy show this heartwarming show it was once upon a time!

[VoicePlaya]

On November 26, 2017 at 4:21 PM, Rumsy4 said:

Count me out of the cheering masses. 

Me as well.

On November 26, 2017 at 4:21 PM, Rumsy4 said:

I really think Lana is having a hard time separating her character from her own self.  

It certainly seems that way. She seems to have quite the high opinion of herself. Has Lana always been like this? I've never been a huge fan of hers, but I feel like I like her a little less with each interview I read.

[ParadoxLost]

1 hour ago, VoicePlaya said:

It certainly seems that way. She seems to have quite the high opinion of herself. Has Lana always been like this? I've never been a huge fan of hers, but I feel like I like her a little less with each interview I read.

I more got the impression that she's unintentionally showing that she's insecure.  A lot of the stuff she says about A&E sounds like they are "handling" her and she's spouting it back to the press.   Two out of the last three interviews I saw from her made it seem like she's really uncomfortable playing a "love to hate" character and A&E are puffing her up about that and how multi layered she plays Regina and how she's now the loving, wise mother figure.  That thing about how Adam's kids see her, that has got to be Adam telling her what she wants to hear.

The reminiscing she does about missing the time spent with former cast members is pretty awkward every time she brings it up.

[InsertWordHere]

On 11/26/2017 at 5:21 PM, Rumsy4 said:

“Like Tony Soprano and Walter White, they’re these controversial characters you can’t believe you’re rooting for. It’s the same with Regina – ‘I can’t believe I’m rooting for someone who slaughtered these villages.’”

I don't think she understood the point of Breaking Bad, at all. I am offended on Bryan Cranston's behalf. 

[cappoe]

IDK if the writers are happy that when you do a google search for OUAT, the headlines talk about it's brushing off of rape, how the reboot is not working, and how it's getting cancelled. Some wonderful headlines for the show if I must say. ABC couldn't cancel this show quick enough.

[Shanna Marie]

So, they apparently had a book written/published about Henry and Violet. Because I'm sure everyone was dying to read about an epic romance we already know is going nowhere, since he ends up leaving town, apparently never seeing her again, and married to someone else. But there's an excerpt online, and while I'm not at all impressed with the writing (it seems to be written at the middle-grade level, for ages about 9-12, but I'm not sure that's their target market), there are more glimpses of ordinary life in Storybrooke and Emma and Hook as a married couple than we ever got in the show, so the excerpt is worth skimming over. There's a class field trip to New York (because no one in that town ever goes anywhere else), and Emma and Hook are chaperoning.

[KingOfHearts]

It reads like an average fanfic. So much exposition, very little action.

"The Land Without Stories"?

Edited November 30, 2017 by KingOfHearts

[Shanna Marie]

1 minute ago, KingOfHearts said:

It reads like an average fanfic. So much exposition, very little action.

That was my take, as well. No one who isn't a fan of the show is going to read it, and yet it spent a lot of space explaining the background and setup. I've noticed that many fanfic writers do this, like they've been dying to explain the show in their own words or from the characters' perspectives, or else they're trying to mimic original novels that do have to do exposition (though they usually do it more seamlessly than that). My thought on reading it was "if they're going to do more of these, I should talk to my agent because I can do this, and if they're aiming at YA, I've got industry cred there."

2 minutes ago, KingOfHearts said:

"The Land Without Stories"?

Another big "huh?" Did they mean untold stories? That would explain how Hank Morgan went from 1800s Connecticut to Camelot and was still alive in the present, if he went to Camelot via a realm where time stood still, but I'm not sure that's what they mean here, and it seems to overly complicate something that's already complicated.

[Rumsy4]

That was beyond boring. Kill me now. 

[Shanna Marie]

I was mostly intrigued by the radio preset war between Emma and Killian. Like, how did he figure out the concept of radio presets? How many stations are there to preset to in Storybrooke, anyway? Is there an all sea shanty and Irish folk song station that he prefers (something that might actually exist in a town made up of storybook characters -- and why didn't we ever see this kind of thing on the show?)? What does Emma prefer? We spent six seasons with these characters and the only clue we have about what music they might like or listen to is what WHook sang when he needed to sing to activate the magic flower. We have no idea what Hook Prime thinks of modern American music, no idea what Emma likes. We never saw them listening to music. Did Emma get a new radio, or does she still have the factory-installed one? Because we had a VW from about that era when I was a kid, and it was AM only.

All of that was infinitely more interesting than anything either Henry or Violet were thinking about a school field trip.

[KingOfHearts]

This is a show about fairy tale characters, so let's write about two young teens with raging hormones going on a field trip.

Quote

That was beyond boring. Kill me now. 

Still better than Henry/Jacinda.

Edited November 30, 2017 by KingOfHearts

[superloislane]

3 hours ago, Shanna Marie said:

We have no idea what Hook Prime thinks of modern American music, no idea what Emma likes. We never saw them listening to music.

Actually Emma was listening to Sonic Youth in season 1 so we can assume she might like grunge or alternative rock.

Edited December 1, 2017 by superloislane

[Shanna Marie]

1 hour ago, superloislane said:

Actually Emma was listening to Sonic Youth in season 1 so we can assume she might like grunge or alternative rock.

Oh! I'd forgotten that (since they didn't bother reinforcing that as a character trait). So, what does Hook think of that? He's quite the rebel, so he might be into it, or it could be so very foreign to his concept of music that he thinks it's just noise and hates it.

If they're doing books that fill in the gaps in the series, we need some about life in Storybrooke. If they turn real fantasy authors loose on this world, we might get some actual worldbuilding.

I'm still wondering who the audience is for this book. It's about young teens and seems to be written at about a fifth-grade level. But is that really the core audience of the show? I'd think the last couple of seasons would have bored or turned off most kids. Are adults going to read this?

[Camera One]

Oh LOL. 

It only took until p.2 for the first unintentionally hilarious line to pop up.  "There was nothing she didn't like about him", "she" being Violet and "him" being Henry.  I know they are teens in love, but seriously?  NOTHING?

I don't get who the audience is supposed to be either.  I don't think it's appropriate for 9 or 10 year olds to read about their "favorite make-out spot behind the diner" or "snuggling in the halls of Storybrooke High".  

There was the most abrupt transition ever from 3 pages of lustful desires to that stuff about Violet's father's notebook.  If they're almost seniors, they must be pretty stupid to make a plan to sneak away to try to buy the notebook and have more make-out sessions.  For the former, with what money would she use to bid?  For the latter, Storybrooke is huge... ever heard of a walk in the woods?  going to the beach?  

I don't see the lines coming out of the characters' mouths either.  "I'm going back to bed for more beauty sleep"... I can't imagine Regina saying that.

And then, there was this... "In her red jacket and black jeans, [Emma] was the opposite of Regina, who always wore tailored slacks and a blouse.  It wasn't the only way they were different.  Emma had long blond hair, while Regina had shorter black hair.  Emma was funny, while Regina was strict".  Suddenly, it devolved into a book for 7-year olds.  I think they forgot "Emma had killed one person in self-defence, while Regina had massacred villages."

This feels like a book club, except instead of reading award winners, you choose the worst written book from the recycle bin.

Edited December 1, 2017 by Camera One

[Rumsy4]

There are plenty of fanfic writers in the OUAT who could come out with better stuff. In fact, some of the best fanfic I've read have rivaled published novels in plot, characterization, and language. This Henry/Violet story seems to have been team written by a bunch of bored interns, who also moonlight as Photoshop "experts" that design the OUAT posters.

14 minutes ago, Camera One said:

Emma had long blond hair, while Regina had shorter black hair.  Emma was funny, while Regina was strict

I cringed from second-hand embarrassment. Also, shouldn't it be Emma was "fun", and not "funny". Either way, that doesn't describe Emma. lol Maybe they were going for "easygoing". She's essentially a pushover when it comes to disciplining Henry. 

Edited December 1, 2017 by Rumsy4

[Camera One]

The changing radio stations thing was so dumb.  It's like they had nothing else for Emma to say or do.  "Henry didn't bother reminding [Emma] a transmitter and her phone could solve the never-ending bickering between her and Killian about the radio stations."

First of all, Emma should be even more of a wiz at technology than Henry.  Secondly, in the dialogue, they play off the radio stations thing as a playful joke but the phrase "never-ending bickering" made it sound like their relationship was dysfunctional.

This is the author's website.

Edited December 1, 2017 by Camera One

[Rumsy4]

So, I guess Violet and Henry breaking up has something to do with her father. He decides to move away from Storybrooke, and Violet chooses to leave along with him. 

[Shanna Marie]

3 minutes ago, Camera One said:

First of all, Emma should be even more of a wiz at technology than Henry.

Yeah, I don't think Henry got an iPhone until New York and the Missing Year, while Emma came into Storybrooke with 2011 technology, knowing how to clone a phone, find computer files and copy them quickly, and track a phone. I'm pretty sure she came to Storybrooke aware that she could run her phone through the speakers of her car stereo. And I have a hard time imagining that as the point of contention between Emma and Killian. He's more likely to say something about her diet (no scurvy in this house!) and possibly her housekeeping. Being from the Navy, he probably keeps things tidy, with everything in its place, while she strikes me as a little more freewheeling, probably not a slob, but probably not up to the standards of Lt. Jones.

26 minutes ago, Camera One said:

"In her red jacket and black jeans, [Emma] was the opposite of Regina, who always wore tailored slacks and a blouse.  It wasn't the only way they were different.  Emma had long blond hair, while Regina had shorter black hair.  Emma was funny, while Regina was strict". 

That's one of those things where they don't need to spell it out for the people who are likely to read this. Show the differences in the ways that matter, like Henry planning his makeout sessions for the times when he's staying with Emma because she's more easygoing (though as someone who got pregnant as a teen, she might actually be more strict because she's more aware of what a teen might get up to, while Regina had a far more sheltered and controlled upbringing and might be more naive about that sort of thing). Is Henry, who has known these people for years, really going around thinking about how Regina has dark hair and Emma has blond hair? That's a POV break.

I just looked up the author on Amazon. She has a couple of YA trilogies out, with what look to be moderate sales, but certainly not a star (I wanted to make sure I wasn't bashing someone I know). This book isn't listed yet on Amazon, so I don't know when it's supposed to be released. I'll have to see if I know anyone who's at that publisher now and try to snag a review copy. I'm not going to buy it, but doing a haters book club on it might be fun.

[KAOS Agent]

Her website says she's "the award-winning author of over seven novels." Does that mean she's written eight? What the hell kind of description is that? Goodreads says the book will be out in May 2018. 

[Rumsy4]

2 minutes ago, KAOS Agent said:

Goodreads says the book will be out in May 2018. 

You mean I have to wait that long to grab my leather-bound First Edition? 

[Shanna Marie]

1 minute ago, KAOS Agent said:

Goodreads says the book will be out in May 2018. 

By then, will anyone care anymore about Henry's teen years? We'll have seen the whole 7th season and know how things go with him and Ella. Unless the crack speculation about them using the 2017 setting and saying that's before he leaves town as a reset opportunity, and when the curse is undone they go back to Henry being a teenager in Storybrooke, with it all undone like it never happened.

[Camera One]

I haven't read the other books but they're prequels as well, so I suppose they think it doesn't matter how it turns out.  Red's prequel features her blossoming romance with Peter as she deals with mean girls.

[Shanna Marie]

32 minutes ago, Camera One said:

Red's prequel features her blossoming romance with Peter as she deals with mean girls.

So, is that one also a teen/tween/pre-teen book? I wonder if it mentions the ultimate outcome, that she killed and ate Peter and then found true love with a woman.

I'm really not getting the business case for these books -- books written for pre-teens about an adult show (and no matter how many Disney properties they use, a show with this much rape is an adult show). I know of teens who watch the show, but not really anyone younger. The age group these seem to be aimed at would have been preschoolers when the show premiered. I guess they're hoping the 7-8 year-olds who watched the Frozen arc are still with them? For the Henry book, it's a book aimed at pre-teens about a character who will have been an adult for a whole season by the time it's published, and involves a relationship with a character who won't have been seen or mentioned for a year, a relationship we know goes nowhere because the past season has been about him and his wife and child.

I actually think the Red one may make a little more sense, since she was so tertiary to the story that there are a lot of gaps to be filled in. I don't think you'd have to watch the show to understand or appreciate the book. It's just a twist on the Red Riding Hood story. But any story about Henry and Storybrooke in which Captain Hook is his stepfather who's chaperoning the school trip and Henry makes mental comparisons between his two moms while his girlfriend thinks about her past in Camelot and her father being the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court would pretty much require being a fan of the show to get into in the first place, which limits the readership. I can just imagine anyone not familiar with the show trying to read those first two chapters. Even with all the exposition, it's a big "HUH?"

I don't know how many adult fans would read tie-in fiction (then again, Star Wars does a booming business with adult readers), but teens tend to read up, so they'd be open to reading stories about the adult characters. It seems like a stronger market would be teen-friendly adult books -- basically, the kind of content you'd get on TV, but mostly about the adult characters, the way the show is. Anyone who can't get into stories about adults probably isn't watching the show.

[KingOfHearts]

Quote

Is Henry, who has known these people for years, really going around thinking about how Regina has dark hair and Emma has blond hair? That's a POV break.

The writer writes in a very generically subjective tone. "There was nothing she didn't like about him" is vague and unconvincing. Why not list the things she does like about him?

Quote

"In her red jacket and black jeans, [Emma] was the opposite of Regina, who always wore tailored slacks and a blouse.  It wasn't the only way they were different.  Emma had long blond hair, while Regina had shorter black hair.  Emma was funny, while Regina was strict". 

Emma and Regina have many differences, yes, but their hairstyles and wardrobes are minor aspects of their personalities. If you're going to go through the trouble of describing who these characters are, you might as well do them separately and let the reader draw their own conclusions. It would be far more interesting to highlight the contrast in their personalities via showing them doing things. If Emma is funny, she needs to tell a joke or something. If Regina is strict, we should see that through her reinforcing some rule set for Henry. Show, don't tell.

We have to be very bored to be critiquing this, LOL. I think we're all just waiting for the three week break to be over.

Edited December 1, 2017 by KingOfHearts