
Sophomore outing struggles a bit domestically in the box office
by MICHAEL HINMAN
May-19-2013 - No Comments
The season ends with twists and the promise of a new adventure
When last we left Storybrooke, the town was in imminent danger of being wiped off the face of the planet. And as Tamara and Greg enact their plan to use the magical trigger, it seems as if all is lost. Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and her parents break the bad news about Neal to Mr. Gold (Roberty Car ...
Read MoreRegina has a bit of an identity crisis in the Enchanted Forest
One of the last episodes of Season 2 takes a vaguely unnecessary trip down Regina and Snow’s memory lane. In the Enchanted Forest, Regina (Lana Parrilla) takes on a magical disguise in order to see how her people really feel about their Queen. But it turns out they pretty much hate her guts an ...
Read MoreIt's back to the beginning we go!
This week's homage to the past explores Regina's desperate attempt to have her revenge at the same time as she tries to fill the hole in her heart. First, in 1983, an innocent father/son camping trip is interrupted when the newly-arriving town of Storybrooke lands in the middle of the Maine wood ...
Read MoreSnow White loses her mom, while Henry gains a dad
The titular queen refers to the flashback story of young Snow (Bailee Madison) losing her mother (Rena Sofer) to an unexpected illness. Snow tries to find help for her beloved mom from the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor-Tracy). The Blue Fairy appears to offer a cure that would require someone else to ...
Read MoreEmma's convoluted family story gets even stranger
In an episode heavy on the drama and light on action, "Once Upon a Time" reveals the answers to several mysteries big and small. Emma (Jennifer Morrison), Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) and Henry (Jared Gilmore) all arrive in New York City to search for Gold's son. They quickly find him, although he d ...
Read MoreFor Anton the Giant, it ain't easy being big ... or small
The gang from Storybrooke discovers that Cora brought a kidnapped Anton the Giant with her. Fortunately, she has conveniently rendered Anton "travel-sized." The problem is that Anton (Jorge Garcia) has a nasty reaction when he meets acting sheriff and former prince, David. David (Josh Dallas) rea ...
Read MoreFrankenstein creates his monster while Regina deals with one of her own
This episode picks up exactly where the previous one left off. In the aftermath of the car crash, the town discovers that an outsider (Ethan Embry) has indeed accidentally found Storybrooke. They debate how to handle the intruder, suspecting he may have seen Hook and Rumple's magical battle. Dr. ...
Read MoreZombies, the art of power napping and true love's kiss
Now that Henry (Jared Gilmore) and Aurora (Sarah Bolger) can make contact in the "Flaming Disco of Death," Emma and Mary Margaret decide to ask for help dealing with Cora. Rumplestiltskin provides just the thing. He knows how to immobilize Cora (Barbara Hershey) with some magic squid ink (yes, s ...
Read MoreEven in Storybrooke, dead is dead. Or is it?
In a Halloween-tinged episode, the series goes for the zombie effect. Sympathy for Regina is built and the question of Dr. Whale's true identity is finally solved. In the Enchanted Forest's past, Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) tries to teach Regina (Lana Parrilla) to use magic. She's dead-set, ...
Read MoreA certain captain gets his hook, Belle gets a backbone
Fed up with Rumplestiltskin's insistence on practicing magic in secret and refusing to open up to her, Belle (Emilie de Ravin) takes off on her own. Her father (Eric Keenleyside) and Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) both look for her, but with competing agendas. Rumplestiltskin enlists Prince Ch ...
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