For Breaking Bad fans, last night's episode of Once Upon a Time, "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree," was both a master class in facial acting from Giancarlo Esposito and a recipe for a living-room wringing, inspiring many a squeal of "Why is Gus Fring dressed like Aladdin? Ho-lee ship."
But even if you've never seen a moment of Breaking Bad, chances are you were pretty caught up what was ultimately a very engaging episode. While OUaT worked overtime to drum up the suspense, with a twist ending for both the fairy-tale and real-world storylines of Sidney Glass/the Magic Mirror, I think we can safely say we saw the twists coming and just enjoyed the indulgent romance and crazy costumes. Which is by no means a complaint: It's a lot harder to entertain your audience than it is to surprise them (if you don't believe me, go yell "Boo!" at someone). Plus, we finally got a tiny peek at Snow White and the Evil Queen's back story, and it did not disappoint.
First of all, the premise that the Magic Mirror started out as a genie who was freed and then foolishly got himself trapped in the mirror by his own wish is brilliant, and it gave us a shot of Sidney as a tiny little man living in a lamp. I Dream of Jeannie used a similar conceit, and it's so much cozier than imagining a genie's supernatural consciousness suspended in some weird gray area. No, genies literally live in their little lamps, chilling, lounging on some pillows, and then someone picks them up every three hundred years.
The fairy-tale back stories are always fun, but I can get impatient while waiting to return to the main storyline, so I kind of dread them. Yet just as I was reconciling myself to simply enjoy seeing a great actor dressed for an Arabian-themed Ren-faire, OUaT gave us the reveal that the contented King who gave the genie his freedom was Snow White's dad and Regina's husband. Then we were treated to a shot of our two leading ladies at the earliest point we've seen them so far: Regina and Snow peacefully hanging out in white ball gowns in an otherworldly fairytale garden, like a small herd of models, is an image I could have happily contemplated for a solid hour.
This episode gave us a good origin for the whole "fairest in the land" phrase, too. It's not one that easily rolls of the tongue, but the idea that the King saw Snow as the fairest because she looked like her mom and the Magic Mirror genie saw the Queen as the fairest… nicely done.
Another phrase that does not roll easily off the tongue: Fruit of the poisonous tree? In the real world, Sidney Glass and Emma joined forces to discredit Regina, breaking into her office and retrieving documents to reveal that she had been siphoning city funds. Sidney pressed Emma to reveal the embezzlement and Emma snapped back with "No, we can't—it's forbidden fruit: the fruit of the poisonous tree." Oh, that old phrase. Got it, thanks. Trite but true, that old expression about the poisonous tree. Emma, I know the costume department has you trussed up in five pounds of cascading curls like the Cowardly Lion, and maybe that muffles your ears during casual conversation, but that is NOT A PHRASE. Maybe it's prison slang? Anyone reading this from jail please advise.
Emma, I love her dearly, but it was so obvious that Sidney was setting her up, I kept waiting for that reveal where she would turn on him, but the series left it with Sidney as her ally/a spy from Regina. Sure, why not. Regina is already has a tomb full of hostage hearts and Emma ignores every threat she volleys anyway, so whatever. If Regina's end game, in her elaborate plan to get Emma to accuse her right before she presented a power point slide show of a new children's playground, was simply to forbid Emma from seeing Henry then: what? She's been doing that since day one and Emma has glibly ignored her. I think if she could honestly nail Emma for breaking into her office, she would, but as Emma pointed out the sheriff IS the police in Storybrooke, so good luck with your investigation, Regina. Also: can a mayor just randomly purchase private land for city use without running that by some kind of council? Any mayors reading, please advise.
For those of you who don't like adultery, Snow White drifted a little more into the morally gray zone by meeting up for a secret picnic with John Doe.
I don't know what made me start to reassess Mary Margaret's character more, the fact she's having a rendezvous with a married man or that she has a trac phone.
Do you think Emma dismantled her smartphone in a drunken rage and Mary Margaret just went into her room and bit a wooden spoon until she could smile again? Anyway, as much as I want to see these characters together, sparking each other's natural chemistry until Josh Dallas accidentally bellows Ginnifer Goodwin's name out loud in place of Snow White's (like I'm sure he does inwardly in every scene), I need to see John Doe tell off his faux wife first. Which obviously the writers realize and are banking on, and I'm sure they are going to tease this borderline adultery thing right up until the season finale. Typewriter in a box, guys, am I right?
As for Poor Man's Graham, I loved Henry's reaction to him last night. Henry just looked him up and down and asked him what the hell he was doing in Storybrooke. The scene read like Henry was specifically referring to his sleazily hip outfit. An untied handkerchief and bracelet? Don't trust this effing hipster. Also, in the interest of transparency: Henry is growing on me. Recently he's been so much smarter than any other character on the show and so disenchanted by both of his crazy moms, it's getting hard not to root for him. Child actors are saccharine and boring, but super annoyed child characters just trying to get their business handled are wonderful. Well done, Jared Gilmore. You might just breathe some life back into this old critic's coal heart after all.
Even if we saw them coming, the twist endings neatly lined up a consistent relationship dynamic between the mirror & the Evil Queen, and Regina & Sidney. And now Sidney is set up as a device through which Regina can monitor Emma, the same way she used his magic as the Mirror to keep tabs on Snow White. It's a genius way to give Regina equivalent spying powers in the real world, but considering they've already established she has a stack of hearts in the cemetery, I would also be cool with her sucking Sidney back into an actual magic mirror and hanging him up in Emma's house. The most exciting moments of the show are the ones where the fairy tale world breaks through into the real world, like when we saw Regina's giant grinning-skull key ring. And yet while the magic onscreen in the real world was more figurative and less literal, it was the kind of episode I'd been wishing for. (Because genies? Wishes? Huh? Editorial buttons FTW!)
QUESTIONS:
... So, are Sidney and Regina lovers? Or does she just string him along with little thigh pinches after he pulls off feats of incredibly complicated espionage?
... Are Mary Margaret and John Doe lovers, or merely wine lovers? Sorry to be so nosy, but I could really use a consensus!
... How awesome was Lana Parrilla's dry delivery when she kept referring to Sidney as a "boozy, disgraced reporter"? I love her. Someone write this lady something big and HBO-y to work on when OuaT is in between seasons.
... 1,001 granted wishes divided by three wishes per person equals not enough people, right?
... What would your three wishes be? (Despite the fact that even the most benign, unselfish wish can lead to getting double-bitten by Arabian vipers while a genie asks you to forgive him. Pwned!)
"Fruit of the poisonous tree is a legal metaphor in the United States used to describe evidence that is obtained illegally."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_of_the_poisonous_tree
Loved the Sidney/Genie?Mirror plotline- fun!
My best guess on Emma's superpower is that it only works when she thinks...Since "Sydney" means enchanter, maybe he cast a spell on her? And Mr. Gold did tell her that emotion would get her in trouble (when they were out in the woods, and he had that briefcase full of money)
Regina can do what she wants with the money if she's got it all in cash- no-one sees or knows anything! Or is corrupt politics only in our world?
This really seemed like a filler episode to me, and the arbitrary inclusion of David and Mary Margaret was just filler of filler. Always a joy to see Richard Schiff though.
Sorry for being late, good ep I say.
1. He wanted to be with her forever, loved her even after he realized she tricked him. He is happy to help her and would never betray her. But yes, some bonus pinches and maybe more when she's happy.
2. Wine lovers.
3. She's the best and fairest of them all.
4. Who cares?
5. Good health to all my loved ones, Gold, lots of goooold, Supercool magic powers. Sigh, wouldn't end well I'm sure.
I saw the ending coming, but I thought this was the episode where they would finally reveal why Regina is so mad at Mary Margaret. I thought that the Queen actually loved Sydney and that Snow found a way to trap her lover in the mirror. That is what I was thinking was going to happen the whole episode.
"I'm sorry. I thought I knew all the phrases so good!" so GOOD !!!
Much like ALL of your writing, Lily........GOOD put !!
I think Sidney is isn't Regina and she's all tease and no please.
I don't think Mary margaret and John Doe are lovers. As much as I want them to get together - I don't want them to strike up an adulterous affair.
She was awesome delivering that line. I found myself wrly chuckling along with that phrase.
Lily don't forget that not every wisher may have used all 3 of their wishes. And the lamp does probably go without an owner from time to time. Also what is the population numbers for the Fairytale Land? If there aren't many people it may explain why nobody can find the lamp.
Hmm, good point, but my argument is that he says "I've granted 1,001 wishes and I've seen them end badly 1,001 times." Well, at that point, the one wish that frees him/accounts for the 1,001st wish hasn't ended badly, so the statement is still technically incorrect! I am still awarding myself nerd points! Nerd points no one ever counts.
But yes I totally agree with MM & John Doe..I think if they couple up they'll let us know. Right now its just guilty picnics. John Doe better get it toether and divorce his wife already.
I'd accept it if the evil queen setup the woman married to John Doe/Prince Charming - even though Snow kissing a married man squicks me the he|| out, but it'll take an even bigger whopper to believably explain how Snow looks younger than her daughter.
I'm liking this show less and less with each episode, even though I'm a sucker for costume shows. I'm liking Grimm more than this show.
'...but it'll take an even bigger whopper to believably explain how Snow looks younger than her daughter...'
Easy peasy, if you accept a whole land coming out from fairy tale land to contemporary USA, i belive that the time laps to do that is approximatively, and according to my calculations 23 years 4 months 3 days and a couple of minutes, which is exactly the age of Emma, roughly.... Voil :)
I'm guessing that snow's father knew that the queen was evil, therefore he kept her prisioner..... guessing :D
Its getting too predictable and I'm getting bored. How did genie fall so hard for the Queen anyway, they didnt even kiss! Love how PG it is.
It is SUPER PG. That's why I miss Graham so much, he was the one fresh breath of sexy fun times in the show.
He was living in a lamp with no woman for who knows how long. And then he saw the evil queen (which is a stunner) making puppy eyes....mystery solved!
OMG Gus! What happened to you?
He probably really wanted to do a show that his kids could watch. And he really does seem to enjoy himself as Sidney (maybe not so much with the beard tuft- he looks scared to smile with it on)
honestly, I didn't much like this episode. and mixing basically Aladdin with Snow White was bothersome to me, just like next episode making Rumplestiltskin the Beast from Beauty and the Beast annoys me..
I had a thought, maybe new mystery guy is Henry from the future.. and we'll finally get rid of the kid! hooray!
Whoa WHAT?!?! I missed that promo. WHAT?!?!?! Hell yeah bro!!!!
Of the new guy has the book and am betting he's the one who wrote it too.
QUESTIONS:
1) So, are Sidney and Regina lovers? Or does she just string him along with little thigh pinches after he pulls off feats of incredibly complicated espionage?
A. If Sidney and Regina are lovers, they've got the most pristine lover affair evah -- not one peck, smooch, kiss happened between 'em!
2) Are Mary Margaret and John Doe lovers, or merely wine lovers?
A. They're headed toward kickin' boots, with a sweet oenophile seduction prelude. Ho-ish behavior on both MM & David's part.
3) What would your three wishes be?
A. Damn, why would I use that cursed magic lamp? Even when it was used by the King to benefit the genie and not himself, the blowback (from using the bottle for any reason) was too high a price to pay, IMHO.
The 1001 wishes actually makes sense. Just as nerdy as you are, I started calculating it in my head immediately, too. But since he'd only granted two of the king's wishes and still had an ungranted (is that even a word?) one left for himself 1001 adds up.
sry for being a wiseass... I think your reviews have really become better and better over time. I didn't like how you used to have a caption from the middle of the episode right in the beginning, it spoiled the fun of kinda reliving it over again. But you have always kept me reading and I think you've been doing a great job of fixing what little bugs I didn't like at first. You have grown on me.
Keep going, girl!
As much as I loved this show in the beginning, I don't like the direction they are taking things. I understand they have to drag things out but I am getting a bit annoyed with Emma and Regina. At this point, I feel like they are never going to free everyone from the curse because we make one step forward and two steps back. And the David, Mary, Kathryn triangle. It is like he is stringing both along until he figures out if he has actual feelings for Kathryn. I barely watch it anymore, I just fast forward through it to see what happens. It makes me sad. I feel that it had and has so much potential.
I have been watching faithfully but its getting harder and harder. At this point I can't stand the site of David. Yes, he and Mary M are truly husband and wife, and Emma's parents, but they don't know that. He told his wife he wanted to work things out with her and he's romancing Mary M instead. Its a major turn off for me.
I am also so annoyed that I found this entire episode predictable and not very entertaining at all. When you think you know what will happen and it does happen, its boring. And what happened to Emma knowing when people are lying? She was completely fooled by Sidney. I didn't think it was possible for her to be so naive.
Show is cheesy and over-the-top. Character development isn't near as good as LOST. Very corny. This episode was testament enough to that. An overall poor episode.
Regarding both overall character development, and the earlier comments about Jen Morrison's performance, actors need to say the words that the writers put into their mouths. When Emma was briefly allowed to depict compassion (when Graham was freaking out), she was compelling. When given lines like (loose quote) 'I'm the sheriff, so I can break into any building I want', it hard to not look like an idiot. When Regina says things like (again loose quote) 'You need to be more responsible', she's simply stating the obvious.
To allow Emma to regain some equal standing in their conflicts, perhaps Regina could have a wee dram too much of her own apple cider, or Henry could mention that he hasn't eaten because Mom's in bed with the flu. The resulting interactions could help Emma win some mojo back, and also allow some of their more entertaining sparring, without requiring Emma to step too far out of character by suddenly becoming the captain of the Storybrooke debate team.
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I completely agree. They give them such impossible lines.And Emma being the sheriff with a police force of none is so bizarre. Why couldn't she just be like one policeman? Mayor vs. Sheriff is a little too intense.
the Cowardly Lion/ Emma picture made me laugh out loud. So funny! I thought the episode was perfectly average but I do love how the writer's come up with ways to intertwine the fairy tale characters and stories. It really is insanely clever that the genie became the man in the mirror, and it was an interesting reveal that Regina was always evil not the sweet, scorned wife they alluded to. But other than that, I was entertained but not blown away. I do wish that Emma would 1) smile and 2) realize that Regina is playing her.
GRRRR, this show. In the darn pilot, and mulitple times after, we've beeen told that Emma has a super power. She can tell when people are lying. Where, exactly, did that power go? She's never had common (or fashion) sense, so that was really the sum total of what she had going for her.
I totally forgot about that power. Good point. where did that power go?
You're so right! Not only has Emma's super power for perceiving truth vs. lies failed her, but given her yrs. as a P.I., you'd think that she'd have professionally developed instincts and skepticism for ferreting out a trap like that set for her by Mr. Glass & Regina.
Just wine lovers, for now. That's my take.
I'm both disturbed and intrigued by how this show turns my Fairy Tale world on it's axis. I mean Snow White...fairest of them all and Pure is snow is currently an adulteress in the real world. Prince Charming, while still charming, sweet, and kinda hot is totally morally compromised in a way that just almost contradicts himself. I should hate it...I should really hate it. I should not be rooting for those two...but last week I was totally onboard even though I'm against infidelity but this week part of me is still rooting for those two but the other part is disturbed that he still hasn't settled things with his wife first. Gah. Plus with Regina already haven seen them and the fact that Mary Margaret has David's FULL name come up everytime he calls or texts this is just going to be a disaster. Also with the representation...Snow's father, he was likeable for a bit but then he came off as a real jerk which was kind of disturbing too! I was actually watching those golden serpants slither around him with glee!
-Uh...no. Regina's a total temptress. Didn't surprise me that she uses her sex appeal to get what she wants. I think she hardly has gone from a boytoy like Graham to Sidney, but she teases him with the possibility and it works well enough on it's own.
-Wine Lovers. Unless they're at it like bunnies in the woods (which I wouldn't put it past them given their past lives) they don't have anywhere to go to get it on. The town is as small as palm, Mary isn't bringing him back to her apartment shared with Emma ( Mommy and Daddy are just "wrestling") and he's not bringing her back to his home with the wife there and all...and Granny's inn is like in the middle of town, great for gossip (not that these two seem to give that much though) and the woods means Mr.Gold the ultimate lurker could easily venture into Mr. Gold the town perv if they were anywhere out there. What does that man do in the woods anyways? I'd love for them to pick up that storyline again!
-Lana is so evil in this she's awesome.
-Sell them on EBay.
Henry was awesome with Poor Man's Graham. Was that Henry's book or his own?moreless
Yeh, I wasn't a fan of what they did with the King's character. At the beginning, he was portrayed as insanely fair, just, and kind. Taking the time to sit with the Genie and have a kind-hearted talk, promising to help him find love was just so over-the-top "nice," it could ONLY be from a fairy tale.
But then his anger and disappointment at his wife, as well as locking her up... seemed out of place. It seemed like a complete 180 from a guy who gave up 3 wishes to free a man and help him start his life anew.
I mean, I get feeling betrayed and I'm sure any other "king" would do something b/c he's ticked off. It just seemed different.
Love this show, and great to see Giancarlo Esposito get some screen time. And as someone mentioned below "fruit of the poisonous tree" is a quite common legal phrase about illegally obtained evidence.
-I say not lovers. She's Regina through and through, little thigh pinches and hints, but never gives anything away. Save her true loving for those good people she wants desperately to be like, but never can, e.g. Graham (real Graham, dead Graham).
-I'm going with just wine lovers. I want him to come clean first. That's me. And you could tell it was bothering Mary Margaret. She was trying REALLY hard to justify her actions to Emma.
-Perfect. That girl can act, and I'll sign a petition to get her on something HBO if you start one.
-999 is divisible by three, 1 for freeing the Genie, 1 for transferring the final wish to the Genie makes 1,001, leaving the final wish to the Genie which he used at the end to imprison himself in the mirror. I'm assuming that's how he counted it.
-Don't know. I ponder this every time I watch "Aladdin" with my (much much) younger brother (elementary school children, apparently they like Disney movies). If I had three wishes though, that would to me say that there are Genies, meaning that I could have one or two unselfish ones, right? And, I must say, I wouldn't mind looking movie star-esque (in case you're wondering, I don't).
Just cause I can, Richard Schiff!! Loved him since "The West Wing". This show has a lot of fantastic actors coming through and that makes me happy. Now if we can just get them a budget for CGI.....moreless
I LOVE me some 'Once Upon a Time'. And for as much awesomeness as there was in this episode, I'm afraid I might have missed some due to Emma's facepalming behaviour
Everything in fairy tale land...awesome! And that includes some sketchy faux facial hair. Hey, what ever keeps costs down & the show running.
In the real world however...{sigh}...seriously, when did Emma turn into a complete twit? The "right hand" of your arch enemy says he got fired, switched teams and wants your help in taking down the mayor and almost without hesitation, she's in? Really? Since it all seemed fishy to me, it pained me to watch every step Emma took and not once stopped to ask herself if she was being played. And speaking of which, my biggest grip...what happened to Emma's "super power" of ALWAYS BEING ABLE TO TELL WHEN PEOPLE ARE LYING? I suppose you can temporarily lose your common sense if you have that power, but if it only works half the time...best to maybe take a moments pause before public confrontation with "proof" of corruption with more holes in it than...well...Swiss cheesemoreless
Sidney was publicly humiliated during the election Why wouldn't she believe that he was fired & switched teams? Also, she didn't just jump in without hesitation. She told him NO flat-out at the beginning. It wasn't until much later, when the castle was destroyed, that she decided to go with it...and even then, she wanted to do it on her terms (until that didn't work out).
"can a mayor just randomly purchase private land for city use without running that by some kind of council?"
No, in a mayoral system, any town funds used for purchases above the "petty cash" level require a full synopsis and town vote with a majority saying yeah. BAD writers!!! Go to your room!!
Ahh.... but this is Storybrooke. I agree that according to the normal system, she wouldn't be able to do that, but we have to remember, this is her happy ending. She's probably got enough people bought/threatened/hypnotized/robot/whatever that she can do what she wants. At least, that's how I like to think of it.
Storybrooke is supposed to a punishment in the REAL world. City/town governing is determined by a vote of the people to choose a type of governing body(I.E. mayoral/selectman/council. All forms are set in STATE LAW with manditory adherence.
And yes, I agree. The writers are NOT concerned with logic. BAD WRITERS!!! Stay in your room!!
I think what we have to remember is that the writers aren't overly concerned with logic.
I think Mr. Gold is soon banging Emma. At least that happens before John Doe gets anything on with MM.
1. Thx Lily for your great reviews, love them always.
2. Regina... does SHE have recollections of her past life(as evil queen)? The reason i ask that is that i sometimes she acts as if she has (doesn't want Henry and his biological mother, Emma to bond, doesn't want the later to stay in storybrook, and behavior towards other protagonists) sometimes as if she hasn't (as a true evil person, I don't see her letting Emma live this long, she doesn't seem to have any problems effing people, and for lesser reasons....) + i don't see her taking really evil actions, as a matter of fact i don't see her EVIL at all, a bit disgruntled, authoritarian, manipulative at the most, but not blood thirsty murderous evil she really is)
This leads me to the sad conclusion the the writers haven't decided yet if she has or hasn't any rememberence of the life before, and just wait to know if there is a second season to resolve the matter.moreless
Um... you realized she crushed Graham's heart and killed him, right?
Was it just me or did that playground seem to be the least child friendly structure in creation? Isn't there a rule against big sharp pointy parts on things that children will climb around on? Of course it was supposed to look like her castle from way back when, but still...
agreed! and not to mention that they moved a children's playground to the woods... who does that?