Last night Snow White and Prince James' love story took center stage after Margaret (Snow White) read their love story from the Storybook to the comatose John Doe (Prince Charming) and it woke him up!
I was sure the Prince wouldn't wake up until maybe the season finale. The fact that he's awake three episodes in, yet still separated form Snow, means Once Upon a Time's pacing can stay engaging without the series running out of material. With one twist, the obvious problems have become just the beginning of the possibilities waiting for our characters. My mind started shooting sparks after this episode, because while right now it seems the main obstacle is the amnesia, that could be resolved in the first season and the characters would still have to figure out how to break the time-prison element of the curse, confront Regina to do so, and then Emma would have to decide if she wants to leave the modern world. That's several seasons' worth of issues right there!
But before I write a fanfic fourth season, let's talk about Episode 3, "Snow Falls," because this is ABC's fairytale barbecue and it tastes good.
The show had hinted that the very delicate and submissive Margaret was putting all her emotional eggs in the basket of thorns that is loving a man in a coma. We've all been there, ladies! While You Were Sleeping. Henry insisted to Emma that Margaret should read the Storybook to the snoozing dreamboat, and Emma encouraged her to do so, because then when presumably nothing happened, Henry would realize he was wrong, they could call BS on his sanity and prescribe him those pills that make kids good these days. (Xanax? Lithium? I don't babysit anymore)
Last week, a couple commenters addressed the paradoxical nature of the Storybook, and it need discussing. Who wrote, illustrated, and hand-bound this thing? It's a true history of a curse of widespread amnesia, but Regina had never seen it before, so maybe it was Rumpelstiltskin? Did he give it to Margaret? And more importantly, why didn't ABC hire a real illustrator to create the prop? The network could paid an amazing artist and created a really cool tie-in book to sell during the holidays. Do you understand what children's book illustrators feed their children? Old shoe leather, ABC, boiled in tears. For shame!
The fairy tale flashback was a rollicking stand-alone adventure in which the writers impressed on us that Snow White was hella feisty. She stole the Prince's purse, brained him with a rock, and was totally down with trolls. She's Bruce Willis in corset-tie khakis, basically, and bitch got warrants.
The Prince needed to get a ring back from his purse to propose to a snooty lady he clearly had no chemistry with, and while he and Snow adventured together to recover the ring, taking turns saving each other's lives via knifing people and tossing fairy dust, it became very clear that one day with Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Snow White was more fun than twenty snooty blonde ladies at a water park (with beer for water). The romance was cute, if exposition-heavy. The most key piece development: Snow White agreed that she'd ruined the Evil Queen's life. Before they parted ways, Snow White tried on the ring meant for his bride to be, and it was a moment as warm and as sweet as cookies shaped like the letters S, E, and X.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Margaret's hand got CLENCHED by the dreambound beefcake, and when she alerted the doctor he basically told her she had dreamed it, then called Regina and urgently whispered the news. By the way she squeezed the phone after hearing it, I'm guessing she wanted to squeeze the words right out of her ears, but come on: Regina remembers who she is or she would not be this angry! It's official.
After the newly awakened John Doe disappeared from the hospital, Emma had to sleuth through some switched security tapes to discover he'd walked out on his own. Then Emma, Margaret, Henry, and the Sheriff set out on an old-fashioned manhunt in the forest, where they finally found the Prince face-down in a riverbed—with, we have to assume, the back of his hospital gown blowing completely open. Margaret gave him some medical kisses to revive him, and they triumphantly returned him to the hospital, where Regina was waiting with his—GASP!—wife!
Seriously, you did not want to be my pillow at this part of the show, because after thirty minutes of being squashed you would have been flying across the room. The angst on Margaret's face as they made contact over his "wife's" shoulder, we've all been there, right ladies? Something Borrowed. I mean, being a single school teacher is a far cry from hell on earth, but the contrast between Rock 'Em Sock 'Em stomp-a-troll Snow White and Margaret's subdued misery was a better illustration of the effects of the curse, and it hit home, especially when Margaret was left playing with the ring we had seen earlier. Yet things still ended on a high note: Emma is moving in with her trapped-in-time mom/new BFF! They're like the Judds, except both of them get to be the hot one.
I'm very excited about Margaret's next run-in with the Prince, and I'm eager to find out what his real-world persona will be. I love that Emma and Margaret are together, and that Henry's theory already has a little credibility. And here's my hunch: By the end of the first season everybody will have their memories back and it will only make life and breaking the curse that much harder.
QUESTIONS:
… The Sheriff said the forest was his world as they were tracking John Doe. Wolf or huntsman, which theory does that support?
… Have you ever had a crush on someone in a coma?
… Who created the Storybook, and how did it get to Snow White?
… Do you feel bad for those five actors who probably waited their whole lives to be on TV, but their families, friends, and directors scouting for talent couldn't recognize them because they were wearing giant troll masks?
… Do you prefer Snow White as a sexy robin hood who poos in the woods or as a pie-making surrogate mother to several dwarves?
... Snow White said she ruined the Queen's life, but HOW?! Who'd she kill?
lily i just have to say that i miss your true blood recaps so much! promise you will start writing them again as soon as new episodes come out in 2012!
to fill the void, i will start watching ouat / revenge. thanks for your great work!
Well, we can definitely establish once and for all that the Sheriff is not the wolf. On TV.com, in the pictures, there are pictures from future episodes and one shows the Sheriff facing the wolf.
This show is wicked awesome.
Don't you all see!! The doctor is the wolf and the sheriff is the huntsman! The way the doctor was looking at red riding hood in the caf.
The doctor (hmmm, maybe Doc?) was looking at Ruby Hood that way because, well, any hot blooded hetero man would have looked at her the same way!
I don't get how ppl are talking about Red Riding hood(who apparently is goth) and a dotor who is the wolf. I watched all of the episodes and not once did i see a goth girl...
How could you miss her? She wears the skimpiest clothes and highest heels on the show. In the first episode she is at the inn at the end arguing with Granny. In the second episode, she serves Emma hot chocolate from Henry. The third episode, she is at the very beginning when Mary Margaret is on a date with Dr. Whale. Dr. Whale can barely keep his eyes off her as she buses tables.
Hmm, I didn't realize that "skimpiest clothes and highest heels" made someone goth. Good to know. :P
Awesome Episode. Awesome show in general. Awesome writing. It's just awesome. Snow White subbing as Robin Hood was kind of stellar and ingenious. I love that I get to watch fairytales w/o it being a disservice to the modern day woman.
Great show! Good review! But please.....lose the goofy comments on each picture!
I'm thinking the Sherrif is the Huntsman. I lean to this only because he seems like a good guy, and I'd imagine the wolf would have slightly different intentions. Hard to say, but I look forward to finding out more about all of these characters. Has been a joy so far this season.
Nice Review Lily!
Awesome episode! Loved the story, the actors, and the over all production! The Sheriff just might be the Huntsman as he works for the the mayor, or evil queen. Never had a crush on someone in a coma, The story book question is a great one, and perhaps it was part of the spell, or it was given by Mr. Gold who seems to have a larger hand than let on in whats going on, the trolls were crazy, I like Snow White as sexy Robin Hood of course! I missed this line, but I look forward to finding out who it was, perhaps her son?
The Sheriff is Clearly the wolf. The one who eats Grandma. lol. I bet there is gona be an episode where Red Riding Hood (The goth chick) and the Wolf (Sheriff) get into it.
I'm actually not so sure if the queen knows...She is being angry and controlling like her old self in this world, that's just her nature. I'm thinking that she could have evil plans and such without knowing anything. Why else show off with apples, wouldn't she want everyone not to believe Henry, I mean that would make everything so much easier.
I liked this episode!
God , i like this show even that im not into family shows.
This show is tricky , it doesn't give you the all information you need so i guess we need to wait until this season is over and about the storybook ,at this point anyone can do it even the queen maybe got bored by this curse so she makes the storybook so can henry find it and step-by-step breaking the curse or even destroying snow white life in some way. Geez , waiting for season finale , better than thinking of stupid possibilities :P!!
First of all, I love this show, I think it's a great idea and it's coming to life in the best way it could.
- At first I thought he was the wolf but I changed my mind... The doctor must be the wolf and the sheriffe the huntman who saved Snow White for pity.
- NO.
- I dont have a clue. Maybe Rumpelstiltskin.
- ...
- Im really enjoying the way they are depicting Snow White, it's funnier and more attractive than the classical image of the fairy-tale character. So the Robin Hood type!!
- I think, maybe and it's just a guess, has something to do with Snow White's father and Evil Queen's husband. The story tells that the Evil Queen marries SW's father but he adored his daughter, so maybe SW ruined her life with his father in some horrible way or maybe she blames SW for his death... I don't know... As I said just a guess!!moreless
- Hunstman.
-No.
-The Queen
- Not at all. I'd be glad that they had a job.
-I'd like a better looking Snow White.
-I think it has to do with a fella, not someone she killed.
Snow White is adorable! I love her unconventional beauty. All actresses shouldn't have to be blonde and buxom and perfect to have charm and allure.
Another great episode.. Ginnifer Goodwin is beautiful as always.. I love her.
I think Rumpelstiltskin made the book because it is all part of some big master plan he has. Why else would he have been so interested in knowing Emma's name and told Snow White and Prince Charming about how the curse will be broken while at the same time telling the Evil Queen how to enact the curse? He doesn't seem to be on anybody's side except his own, so I could see him going behind Regina's back and giving Mary Margaret (and as a result, Henry) the storybook to undermine Regina's authority and feelings of safety and security.
As for who Snow White killed, I can't decide if it's a lover or a son. I thought a son, which would explain Henry, but her father said that she could fall in love again. This I think implies lover. And I think she only got Henry because of the emptiness that everyone kept telling her about, which was added to by her having to kill the one she loved most, her father. I think that after living in Storybrooke for many years she realized she wasn't as happy as she thought she would be and hoped a child would help.moreless
Seems like the sheriff is the huntsman and the doctor is the wolf. Sheriff as the huntsman because despite clearly being on the Evil Queen/Regina's payroll, he ends up taking pity on the girl she wants to destroy and lets her go. Doctor as the wolf, because if nothing else, he clearly lusts after Red Riding Hood.
... Snow White said she ruined the Queen's life, but HOW?! Who'd she kill?
No-one! Regina offed her fiancee(and framed SW) after he confessed to her that he found a woman more beautiful than her. (Mirror Mirror)
LOL MMmmm Car fresheners smell!!! I love it when my date wears New Car Smell air fresheners!! Especially the Ferrari California convertible!!
I actually think Rumplestilskin gave the Book to Snow White cause he knew she would give it to Henry.
Also, loved undeniably adorbs Rock 'em Sock 'em stomp-a-troll Snow White.
This show is undeniably really fun to watch and wonder about, and your funny photos and review make it even better.
Maybe Rumpel made the storybook? Seeing as he is the only one besides Regina who knows what's going on, and Regina would never make it.
I can imagine the book being written/illustrated by Maleficent (Kristin Bauer). She knew the curse would come into play since the Evil Queen took it back from her...
All the greatness in this episode, character building and plot wise, was all ruined by the actor who plays Henry. In much the same way ABC could have taken the show's expansive budget and hired some decent artists, why couldn't they have hired a child actor who doesn't detract from every scene he's in? Three episodes in and I'm loathing his camera time, because I want to reach through the screen and shake the crap out of him. He's annoying, he has no sense of timing, choosing instead to speed through his lines like he's on a sugar rush and he makes the other wonderful actors look bad. Can he end up in a coma for the rest season, leaving Emma and Margaret to solve the mystery of the curse? As for what Snow did, I'm guessing it has something to do with the Queen possibly having a child of her own. I hear the maternal instinct is pretty ridiculous when it comes to things like that, which would explain her flipping out on everyone and trying to keep her claws in Henry. The tale says that the Queen wanted Snow killed because she was prettier than her, but the writer's are obviously going in a different direction. But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.moreless
I feel you on Henry. When child actors are bad they are the worst, and when they're good its creepy.
I have the same opinion (said so in my post), but we could both be wrong.
I love this show... I think the sherrif is the huntsman... I am curious about the ring of Prince Charming's mother; which Snow tried on. Mary Margaret has the ring in Storybrooke. I think it will be significant later.
I love this show, I loved this episode and I can't wait to see more.
Love this show - can't wait to see what happens next. This show makes Sundays GREAT.
I think the Evil Queen is Snow White's mother and her life was ruined because her body changed because of pregnancy and her lover no longer found her attractive so he left.
Great show!. I think this is one of the best new series of the season, and is surprisingly addictive. The whole show has great casting all around. I am eagerly awaiting the next episode.
As for the answer to the question about the five actors playing trolls. I think you are underestimating the profession. A speaking role in a hit TV series is huge and pays quite nicely for a day or two of work. To put that on your resume and to get the contacts that one gets from such a role is nothing to feel bad about. I've seen people get happy to see their blurred right pant leg on the screen and say with great pride "that's me... Or wait, that one's me"
Also, this isn't baseball. Talent isn't scouted like that, with the exception of when agents pick people off the streets of a bigger city. The amount of applicants a casting director gets makes no time for scouting. Most likely those five already have agents.moreless
I wanna say Huntsmen, because which Fairytale is the wolf from? Also, the huntsmen has a soul (as Snow White mentioned) and let her go, and it seems the Sheriff is warming up to her. Therefore, Huntsmen.
Oh, and the author of the storybook is probably someone who we haven't met yet. So many possible choices :)
I forgot about the huntmans from the Snow White fairy tales until the mentioned it. I was previously convinced the Sheriff is/was the lumberjack from Lil" Red Riding Hood.
The wolf is from Little Red Riding Hood (Big bad wolf)
Or, in the word of the Brothers Grimm: ""Aber, Grossmutter, was hast du fuer ein entsetzlich groes Maul!" - "Dass ich dich besser fressen kann!" Kaum hatte der Wolf das gesagt, so tat er einen Satz aus dem Bette und verschlang das arme Rotkaeppchen."
Oh man I gots to plug this into babelfish but I have to say just looking at it makes me want some apple cider.
Ok, so I don't think the doctor OR the sherriff are the wolf. How would that be possible if they aren't magical in this world? Plus, it seemed to be intentional to get Emma to stay in Storybrook. The only character that seems to be motivated to keep her around AND may still have power to do so is Mr. Gold. Thats my theory and I'm sticking to it.
They aren't magical in this world . . . . fair point. Maybe Emma's presence in Storybrooke is bringing some of the magic back? I don't know, but somebody's got to be the Wolf, don't they?
I suppose they either ARE the wolf or they CONTROL the wolf...either way, same purpose
Loving the show so far, this episode is easily my favourite. Lmao at the 2nd to last screencap&caption! I totally thought the same thing, ugh.