About 7.66 million viewers tuned into the mid-season premiere of Once Upon a Time March 9, which provides the perfect setup for new challenges and more reveals.
Just when it appears all is well in the world of Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest, aside from a dose of memory loss and the separation of family because of an inability to cross realms, yet another curse befalls the characters of Once Upon a Time.
While adding a new curse into the series just one episode after they broke the old one (one year later if following the show’s narrative) seems repetitive and uncreative, the premiere nonetheless leaves room for other surprises.
For example, the most exciting development occurs at the end of the episode with the introduction of the Wicked Witch of the West (Rebecca Mader), who, like everyone else at some point on the show, has it out for the Evil Queen (Lana Parilla).
Compared to previous seasons where the Evil Queen alienated herself from the rest of the characters due to her dark deeds, this episode seems to hint at an “evil queen gone good” story arc. This approach would allow viewers to see a refreshing, different side of the queen, especially if her speculated romance with Robin Hood (Sean Maguire) holds true.
Because the writers based the show on classic fairytales, it’s about time for the Evil Queen to get her “happy ending,” especially because she has fought hard to redeem herself. Besides, the show cannot have two villains, and the fact the queen might unite with the rest of the characters for an extended period of time while falling in love would create a comedic flair without cheap laughs.
Producers also continue to add fire to Emma Swan’s (Jennifer Morrison) love life through a number of twists and turns, which adds a new kind of excitement to the show instead of relying solely on clever storytelling and adventure.
For example, in addition to the love triangle between Hook (Colin O’ Donoghue) and Neal Cassidy (Michael Raymond-James), the episode features Emma turning down a potential suitor who turns into a grotesque flying monkey from the Enchanted Forest.
Neal receives very little screen time in comparison to Hook, which is a smart move because the chemistry between him and Emma never arouses the same kind of passion she shares with Hook. However, the writers used Neal’s scarce screen time wisely to foreshadow the possible return of Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) when the character says to Prince Charming (Josh Dallas) that he is “maybe or maybe not” dead.
Writers also worked Ginnifer Goodwin’s real-life pregnancy into the show, which not only saves the producers from having to explain her absence, but it also gives Snow White and Prince Charming a second chance to raise a child and perhaps open the way for more sentimental moments between them and their first daughter.
Like past seasons, the premiere continued the tradition of flashbacks to the Enchanted Forest, except these revealed images closer to the present day. Though the flashbacks will fill viewers in about what happened during the past year since the curse broke, the flashbacks from long ago do more for the show because you get to see the characters’ interesting backstories, which show how they evolve, and how they got to where they are today.
For this reason, viewers should rejoice because they will likely learn more about the past of Prince Leopold (Eric Lange), his first wife Eva (Eva Bourne) and Cora (Rose McGowan), since all are slated to appear this season, according to The Examiner. Other new appearances include Blackbeard (Charles Mesure), Lumiere (Henri Lubatti) and Rapunzel (Alexandra Metz), as well as the death of one of the main characters.
Overall, though, the best part of the show will fall in line with its main theme of “good vs. evil” as we attempt to uncover whether “wicked” can trump “evil” in the next few episodes, which could play out in a myriad of ways given the creative storylines.
One thing is certain; the “savior” (Emma Swan) stands ready to defend her loved ones with her trusty, red leather jacket in tow.
