Every now and then, Once Upon a Time treats us to a delightfully fear-filled episode. Usually these episodes happen around Halloween, when we are all in the mood for a good scare. However with “The Tower”, the writers decided that Halloween was coming in March this year.
Are we back in season one of Once Upon a Time? Because that’s what “Witch Hunt” feels like. The magic is there. The suspense is palpable. Plot twists loom around every corner and even humor is present and accounted for.
Once Upon a Time wastes no time as it starts out this week; the writers are clearly ready to get the winter finale up and going and an uneasy feeling sets in our stomach as the episode gets out of the gate.
There is no time for any slow pacing this week as Once Upon a Time quickly straps us in and shoots out of the gate. Right from the start, “Save Henry” shows potential to be the best episode of season three.
Aside from a quick visit into the past Enchanted Forest, the episode mostly deals with the group saving Henry and Pan’s doings on Neverland. The backstory is a nice little treat; it shows us how Regina came to adopt Henry and the early years of their life together. This is exciting for two reasons. One, we get to see Storybrooke once again. After visiting it briefly a few episodes ago, it’s great to be back with everyone there. The second reason is that Lana Parrilla gets to be front and center once again. Parrilla has always been a main staple on the show and to see her stuck on the backburner for most of season three has been a disappointment. This week we finally get to see her shine. She plays Regina with absolute ease, showing occasional vulnerability as well as her more wicked side.
From the title, it is evident that this week’s Once Upon a Time episode focuses on a certain mermaid. Unsurprisingly, the past Enchanted Forest storyline focuses on Ariel, a mermaid whose story has become quite well known over the years.
At the close of the second season, the writers of Once Upon a Time set our heroes (and villains) up for a nice journey to Neverland. We know, given how everything was described last season, that Neverland isn’t going to be what we grew up with and with this premiere, we are proven right. In a much more dramatic introduction than we’re used to, the third season of Once Upon a Time gets off to an intense start with the killing of Tamara and Greg mere minutes after they arrive in Neverland.
Once Upon a Time has been steadily gaining an audience as its second season rapidly approaches its finale. While the first season focused on the dichotomy between Storybrooke and the fairytale world, the return of magic in the season finale, as well as the characters’ true memories, was a massive gamechanger whose effects have reverberated …
Once Upon a Time, Season 2, Episode 9: “Queen of Hearts” Written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz Directed by Ralph Hemecker Airs Sundays at 8pm (ET) on ABC Winter finales of shows are getting to be just about as nail biting as their actual season finales and that’s definitely the case with Once Upon …
Once Upon a Time, Season 2, Episode 5: “The Doctor” Written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz Directed by Paul Edwards Airs Sundays at 8pm (ET) on ABC Five episodes into the second season and the ball just keeps on rolling. After a brief introduction we jump back to Storybrooke and find Dr. Whale confronting …
Once Upon A Time, Season 2, Episode 2: “We Are Both” Written by Jane Espenson Directed by Dean White Airs Sundays at 8pm (ET) on ABC Usually, the opening scenes on Once Upon a Time pull us in, making us ask, “What is going on?” within the first few seconds. This episode’s beginning is no …
Once Upon A Time, Season 1, Episode 22: “A Land Without Magic” Written by Adam Horowitz & Edward Kitsis Directed by Dean White Airs Sundays at 8pm (ET) on ABC This is how to do a finale. “A Land Without Magic” does exactly what it’s supposed to for the kind of show that Once Upon A …
Once Upon A Time, Season 1, Episode 21: “An Apple Red As Blood” Written by Jane Espenson & David H. Goodman Directed by Milan Cheylov Airs Sundays at 8pm (ET) on ABC This penultimate entry builds for a jam-packed finale by gathering all the characters together in both worlds. In Storybrooke, Emma tries to kidnap Henry, …
Once Upon A Time, Season 1, Episode 18: “The Stable Boy” Written by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz Directed by Dean White Airs Sundays at 8pm (ET) on ABC Note: Contains Spoilers Regina takes main stage this week in “Stable Boy,” her origin story that explores the Evil Queen before she earned that name. As a …