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Once Upon a Time Tuesday: What Happened to Frederick

 It's Tuesday! Are you ready to discuss?

Once Upon a Time: Season 1, Episode 13: What Happened to Frederick

I just need to tell you out of the gate that I'm struggling with knowing how to discuss this episode. Prepare your rotten tomatoes for throwing, but I'm saying it anyway: I was a little bored with this one. I think this is mostly because last week's was SO fascinating. I don't know. But there are some things we definitely must cover:

1) Juxtaposition

I think this is the one element of this episode that stood out for me. The Enchanted Forest scenes were actually pretty great and provide some more insights into the Real Lives of our main characters. I loved the conversation at the beginning between James and Abigail when he tells her he won't marry someone he does not love, and she responds "And you're willing to lay down your life? How charming."

And see, that's the thing. In the Enchanted Forest, James IS willing to lay down his life to escape his Fake Father's demand that he marry Abigail. Dying would be a preferable choice, but he nobly offers to help Abigail release her own true love from his curse. And then in the end, we see him gallantly racing off (Red Riding Hood in tow) to find Snow White. He will always find her, he says.

Now.

Compare that Charming to David's actions in Storybrooke: has to be persuaded by Mary Margaret to tell Kathryn the truth, then he doesn't, then he lies to MM about it, and basically just acts like the complete opposite of noble and brave.

I guess, if anything, this stark juxtaposition serves to show us how powerful the curse is on the people it is affecting. Not only are the trapped in time with only fuzzy memories of their own pasts and no true memories of who they are, not only can no one leave Storybrooke, not only are they all destined to unhappy ever after ... they also seem compelled to act in ways that are entirely uncharacteristic.

Well, except for Regina. She's exempt.

2) Returning what was lost

So we have the mythical, mystical Lake Gnostos. (apparently gnostos is a form of the Greek for knowledge, or knowing) It is guarded by a siren-esque creature who woos those who would draw from its waters to death by taking on the form of the thing they want most. But, the magic of the water is that it has the power to return to you what was lost.

Mystery Man/August (we'll get to him in a moment) waxes on to Emma that all water is inherently powerful, and if you think about it, he's right. Most major religions draw upon water in some way, shape, or form.

In the Enchanted Forest, the water from the lake returns Abigail's love - Frederick - to her. It seems to return to Emma Henry's lost book. And so what will it return to August?

3) August Wayne Booth

So, we finally get to know the name of our handsome Mystery Man. What to make of his name? Knowing what I know of these writers from LOST, very few names are randomly chosen. I did a little digging to throw out some theories to you:

August: Latin for majestic, or venerable, it's a name often associated with royalty. I'm not 100% sure there are any noteworthy literary characters named August, but Edgar Allen Poe did have a detective named Auguste Dupin, so that could be interesting.

Perhaps the most fascinating discovery, for me, is the Wayne Booth part. It's just too intentional for me, so a little light Googling and I happened upon Wayne C. Booth. Booth was a notable literary critic who wrote extensively on rhetoric. I though this line from the wikipedia page was quite telling:

Booth claimed that it is impossible to talk about a text without talking about an author, because the existence of the text implies the existence of an author.

Booth argued not only that it does not matter whether an author—as distinct from the narrator—intrudes directly in a work, since readers will always infer the existence of an author behind any text they encounter ... However impersonal he may try to be, his readers will inevitably construct a picture of the official scribe who writes in this manner -- and of course that official scribe will never be neutral toward all values.

So. Think on that a little bit and then let's talk about - what was he doing with the book?

Was he simply restoring the book? (Remember, Henry ripped out a section of the book to hide from Regina)

Was he putting the missing section back in?

Or was he re-writing the book?

Is he the author?

Is he related to the author?

Is he possibly Baelfire (Rumpel's son)?

I need to turn it over in my head a bit more. I feel like I'm on the cusp of a theory, but not quite there.

So tell me - what were YOUR thoughts on What Happened to Frederick? (Because there is OHSOMUCH I didn't even begin to cover here ... the town's treatment of MM, Kathryn trying to leave Storybrooke, only to disappear, Regina burning the letter .... Okay. Maybe it was a better episode than I gave it credit for!)

For those who prefer reflections on real life over dissecting fiction, make sure to check out February's featured sponsor: Any Day a Beautiful Change by Katherine Willis Pershey. Use code SortaFeb for 30% off retail!

Once Upon a Time Tuesday: Skin Deep

It's Tuesday and OH MY GOODNESS, do we have a lot to discuss for this week's Once Upon a Time. Season 1 Episode 12 is Skin Deep, and I really don't know where to begin.

First: CLAIRE!

Can I confess that she was never my favorite Lostie? I don't blame Emilie de Ryan, I think she is a fine actress. But Island Claire was always just a bit high-pitched for me. Flashback Claire was more to my preference. And no, I can't blame the poor woman given her circumstance, but still.

All of that is to say I LOVED her as Belle. Charming, likeable, and innocent.

As always, my posts are not recaps but rather discussion posts. I feel like the best way for me (always-and-forever English major) is to break this one down by theme:

LOVE

Oh, love. And JUST in time for Valentine's Day, too! Nicely done, Show.

It's interesting for me because Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorites. The first time AJ watched it in its entirety, though, she burst into tears at the end. She couldn't understand why the Beast changed into a man when true love's kiss saved him at the end.

Derail: I think that's an interesting conversation thread. Does one have to change to be lovable? Does being loved mean changing into what your beloved wants you to be? Or is it that true love frees us to be the best possible incarnation of ourselves? This is a theme familiar to literature, not the least of which being The Velveteen Rabbit which teaches us that it is only through being loved that we become Real; however, the process of becoming Real can be a painful one and often leaves us threadbare and falling apart at the seams a bit.

Further, in the Christian faith, it is our belief that it is the love of Christ that changes us, providing restoration and freeing us to be who we were always meant to be before the enemy's plan for our destruction forever marred God's perfect creation. Once embraced with the love of Christ, we are, like Rumpel experienced for a moment in this episode, transformed into the best version of ourselves.

So there's THAT whole aspect of love in this episode: do we take the risk to believe that someone could love us as we are and find freedom from the curse that causes us to cover all the mirrors? Or do we resist that love, preferring instead to remain under the curse where, miserable though we may be, at least we are safe?

Another thread in the love theme this week is the Ashley/Sean -- Cinderella/Prince (??? can't remember his Enchanted Forest name!) story. Love isn't always easy, and sometimes it means making hard choices.

Annnnnnd speaking of choices: David and Mary Margaret. UGH. You know, if the writers are expecting us to sympathize with and even cheer for adultery, they are going to have to throw us a bone, don't you think? In the first episodes after David and MM reconnect, I could go with it a little bit. They are, after all, truly married in the Real World of the Enchanted Forest. However, in Storybrooke, David continues to be reckless in his treatment of both Kathryn and MM. Buying two valentines in Sneezy's drugstore and predictably giving the wrong one to MM was very telling.

POWER

In the Enchanted Forest story, we come to understand that ultimately power was more important to Rumpel than love and being loved. I think, however, that we see such a nuanced and layered portrayal of this in Skin Deep. Was it that he desired the power to which he had grown accustomed? Or was it more that he simply could not comprehend that Belle could truly love him?

We also discover that the power struggle between Rumpel and the Evil Queen has a history that goes much further back than the curse he gave her that created Storybrooke. THAT is interesting. Fruit of the Poisonous Tree leads us to believe that Regina was already evil and possibly already magical before she married Snow's father. All kinds of speculation could abound as to how many deals Regina has made with Rumpel. And we STILL don't know any more about what Snow did to Regina to evoke her wrath.

NAME

As is fitting for a story that draws so heavily on the character of Rumpelstiltskin, the theme of the importance of Name shows up again here. Some message board ponderings have questioned whether or not Rumpel revealing/confirming his name to Regina means he has lost his power in the Storybrooke curse. I don't think so, but you may disagree. I think it simply served to confirm for all of us that BOTH of them, in fact, know exactly what is going on in Storybrooke and both of them remember everything about the Enchanted Forest.

Other Thoughts

I thought the turns on the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast were mostly handled in a clever way. Belle's costuming choices referenced the animated movie in a nice way without being so literal as to be hokey.

If Belle's father, Maurice, truly turned his daughter over to torture on her return, I would be shocked. I prefer to believe that Evil Queen intercepted Belle when she fled the castle after being sent away by Rumpel and imprisoned her.

Rumpel turning Gaston into a rose and telling Belle the knock at the door was an old lady selling flowers - nice play on the Disney version of the tale.

Evil Queen was stunning AS ALWAYS.

I'm seeing discussion that the nurse and janitor in the padded room area of the hospital are a reference to Nurse Hatchett and Chief from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I've not seen that movie, but maybe the nod landed for you?

Finally, and this is nitpicky and my own issue, I think, but I didn't care for the writers drawing Avonlea into the Belle story. I also don't like King Midas as part of the Enchanted Forest. I know not everyone agrees with me, but I feel that fairy tales are a genre unto their own, and I don't like the mixing of classical myth or modern fiction into the lives of our fairy tale characters. But, eh. Just a nitpick for me.

One last thought to throw out there: I could be totally off in this, but I'm floating it out anyway. We still don't know the identity (or even NAME) of Mystery Man Writer. Perhaps (and most likely) he is related to the writer of Henry's book, but. BUT. What if he is Rumpelstiltskin's son - Baelfire? A crack in the curse would be a chance to write redemption and restoration into the story of his father's life. I sort of love the thought of that so I'm going to turn it over in my head until we are told otherwise.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhkay. Cannot WAIT to hear your thoughts! (They are always better than mine!)

 

Once Upon a Time Tuesday: Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

 

"Be careful. Emotional entanglements can lead us down very dangerous paths." -- Mr. Gold

It's Tuesday morning, so let's discuss: Once Upon A Time: Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

Overall, this episode was a little meh for me. Maybe it's because it's coming off the heels of 7:15 which I so highly enjoyed. I don't know. I think I'm going to break this down into what I liked, what I didn't, and what I'm still wondering.

The Good

I thought the writers did a nice job exploring the idea of freedom versus captivity of our own choosing and captivity forced upon us through the story of Sidney/Genie/Mirror. It's a good theme to draw out as we consider all of the residents of Storybrooke being held captive under the Regina's curse.

Interesting that Regina's name is the same in Storybrooke and in the Enchanted Forest. It makes sense, of course, because it is her curse. (Or is it?)

Inserting Queen Regina's father into the Enchanted Forest story was a tender touch.

I know it's trivial, but oh my GOODNESS, do I ever love the wallpaper in Mayor Regina's office. I have to hand it to the set designers - the visuals on this show are always so appealing and just perfect for the stories being told.

Having King Leopold die from a snake bite (and not the awesome Commodore 64 kind of Snake Byte either!) was a nice touch - to be bitten in the end by the wish he had made. If we've learned anything from Rumpelstiltskin, it's that magic always, always comes with a price, and that includes magical wishes.

The Bad:

Where to begin?

It really, really bothers me that either the writers have forgotten about Emma's supposed sixth sense about whether or not a person is lying OR it was never something they took as seriously as they allowed it to play out in the opening episodes. I know some viewers are saying, "Oh, that's just something adults tell children to get them to tell the truth," but I think that's a cop out. It was something they strongly emphasized about Emma's character from the start. Why, then, is she so easily played by Sidney?

Regina tearing down Henry's castle. She is the WORST of the worst. Even Kyle was pissed off by that move, and he has not been one to have a strong emotional reaction to anything on this show so far.

The way Regina turned the $50,000 disappearance around on Emma in the city council meeting rang false to me, too. Okay, so maybe she moved the funds for a playground, but wouldn't that still require council approval? ALSO, her modern-y playground creation looked supah dangerous (much moreso than the wooden one) and also very, very boring. I hated that whole plot thread.

The Questions

What DO all of those keys on the key ring in Regina's office go to? It can't be her heart crypt can it? It seems like those opened magically. Or am I not remembering correctly?

Dear Show, please tell us Mystery Motorcycle Writer Man's name. He's mysterious. We get it. He needs a name.

Is the thing that Queen Regina hates Snow for the fact that she always reminded Leopold of her dead mother, his one true love? I sure hope not because that is L-A-M-E. I'm hoping that the betrayal Queen Regina has alluded to in previous episodes is something much bigger than that.

Did you feel sympathy for Queen Regina in this episode at all?

Other thoughts on Fruit of the Poisonous Tree?

(As always, for a real recap, head to Television Without Pity.)

 

Once Upon a Time Tuesday: 7:15

Love's the worst. I wish there was a magic cure. -- Mary Margaret

It's Tuesday, so let's discuss Once Upon a Time, shall we?

Oh, y'all.

SO MUCH TO SAY about this episode. When Leigh tweeted at me on Sunday night that this episode was sooooooo good, I knew I was in for a treat. I was not disappointed. For me, this one of the best episodes yet!

(As always, if you are looking for an episode recap, I recommend Television Without Pity.)

Let's start with Mary Margaret's rush to the coffee shop for her appointment to see David (buying coffee for two - himself and his wife) at 7:15. This whole episode is devoted to the theme of love and longing, and Ginnfer Goodwin brings it as you see her face go from tender affection to pained acceptance of reality in a matter of moments.

But is it reality?

We, as the viewer, know it's not. But reactions to the David/MM romance are split down the middle: some are repelled by it because he is married to Katherine; others see the David/Katherine marriage as the true adultery because Charming and Snow are really married in the real reality - the Enchanted Forest. SO COMPLICATED.

The writers do a nice job with bringing out the conflict and the tension in the dialogue. In one scene between MM and David, he says it's like he has two conflicting lives: one with memories of feelings for Katherine, one with real feelings for Mary Margaret. MM says, "Who's to say which is real?"

I have to hand it to The Show - I never, ever thought I would become invested in the Snow White story. I really hate the original tale, but this Show ... I confess. I'm all in. That scene where Snow sneaks into James's room as he is packing to leave for his new life with Abigail and he sees her and grabs her up in his arms - GAH. HEARTBREAK. Heartbreak made a little more bearable by the fact that we know that somehow, some way, they end up together ...

The directing in this episode is beautiful. The incredible seamless transitions between the Storybrooke story and the Enchanted Forest story are amazing. I loved the way Snow is rescued by the seven dwarves (Poor Stealthy! Candle in the wind!) - rescued not because she is weak and helpless, but because she is heartbroken and alone. Who among us cannot relate to that?

Other points of discussion:

When David and Katherine are talking in their bedroom and Katherine asks him, "Will you give us our best shot?" I thought that was a nice callback to the earliest episodes with Charming and Snow wanting to give Emma her best shot at escaping the curse, and Emma giving up Henry so he could have his best shot at a good life.

OKAY. The Mystery Man/Stranger/Writer. So it's a typewriter tucked away in his mysterious box. Interesting! Many guessed after last week that he might be Henry's real father. After this week's revelation, I'm seeing theories ranging from he is the writer of Henry's book to he is a Grimm descendant to he is Baelfire (Rumpelstiltskin's son) or even the Queen's son (some have pointed out Regina never got a good look at his face). Some still maintain that he is the Big Bad Wolf (he asked for directions to a place to stay - GRANNY'S INN - when he first arrived ...).

Names: One interesting note is that Emma didn't ask him what his name is as a preliminary question in her investigation of him. I find this interesting because, correct me if I'm wrong, we don't know James's real name either, right? I mean, the name given him by his peasant parents. We don't yet know Mystery Man's name. Rumpel's fixation on names. The weight of the character names in Storybrooke (Mary Margaret Blanchard - blanche = white; Regina = Queen; Dr. Hopper is Jiminy Cricket; and so on) continues to be, on a literary level, one of my favorite aspects of the show.

So we end this episode with Snow drinking the forget-my-love potion in the Enchanted Forest and David and Mary Margaret kissing like idiots in the broad daylight of Main Street (while Regina glares from her car. OF COURSE. Creeper.)

My only mild critique of this episode is that the doves = lifetime true love was a little bit heavy-handed for me. I enjoy some subtlety when it comes to literary devices, particularly symbols, so I rolled my eyes a bit at that. But I love this episode so much, I'll forgive it.

So, oh so many questions abound.

We know from the pilot that Snow still ends up in a glass coffin, awakened by True Love's kiss, saying "You found me." How does she go from blissful forgetfulness in the dwarves' cabin to dead in the coffin?

We still know nothing about what she did to Evil Queen.

We don't know how it is that James cancelled the wedding and escaped without the King killing him.

And of course Mystery Man.

Oh, the delicious anticipation of Story. LOVE IT.

ALSO: how gorgeous is Red Riding Hood without the hooker make-up that Ruby insists on wearing?!

Thoughts? I know you have them! How do YOU feel about David and Mary Margaret? Adultery or destined to be? Who do YOU think the Mystery Man could be? Tell me all your thoughts and theories!

 

Once Upon a Time Tuesday: True North

 

 

It's Once Upon a Time Tuesday!

Obviously do not read if you have not watched, and as always, if you are looking for a genuine re-cap, check out Cindy McLennan at Television Without Pity.

It's going to be short and sweet this week because, well, it just is. Lots of life going on over here behind my screen, but I didn't want to miss the chance to dish about my favorite show!

Discussion points:

* I didn't realize until I read Cindy's recap that the shop owner is Sneezy. Did y'all get it right off? I was a little distracted, I guess. I do love how the dwarfs keeping turning up all over town.

* Evil Queen's outfits and overall presence in the Enchanted Forest continue to be just stunning. She is a fantastic villain. Not only did she kidnap the Woodsman and not only did she send Hansel and Gretel in after the satchel, she had clearly sent dozens of other children in after it, too. She is just the WORST. Love it.

* The first shot of the blind witch's enchanted cabin was such a terribly AWFUL use of CGI, don't you think? I laughed out loud and I don't think that was the intended reaction.

* Emma Caulfield as the blind witch was supremely creepy. Scary, scary good work.

* I am so enjoying how Mr. Gold's shop is the true epicenter of knowledge in Storybrooke. When Emma goes to him for information on the father of Ava and Nicholas, I loved his response: "Just a name, that's all one needs." Writing WIN.

* Another fantastic mother-daughter moment between Mary Margaret and Emma. Emma comes in and flops down on the bed, Mary Margaret is folding laundry. Perfect. I was surprised Emma told Mary about Henry's revelation that SHE is her mother. That scene made my heartache in a good way - Emma talking about her absent parents to her own mother. Nicely done.

* Thematically, the fierceness of family love played out beautifully. I don't really like the Hansel and Gretel tale, but I like how universally the writers were able to construct this episode. The Evil Queen realizes she'll never experience the kind of love the Woodsman shares with his children, Emma realizing what made her stay after Henry found her, Ava and Nicholas's dad relenting and taking them in.

* Which reminds me, one element of the storyline that calls back to LOST for me are the ABUNDANCE OF DADDY ISSUES. Every single character on LOST had some kind of Daddy Issue happening, and it seems to be one of the common threads we are beginning to be able to trace through Once Upon a Time, too.

* Bonus for LOSTies: Apollo bar in the mix of items thefted from Sneezy's shop. Hee!

What were your thoughts on True North?

OH! And whoooooooooooooooo is the Motorcycle Man? Would love to hear your theories on that!

Once Upon a Time Tuesday: Desperate Souls

Once Upon a Time is back! Wheeeeeeee! Let's dig in to this week's episode: Desperate Souls.

I don't watch previews for the show, mostly because we watch on Hulu and so there are no previews at the end and also I'm too lazy to look up a preview on the net. I was curious as to where the show would go after the drama and heartbreak of the fall finale and Graham's death, and for me, exploring Rumelstiltskin's backstory was a perfect way to move forward.

I'm not so great with episode recapping (you should hear me trying to tell a story, "Oh, but wait! I forgot to say that this had happened first, you see ...") so if you are looking for solid recaps, I will direct you as always to Cindy McLennan at TWoP. I just wanna hear your feeeeeeeelings and thoughts on some of this:

* Showing teenage children being conscripted to fight in the Ogre War was a powerful and upsetting start to the show. One of the reasons people might be uninterested in the show is that the fairy tale genre can be a bit too, well, unrealistic for some tastes. Fairy tales, however, have always spoken to universal themes and deal heavily with human nature. I thought the writers made a brilliant and bold move with child soldier conscription, a horror that is all too realistic in our world.

* The overarching theme of good vs. evil plays out in a big way. As an idealist, I can identify with Henry's retreat into depression after his mother killed Graham. "Good has to play fair, evil doesn't." Again, I think it was a testament to superb writing to see how good vs. evil played out in Fairytale Land as we watch a good Rumpelstiltskin transform into evil Rumpelstiltskin and the role that POWER plays in the age-old battle between good and evil.

* Rumpel's transformation, both soul and body, after he gets the dagger and the powerful magic that comes with it brought to mind the trite-but-true expression that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

* I did narrow my eyes at the screen a bit during the "storming the castle" scene in which Rumpel is able to flitter into the flaming castle and grab the dagger. Not a single guard in sight, inside or out? Really? I don't know about that.

* For me, the exploration of the importance of NAME in Rumpel's story was so satisfying. From the original tale, the weight and secrecy of his name was paramount, and throughout the series, his creepily expressed interest in names has been prevalent. Fantastic explanation for why in this episode.

The Storybrooke story wasn't quite as enchanting for me this week. A debate for town sheriff? Does this really happen? There were some great moments, though:

* In the opening Storybrooke scene, Gold offers Emma the box of Graham's belongings and she says she doesn't need anything, Gold says, "As you wish," and all the lovers of The Princess Bride smiled. Right?

* The scene between Emma and Mary Margaret in the apartment was a great mother-daughter scene. Emma is angry at Regina, so she's blaring loud music and destroying a toaster (natch). Mary Margaret comes in and offers a calming, maternal presence while unloading groceries. I thought that was nicely played.

* Mary Margaret and David meeting at the notice board was so tender. Mary is nearly frenetic in her stapling of election posters for Emma - their daughter - and David is stapling posters for Sidney. Regina is the source of their division, and the Evil Queen is the one who separated them from each other and their fairy tale life. Nicely played all around.

* I thought Emma's ultimate rejection of Gold's help and then the ending reveal of how that all further played into Gold's plan was quite satisfying.

* Overall, Robert Carlyle pretty much rules this show. His portrayal of Rumpelstiltskin as weak and cowardly was spot-on and his transformation to evil and terrifying was magnificent. In Storybrooke, his every facial expression and intonation testify to layer upon layer of evil and conniving, and he is just incredible.

I know I'm leaving out so much. What say you, friends? What were your thoughts on all these Desperate Souls?

 

Once Upon A Tuesday

So.

I am completely obsessed with Once Upon a Time. I have never, in the almost six years of SortaCrunchy history, ever given a television show a dedicated post, let alone a series. But this is the kind of show that begs for discussion, and so I am going to try it out.

When I love a show, I tend to read other people's views on it. I've followed TLo's Project Runway recaps and critiques for years. I loved when The Office was amazing TV and Boomama would share her favorite lines every week. When we started watching True Blood from the beginning, I discovered the Television Without Pity recap writers and have read them pretty religiously ever since. I know that I can in no way compete with any of the great writing about TV that is available on the 'net, so what I am really hoping for is that we can just have really great discussion on it in the comments!

I almost didn't watch Once Upon a Time because it is anchored in the Snow White fairy tale. Snow White is my least favorite fairy tale what with the Someday My Prince Will Come and the dependence on men and the creepy kiss-back-to-life of it all, so I really didn't want to watch this. Some friends talked me into giving it a chance, mostly because it's written by two writers who worked on the last seasons of LOST. And you know my love for LOST is timeless and forever and always and eternity.

So I tried it and found myself completely smitten by the end of the pilot. It didn't hurt that the writers through in some winks to LOSTies (Regina's house number is 108, the clock in Storybrooke is stuck at 8:15, opening a scene with a close-up of Emma's eyeball), but soon the show itself won me over.

I can't possibly recap what has happened so far. If you have caught a few episodes but aren't totally caught up, I highly (!!!) recommend the TWoP recaps by Cindy McLennan. Actually, I think every fan of the show should read her Episode 4 recap because it helps us understand the fuzziness of time in Storybrooke and offers an interesting - and in my opinion, accurate - view on what is really reality on this show.

What I want to do is just dive right in to this week's episode (Episode 7: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter) because OH MY GOSH.

(Obviously if you haven't watched it yet, you are clicking away now.)

(Right?)

(Safe to spoil? Here we go!)

EPISODE 7 DISCUSSION

* Oh, Graham. Oh, the heart break. Literally.

* The scene in Fairytale Land with Snow and the Evil Queen was played so convincingly! I really thought there was a warmth there. When I saw the pain on EQ's face, I thought perhaps there is something redeemable about her character after all. We all want our villains to have at least a small hope of being redeemed, right? But by the episode's end ... I don't know.

* Also, EQ - Lana Parrilla? SO HOT. In every scene she was in in this episode, I was completely distracted by how gorgeous she is. They do an incredibly job of wardrobing her, and her hair and make-up are flawless.

* Oh, Mary Margaret. A one-night stand with Dr. Whale? Oh, honey. (Whooooooo do you think Dr. Whale's Fairytale Land character is? This is killing me. There is some theorizing that he could be The Big Bad Wolf based on a loose connection linking wolves and whales in evolutionary theory. I'm not convinced.)

* WHAT was Mr. Gold doing in the forest with a shovel?!

* What's the story on the wolf? One message board theory is that animals with different colored eyes are shape shifters. (Thanks, Rea!) Hmmmm. Also, the Huntsman was literally raised by wolves. Funny.

* I love that the costuming in Fairytale Land is equally spectacular and ridiculous. The get-ups for the Evil Queen's knights are SO over the top, but when EQ was slithering around the Huntsman when she was commissioning him to kill Snow? Lordy. That dress. FABULOUS.

* I enjoy how the writers riffed off the idea that we only have true clarity when we are drunk or feverish or somehow otherwise released from the limitations of societal appropriateness. Poor Graham - wandering around Storybrooke freaking everyone out with his sweaty fever and his crazy questions. All because suddenly he remembered.

* SO. What DO you think Snow did to the EQ?

My working theory is that EQ was married to Snow's father but it was an arranged marriage for the good of their kingdoms (as we saw with Charming and Midas's daughter - Abigail? What was her name?). EQ was in love with/having an affair with someone else, stupidly confided in Snow, Snow told her father, Father had the other man killed, the King's and Snow's death were her revenge.

I don't know though. That's so predictable. I hope it's something far more complicated than that.

* If there was any doubt before whether or not EQ remembered anything from Fairytale Land, that was cleared up in this episode with her passage down to the creepy wall of hearts. Serial killer, are ya? Yikes.

* LOST love: When I see nods to LOST, I have to share. I loved how kissing Emma led to remembering for Graham. Such a nice call-back to Season 6 of LOST when the kissing reminded each character of their life on the island. (Oh man. I almost started crying when I typed that. I have a problem, y'all.)

So - here's a question: why do you think Regina killed Graham? Because he was disobeying her or because she knew he was remembering? Or both? Or neither?

Cannot wait to hear your thoughts, especially since the next episode isn't until January 8th!!!

To soothe my heartbreak over the killing off of Graham, I'll probably go drown my sorrows browsing boots from December's featured sponsor Inca Boot Company. A great pair of handmade, fair-wage boots always cheers me up. *wink*