Once Upon a Time ABC aired a fantasy show....

And now we come to the second fairy tale based show that has been offered up for our viewing pleasure, Once Upon a Time.  The plot behind this offering is this: Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) is a bounty hunter in Boston.  Late one night a 10 year old boy, Henry, (Jared S. Gilmore) comes calling and says 'Hi Mom!  I'm the son you gave up for adoption"*  Clearly Emma is a bit freaked and offers to take him home to Storybrooke, Maine.  Turns out, Henry has been reading a book of fairy tales, which reads more like a history of the fairy tale word.


Track change!


In the fairy tale world, Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin)  is getting married to Prince James Charming (Josh Dallas).  As one would expect, the Evil Queen (Lana Parilla) is less than pleased with this.  So, the Evil Queen makes a threat about some great and powerful curse, then disappears.


Snow White is understandably nervous about said curse, so who do we go visit?  Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), of course because he knows all.


I inturrupt this review of Once Upon a Time to get on my Stargate soap box.  I'll make it quick.  The only good that came out of the cancellation of Stargate: Universe is that it freed Robery Carlyle to play Rumplestiltskin.  The man channels Gollum and chews scenery.  Awesome choice for the role.  And, done.


Rumplestiltskin explains that the curse will send them all to a bad place (our world).  Only way to stop it is to place the child of Snow White (Emma, BTW) in a magic wardrobe so she can come back and save the land of fairy tales.


Each fairy tale character now has a 'real world' counterpart. In that the mayor of Storybrooke is really the Evil Queen!  Oh, and also Henry's adoptive mother.  Awkward and tension filled meetings between Emma and the mayor ensue.


So, in short I really like this.  I might even say I like it a touch better than Grimm.  I was a bit worried at first.  ABC?  Sunday nights?  My fears were un-warranted.  The tone is not as light as one would expect, nor is it as dark as it could be.  The graphics at times were a little wanting, but overall not bad for a TV show.  The two creators of the show spent time as writers on LOST, so the writing is quite strong.  I've cranked through the first three or so episodes so far with my wife (who I think likes it more than I) and we are both looking forward to the continuation of this show.  If you like fairy tales with a twist, this show is for you.


*I may have edited that.