“Lost Girl”
As a geeky fan of Once Upon A Time I tend to enjoy each and every episode, good or bad, no matter how they measure up. My inner child loves the escape into fantasy land. However as a reviewer I have to be a little more critical and evaluate the show from a slightly more mature standpoint – which means that not every episode razzles and dazzles. Sadly that is the case with the second episode of the season, “Lost Girl.”
In this episode the flashbacks became monotonous and worse, even a little irritating. I felt Snow’s identity-quest flashbacks disrupted the more interesting story thread with our modern day characters quest to find Henry. Typically the flashbacks in OUAT mirror what is going on and while that was certainly the case once more, they weren’t as fun. It all felt a little flat. The costumes were amazing, I’m always impressed with how the Evil Queen and Snow White are dressed. The Evil Queen looked like she was ready to rule the fetish ball. Such exquisitely designed wardrobe down to the tiny details of lace, buttons and thread. However it’s a bad sign when the costumes are the best thing about the flashback scenes.
Jennifer Morrison was the highlight this week. Emma is already one of the more balanced and likeable characters, but she recently became loveable. Her personal issues, the ones that drive Emma forward in life, from the time she became a bounty hunter to when she came to Storybrooke, along with all of the pain she’s suffered for so long trickled out in tears. She still feels like an orphan, and even though she’s found her parents she hasn’t quite accepted them as “mom and dad” yet. Realizing that makes reconciling with Henry more important than ever, because she too abandoned her child just as her parents did her. She knows the pain better than anyone else. Pain can be a great source of strength and I suspect that is how the writers will play this out later.
Why Pan is pushing Emma in this direction is unclear, though perhaps he just likes a good game with a heartbreaking end. Pan is helping Emma “accept” who she really is, hence the title “Lost Girl.” I wonder if there is some other connection or interest that Pan holds for Emma, after all he is the leader of the lost boys so I imagine a lost girl appeals to him to in a way adults normally wouldn’t.
Pan hinted that by the time Emma finds Henry he won’t want to leave the island and she’ll be an orphan for real. Cut to the ugly wound Charming received in the battle with the lost boys and I am now wondering if they could really kill him off. I doubt it. Charming seems like an integral part of OUAT, though I cannot say he’s the brightest.
If Pan has really changed Henry, as was hinted, this could be a fascinating new path for him. Henry has always been the good little boy who believed with all of his heart that good prevails, we may not see that Henry next time we meet him. I am curious to see the changes his character goes through and how that will affect the relationship between his two mothers. Only time will tell.
Robbie Kay fits his role as Pan just as well as Robert Carlyle fits Rumple. I couldn’t imagine a better casting with these two. Very excited to see them go toe to toe (fingers crossed). If Rumple can let go of his daddy issues and find just an ounce of courage the viewers could potentially be rewarded with an excellent fight scene.
Bottom line: I enjoyed the show as I always do, but felt like the stale flashbacks didn’t have enough going on to lighten the drag they created.
Aurora Snow Says:
Episode Rating:
[Rating:3.5/5]
I agree that flashbacks were somewhat distracting but I enjoyed the insight into Snow’s and Charming’s past. They have faced dire challenges despite living in the happiest land of their world and it lends credibility to their optimism. Hopefully future flashbacks will be better coordinated with the present story as there seems to be alot to tell about the main characters’ pasts.
The flashbacks are usually as entertaining as the “current” story, it just wasn’t the case in this episode. Though I do see your point and agree that there was some validity to the flashback. My objection is to the pacing.
Yes indeed, the pacing of the flashbacks was quite jarring.