Once Upon A Time "An Apple Red As Blood" Review

Variety wrote a complimentary piece about Once Upon a Time's successful first season. The article focused on the production side of the show and how they're changing the 'game' with special effects while remaining on budget. The piece fails to add how crappy it all looks. The author quoted co-creator Eddie Kitsis about where the concept came from. Kitsis said he and Adam Horowitz wondered what it'd be like to be the Evil Queen living in the fairy tale world because she is the ultimate outcast. I thought, "Hm. What an interesting idea. I'd watch that show.' Of course, the concept might've just simply stemmed from that thought and branched off into creating an entire world about many more fairy tale characters.

Variety published the piece just before the episode aired, which is perfect timing. The fairy tale world uses its special effects technology in every scene. Snow White and the seven dwarves, along with Red and Grams and the fairies, execute a rescue plan to save Prince Charming from death-by-guillotine. I criticized the narrative of the show often. The post-production side deserves credit for the work they do. The rescue of Prince Charming is an elaborate and costly sequence. The scene effectively brings together the good guys, except for Jiminy, and the characters act bravely, which is easy to root for. For some, the sequence might be the show's most triumphant moment, an instance which should cause one to yell at Emma to 'just believe damnit.' I just felt nothing about the sequence. Snow fails to rescue Charming. The scene communicates, once more, how tragic and necessary the Snow-Charming coupling is. Their separation and hardships doesn't equate to a great relationship. The writing's been poor. The development of the relationship is rote, dominated by the predictable hardships of fictional characters in love.

I think this show is an absolute mess, but no one who's read my reviews consistently should be surprised by that. "An Apple Red as Blood" is about the Evil Queen/Regina. Many of the show's problems stem from her problematic characterization. Regina's too cartoonish a villain; her motivations suck (she blames a child for her lover's death, which then transformed her into super evil bitch); her obsession with destroying Snow/Mary is about as dull to watch as a Philly Union game. The one positive aspect of Regina's character is how unapologetically evil she is. King George wants to behead Charming. The Evil Queen intervenes, trades riches for Charming, and takes him somewhere, because she knows Snow White plans to rescue her beloved. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke, Regina wants to kill Emma. Emma's presence affects the curse. The only way to keep the curse unbroken is to murder Emma. Regina uses one weapon for both women: the goddamn red apple.

The Queen promises to free Charming if Snow will meet her where everything began. Snow meets her in the stables. From the stables, the women walk to Daniel's grave, the Queen's deceased lover. The Queen blames Snow for his death. Snow says they should just stop torturing one another because Regina took Snow's father from her. The Evil Queen agrees to free Charming if Snow will eat a poisonous apple. Snow agrees. Regina, meanwhile, makes apple turnover with the same apple. Jefferson used a little magic to retrieve it. Emma informs Regina of her plan to leave Storybrooke as long as she's allowed to continue seeing Henry. Regina agrees and sends her home with the apple turnover anyway. Mr. Gold soon reminds Regina of the price of magic. Emma tries to tell Henry her plan. Henry is desperate to convince her to stay. August's wooden condition amplifies his desperation to convince his mother of the curse's existence. Henry spots Regina's turnover and eats it, hoping to convince his mom that way.

Henry told Emma that she's at her lowest moment just before she rebounds. Indeed, Emma is very low, as it is the penultimate episode. Emma's more problematic now. The series is supposed to track her path of destiny in a town full of fairy tale characters who don't remember their previous lives. Her path of destiny has been as roundabout as can. OUAT is sort of a serialized drama, but it's more episodic. Perhaps I've been watching the show the wrong way. If I just focused on each episode without paying attention to the bigger storyline then maybe I wouldn't so opposed to it. There have been tangents and digressions. Emma's crisis of self seems a happenstance due to the end of the season more than organic storytelling. Emma tells Mary she never wanted life as a Sheriff and so on. Where did those feelings come from?

The story is set up for a possibly satisfying finale though. Perhaps the show is less a mess than I think if, indeed, a satisfying finale is possible. Emma and Regina will be forced to work together to save Henry's life. ABC promo department insists Storybrooke will change forever. I imagine the season will end on Emma and August looking down a hole to the fairy tale world. (I jest; Kitsis and Horowitz wouldn't rip off LOST like that). I'm tired of this show.

Jane Espenson & David H. Goodman wrote the episode. Milan Cheyov directed it.

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