“White Out”
After last week’s incredible premiere I had high hopes for the episodes to follow. It seems as if the Once Upon a Time creative team wore themselves out with premiere, because “White Out” just fizzled out. Oh sure it had its moments, OUAT always does, but my biggest issue with this episode was the writing. Who OK’d these cheesy lines? Felt more like watching “Once Upon A Soap.” Talk about being melodramatic.
“You want some milk from Momma Mayor?”
Yes, this is real. Mary Margaret/Snow White delivered this line to her hungry infant, proud that she’d accomplished a mundane task — turning a wheel to deliver fuel to the power plant. Big whoop. And yet she played it up as a massive triumph. These people once lived in a forest without power and running water! Thus it’s difficult to believe a brief electrical blackout has turned their lives upside down. Me, on the other hand, I’d be reacting the same way they did. Chaos would ensue. But I’ve never lived without electricity.
It was a weird, shallow victory that must have read better on paper than it played out on screen. And perhaps the strange enthusiasm could be overlooked, she is after all a sleep deprived mother, if it weren’t for that awkward line. I had to pause and rewind (I DVR the show), to be sure I’d heard it correctly, but it wasn’t just some of Mary Margaret’s lines.
“This is Elsa. We’re going to find her sister because that’s what this family does. We find people. We always do because we really, really don’t like to give up.”
OMG. This is how David introduces his wife to the Ice Queen. Who approved this dialogue? That’s what I want to know. Was someone relying a little too heavily on the interns? The first part gets to me, “because that’s what this family does.” No, Snow White and Prince Charming always find each other, because of true love and all that jazz. This is not a family run business of private investigators. But what really slays me, is how David ends it, “we really, really, don’t like to give up.” He had to say it twice, to really emphasize his point. For a moment I wondered what the actors thought of their dialogue, and I love OUAT, I’m a fan, but some of the lines in this episode were too awful to ignore.
Henry was given the best bit of the episode. Simple and true. Regina has hidden herself away, cocooned in her own misery, grappling with her newly broken heart. Henry misses his mom and he doesn’t like seeing her this way. Even though she’s asked him to stay away (she sent a message by raven, you know the old fashioned way), he stubbornly bangs on her door.
“I belong here and I’m going to come back every day because this is my house too… And I miss my room!” Spoken like a true teenager. Whether or not it was meant to be funny, it was.
Don’t get me wrong this episode wasn’t all bad. Elsa and Emma bonded over powers they cannot control. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. I was also happy to see Elsa move out of that villain slot. She was loveable in Frozen, just misunderstood, and I’m pleased to see that’s continued here. Hook and Emma are getting closer, but they aren’t rushing into anything. Emma hasn’t yet blessed him with the boyfriend label. She should probably break the news to Henry first anyway.
So, Little Bo Peep is a villain, or better yet, a warlord. Interesting choice. I’m not against it, but it didn’t play out well, the story felt forced. As in nonsensical. I get it Bo Peep is mean, she collects people like sheep, but why? It gave off a weird vibe. It felt like the writers added a quick villain into the fold, so they could continue stretching out the Frozen story. With a little backstory, Bo Peep could have become a dynamic quasi villain.
Speaking of which, who is that woman running the ice cream shop? Could it be Elsa’s mother? What a brilliant ending to a so-so episode. Way to bring it home guys! Makes me eager to tune in next week.
Aurora Snow Says
Episode Rating:
[Rating:3/5]
