SkimIt
Once Upon a Time in an Enchanted Forest all of your favorite fairy tale characters lived happily ever after. That was until the Evil Queen (Lana Parilla) decided there would be no more happy endings. She cast a curse that trapped them in Storybrooke where time stands still-no one remembers who they are or where they came from. The series revolves around Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), a 28-year-old bail bondswoman who recently reunited with her son Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) after giving him up for adoption at birth. Not only is Emma the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas), she's the only one who can break the curse and restore everyone's lost memories. Henry's adopted mother is Regina, Storybrooke's mayor, who is actually the Evil Queen and is the only one who knows the truth about the fairy tale land and the real identities of the townspeople.
Once Upon a Time starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison and Lana Parrilla airs on ABC Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
Familiar Faces from Your Childhood
One of the biggest appeals of Once Upon A Time is the fairy tale and storybook characters we’ve all been raised on from an early age. Much of the first season dealt with the gradual reveal of what fairy tale character each Storybrooke resident was. The show effortlessly takes these familiar characters and gives us an alternative viewpoint of their stories, yet we still recognize them. For example: Snow White and Charming could easily be a modern-day couple starring in a rom-com, while Red Riding Hood doubles as a wolf.
From the Creators of Lost
This fantasy-drama is the kind of television series that could only come from Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, the minds behind a little show called Lost. Much like the iconic series which also aired on ABC, Once Upon a Time is full of mythos, flashbacks, and destinies. The show effortlessly switches between the dreary and magically cursed Storybrooke and flashbacks of Fairy Tale Land. As viewers guess what will happen next, they will have even more fun trying to figure out which Storybrooke resident is their favorite fairy tale or folklore character.
The Curse Was Lifted, Now What?
Season two deals with what happens now that the curse has been lifted. Reality and fantasy merge as the fairy tale characters remember who they are. And they all lived happily ever after, right? Wrong. Even though the curse has been lifted, the townspeople were not transported back to the Enchanted Forest. Now they must deal with Evil Queen/Mayor Regina, who cursed them and Rumplestiltskin, a.k.a Mr. Gold, who introduced magic to Storybrooke. So what happens if someone tries to leave Storybrooke? They lose their memory — as in they won’t remember their Fairy Tale identity, only their Storybrook identity. One can’t help but wonder if the curse is actually broken, or simply a magic trick brought on by the villains.
All Things Considered
Storybrooke may be a place where magic has been forgotten, but that doesn’t mean it’s not present. During the show we’re often told that “all magic comes with a price” and are left to consider if the price is worth it. How will magic affect the characters now that the curse has been lifted? There are several questions that arise as our characters merge their current lives with their fairy tale lives such as if you’re married to someone in the fairy tale world are you still considered married in Storybrooke? What are Regina and Ruplestiltskin up to? What will the family dynamic between Emma, Snow White, and Prince Charming be like and just who is Henry’s father? Those are just some of the questions that keep viewers come back week after week.
