Tasty, Tasty Television

[ladysprite]

I never wanted to like 'Once Upon A Time.' I figured it would be the weakest of this season's crop of urban fantasy tv shows - that it would be derivative, sugary, shallow, and bland. I didn't like the fact that, while it claims to be generally about fairy tales, that it's heavily and blatantly Disney. I didn't like the woman playing the evil queen. I didn't like the fact that, in the first episode, it felt like a poorly-veiled 'Fables' knockoff.

But the arc plot sounded... not bad, at least, and umbran wanted to give it a fair chance, and so I decided to keep watching. And I wound up vaguely interested, at least enough to give it one more episode. And then one more. And then I finally had to admit to myself that I liked it. And, for better or for worse, there's precisely one reason that I do like it.

Rumpelstiltskin.

I am deeply, wrongly, madly in love with this character, with the actor who plays him, with his story, with his plot, with the delicious, dark, syrupy angst that pours from his every facet. I adore well-written villains, and there is something about his simultaneous glee in villainy, his two-faced nature, his sheer joy in mercenarily hosing both the good and the evil alike, and his dark, bitter self-hatred that just makes me want to do the television equivalent of drinking up every last drop of his story and licking the bowl. I was afraid when the show started giving him backstory that they would spoil the purity of his villainy, but they're managing to handle it in such a way that only makes him better.

The rest of the story is pretty good, I guess. I still wish they'd make it a little less heavily Disney, and I'm beginning to realize that my hope of them pulling in some of the more obscure fairy tales is likely to be in vain. (Donkeyskin? Please?) But I will watch as long as it's on the air, if they continue to give me my weekly spoonful of black antihero angst....

(Spoiler safety request - I'm still two episodes behind, so please no in-depth details of what happens after "Skin Deep.")

Comments

[citabria]

Yes, both the character and the actor are yummy like a dark, molasses-sweet gingerbread cake. ::wistful sigh::

[darkoni]

The character is awesome, as is the actor. He was also my favorite part of Stargate Universe. He has a great presence.

[mermaidlady]

"Skin Deep" was one of the best episodes so far (and one of the most heavily Disney).

We're watching them on Hulu usually paired with an episode of Grimm. It's an amusing contrast.

[bkwrrm-tx.livejournal.com]

I've been madly in lust with Robert Carlyle ever since 'The Full Monty' came out. The man is just an awesome actor.

If you like Robert Carlyle

[mamatiger.livejournal.com]

Check out this awesome Johnny Walker commercial he stars in. wcg says that Don Paul from alt.callahans worked on this account!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnSIp76CvUI

[hungrytiger]

FYI, Bill Willingham (author of Fables) wrote a short piece in which he interviewed himself about his take on Once Upon a Time. It's pretty interesting and you can find it at: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=35737

I've quite liked the two episodes since Skin Deep (particularly the most recent one that focuses on Grumpy). As you say, the show grows on you.

There are some non-Disney characters thrown into the story (e.g. King Midas, Red Riding Hood, Hansel & Gretel). But yeah, the overt Disney references can get annoying - and I say that as a Disney fan. OTOH, being Disney, it does mean that they can use popularly recognized versions of some of the stories without having to fight about usage rights, which probably helps the show's ratings.

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

Nice to see an author being so sensible about how creative influence works.

[jducoeur]

Indeed -- it's both unusual and refreshing seeing the response to "They're ripping you off!", be "Folks, chill -- stories aren't told in a vacuum". Ups my respect for Willingham (already one of my favorite writers)...

[geochick.livejournal.com]

Weasel2000 and I are watching too (at my request). We are muuuuuuch further behind than you are (funny how we seem to have less tv time than we used to). I've wavered between thinking it was weak and getting into it... but the more I see, the better I like it. Glad to hear that you are enjoying also (and to know that it keeps getting better).

I'm not too surprised they are sticking with very Disney-esque fairy tales. This is a network TV audience they're aiming for (crud, I've just labeled myself an elitist, haven't I?) But my point being, if you're going to do "familiar-fairy-tales-with-a-twist" it is helpful if you start with base material that you can count on pretty much everyone knowing. Disappointing, perhaps, but not surprising.