Fairy Interesting: OUAT "The Cricket Game"

2.10 "The Cricket Game"

Tonight  on the return of Once Upon a Time Hook gets exactly 97 seconds of screen time.* Certainly not anywhere near the amount he should. Cora gets more screen time, but only because she is disguised as someone else. She continues to prove herself the epitome of evilness.

Regina is framed for the murder of the lovable Jiminy Cricket, Pongo proves to be the star witness, and Snow and David manage to be the most awkward parents who are the same age as their own daughter ever. Emma matures for precisely 137 seconds* before flipping out. Again. Though with good reason.

In the flashbacks Regina is her evil self, Rumple is his evil self and both are the better for it. Snow and Charming thwart Regina's evil plan (except, of course, we know that they don't really) and another curse we didn't know about is cast.

Rumple and Regina have turned into mush balls. I understand character development, but I can't handle these sudden "I'm not good" turn arounds. I really, really, really, really wanted a complete freak out from Regina rather than a simple poof. I like the fact that she wants to change, but the milk-toast version of these two characters makes me grit my teeth.

Having said that, I adored the moment of Rumple with Pongo. So adorable.

My reaction at the opening of the show?

Cora=gak!

Hook=mmm

Ahem

Cora still has impeccable fashion sense - I really love her black lace parasol. Though I hated her turning the dock worker into a fish. She's just so very slimy.

Speaking of clothes, I loved loved loved Snow's red dress and matching shoes at the welcome back party. So freakin' adorable. And it is amazing to me how very different Regina looks in the simple peasant kind of dress with her hair long and simple. She looks so young and innocent and it amazes me that she can evoke those kinds of emotions simply based on her wardrobe. They really do a great job with that on this show. Each character is clearly defined through their clothes in every single scene (though I agree with someone's post on GetGlue that I am VERY glad to finally get Snow out of that hideous pink jumper/sweater/cardigan thing).

The look on Emma's face when she and Henry walked in on Snow and David was HILARIOUS. I think that was one of the most hilariously awkward scenes ever. (Almost as good as Cora [NOT evil Cora, American Cora] on Downton Abbey telling Matthew to get a good night's sleep the night before the wedding)

I also loved the maturity in Emma's speech about giving Regina a second chance. She has grown really well over the course of the show and I like the character arc the writers have developed for her.

How hysterical was it when Grumpy grabbed that knife when Regina walked into the party? I have to say I was honestly surprised so many of them actually ate the lasagna. After everything that she has done there is no possible way she (or Emma) can really expect others to just welcome her with open arms. Even if (IF) this change is actually real, it NEEDS to take time for the people she cursed and ripped from their home and lorded it over as mayor to adjust and begin to possibly think about accepting her.

However, I cannot believe that 1. Dr. Hopper would actually tell Emma anything about his session with Regina. Totally not right. AND 2. Emma would tell Regina that Dr. Hopper told her that stuff. Stupid moment of the episode right there.

And I would just like to say that this was my reaction when Emma felt for Dr. Hopper's pulse and didn't find one:

HE CANNOT BE DEAD NONONONONONONONONONO

EXACTLY like that.

Was it just me or did David seem a bit hard-nosed in this episode - in both the present and the flashback Fairy World? He was just like KILL REGINA. all the time. I felt it was a tiny bit over the top.

In the flashback Fairy World I about died laughing at Regina's all too familiar Lockeian refrain: "Don't tell me what I can and can't do!"

And are we never going to see the alterna-fairy world again? No more Aurora? No more Mulan!! (party!) No more chance to see Lancelot? What about the giant?! I am wondering how they are going to work this, because I don't see how they can follow the others  without them being part of the larger story arc, but I actually don't want the alterna world to simply disappear. I am curious as to how they will bring them together.

As to the end? Who did Cora actually kill?! I am really nervous now? And how did she set the whole thing up? I'm so confused!

But incredibly totally ecstatic that Doc Hopper is not actually dead, but really scared with that super evil look that Hook gave at the end.

So what did you think about the episode? Did I miss any of your favorite moments? Are you totally psyched for the rest of the season?

*No, I did not count how long he was actually on screen, but seriously it was like two itty bitty scenes. Here's hoping next week is much more substantial and can we please get some Jefferson again?