Category Archives: TV Time

TV Time: Once Upon a Time in Wonderland 1.02

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Get ready for another trip down the rabbit hole—Leah is back with her latest review of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland! 

Once-Upon-a-Time-in-Wonderland2-620x385

Title Trust Me

What Happened? As we follow Alice and the Knave on their continuing journey to find Cyrus by finding his bottle, Alice sets a trap with the purpose of knowing whom she is up against—something Cyrus once told her is essential to any battle. Meanwhile, the Red Queen and Jafar continue to struggle for dominance in their relationship, and the Red Queen makes a move that puts them on more equal footing.

Favorite Lines
“The one thing you can count on in Wonderland is that you can’t count on anyone.” (Alice)

“Very nice dungeon you have here…I can really see you enjoy dampness. Remind me to tell you the value of keeping pretty things around.” (Red Queen)

“I thought when you truly loved somebody, you didn’t need any proof.”
“You don’t, but it’s still nice to have.”
(The Knave and Alice)

My Thoughts
In my opinion, this episode was a major improvement on last week’s pilot episode. The characters all gained more depth, and the plot gave you just enough information to move the story along while not revealing everything all at once.

I found myself pleasantly surprised by Alice in this episode. While I already liked her from what we saw of her in the pilot, I did not expect the trap she set in this episode. Alice may seem naïve and foolish to the outside observer, but she’s got more to her than that. She showed us in this episode that she also has cleverness and creativeness, and is perhaps not quite what everyone first perceives her to be. She’s an optimist, yes, but she also knows what it is like to feel left behind by a loved one, as she tells us that her father has “moved on” from her. It was nice to see that even someone as persistent and optimistic as Alice sometimes has doubts, and has things in her past that haunt her.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 6.05

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Thanks to some strange scheduling from my local NBC affiliate, I still haven’t been able to watch this week’s episode of Parks and Recreation. Luckily, my own personal beautiful tropical fish, Heather, came to the rescue with this great review! 

Title Gin It Up!

Two Sentence Summary Donna accidentally sends a salacious tweet from the Parks and Rec Twitter account and Councilman Jamm turns it into a scandal to use against Leslie. Tom gets a crush on a doctor who comes in to reserve a park (guest star Tatiana Maslany), and Ben helps Ron create a will.

Favorite Line “Ben, your heart’s in the right place. Your heart and your butt.” (Leslie)

My Thoughts While I enjoyed the episode, there were parts that fell flat for me and kept me from enjoying it as much as I think I could have. I loved Ben helping Ron with his will and was pleasantly surprised by the appearance of Tatiana Maslany, but once again, Leslie’s plot just didn’t quite work for me.

As a whole, I haven’t loved the story about Leslie’s recall election. Her election and the arc leading up to it in season 4 is one of the best things the show has done and to see that victory and her excitement taken away is hard for me as a viewer who loves her. That said, I don’t actually think this episode did anything to further the recall plot, other than to remind the viewers than Councilmen Jamm and Dexhart are the worst. It worked better as a skewering of the politicians who are more concerned about politics and getting their way than actually doing good for their community. While timely, I wanted more.

They tried to give us more by reading Donna’s tweets to the court (but primarily Leslie). It provided a little more insight into Donna and it also forced Leslie to confront the idea that she can be annoying to others. It just didn’t feel genuine. First, it didn’t quite fit into the characterization of Donna I have in my head. Second, of all the things Leslie has asked her employees to do, putting stickers on signs hardly seemed like an extraordinary effort.

Realistically, unless they were still acting as her campaign team, she shouldn’t have asked her Parks employees to do that as part of their Parks jobs, but I can hand-wave that away. Leslie knows she can be too much for the people around her sometimes. This week just didn’t feel like one of those times for me. She wasn’t over-the-top like she was last week, and she wasn’t being passionate about a cause in a “heroic and inspiring” way. It just didn’t all work together for me the way this show usually does.

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TV Time: New Girl 3.05

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Title The Box

Two-Sentence Summary After Nick inherits a large amount of money from his deceased father, Jess tries to convince him to use it to pay the pile of bills sitting in a box in his room, which doesn’t go over well with bank-hating, tax-evading Nick, who also refuses to pay Winston back the money he loaned him a long time ago. Meanwhile, Schmidt’s crisis of conscience only worsens after he saves an injured bike messenger from choking to death.

Favorite Line “I performed Heimlich’s maneuver on him.” (Schmidt)

My Thoughts I know this is a little different from my usual New Girl reviewing setup, but I think this broader format will help me share my thoughts a little better than what I’d normally use for a post about this show.

I didn’t like “The Box.” I didn’t like it at all. Don’t get me wrong; I laughed really hard at some points: Winston—who would have been Episode M.V.P. had I used my usual format—wishing for more candelabras; Schmidt sprinting down the street; Schmidt yelling “YOLO!” and singing Hebrew songs; Jess’s night peanuts; “Bobby’s pins;” and the return of Outside Dave. And the scene with Winston telling Schmidt that good people sometimes do bad things did manage to find the balance between sweet, honest, and funny in a way that has come to define my love for this show.

However, the bright spots in this episode (and they did exist) couldn’t make up for its glaring problems with characterization, tone, and continuity. Writer Rob Rossell didn’t seem to have a handle on who these characters really are beyond their more cartoonish qualities, especially when it came to Nick. His script lacked the depth and nuance that a writer like J. J. Philbin brings to her episodes, and, instead, it felt like an exercise in pushing the characters to their worst possible extremes.

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TV Time: Castle 6.04

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Number One Fan

Title Number One Fan

Two-Sentence Summary When a woman with a dark past appears to have mudered her boyfriend, she takes a group of people hostage until her favorite mystery author—Richard Castle—can prove her innocence. Castle and Beckett team up with Ryan, Esposito, and Captain Gates to uncover a tangled web of people willing to do anything to expose the truth and others willing to anything to keep it hidden.

Favorite Lines
Beckett: Listen, I’m kind of looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you, so don’t do anything stupid in there, okay?
Castle: Hey, don’t worry. I think I already hit my “stupid quota” for the day.

My Thoughts Most of my favorite Castle episodes include some combination of these factors: a case that’s different than your standard procedural fare; guest actors who make you truly feel the weight of the case; at least one moment with Castle’s family; a real sense of love and trust between Castle and Beckett; some quality time with the entire 12th precinct family; and a strong balance between all of the genres that make this show a very unique success. In most cases, even the strongest Castle episodes can only fulfill some of those requirements. Imagine my surprise, then, to see that six seasons after Castle first premiered, it was able to produce an episode that so effectively incorporated all of those factors. “Number One Fan” was the best episode of this young season, and it proved to me that the new, confident tone I was so impressed with in “Valkyrie” is here to stay.

The episode began on a high note and never looked back. The tone of the first scene was perfect. I feel like this season’s writers have shown a really strong grasp of how to integrate Castle and Beckett’s relationship into the rest of the show. The opening scene with the two of them in bed talking about her lost job was filled with the easy domesticity and natural feeling that should come from the interactions of an engaged couple. It allowed Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion’s unforced chemistry to take a simple scene of exposition and wrap it in the kind of warmth that feels right for where these characters are in their relationship.

Of course, the tone of the scene shifts from sweet to silly the second other characters begin parading in and out of their bedroom, but that’s what I love about Castle. The tone can turn on a dime, but that’s the way real life works. I still don’t understand Pi’s purpose (and I feel like he’s taking away from Alexis as a character right now), but I did have to laugh at the way his presence brings out the snarky side of Castle like nobody else. And I couldn’t stop laughing at Martha in her stage combat outfit. The way this scene’s comedic tone escalated reminded me of the opening of last season’s “After the Storm,” and I mean that in the best possible way.

It was a good thing this episode began with such a silly moment of comedy because, once the action really started, it was one twist, turn, and emotional moment after another. This episode had one of the strongest cases in a long time, and so much of it came from the emotional connection we were able to build with Emma and the way it utilized so many things we’ve come to learn about Richard Castle as a character. I love when the show reminds us of Castle’s work and his fame, and this episode took that a step further. It wasn’t just a reference; it was what the plot of the entire episode was based around. I loved the way it was hinted that much had been written about Castle and Beckett’s working relationship outside of just his books—because that would be true of a bestselling author who has such an interesting relationship with his muse. And I liked that Emma’s knowledge of Castle’s experience with the NYPD was what motivated her to ask for his help clearing her name. Castle is the kind of person who follows his gut and looks for the story even when the facts all point in another direction, and it makes sense for Emma to hope that he of all people would be able to solve this case.

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TV Time: Once Upon a Time 3.03

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OUaT 303

Title Quite a Common Fairy

Two-Sentence Summary In Neverland, the Charming Family (and Hook) try to form an alliance with Tinker Bell, who has a complicated history with Regina, which is shown in flashbacks to a time when Tinker Bell tried to help the lonely queen find a second chance at love. Second chances at love is the theme of the episode in the Enchanted Forest, too, as Neal uses Robin Hood’s son to get back to Neverland and Mulan decides to confess her own romantic feelings before discovering that the object of her affection is about to start a family with someone else.

Favorite Lines
Regina: Trust me, my staying out of her sight is probably best for Operation Henry.
Emma: Operation Henry?
Regina: That’s what I’ve been calling it in my head because…
Emma: …Because that’s what he’d call it.
Regina: He’d have a better name.

My Thoughts Another week, another excellent episode of Once Upon a Time. This season seems to have found a formula that works for moving the plot along (both in the flashbacks and in the present-day storylines) while still giving us a wealth of character-driven moments, especially between characters who have been long overdue for some meaningful interaction. Those moments allowed the show’s strongest actors to shine in this episode, and they brought out the best in actors who I felt hadn’t really been given shining moments until now. As soon as I saw that this was an episode penned by Jane Espenson, I knew it was going to be a great showcase for the actors, and I loved that I was proven right. It’s no secret that Espenson knows her craft like few others in the fantasy genre, and her gift for realistic dialogue, nuance, and layered characterizations and relationships was once again on full display in “Quite a Common Fairy.”

The big selling point of this episode was the introduction of Tinker Bell, and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed at all. Rose McIver played the innocence, spunk, and darkness in this fairy perfectly. I also liked the twist on the idea of believing in fairies to keep them alive. Changing it to believing in the specific fairy in order for them to have magic makes it feel more realistic and fits in really well with the running theme of this season: believing in the people we care about. Part of the reason Tinker Bell lost her magic because Regina didn’t want to believe in the happiness she was offering, but she really lost her magic because the Blue Fairy didn’t believe in her abilities. Losing her magic made Tinker Bell lose her sense of self; it made her feel isolated and alone, and we’ve seen time and again on this show what the absence of love and support (aka belief) does to a person. Tinker Bell’s story fit in perfectly with the thematic narrative of Once Upon a Time.

One of my favorite parts of Tinker Bell’s story was the way it forced Regina to confront her own destructive sense of self-pity. For so much of Season Two, the only thing I liked about Regina’s story was Lana Parrilla’s acting. I hated being told I was supposed to feel bad for this woman who did so many terrible things all because she felt her life was ruined by the honest mistake of a little girl. In this episode, Regina finally had to admit that she had no one to blame but herself for refusing to choose the happiness Tinker Bell was offering her. There was no deflecting blame or “I was a victim” in that scene between Regina and Tinker Bell in the cave. There was only a broken woman finally coming to terms with the fact that she was afraid to be happy because she didn’t know who she would be without her grief and anger.

That scene was the first time in a long time that I felt genuine sympathy towards Regina. I liked that the episode began with Rumplestiltskin once again pulling the strings and planting the idea in Regina’s head that she needs her anger to be powerful. The way he manipulated Regina for so much of her life all for the sake of his own plan continues to horrify me even as it adds depth to their interactions and the show as a whole.

Regina’s fear of happiness and desperation to cling to her self-pity are such relatable emotions. I love when Once Upon a Time takes fairytale characters and puts them in real, human situations, and that’s what Regina’s story was all about. She was afraid to be happy, afraid that loving someone again would make her weak—and I understood those motivations, even as I was internally screaming at her to go through that door and take that chance to be happy again.

But I think we all know she’s going to take that chance someday—because now we’ve seen her true love. I’m so happy it’s Robin Hood because he’s the perfect mixture of idealism and realism (he wants to give to the poor but he’ll steal in order to do it). Also, he’s a loving father who lost his first love. I think he’s going to be a great match for Regina, and I can’t wait for them to finally meet. I know I shouldn’t be rooting so hard for the happiness of a woman who’s done some really terrible things, but the thing that’s so great about Regina is that we know she is still capable of goodness; we’ve seen it. We saw it in this episode when she and Emma were talking about Henry. To see those two mothers bonding over their shared love for their son was a moment I’ve been waiting such a long time so see. Regina’s love for Henry is such a defining part of her character; it’s what makes her so complex and human. Like Emma, Regina found a chance to learn to love again through Henry, and I think it’s about time these broken, all-too-human women shared a moment to gently connect over the boy they both miss with their whole hearts.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 6.04

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Sorry for my delay in getting this review posted—maybe I need an Eagleton counterpart to help with all of my writing!

Parks-and-Recreation-Doppelgangers

Title Doppelgangers

Two-Sentence Summary The merger of Pawnee and Eagleton brings new faces into the parks department as Ron, April, Tom, Donna, and even Ann meet their Eagleton counterparts. In the middle of these big changes comes another major shift in Leslie’s life, as Ann tells her she’s planning to leave Pawnee to raise her baby with Chris.

Favorite Line “Pawnee has the very first documented case of mega-diabetes. And the only known occurrence of Lou Gehrig’s other disease. We’ve been written about in textbooks.” (Leslie)

My Thoughts This episode was an important one, but I can’t help feeling it wasn’t as good as I was hoping it would be. Yes, it was funny, and I loved almost all of the Eagleton characters. Yes, it had some great Ben Wyatt moments (a surefire way for a Parks and Recreation episode to win my heart), and it did some really great things with Ben and Chris’s relationship. However, the central plot of this episode—Leslie’s reaction to Ann’s decision to leave Pawnee—was written to go for the funny bone instead of the heartstrings, and I think it was missing something intangible because of that reason.

I understand that Leslie is overdramatic, overbearing, and idealistic to a fault—especially when it comes to her personal life. Leslie is the most devoted and passionate character I know of on television, and she expects that same devotion (or at least a small percentage of it) from the people she loves. That’s not news, and that’s actually something I love about her. However, I get uncomfortable when the show takes Leslie’s reactions and makes them so over-the-top that it’s hard for us to sympathize with or even really relate to her. I know it’s a matter of taste, and I’m sure most people find it funny. I’m just not one of them. I’m okay with a childish outburst or some ridiculousness for a little while; I just don’t like when it becomes the focal point of the episode.

This episode reminded me of Season Four’s “Smallest Park,” which is interesting because I love that episode and feel less positively about this one. Both feature Leslie acting ridiculously because she wants something she can’t have from a person she loves (a relationship with Ben in one and for Ann to decide to stay in the other). However, what made “Smallest Park” work was the scene at the end, where the emotions ran raw and real, making the resolution feel earned because we got to really see both Leslie and Ben talking through things together. We got to feel Leslie’s pain and Ben’s, which made her actions more understandable. In “Doppelgangers,” everything felt rushed between Ann and Leslie. There was very little nuance, which is something this show usually does quite well. I wish we could have seen more of the scene between Leslie and Ann at the end of the episode. It felt like the episode was tied up with a nice little bow, but it didn’t feel as earned or as heartwarming as I wanted it to feel.

Don’t get me wrong; this storyline had some great moments. I loved how Ann knew exactly how to break the news to Leslie—with waffles and shirtless Joe Biden. I loved the way the rest of the parks department called Leslie out on how ridiculous she was being with the loyalty contracts. And I really liked the contrast with Ben’s reaction to Chris telling him the news. Adam Scott’s delivery was characteristically perfect—you could feel his surprise and sadness, but you could also sense how happy he was for his friend to find happiness. That scene between Chris and Ben hit all the emotional beats I wanted from the last scene between Leslie and Ann. In fact, I really think Chris and Ben’s friendship (and adorable working relationship) is my favorite thing about Parks and Rec right now. The writing for them and the performances by Scott and Rob Lowe are firing on all cylinders right now.

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TV Time: New Girl 3.04

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Title The Captain

Two-Sentence Summary Schmidt deals with his newly-single status by attempting to break up the very happy Nick and Jess by preying on their differences in expressing their emotions, but his plan proves to be fruitless when it leads to Nick finally opening up about his feelings, especially his feelings for Jess. Meanwhile, Winston tries to find a female cat for Furguson to spend his last night with before he’s fixed.

Favorite Line There were so many gems this week that I have a tie between:
“I have a cat brothel going on in my room, and I’m the only normal person in this loft!” (Winston)

AND

“I’ve never, you know, felt this way or had this with anybody. It’s like there’s been this fog around my life, and with you, all of a sudden, it’s gone.” (Nick)

Episode M.V.P. Each of the Core Four characters had standout moments this week. Schmidt’s explanation of what exactly “The Captain” was while strategically using the blender was some of the funniest material Max Greenfield’s been given in a long time, and he ran with it. Lamorne Morris got to be both the craziest (cat brothel, anyone?) and sanest (“You’re having sex, not inventing it.”) person in the episode. And Zooey Deschanel’s delivery was on fire this week—from her horrified reactions after The Captain was over to her explanation of her sexual awakening to her adorable admission that her month with Nick has been the best month of her life.

For me, though, the real stars of the episode were the people who brought Nick Miller to life in it—writer J. J. Philbin and Jake Johnson. Philbin is my favorite New Girl writer, and I love how much her episodes explore both Nick’s hilarious side (“Fancyman Part 1”) and his deeper layers, especially in terms of how they relate to Jess (“Injured” and “Fluffer”). This episode was written in a way that allowed us to see just how far Nick has come without being overly sentimental or sappy. And the reason the writing came off so well was because of Johnson. His gift for juggling silliness and sincerity was used to its full effect in this episode. There were moments when he had me crying with laughter, moments when he had me crying from happiness, and moments when he made both happen at the same time. Nick’s outpouring of feelings about everything from cellos and rap music to baby zebras and Jess was delivered with such genuine happiness by Johnson and created a real turning point for Nick Miller as a character without making it melodramatic. That scene and the last scene between Nick and Jess in his bedroom were perfect examples of how great writing and truly natural acting can combine to create moments of emotional honesty that still manage to make us laugh—and that’s when New Girl is at its best.

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TV Time: Castle 6.03

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NATHAN FILLION, STANA KATIC

Title Need To Know

Two-Sentence Summary Castle rejoins the 12th precinct for a murder investigation involving the death of a TV actor who was famous for playing a nerd in a cheesy high school comedy. However, when the case becomes deeper than just a murder investigation, Beckett and Agent McCord show up in New York to take over the case, which leads to more than a little competition and a serious conflict for Beckett.

Favorite Line “Castle, your whole relationship is built on the foundation of your boundary pushing.” (Ryan)

My Thoughts With the conclusion of this episode, the “Beckett in Washington” arc ended as abruptly as it began. Back when Beckett first got the job offer, I remember feeling confused as to why she would take it, knowing what we do about her desire to honor the victims over following any sort of directive from a superior. It’s nice to know that I was right in my initial assessment of Beckett’s chief conflict with this job, but I’m still left feeling like it was more of a “good for the show” decision than a “good for the character” decision. It didn’t reveal much that we didn’t know already about Katherine Houghton Beckett (and I wish we had more scenes between Beckett and McCord), but it was nice to see the show try something new even in its “middle age” and do so in a way that was true to what we know about Beckett.

The reason I think this arc didn’t reveal much about Beckett that we didn’t already know is because we already know that Beckett prioritizes getting justice for victims over bureaucracy and protocol. While this isn’t earthshattering information, it did provide for some strong moments of internal conflict for this character, and I liked seeing her ultimately stay true to who she is: the one who honors the victims. When Beckett gave Castle the USB drive and when she leaked the name to the press, I felt incredible pride for this woman who refused to give up on her principles.

While I felt proud of Beckett for staying true to herself and doing what she believed was the right thing to do, I was also pleased to see that her actions actually had consequences. I was surprised to see Beckett get fired rather than quit in a later episode, but, in the real world, doing what she did would have led to a firing. As much as I love Kate Beckett, she can be quite the loose canon when she thinks she’s in the right and her superiors are in the wrong, and that’s not a good fit for a job in Washington.

And with that, Beckett is back in New York where she belongs, fighting for justice and honoring the victims. It was interesting to see her on the outside looking in when she joined McCord at the 12th precinct. The place that was once Beckett’s home was suddenly foreign soil, including her old desk (what a fantastic running sight gag that was). This episode did a great job of showing rather than telling us that this was where Beckett belonged—from the way she went back to standing in front of the murder board to the way Gates so passionately defended her team’s belief in fighting for the victim—so when Beckett handed over that flash drive, it felt less like a fiancée doing something for her romantic partner and more like a detective doing something for the team she wishes she was still playing for.

That team was the reason this episode was so strong. How great was it to be back in New York with Ryan and Esposito again? (Answer: GREAT) I love when Castle and The Boys (that sounds like a band name) get to interact for more than just a token scene or two because Nathan Fillion, Seamus Dever, and Jon Huertas have such excellent chemistry. From the first moment when Esposito ignored Castle’s call as Castle watched on TV to the countless quips about Ryan’s love for 2 Cool for School, this episode proved to me that this show would be lacking something special without the presence of Huertas and Dever. It was just so great to have the boys back together, and their race to solve the case independent of Beckett and McCord felt like the excellent Season Two episode “The Double Down.”

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TV Time: Once Upon a Time 3.02

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JOSH DALLAS, LANA PARRILLA, GINNIFER GOODWIN, JENNIFER MORRISON, COLIN O'DONOGHUE

Title Lost Girl

Two-Sentence Summary After Peter Pan gives Emma a magical map to Henry, she must come to terms with her own past as a lost girl in order to read it. However, it seems Pan has more nefarious deeds in mind than just keeping Henry from her; his goal is to make Henry embrace his own past as a lost boy in order to keep him on the island—and to turn Emma from a woman who still feels like an orphan into a woman who is an orphan, which seems to be slowly happening as Charming is wounded by a poisoned arrow.

Favorite Lines
Hook: Just who are you, Swan?
Emma: Wouldn’t you like to know?
Hook: Perhaps I would.

My Thoughts Once Upon a Time began as Emma Swan’s story, and somewhere along the way it got lost in all the other cool stories springing up around her, which I think was a huge reason Season Two struggled as much as it did. I will never be upset with an occasional look into Regina’s psyche, a Rumplestiltskin-centric episode or two, or even a chunk of time devoted to developing a new character. I love how many deep and interesting characters inhabit this show’s various realms, but every show needs a focus—and Once Upon a Time is most successful when that focus is on Emma Swan and the relationships she’s forming with the characters around her.

The character of Emma Swan grounds this show in realism, and sometimes that result is funny but, even more often, that result is heartbreaking. In a show built around magical conflicts and fairytale love stories, Emma’s story is a very human—very real—story about a woman who was broken so many times by so many different abandonments that she can’t be magically fixed. She can only slowly grow and learn how to heal, and while that growth and healing might not make for action-packed storytelling, it creates something even better: real character development, not just for Emma but for everyone around her.

I thought “Lost Girl” was an even stronger episode than last week’s premiere. Everyone has their reasons for watching Once Upon a Time, and mine has always been the development of the characters within the “Charming Family.” Needless to say, I was blown away by the emotional power of this episode. It allowed each character to do what they do best, and, therefore, it allowed every member of the cast to shine.

Let’s begin from the outer edges of the episode and work our way to its emotional center. I think the decision to separate Rumplestiltskin from the rest of the Neverland group was very smart. If any actor can compel viewers with a solitary storyline, it’s Robert Carlyle. I was captivated just watching him walk through the jungle, unable to get away from the doll his father gave to him. (Thanks for answer that so quickly, writers!) I’m not sure we needed Belle in order to see his inner struggle to do the right thing, but it was a lovely reminder that he’s always believed her to be his conscience, his heart. Belle has always seen who Rumplestiltskin really is, and she believes in what he can be. And in this episode, that’s what true love is all about.

The theme of true love being belief in the one you love (even after they’ve lost faith in themselves) has always been a part of Snow White and Prince Charming’s story, and it was the focal point of their flashbacks in this episode. What I love about Snow and Charming’s relationship is that it might wear the very idealistic label of “true love,” but it’s so much more than just a one-dimensional, “fairytale” romance. It’s not an idealized love story; rather, it’s a love story about two people with flaws and faults and weak moments who can lean on each other for support when they don’t feel like heroes.

I enjoyed seeing the way Snow’s identity crisis paralleled Emma’s in this episode. I wish Emma knew all the things about Snow we learn from these flashbacks because it’s so important to remember that Snow was an orphan, too, but she learned to move on from letting that define her to become the leader she needed to be for her people.

Did the flashbacks reveal anything groundbreaking in terms of the overall plot of this show? No. They featured some great moments of Regina in all her Evil Queen glory (and gorgeous gowns), some overprotective “big brother” dwarves, and a nice twist on the classic story of the Sword in the Stone—none of which moved the plot along or revealed important information. But that’s not to say they were a waste of time. They served as a great reminder that Snow and Charming aren’t these far-off legends Emma seems to view them as. They’re as human as she is, with plenty of self-doubt and moments where they are anything but “infuriatingly optimistic.”

And more than anything else, these flashbacks were a wonderful reminder of the power of true love. Yes, it breaks curses and creates saviors. But the real power of true love is in its ability to help us be our best selves—and that’s what Charming did for Snow in this episode. His faith in his wife has always been such a beautiful thing to see, and so much of that comes from the earnest way Josh Dallas plays Charming. Somehow, Charming’s belief in Snow never comes across as sappy or unrealistic. It’s genuine and believable in a way that makes me not only want that it my own life; it makes me feel like it’s attainable. Dallas and Ginnifer Goodwin have such a special chemistry, and I will never turn down a set of flashbacks where I get to watch them flirt and kiss and remind us all what true love really looks like.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 6.03

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Parks-and-Recreation-The-Pawnee-Eagleton-Tip-Off-Classic

Title The Pawnee-Eagleton Tip Off Classic

Two-Sentence Summary When Leslie learns that Eagleton is facing a financial crisis, she has to put aside her own hatred for the town and do the right thing, which in this case involves absorbing Eagleton into Pawnee. Meanwhile, Ron enlists Tom and Donna to help him get off the grid, and April and Ann take a trip to Bloomington that doesn’t exactly go as planned.

Favorite Line “ERASE ALL PICTURES OF RON!”

My Thoughts It would have been difficult for any episode of Parks and Recreation to follow up the fantastic fun of last week’s season premiere, but “The Pawnee-Eagleton Tip Off Classic” was a valiant effort. It had plenty of funny moments, but where it faltered a bit was in its character development. It made me wish Parks and Rec could always be an hour long because so much of this episode felt rushed.

Let’s start with one of the things that had me most excited for this episode—Kristen Bell as Eagleton councilwoman Ingrid de Forest. While she given some very funny and sharply satirical lines about government spending (I loved that she tried to tip Ben in Euros), I wished she had been used more. Bell is such a fantastic actress and such a funny lady that I can only hope the events of this episode mean we’ll be seeing more of Ingrid as the season goes on. Otherwise, it was kind of a waste of her talent—and a chance to see her flex her comedic muscles opposite Amy Poehler.

All in all, I wasn’t crazy about Leslie’s storyline for the majority of this episode. I know Leslie’s overdramatic hatred of Eagleton is as much a part of her character as her love of Joe Biden, but that doesn’t mean I will ever really enjoy episodes like this. I don’t like watching Leslie Knope be mean; it makes me squirm rather than laugh. And it really bothered me to see her trying to drag Ben down to her level. I understand that Leslie needed to be worse than she’s ever been about Eagleton in order for her change of heart to feel the most dramatic and earned, but this was all a little too over-the-top for my liking.

In the end, though, Leslie did the right thing, the “Leslie Thing” (aka the thing that is most helpful and supportive towards another person or, in this case, town). It made me happy to see Ben’s influence on her in this episode. He knew exactly what to say to get Leslie to act on what she knew to be true all along: She may say that helping Eagleton goes against everything she stands for, but, in reality, laughing at their suffering and refusing to help them goes against everything she stands for at the core of who she is. I was so proud of Ben for standing up to his headstrong wife and helping her to be her best self. A marriage is a team, and Ben is always on Leslie’s team. But sometimes teammates have to call each other out when they’re not doing the right thing. Ben and Leslie are a marriage of equals, so it was nice to see the effect that rational, calm Ben has on (overly) impassioned, dramatic Leslie.

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