The TV Chick

We’ve all heard the story of Snow White and Prince Charming, but never quite like this. “Once Upon A Time” starts out with the wedding between Snow White (played by the absolutely amazing Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (played by Josh Dallas). But not all is great in fairy tale land. The evil queen (played by Lana Parilla) brings news of an evil curse she is going to bestow upon the entire city. A bit later, Snow White is pregnant and the curse is coming quickly and furiously. Snow White goes to see the crazy and locked up Rumplestiltskin (played brilliantly by Robert Carlyle) for advice and he demands the name of her first born (Emma). Meanwhile, Gepetto and Pinocchio (remember them?) build a vessel so that one person can escape the curse. It’s supposed to be Snow and her unborn daughter but she has the baby before the vessel is finished. Let’s go to modern day, shall we?

Emma Swan is having a stellar 28th birthday, working as a bail bondsman and feeling pretty lonely. Then Henry (her son she gave up for adoption) shows up at her doorstep. She doesn’t want a part of this but agrees to take him home to Storybrooke, Maine. (Super clever, right?!) On the way, he admits to having a book of fairy tales where all the fairy tales come true. He waxes poetic about how she is a part of the story and she has to stay in town because they are all trapped in Storybrooke they just don’t know it. Emma is not quick to believe this, and Henry’s adoptive mother (read: the mayor of the town and Evil Queen) is not exactly having it.

I know what you are thinking. Really, a modern day fairy tale? How is that going to work? I’m here to tell you that it works well. Once Upon A Time will leave you nostalgic and wanting more. It is charming (one could also say enchanting) and sweet but also dramatic and dark at the same time. Ginnifer Goodwin is phenomenal and Jennifer Morrison plays a great straight woman. The show is from the creative minds of Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis, who wrote for the cult-favorite “Lost,” and the show is not without shades of “Lost.” The cast of characters may not be stuck on an island, but they are stuck in time. I’ve watched the pilot maybe four or five times and each time I pick up on more nuances and fairy tale references that I may not have picked up on before. “Once Upon A Time” is truly unique. I’ve never seen anything like it on television before, and I am excited about the possibilities of where it could go. What’s to become of the fairy tale world and Emma Swan? I will definitely be watching to find out. I highly recommend you check out the show as well.

Once Upon A Time airs tonight at 8 PM on ABC