I still reckon Oz is more likely to be S4. I just feel like NL AND Oz both in the same season would be overkill, but if they’re separated in different seasons, then each land gets to be a proper focus and a proper star of the show. I know we’re having a big break mid-season anyway, so 3.2 will be like a new min-season, but I dunno, it’s still technically S3.
I think re-establishing FTL would work for 3.2. That’s not just gonna be smooth sailing, and if they kick it off in 3.2, they’re setting up new potential storylines and conflicts that could be elaborated on in future seasons as well, even if the core cast pop off to a different land again for a bit to find something or save someone or defeat someone, they’ll still have FTL story to show as well.
How much fresh storyline could be generated in SB by comparison? Especially if the whole family start getting along better. They wouldn’t be able to show the same sleepy little town being run by the two evil characters who are trying to mess with everyone if those two evil characters are now not trying to rule with devious iron fists so much any more. And if there aren’t still evil characters trying to rule the town, then where’s the SB storyline gonna come from?
If they go back to FTL, how many former royals would want their own kingdoms back and what sort of new power struggles could arise? They could have Regina having to deal with no longer being the one in charge, because in their kingdom, power would most definitely swing back to Snowing, even if they don’t fully revert to the royal system. Regina would have to deal with that, and find her new role, because she wouldn’t want to go back to her former, exiled EQ role, but being back in that old familiar setting might tempt her.
Re-building FTL is a process we really need to see play out, I’d hate for the show to just end with them all going back and we don’t get to see what happens next, but it’s not necessarily something that would qualify as blockbuster, super non-stop action packed storyline. So to see it play out gradually over a couple of seasons, with additional plot points like adventures involving other worlds as the main story, I think could work.