Rant-y Thoughts on the Episode

[melliemd]

I really wanted to like this episode. I did. But alas… Sigh. Alright this gets sort of ramble-y in places, I just sort of wrote it all in one go, so apologies if things don’t quite make sense or go on too much.

Regarding episode content and balance:
This episode needed to be Whale/Frankenstein centric with a Regina/Jefferson/Rumple backdrop. Instead it was a Regina episode with a Jefferson/Rumple backdrop. It forced them to push the story in silly directions and made it feel very oneshot. Like that nothing in the present-Storybrooke storyline is going to affect the future. Originally I thought that Daniel being brought back would mean he would be around in Storybrooke for longer, actually BEING a monster and being a serious threat to everyone. Instead, he’s taken care of in one episode. His being brought back was just a storytelling instrument to move Regina’s redemption along. But if her redemption CANNOT be a natural consequence of natural events in character and story, it is forced and doesn’t work as effectively. Regina is usually such a well-written character, but this week had both her past self and current self being weak and boring, with nothing giving Lana Parilla a chance to make any sort of statement in the acting department. This episode should have given David Anders a chance to shine as Whale, and in the little pieces he had, he sort of did – despite the weak writing of his character as well. Even though I enjoyed the episode overall as a piece of entertainment, it didn’t seem to connect to any overarching plot anywhere but the fairytale present land.

For the next Ruby-centric episode there is a brutal murder, and people think she did it. But I was thinking that perhaps a Daniel monster would be the real culprit… So if they were setting THAT up, it would have had a point. Instead, it was forced.

Speaking of fairytale-present. I have a bone to pick with this show. It has so many storylines – which is fine. The problem is that with so many stories they need to USE them properly. Last week was a perfect example of awesome use of their <45 minute time. We had a great fairytale flashback and a great Storybrooke present. It was balanced, interesting, both sides were nicely compared to the other side. THIS week we had three storylines. Two of them fit the episode, and one of them moved the plot along but KILLED the pacing. I believe that each episode of this show should only have two storylines at once. a) For the sake of not confusing viewers (not to say I was confused, because I wasn't. But it CAN be confusing) b ) For the sake of keeping the pace of the episode so that it doesn't stilt or drag and c) So that you can hammer the theme of the episode home in different ways WITHOUT it being hammered into our skulls. This wasn't a problem in this episode since the fairytale present story literally had no connection to either of the other two stories, but that's an even bigger problem. It was so disconnected that it felt like it didn't belong. It belongs in next week which is all about fairytale present and the Hook/Emma/Snow/Etc storyline. And it should have been put into next week… Honestly, it sort of feels like they made NEXT week's episode too long, but didn't want to cut anything so they just threw the beginning pieces into this episode.

On the end of the episode and Doctor Whale:
I love the manipulation of Regina. I love the look at Gothic-land. I wanted more of that land. Love the look of the black and white with blue lighting. And hopefully we’ll get to go back for an episode that is ACTUALLY about Whale. I really really wish that his views on magic and science hadn’t changed at the end of this episode, as I feel it would have been far more interesting to let him battle with it throughout the season/series. Whale is SUCH an interesting character, but it’s as if the writers don’t care or don’t see the potential, so they just use him as a tool to develop everyone else.

On portal-jumping:
WHY DID WE NOT SEE THE DOORS, HUH? I WAS WAITING FOR IT. UGH. UGHHHHH. I am OBSESSED with these doors.

I guess that’s about it.

[Gaultheria]

@MellieMD wrote:

Originally I thought that Daniel being brought back would mean he would be around in Storybrooke for longer, actually BEING a monster and being a serious threat to everyone. Instead, he’s taken care of in one episode.

If Regina was really letting Daniel go, then the natural thing for this episode would have been for her to pull his heart out. Instead, she made him vanish. Possibly transported instead of dissolved? At the end, she seemed to be admitting not just to using magic but to using it for selfish reasons.

Gaultheria's fanvids: http://youtube.com/sagethrasher

[cherish]

I loved the episode, but I wish it was more Dr. Whale centric. This episode was more Regina centric with Dr. Frankenstein as a side character. The episode is called “The Doctor” and yet, Dr. Frankenstein didn’t come into the picture until the episode was half way done.

[pinkfairy]

I don’t see why they had to resolve the daniel/monster problem in this episode, or whales arm? they could have let both play out a little longer (tortured regina a little longer? ). I agree they made dr. whale give in to rumple’s ‘magic is better than science’ too quickly for my liking as well!
In season 1 it felt like some stories were dragged out over loads of episodes, now it feels like they rush every story to begin and conclude in just the one episode. Hopefully it will start to slow a little soon, otherwise what will be left by episode 22 for goodness sake?! lol

[melliemd]

I do like that idea Gaultheria. I wonder if she sent him somewhere specific, or that was her way of permanently getting rid of him? It was a spell I don’t believe we’ve seen be used on a person before in the show.

Yeah Cherish. I felt like they built it up so much (and us fans had a big part in that too) with it being THE Doctor Whale episode. But it was just “The Regina episode where we reveal Whale’s identity” which was quite a let-down.

Yeah. :/ I guess it could be possible that they just have SO much they want to have happen prior to the end of the show? But five episodes in and it feels like we’ve been bombarded with so many huge events.

[Gaultheria]

@pinkfairy wrote:

I don’t see why they had to resolve the daniel/monster problem in this episode, or whales arm? they could have let both play out a little longer (tortured regina a little longer? ).

I think fixing Whale’s arm was a deliberate contrast to last week’s episode. Gold healed Whale almost for free. Is he feeling remorse for what he did to Hook?

Gaultheria's fanvids: http://youtube.com/sagethrasher

[snowfalls]

@Gaultheria wrote:

@pinkfairy wrote:

I don’t see why they had to resolve the daniel/monster problem in this episode, or whales arm? they could have let both play out a little longer (tortured regina a little longer? ).

I think fixing Whale’s arm was a deliberate contrast to last week’s episode. Gold healed Whale almost for free. Is he feeling remorse for what he did to Hook?

Wow, that’s a very interesting observation. It would be lovely if Mr. Gold was trying to become less ruthless with his deals in effort to change for Belle.

[sarah-daye hand]

@SnowFallsღ wrote:

@Gaultheria wrote:

@pinkfairy wrote:

I don’t see why they had to resolve the daniel/monster problem in this episode, or whales arm? they could have let both play out a little longer (tortured regina a little longer? ).

I think fixing Whale’s arm was a deliberate contrast to last week’s episode. Gold healed Whale almost for free. Is he feeling remorse for what he did to Hook?

Wow, that’s a very interesting observation. It would be lovely if Mr. Gold as trying to become less ruthless with his deals in effort to change for Belle.

Well he knows magic comes with a price :/

[the fairest]

@SnowFallsღ wrote:

@Gaultheria wrote:

@pinkfairy wrote:

I don’t see why they had to resolve the daniel/monster problem in this episode, or whales arm? they could have let both play out a little longer (tortured regina a little longer? ).

I think fixing Whale’s arm was a deliberate contrast to last week’s episode. Gold healed Whale almost for free. Is he feeling remorse for what he did to Hook?

Wow, that’s a very interesting observation. It would be lovely if Mr. Gold was trying to become less ruthless with his deals in effort to change for Belle.

That’s my thinking as well. He’ll still make deals, but the price won’t be as extreme. He wants the magic, but he’s going to cut down on hurting people. I hope he keeps it up. 😉

[doctor who]

Im fine with it being not Dr. Whale centric, cause Dr. Whale while being a recurring character, isn’t a main character. We saw plenty of Frankenstein in the episode, which I loved cause I am a huge fan of Frankenstein

[Author]

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