Thoughts on S1 vs S2

[raulybarra]

@AngieBelle wrote:

I was just thinking how much the dynamic has changed since last season. In some ways, it has become a very different show. I know a lot of people prefer the first season. I’m a bit split on it. Last season had more structure and gave the characters more room to breathe. On the other hand, I love that they broke the curse. Another season of them not knowing who they were and Emma not believing would have driven me crazy!

[snip]

Now, in the 2nd season, we have magic in both the past and the present so there is less of that contrast and less of day to day to life. The characters have been in an almost constant course of action with the entire season taking place over just a few weeks. Pretty much everything and the kitchen sink has been thrown at them.

I’ve had similar concerns in and out this season. There have been an enormous number of story threads out there and they seem often to be disconnected or even dropped entirely. However, when I look back, they’ve done an admirable job in gauging just how far they can push and then pulling enough threads together to give me confidence they have a plan.

There is a sense of this being a three-act play this season. Act 1 – Emma in the Enchanted Forest. Act 2 – Cora. Act 3 – Neal, Greg and the season climax (?). Either of the first two could have been stretched to a full season of its own, with lots of filler. It’s what many other shows would do. However, they’ve moved the story, finished the act and left certain mind-numbing questions hanging.

That alone addressed one of my biggest fears; that they were turning this into a soap opera instead of a well crafted story. It also seems to go along with something I wrote in my blog some time ago in a review of Fringe. That OUAT does have an over-arching story, but they are making each season complete. it can stand on its own.

We’ll have to see how they wrap up this season before we can really judge. There’s a lot for them still to do.

[tombo671]

I was only a casual viewer of S1 when it aired, I think the characters having their memories back got me hooked on S2, aswell as Cora being around, loved her character.

[nonnie]

@Gaultheria wrote:

The season 1 finale killed off a lot of my favourite characters, and despite the promise of “We Are Both”, they haven’t come back.

I won’t be able to re-watch till the DVD is released please refresh my memory who was killed off?

NONNIE
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