Once Upon A Time: Evil Black Swan Emma Arrives

It has returned!  Once Upon A Time has returned and this time, Emma has become...Evil Emma.  (Dun Dun Dun!!!)

Last season's finale let audiences witness Emma become the new Dark One.  It coined Emma's new internet nickname of: The Black Swan.  (Really original internet.)  The show opens with us seeing Arthur and Lancelot come to pull the Excalibur from the stone.  Arthur does, but sees the sword is broken.  Where's the tip of the sword?  Why it's just the Dark One's dagger!  

Meanwhile, back in Storybrooke, the crew, in a fit of attitude that led to Regina calling Hook "Guyliner" (perfection), figures out that Emma is no longer in Storybrooke and they need to find a way to get to her.  The find a locator spell using Merlin's wand and instructions from The Sorcerer's Apprentice. (RIP)  Who do they need help from?  Zelina of course!

We head to the Enchanted Forest and Evil Emma rises from a portal...I think she actually stole her arrival from someone:

But then out of nowhere: Rumple appears and tells her that he is here to be her instructor in embracing her darkness.  Really?  Rumple?  This is a stretch, even for OUAT.

Then out of this confusion of, "What the...," a maiden with red curly hair, wielding a bow and arrow appears.

Merida has arrived!  Let me say that I love this character and Amy Manson knocks this out of the park.  She gives Merida a grown up feel and gives her just a bit more angst.  Plus the line, "Just be thankful you're not a bear," was just too good.  Merida captures a wisp that Emma needs to find Merlin, which will help her stop being the dark one.  (This season reaches a lot so far, but I like it.)  So anyways, Merida and Evil Emma venture forward.

We return to Storybrooke where to make a long story short: Regina tricks Zelina into summoning a tornado that takes you into other realms.  Zelina wanted to go to Oz and Regina made the tornado wisk her and the gang (including Zelina for some reason) to The Enchanted Forest.

Luckily they arrive just in time to stop Emma from killing Merida.  You see what had happened was, Emma and Rumple were discussing how the only way to use the wisp is to be the one to whisper to it.  If Merida does it first, the wisp becomes useless to Emma unless Merida dies.  Merida hears this and flees overnight, when Emma catches up to her, the two battle and Emma rips her heart out.  But Hook runs in and helps her calm her hatred.  Awwww.

Soon after that, they're randomly found by Arthur and his round table.  They promptly say that they knew of their coming based on Merlin's prophecy and they take the Storybrooke crew to Camelot.

But then all of a sudden, we cut to six weeks later.  Everyone is back in Granny's and in Storybrooke. Of course...nobody can remember what happened.  Emma then bust through the door in full Evil Black Swan Emma mode!  It's intense.

Overall the new episode has me wanting more.  I'm kind of over the "losing their memory" every season thing.  It's really annoying that nobody can every remember anything.  This season already seems to be grasping at straws and this is episode one.  I'm going to keep optimistic however, because this show always does tend to give me something to love.  This season I'm thinking it might be Merida, cause she's ballin!

Until next week, keep dreaming...and if you're name is Emma: stay evil :)

First Look At The New Muppet Show

Unless you've been under a rock, then you should know that ABC is going to feature a new Muppet Show.  Now there's been some criticism on whether or not the show is going to be a success.  But ABC released the 10 minute pilot that earned The Muppets an upcoming primetime slot.  Which I will show you now:

That was fantastic wasn't it?  It's styled like The Office and had me cracking up the entire time!  This show is proving that The Muppets are here to stay!  Also, the Swedish Chef is the greatest character ever!  Just sayin.

How To Get Away With Murder Double Whammy! He Deserved To Die/He Has A Wife

So it's time to get the ball rolling again with this review of How To Get Away With Murder.  I had to play catch-up because life's been getting in the way of my television, which is just...unacceptable.  But boy did I pick the right two episodes to watch back to back, because these kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time!  I actually fell off twice...

Let's start this off with He Deserved To Die:

Or as I like to call it...We Want Pre-nup!

Michaela's face says it all here as she finds out that her fiance's parents want her to sign a pre-nup agreement before the wedding, but we'll get into more about that in the next episode.

Now we'll get on with everything, these two episodes brought us closer and closer to bringing the flashforward storyline and the present storyline together.  Everyone is getting ready for the bonfire...DUN DUN DUN!

The big shocker that comes at the end of He Deserved To Die is that it was discovered during a second autopsy that Lila was six weeks pregnant at the time of the murder.  That means that she had broken her virginity pact with Griffin and proving more and more that Sam is most likely the murderer.  

He Has A Wife offers something different than the previous episode.  It offers a secondary trial where a professional woman has apparently murdered her housekeeper under the influence of a sleeping medication.  Then it wound up being the husband who murdered the housekeeper and made the wife believe she did it...was crazy.

But we also get a more in depth look at what was going on with Lila before the murder.  

Near the end of the episode, we see Lila actually run up to Annalise's office and attempt to tell her about her affair with Sam and who is there to ruin it...Freakin Bonnie!  God I hate Bonnie.  But then she confesses everything to Annalise near the end of the show and then she fires her!  Boom!  Later Bonnie!

So breakdown after these two episodes:

Sam is looking guiltier and guiltier.  He's also gonna die soon.

Michaela is gonna have a battle with her future mother in law.

Rebecca is gonna try her best to get that DNA.

I can't wait to get to the next episode.  I think we're finally gonna get to see the murder!

What did you think of these two episodes?  Sound off in the comments.

Twitter: @joeyesrojo

Once Upon A Time Makes Frozen Fresh

Sup Once Upon A Time fans!  So I don't know what you thought when you first saw the scene above during last season's finale, but if it was anything like mine, you were about about as happy as a squirrel that's been hit by a lawnmower.  I'm probably biased because I work at Walt Disney World and they've thrown Frozen in my face so much that if you shook off my eyelids, you could build a snowman.

I was completely done with everything and anything Frozen.  But this season of Once Upon A Time has completely cured my frostbite!  (Except for the Wandering Oaken's scene.  I worked at Wandering Oaken's Trading Post all summer, so hearing him say, "Yoo-Hoo" was like getting an icicle to the temple.  Aside from that negative, I have nothing but positive things to say about this awesomely chilly season.

Allow me to start the praise off by saying that Anna and Elsa were extremely well cast!  Georgina Haig and Elizabeth Lail, who play Elsa and Anna respectively, are killing it this season.  Not only do they look like the characters, but they also look like sisters.  I'm not sure if they are both just great actresses or if have watched Frozen more times than any 6 year old American girl, but they are Anna and Elsa and I don't think that Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell themselves could do any better.  (I may catch some heat from that.  Oops)

Next up on the praise list:

ELIZABETH FREAKIN MITCHELL!

When she popped up at the end of the second episode, I yelled, "Juliet," and spilled my Mountain Dew.  (I'm a huge LOST fan!)

The storyline crossover between Hans Christian Andersen's original; The Snow Queen and Disney's Frozen is something that I never would have thought of.  I actually really wish that the rumored Frozen sequel would have followed this path.  It's a really awesome concept and I can't respect this season's writers enough.

Finally:

SVEN!

So what do you, the internet people think about this season so far?  What are your favorite/least favorite aspects of it?  Do you like or hate Frozen?  Are you reading all of these questions?  Sound off in the comments!

Follow me on Twitter:  @joeyesrojo

Once Upon A Time Redux - That Still Small Voice

The magic's in the air!  Can you feel it?  Who cares about Christmas? I'm talking about the Once Upon A Time Redux!  

Alright so the latest episode is focused on one of my personal favorite characters ever, Jiminy Cricket!

(except he looks more like this in the episode)

(very Irish)

But this episode starts out with something different.  A mine collapses!  The whole town rumbles!  So we go to the scene of the mine collapse and Gina is trying to calm everyone down and back everyone up including Emma until she learns that Emma's the new town deputy.  Who tells her that?  Why her good old banging buddy the town sheriff.  (I'm already calling that he's the Huntsman, just saying)  Gina is somewhat accepting of this and orders Emma to get to work.  But we see Gina pick up a piece of glass or something and move on her way.  Luckily Henry also catches a glimpse of this and demands to know what it is.  Time for Operation Cobra!

Operation Cobra does a huddle up and Henry introduces the newest member of the team.  Archie Hopper aka Jiminy Cricket. Henry tells them something's up and changing and they need to go explore the mine. Gina's real quick to break up the meeting and order Emma off to work. 

 But she's not done, she let's Archie know real quick that he is her employee and she can't have her son questioning whether or not everything she does is some kind of plot.  She ends by letting him know that he better fix Henry's issue because all employees can be fired and she will make his life miserable to the point where his only shelter is an umbrella.  (Nice!)

Meanwhile we take a visit to Fantasyland...or Realityland...(Do we call the fantasy world real or not?)  But we are introduced to Jiminy's backstory.  His family is a roving band of puppeteers and thieves.  We the crowd enjoying a puppet show, (which I found quite funny), and little Jiminy running around and picking pockets like a boss!  It's then we're introduced to two characters that I really like, Jiminy's parents.  They're very interesting, funny, and I really do hope we get to see more of them.  We then hear that Jiminy doesn't like be a thief.  (Which is a good thing for a professional conscience.)  We also learn of his love of crickets.  (Foreshadowing?  Nah!)

So back to...reality?  We see Archie with Henry for another one of their sessions.  Henry tells Archie that he has everything the need in the backpack to go explore the mine.   Archie then does exactly what he was ordered to do.  He tells Henry that if he keeps believing then pretty soon he's going be institutionalized.  Wow.  You could tell how much it hurt Archie and how much it hurt Henry.  Really good scene from the two of them!

Back in the fantasy world we see a much older Jiminy working on getting the puppet stage set up.  He again voices to his parents that he doesn't want to do this anymore.  Their response?  Another funny set of back and forth banter!  (I really do love these characters!)  But then while working in the rain Jiminy meets a young boy who thinks Jiminy has the best job in the world!  Who is this kid?  

Back in Storybrooke Henry went crying to Emma who instantly stormed to Archie's office to confront him.  Archie's drinking to...drown his conscience.  (Hahahahahahahahahahaha!  I crack myself up!)  Emma's phone rings and it's Gina asking if she was with him.  Emma thinks Gina is referring to Archie but no, she's referring to Henry.  Neither Gina nor Emma knows where Henry could be.  But Archie does!

Skip over to Henry entering the mine.  He walks around and finds another piece of glass...

Back in the fantasy world we see Jiminy go into the quarters of none other than Rumpelstiltskin.  Jiminy trades some stolen goods for a string of gold thread.  Rumpelstiltskin is quick to question if Jiminy wants something else...Maybe some magic?  Jiminy states that he wants to be free.  Rumpel is already quick to work making a potion/whatever.  He tells Jiminy to take the potion and throw it on his parents, put it in their drinks/food/whatever.  Rumpel asks what Jiminy has to trade to complete this offer.  Jiminy agrees to let Rumpel have his parents and exits.

Back in the real world Emma and Archie arrive at the mine calling out to Henry.  They come with Archie's dog Pongo.  (Yes, his name is Pongo and he's a dalmatian!  Being a Disney nerd rules!)  Archie begins to enter the mine when the mine begins to rumble again.  The entrance crumbles leaving Archie in the mine where he eventually meets up with Henry.  Henry instantly believes that Archie has come to help him find whatever is in there.  Archie's quick to say no.  Henry asks if Archie still believes he's crazy, Archie give a bit of a hesitant answer and Henry runs off forcing Archie to run after him.

Back in the world of fantasy we see Jiminy and his parents.  The parents decide they want more money and it's time to pull the Elf Tonic Scam again.  They go visit a couple and tell them of the next town over where the plague is running rampant.  Jiminy is having no part in the scam but the couple is eating it up.  The parents tell them of Elf Tonic and that's how they are still alive and kicking.  The couple trade almost everything they own for it and are extremely grateful.  Jiminy feels terrible.  (Good conscience.)  As they head back to their wagon Jiminy has had enough with how awful his parents are and throws the potion on them.  They laugh and ask what rain water will do.  Jiminy instantly runs back to the house where the couple have drank the potion and turned into dolls.  The parents laugh but then someone runs in...."Mommy, Daddy...."  It's the little boy from earlier.  He demands to know what Jiminy has done to his parents.  Jiminy is crushed.

Meanwhile in Storybrooke.  Emma and Gina are trying everything to get Henry and to a lesser extent Archie out of the mine.  They even resort to dynamite.  

Then all of the sudden it's Pongo to the rescue.  He finds an air vent leading them down into the well.  Henry and Archie have found an elevator and are trying to make their way up.  Gina's quick to say she'll go down to get them, Emma says Henry is her son too and she's got more experience.  A pretty pissed and conflicted Gina just tells her to bring him back.

But wait!!  What's been going on behind both these stories?  Why Snow White is connecting with her Prince Charming.  John Doe still doesn't remember who he is but the connection between him and Mary is crazy.  But he's got an overly nice wife that he really doesn't remember.  Towards the end of the episode Mary and John take a walk together and he tells her that nothing makes sense in his life right now except her.  The tension is there for a kiss but in comes nicey wifey to break up the 3-count!

We go back to Jiminy who is upset and sitting on a fence.  He looks up at the star and makes wish.  Who comes to visit him?  Why none other than The Blue Fairy.  She tells him she has heard his wish but she can not bring the boy's parents back because what's done is done.  Jiminy tells her this isn't the life he wants nor who he wants to be.  She asks him what is does want to be, the crickets get louder, and The Blue Fairy hears the wish from his heart.  She turns him into Jiminy Cricket!  

She tells him to go find the young boy and he shall guide him because the boy is going to go through hard times in his life.  Jiminy asks her how he can find the boy, he doesn't even know his name.  The Blue Fairy tells him his name is Gepetto and Jiminy will live as long as he needs to take care of him.

Back in Storybrooke we see Archie and Henry in the elevator.  They get hid in the head with something.  It's dust from Emma coming down to save them.  She gets Henry out but the elevator starts creaking.  Archie stuck and the elevator's about to collapse.  We see the elevator shoot down into the dark.  But what's this!  Archie grabbed a hold of Emma's gear with his umbrella!  (Good ole Jiminy!)

Back up on the ground everyone is happy that the two are safe.  Gina is checking on Henry when Emma walks over to do the same and Gina is quick to tell Emma to back off and go do her job as deputy.  Emma didn't look too happy. 

We cut to a scene in Mr. Gold's shop.  What do we see in there?  The dolls of the parents...

 The last scene shows us something else.  Everyone is talking, as Gina walks up to the air shaft.  She tosses in the piece of glass from earlier.  Where does it land?  Right on top of Snow White's glass coffin...

Overall a great episode of the show.  I really do love this show and it just gets better and better with each episode!  

Till the next OUAT Redux!  Later!