When 'Once Upon a Time' first started it was highly addictive and made the most of a truly great and creative premise. Really loved the idea of turning familiar fairy tales on their heads and putting own interpretations on them and the show early on clearly had clearly had a ball. Watched it without fail every time it came on and it was often a highlight of the week. Which was why it was sad when it ran out of ideas and lost its magic in the later seasons.
Season 4 had a lot to live up after Season 3 being as impressive as it was. At this early stage of the season, one can see a lot of promise, some may argue that it is capitalising on 'Frozen's' success but there is much more to the season than that. This promise was apparent from the get go, with a great season opener in "A Tale of Two Sisters". As far as the previous Season 4 episodes go, they were all decent to brilliant with the only small dip being "Family Business" and the best being the "Smash the Mirror" two parter.
"Heart of Gold" for me is a good episode if a slight disappointment compared to some of the previous episodes. Other episodes do a better job advancing the story telling, though it sets up what's to follow quite well. While development for the characters never goes backwards, it's only really with Emma where it progresses.
Appreciated seeing attempts at development with Robin Hood with exploring his origins but the exploring characters' origins aspect is an aspect that the show has handled better before and since with more emotion and intensity. The character is definitely advanced and intriguingly, but his origin story should have been more interesting and tighter in pace. Rumplestiltskin's role makes it worth it though
Found too that a few of the connections and parallels were not as natural as they could have been and that the Author should have been tied in much more, being one of the episode's most intriguing parts. The flashback within flashback structure is occasionally a touch confused.
On the other hand, Emma's story has a lot of heart and doesn't feel like soap-opera. Gold as usual is awesome, have always loved his character writing and the present days scenes have a lot of intrigue. Likewise with Regina, her chemistry with Gold has a good deal of tension. Structurally, the story does interest and it is compelling.
Most of the connections and such are handled well. Best of all is a major revelation at the end that one doesn't see coming and the return of Zelena.
All the acting is strong. Jennifer Morrison's Emma is moving and not overwrought or passive. Lana Parrilla and Sean Maguire also are reliably great, Robert Carlyle is just splendid and Rebecca Mader positively casts a spell returning as Zelena.
Furthermore, "Heart of Gold" is a very handsomely mounted episode visually, the settings and costumes are both colourful and atmospheric, not too dark or garish and never cookie cutter. It is photographed beautifully too. The music is haunting, ethereal and cleverly used with a memorable theme tune.
Writing has the right balance of humour, pathos, mystery and intrigue, or corn or cheesiness here. This aspect has come on such a long way since when 'Once Upon a Time' first started, much more complexity and nuance.
In conclusion, good but not great. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Season 4 had a lot to live up after Season 3 being as impressive as it was. At this early stage of the season, one can see a lot of promise, some may argue that it is capitalising on 'Frozen's' success but there is much more to the season than that. This promise was apparent from the get go, with a great season opener in "A Tale of Two Sisters". As far as the previous Season 4 episodes go, they were all decent to brilliant with the only small dip being "Family Business" and the best being the "Smash the Mirror" two parter.
"Heart of Gold" for me is a good episode if a slight disappointment compared to some of the previous episodes. Other episodes do a better job advancing the story telling, though it sets up what's to follow quite well. While development for the characters never goes backwards, it's only really with Emma where it progresses.
Appreciated seeing attempts at development with Robin Hood with exploring his origins but the exploring characters' origins aspect is an aspect that the show has handled better before and since with more emotion and intensity. The character is definitely advanced and intriguingly, but his origin story should have been more interesting and tighter in pace. Rumplestiltskin's role makes it worth it though
Found too that a few of the connections and parallels were not as natural as they could have been and that the Author should have been tied in much more, being one of the episode's most intriguing parts. The flashback within flashback structure is occasionally a touch confused.
On the other hand, Emma's story has a lot of heart and doesn't feel like soap-opera. Gold as usual is awesome, have always loved his character writing and the present days scenes have a lot of intrigue. Likewise with Regina, her chemistry with Gold has a good deal of tension. Structurally, the story does interest and it is compelling.
Most of the connections and such are handled well. Best of all is a major revelation at the end that one doesn't see coming and the return of Zelena.
All the acting is strong. Jennifer Morrison's Emma is moving and not overwrought or passive. Lana Parrilla and Sean Maguire also are reliably great, Robert Carlyle is just splendid and Rebecca Mader positively casts a spell returning as Zelena.
Furthermore, "Heart of Gold" is a very handsomely mounted episode visually, the settings and costumes are both colourful and atmospheric, not too dark or garish and never cookie cutter. It is photographed beautifully too. The music is haunting, ethereal and cleverly used with a memorable theme tune.
Writing has the right balance of humour, pathos, mystery and intrigue, or corn or cheesiness here. This aspect has come on such a long way since when 'Once Upon a Time' first started, much more complexity and nuance.
In conclusion, good but not great. 7/10 Bethany Cox
