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 fairy tales on their heads and putting own interpretations on them and the show early on clearly had a ball. Watched it without fail everytime 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 6 did start off very well actually, the first three episodes were very good to great. There was a good deal to like about "Strange Cases" while having some serious misgivings, otherwise other than "I'll Be Your Mirror" the rest of the first half of the sixth season disappointed. There was a real sense that the show had run out of ideas and was losing magic with a lot of predictability, repetition and recycling old ideas without putting enough of a fresh spin on it. Starting the second half of the season is "Tougher Than the Rest" and while it is not quite a return to form for 'Once Upon a Time' it shows a step in the right direction and there is less of a running out of ideas feel.
Quite a lot of good things here in "Tougher than the Rest". Have nothing to complain about regarding the production values, it's beautifully shot and the production and costume design are both handsome and atmospheric without being drab or garish. The music is used cleverly and fits well, with the right amount of the haunting and the ethereal.
"Tougher Than the Rest" does a much better job at story advancing than most of the previous episodes, with things getting a move on and the odd answer. Also another revelation that was surprising and clever. The characterisation is better here, some progression rather than going backwards and going round in circles. Cannot get enough of Regina or of Gold, while Gideon is an already promisingly intriguing character and it was great to see Robin far more interesting in personality than he had before (love the sass). His chemistry with Regina is touching, as is that between Emma and Regina. Loved all the alternate world Wish Realm storyline, which had lots of intrigue, funny moments (alternate-Hook) and emotional ones (with Regina and Robin). Writing has its camp and soapy moments, but is actually better than the writing in most of the post-"Strange Cases" episodes because it is far outweighed by the funny, thought-provoking and emotional moments.
Am not a fan of the Gold and Belle relationship generally, find Belle a bland character and the relationship rather stale now but there is effort here to put some freshness, which was appreciated. Emma didn't frustrate or bore me as much as she has in some first-half-of-Season-6 episodes, in fact this is one of her more interesting and emphatic appearances of the season. My favourite asset though was the character of August/Pinocchio and the role he plays in the episode, how wonderful to see him back after so long and there is a genuine poignancy to his story. Everything concerning 'The Ugly Duckling' did make me cry. Cannot fault the performances, with Lana Parrilla and Robert Carlyle always delivering, Jennifer Morrison and Eion Bailey giving poignant turns and Giles Matthey shows promise as Gideon.
However, there are drawbacks. Had mixed feelings on the Storybrooke story. Gold has always been one of my favourite characters and he is awesome here, although very different from the previous seasons which saw him more complex his character writing interests and Carlyle's acting helps quite a lot. Gideon's role has a good deal of intensity and it was great to hear and learn more about him.
On the downside, Belle comes over as bland (not a surprise as she mostly is on 'Once Upon a Time'). As does David, whose role is pretty repetitive and doesn't add very much.
Gideon is an intense and intriguing character, but his motivations while surprising somehow didn't quite make sense to me. Gold's also could have been a little clearer.
In regard to the episode in general, the only other real complaints are some campy writing and the Sherriff's character being absolutely pointless.
Concluding, decent and above average episode. Not 'Once Upon a Time' at its best but one of the better Season 6 episodes by some way. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Season 6 did start off very well actually, the first three episodes were very good to great. There was a good deal to like about "Strange Cases" while having some serious misgivings, otherwise other than "I'll Be Your Mirror" the rest of the first half of the sixth season disappointed. There was a real sense that the show had run out of ideas and was losing magic with a lot of predictability, repetition and recycling old ideas without putting enough of a fresh spin on it. Starting the second half of the season is "Tougher Than the Rest" and while it is not quite a return to form for 'Once Upon a Time' it shows a step in the right direction and there is less of a running out of ideas feel.
Quite a lot of good things here in "Tougher than the Rest". Have nothing to complain about regarding the production values, it's beautifully shot and the production and costume design are both handsome and atmospheric without being drab or garish. The music is used cleverly and fits well, with the right amount of the haunting and the ethereal.
"Tougher Than the Rest" does a much better job at story advancing than most of the previous episodes, with things getting a move on and the odd answer. Also another revelation that was surprising and clever. The characterisation is better here, some progression rather than going backwards and going round in circles. Cannot get enough of Regina or of Gold, while Gideon is an already promisingly intriguing character and it was great to see Robin far more interesting in personality than he had before (love the sass). His chemistry with Regina is touching, as is that between Emma and Regina. Loved all the alternate world Wish Realm storyline, which had lots of intrigue, funny moments (alternate-Hook) and emotional ones (with Regina and Robin). Writing has its camp and soapy moments, but is actually better than the writing in most of the post-"Strange Cases" episodes because it is far outweighed by the funny, thought-provoking and emotional moments.
Am not a fan of the Gold and Belle relationship generally, find Belle a bland character and the relationship rather stale now but there is effort here to put some freshness, which was appreciated. Emma didn't frustrate or bore me as much as she has in some first-half-of-Season-6 episodes, in fact this is one of her more interesting and emphatic appearances of the season. My favourite asset though was the character of August/Pinocchio and the role he plays in the episode, how wonderful to see him back after so long and there is a genuine poignancy to his story. Everything concerning 'The Ugly Duckling' did make me cry. Cannot fault the performances, with Lana Parrilla and Robert Carlyle always delivering, Jennifer Morrison and Eion Bailey giving poignant turns and Giles Matthey shows promise as Gideon.
However, there are drawbacks. Had mixed feelings on the Storybrooke story. Gold has always been one of my favourite characters and he is awesome here, although very different from the previous seasons which saw him more complex his character writing interests and Carlyle's acting helps quite a lot. Gideon's role has a good deal of intensity and it was great to hear and learn more about him.
On the downside, Belle comes over as bland (not a surprise as she mostly is on 'Once Upon a Time'). As does David, whose role is pretty repetitive and doesn't add very much.
Gideon is an intense and intriguing character, but his motivations while surprising somehow didn't quite make sense to me. Gold's also could have been a little clearer.
In regard to the episode in general, the only other real complaints are some campy writing and the Sherriff's character being absolutely pointless.
Concluding, decent and above average episode. Not 'Once Upon a Time' at its best but one of the better Season 6 episodes by some way. 7/10 Bethany Cox
