Welcome to Storybrooke
- Episode aired Mar 17, 2013
- TV-14
- 44m
Emma and David enlist Gold's help to protect Mary Margaret from a vengeful Regina, as flashbacks show a father and son stumble upon Storybrooke when the curse was first cast.Emma and David enlist Gold's help to protect Mary Margaret from a vengeful Regina, as flashbacks show a father and son stumble upon Storybrooke when the curse was first cast.Emma and David enlist Gold's help to protect Mary Margaret from a vengeful Regina, as flashbacks show a father and son stumble upon Storybrooke when the curse was first cast.
- Belle French
- (credit only)
- Captain Killian 'Hook' Jones
- (credit only)
- Owen Flynn
- (as Benjamin James Stockham)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAll entries contain spoilers
- Quotes
Mary Margaret Blanchard: How do you do it?
Mr. Gold: Do what?
Mary Margaret Blanchard: Live with yourself, knowing all the bad things you've done.
Mr. Gold: Well, you tell yourself you did the right thing. And if you say it often enough, one day you might actually believe it.
- Crazy creditsThe opening sequence shows a tree falling on Kurt Flynn's car.
- ConnectionsReferences Tron (1982)
- SoundtracksThis Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
Lyrics written by David Byrne; Music written by David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison
Performed by Talking Heads 1983
It is not easy at all for any episode to be as good as Season 2, and 'Once Upon a Time' in general, high points "The Queen is Dead" and especially "The Miller's Daughter". "Welcome to Storybrooke" overcomes this splendidly, its emotional impact may not quite be on the same level as the previous two episodes and the past fairy tale flashback and present Storybrooke worlds connection is a little more seamless in those episodes. That is not to say that they are not done well here, they are (extremely), just not quite as good.
Generally, "Welcome to Storybrooke" is among the better Season 2 episodes. Like the previous two episodes, the progressions of characters and their stories continue to go in the right direction and what could have been conventional feels fresh. This can be seen by a lot of significant plot developments, that feel natural in how they're placed and given full depth, and already interesting characters made even more so with clearer motivations, more complexity and a stronger sense of how and why they became who they are. Regina especially, the most interesting and conflicted she's been since "The Cricket Game" and she is actually somewhat relatable here.
Very like what was said for the previous two episodes, especially "The Miller's Daughter", quite rightly there is a focus on characters that were there since 'Once Upon a Time' first started, and is highly successful in making them and their dilemmas and feelings interesting and worth emotionally investing in. Similarly quite rightly, it focuses much less on adding and introducing new characters that Season 2 did with varied success. The past and present scenes are balanced and connected with ease, with a good deal of emotion and urgency.
The acting is great, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Dallas and Robert Carlyle command every scene. It's Lana Parrilla's episode all the way though, she brings so many nuances in a way that one doesn't expect from a character that could easily have been played as a standard villain when actually there is much more to Regina than that.
Furthermore, "Welcome to Storybrooke" 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 main theme.
Writing has the right balance of humour, pathos, mystery and intrigue.
Overall, excellent and well worth the welcome. 9/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Feb 7, 2018
- Permalink
Details
- Runtime44 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD