Once Upon a Time (ABC TV Series)

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AliceinWonderland
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Post by AliceinWonderland »

They showed a preview at the D23 expo. and the names of the dawves are that same as Disney's Snow White.

What i dont get is the characters have not aged in 28 years. Yet emma and her son have :?
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Post by Disney Duster »

I don't want to be in this thread too much because, I dunno, talking about a show I like with people who don't like it and say it's bad can ruin it for me...

But I really liked the pilot! I guess some of it did turn out to be cheesy, but...I just don't care! Was anyone expecting it to be the greatest written, most serious show? I thought the lead character was very interesting and a good actress. I like her already. And I still think the queen is great. Snow White is either playing her character too soft, and it's intended...or needs to work on her acting and emoting...I think she just needs to pull the softness and sweetness off better. And hey, I though the lines like "I've come to give you a gift...my gift to you is this happy day...because the rest of your days are gonna be empty of all your happiness", were good, well, I'm paraphrasing, but I thought that was kind of a powerful way of saying it...

I really did love the fariy tale past scenes. The costumes had parts I liked and didn't liked, but mostly I liked them and at least they were interesting, like that fairy's costume, though it needed more hanging fabric to look more like she had a dress instead of...pieces dangling from a tutu. And Snow White should've had (feminine) swirly-design sleeves to match the prince's at the wedding though. And the Queen's hair-dos just don't work for someone who wants to be the prettiest in the land. Well, maybe she thinks she's pretty enough even with them. I loved the special effects though.

Hey, what was with the prince sword-fighting while holding his baby? Couldn't he find some servant to get her through as he fought? That was a little wtf unless it was the only thing he could do in which case, dang, what a situation!

I didn't know they were using the names and so many other things from Disney. Where did they actually officially say they were? I have to admit, with the one dwarf seeming grumpier than the rest, I already felt they were basing it too much on Disney, and now with Sleeping Beauty's fairy looking just like Maleficent, complete with dragon-topped staff (again, I only like some parts of the costume), I guess they must be going for Disney...which can be good or bad, but in this case I think it's bad. They should only have passing references, acknowledgements of the Disney influence, not outright mimics of Disney like they seem to be doing!

I am very looking forward to Cinderella's segment, hope it has that fairy from before, I liked her look and character, but I am just looking forward to the rest of the show! It's just my thing, and it's not bad, and I'm really glad people are still so interested in fairy tales!
Last edited by Disney Duster on Sun Oct 30, 2011 8:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Sotiris »

I, too, liked the pilot. I found the fairy tale portions decent except for the dialogue which is not that great. I cringed when the Prince yelled "Hey" to the Wicked Queen. Lana Parrilla, the actress who plays the Wicked Queen/Regina Mills, steals the show in every scene. She reminds me of Susan Sarandon as Queen Narissa.
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Post by supertalies »

Disney Duster wrote:I didn't know they were using the names and so many other things from Disney. Where did they actually officially say they were? I have to admit, with the one dwarf seeming grumpier than the rest, I already felt they were basing it too much on Disney, and now with Sleeping Beauty's fairy looking just like Maleficent, complete with dragon-topped staff (again, I only like some parts of the costume), I guess they must be going for Disney...which can be good or bad, but in this case I think it's bad. They should only have passing references, acknowledgements of the Disney influence, not outright mimics of Disney like they seem to be doing!
I don't exactly remember where I read it, but the producers said in one interview they asked the people at Disney permission to use their characters and got licence to do so.

However, I don't believe the fairy tale characters we see on this show are supposed to be the actual Disney characters. They just seem to be based on them and seem to be coming from the Disney versions of the stories.

As for the grumpy dwarf, he is Grumpy. The dwarves have the same names as in the Disney movie and are based on them. If you look at the dwarves in the scene where the prince wakes up Snow White, you can clearly see one dwarf is supposed to be Dopey. Also, the dwarf that helps Snow White deliver her baby is called Doc by the prince.

Grumpy even whistles 'Whistle While you Work' when he's in prison in the 'real world'.

Same thing with Sleeping Beauty's fairy. Her name is Maleficent and her costume is obviously based on the Disney character.

By the way, here are some stills from the fourth episode, which is the one Cinderella appears in. The Fairy Godmother is obviously very different from the fairy we see in the first episode (who was supposed to be the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio), and the Godmother from the Disney movie:

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Post by Sotiris »

supertalies wrote:I don't exactly remember where I read it, but the producers said in one interview they asked the people at Disney permission to use their characters and got licence to do so.
I believe it's from here.
supertalies wrote:As for the grumpy dwarf, he is Grumpy. The dwarfs have the same names as in the Disney movie and are based on them. If you look at the dwarfs in the scene where the prince wakes up Snow White, you can clearly see one dwarf is supposed to be Dopey. Also, the dwarf that helps Snow White deliver her baby is called Doc by the prince.

Grumpy even whistles 'Whistle While you Work' when he's in prison in the 'real world'.

Same thing with Sleeping Beauty's fairy. Her name is Maleficent and her costume is obviously based on the Disney character.
Also, the talking cricket character is referred to as Jiminy Cricket more than once. In the original story by Collodi he was only referred to as "The Talking Cricket". It was in the Disney version of Pinocchio where the character got the name Jiminy Cricket much like how the Dwarfs got names in Disney's Snow White.

If they hadn't gained permission they wouldn't be able to use the names of the Disney characters.
Last edited by Sotiris on Fri Oct 28, 2011 2:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by tsom »

AHH!! I can't wait till the next episode! I want to know Snow White and the Evil Queen's backgrounds, plus how Snow White and the Prince met. Can't wait to see the Cinderella episode as well!!
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Post by Disney Duster »

From the article, it sounds like Disney expected them to do their characters, and the "license" they gave was "creative license" as in changing the characters ala Snow White with a sword.

It makes sense that if Disney produced this they would aks for their own characters to have some influence on the show...but no one agrees the creators should have done much more their own versions with much slighter Disney reference?

I did wonder if that fairy was the blue fairy since she was, well, blue, and talked to Gepetto. But she wore a costume so much like the one Cinderella will wear. Her hair (which should be blue...) and dress looks like she's from Cinderella's era (even though they are all supposed to be from the same time period now?).

I don't like the fairy godmother's costume anywhere below the fancy neckline, but Cinderella has good costumes and hair, though it could use an extra something on the skirt. I demand so much, don't I? :p
AliceinWonderland wrote:What i dont get is the characters have not aged in 28 years. Yet emma and her son have :?
Emma is free from the spell, and so was her son, since she lived outside of the cursed world and she gave birth to him outside of it, too.
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Post by supertalies »

First 9 minutes from the second episode, including Maleficent and the Magic Mirror!

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.ph ... 9331138204
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Sotiris
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Post by Sotiris »

Official online destinations for Once Upon a Time.

Website
Press Site
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Unofficial online destinations for Once Upon a Time.

The L Chat #01
The L Chat #02
Fan Forum
Previously TV
OUAT-ES
Storybrooke Mirror
The Enchanted Forest News Service
Once Upon a Spoiler
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Post by dvdjunkie »

There is the problem, the show isn't aimed at adults, it is another of those shows that is aimed at the ones with the buying power - 18-35 - and that is probably the best reason I can think of for its failure.

Compared to "Grimm", which opened last night, "Once Upon A Time" has to jump a long way up the bar as far as acting and a dramatic hold on the audience.

Grimm fairy tales were more adult, and that is why I believe that "Grimm" may have a good foothold on its audience.

I will be watching both for a couple more weeks, and then make a decision as to which one I will permanently choose to watch, if either. And Friday night in its time slot is a pretty good time for a show of this caliber.
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Post by Sotiris »

dvdjunkie wrote:There is the problem, the show isn't aimed at adults, it is another of those shows that is aimed at the ones with the buying power - 18-35 - and that is probably the best reason I can think of for its failure.
18-35 are adults. :P Did you perhaps mean middle-aged and senior people?

I don't think "buying power" has anything to do with age; it rather has to do with social class (and hence wealth).

From what did you conclude that the show isn't aimed at that demographic as well? I think the show can appeal to all ages.
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Post by dvdjunkie »

By that reply I am beginning to think that is what I am up against here on the forums. A bunch of "kids" with more money than brains, so those of us who want quality shows with good acting and good stories have to take a back seat to those who just want something that entertains them.

Who knows, to save the ratings of "Once Upon A Time" they might have everyone break into a song, or something, and then we can have all that you want in a show, silly storylines, bad acting and a lot of lip-syncing like "Glee".
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Post by tsom »

Yeah, 18-35 are adults. But I think the demographic for Once Upon a Time is aimed at everyone of all ages. Plus, I don't think ratings for Once has to be saved. There has only been one episode thus far and the ratings were awesome. (Unless of course you meant "save" as in "in order for the ratings to stay where it currently is")

Grimm is definitely aimed at adults for sure.
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Post by Disney's Divinity »

dvdjunkie, if you don't like the show, then why do you care to post? Or are you going to ruin more threads ad nauseum because you want to rain on everyone else's parade?
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Post by dvdjunkie »

I'm sorry, I thought I lived in the United States of America and I have certain freedoms.

I am just contributing like you are, and posting my opinions about the two shows. Some one else said that they were only for rich people and not older people and I was just replying.

Maybe you should read all the posts before you come attacking someone, child!!!
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Post by Sotiris »

dvdjunkie wrote:I'm sorry, I thought I lived in the United States of America and I have certain freedoms.
That is such a clichéd response it borders on comical.
dvdjunkie wrote:Some one else said that they were only for rich people and not older people and I was just replying.
No one said that. :roll: Apparently, you misread my post. You claimed that those who have 'buying power' are in the age range of 18-35 and I responded saying that 'buying power' has to do with class and not with age. That did not imply that these shows are only for rich people.
dvdjunkie wrote:Maybe you should read all the posts before you come attacking someone, child!
It was hardly an attack. It was just an observation since you do this often, dvdjunkie.
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Post by Disney's Divinity »

dvdjunkie wrote:I'm sorry, I thought I lived in the United States of America and I have certain freedoms.
I didn't know the right to post the same thing repeatedly on a message board in order to annoy other people was listed in the Declaration of Independence. :lol:

Anyway, I thought the second episode was better. I do think the present day side of it works really well. Looking at some of the summaries for upcoming episodes, I think one of the best parts about this could be the interaction between the different fairy tale characters. I liked that Maleficent and the Queen were "friends," though Maleficent should completely win that battle. I also like how they wrote the Rumpilstiltskin character, so that he's not really on any side.
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Post by AliceinWonderland »

Jimny Cricket was walking a dog in the second ep... at first i thought it was Roger and Pongo :lol: :lol: It has to be a reference to it.. he's wearing similar clothes to Roger
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Post by jinkinquackers »

Disney's Divinity wrote:I liked that Maleficent and the Queen were "friends," though Maleficent should completely win that battle.
^This. I completely agree! Maleficent should have seriously won. :)
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Post by dvdjunkie »

After watching the second episode I have come to the conclusion that this series might just work.

But some things I didn't know. I didn't know that Victoria's Secret was around in those days of the Fairytales. Also didn't know that most of the witches had breast enhancement (i.e. Malificent) and I am concerned with Emma Swan's bad posture. She walks around slouched over like she might have some problem with her spine, I hope not because she is one of my favorite characters.

The acting is still a little wooden, and I don't think that Henry is as dumb as they want everyone to think.

I didn't see Jiminy Cricket and his dog, where was that. And I still think that this show has a long way to go to be a family show, what with the language and such. Here in the midwest it is on at 7 pm, and so it makes it hard to watch the show when you have little kids around.
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