Since many original cast members are not returning for season 7 of Once Upon a Time, discuss the ways in which the new season could (or could not) be an exciting revival of the fairytales we once knew. Is the OUAT we know over, or do you think the rejuvenation of characters and tales will be enough to keep the fanbase and viewers satisfied?
Love the topic, and the show. I was a little leery of Season 7, but I'm excited for it now. As Henry says in one clip, there are literally thousands of fairytale versions, plus other stories that could be explored. (Season 5, with its trip to the Underworld, proved the show could do mythology, so why not other story types/genres)? I do think the series needs to wrap up eventually, but am rooting for about 8 seasons. In TV show world, that seems to be a good place to stop. Any more than that and you tend to get stale. – Stephanie M.7 years ago
I am a HUGE Once Upon a Time fan. I am nervous, for this new season, but I am giving it a chance because I don't believe Colin O'Donaghue or Robert Carlyle would have said yes to this season if they didn't have SOME faith in the new direction. – ivyskiss7 years ago
Examining show elements such as the continuously growing cast, numerous lands/worlds, and the dual timelines, discuss the arguments for whether the television show has presented a storyline that is too confusing to follow, or if the show continues to show the creativity of the show runners.
One of my favourite shows. Up to the last season, the show was absolutely marvellous. The plot was complicated but quite understandable. In the current season, although I haven't watched the last few episodes, things seem a bit pushed, meaning they are making stories where non exists. I should probably hold my judgment till the end, although I read a spoiler which has not made many happy about the season finale.
– Nilab Ferozan9 years ago
I find this show really interesting as it often subverts fairy tale stories and pushes the envelope a bit while at other times it is extremely cliche, making safe choices. – mindthegap8 years ago
I think the show is very interesting, but sometimes hard to follow - which I don't mind cause it makes me pay more attention to the show while its on cause I want to figure everything out.
– RegalScarlet8 years ago
While Once Upon A Time does seem to maintain a understandable plot, I would say this is because they temporarily drop elements of their universe in the favour of keeping the plot simple. During the Underworld plot of the most recent season, the audience only received a few glimpses of what was happening in Storybrooke. That kind of closing off makes their huge universe seem narrow at times. – Lbrook48 years ago
Happy to be the voice of dissent: I was absolutely on board for season 1, and then felt that the series went to garbage. They didn't abide by the rules of their own universe. The fan service outweighed the quality of both the writing and the plot. I felt repeatedly like the characters brought in were an effort in publicity to capitalize on fan craze rather than thought out or complex. – Piper CJ8 years ago
I definitely agree with Piper. I started watching OUAT when it first aired, however many years ago. I loved it until it got to the Frozen arc. Yes, I'm sick of Frozen, but I stomached it enough to continue. I think, for me, I just became so annoyed with how drawn-out the series became. Again, like Piper said, the show broke its own rules and sort of just made things up for the heck of it. It became what Lost became in its last few seasons. I haven't watched it since the Frozen arc, so I don't know where the writers have taken it since then, or where they intend to take it, or if they have any inkling of ending the show soon. – Christina Legler8 years ago
I appreciate this show, but I lost interest after season 1. I know many do not feel the same way but it just was exploring too many avenues at one time. Now, I enjoy complicated, intricate dynamics in shows and cinema as I like to stay entertained, but something was lacking. From what I'm hearing from previously die hard Once Upon A Time fans, the show has definitely taken a leap in the wrong direction. – danielle5778 years ago
I stopped watching Once Upon a Time midway through season 5. Some of the plot lines began feeling repetitive, and I started to wonder if the writers have any inkling of an ending in sight. – KennethC8 years ago
In my experience, I could only stomach through Season 1 and a couple episodes into the 2nd season. Initially, I thought the writers were upholding decent quality characters and plot premises. However, once I got to the 2nd season- the writers thought it would be a good idea to make Mulan a lesbian. I had a tug of war with myself... shouldn't I be happy that shows are not sequestering "princesses" to certain stereotypes? But, then I thought- why, of all fairytale female characters, would they designate Mulan as the lesbian? The answer is obvious, so I won't go into that. But isn't this also continuing a stereotype about lesbians and how they act? Just because Mulan is a masculinized character does not mean she automatically has to be a lesbian. You can be girly and still be a lesbian. OUAT, if you really want to break boundaries, write female characters in a way that doesn't succumb to the same, basic stereotypes. – Nbrull128 years ago
Once Upon A Time was a great show for me until the middle of season 5. I think that the characters were stuck in the underworld for too long and the ending of season 5 was very anticlimactic and that's when the show started heading into a new direction. – Jai Modo8 years ago
I really enjoyed this show at the beginning when it was easier to understand and actually followed the stories and fairytales. But not it has become some sort of a mess. I really do think someone should explore more of this topic. – veronicamarie118 years ago
I'm a big fan of OUAT, as my screen name might reveal. I love how the writers have cleverly updated fairytales--stories we all know and grew up on--since 2011. However, I can be objective enough to say some arcs work better than others. I loved the first two seasons, but the Neverland arc of season 3 was a bit stale for my taste. I also felt the show broke its own rules with the season 5 Underworld arc. Mythology is not the same as fairytale. Plus, when you start examining how people interpret the afterlife, you're bound to hit some pitfalls and lose your audience. Oh, well, at least they didn't make Hades' Underworld some kind of ultra-modern Vegas casino-type destination. They stayed true to mythology, which I can give them credit for. – RubyBelle8 years ago
