First, I love that it is on Sunday nights. It reminds me of the Wonderful World of Disney back in the day. The entire family would sit around the television and watch whatever Disney was peddling that week. The never showed anything good, it was all b-level Disney picks. We always wanted it to be one of the movies, but alas, this was before VCRs, when the movies were only seen on TV if they were 5 years out of the can, ten if they rode the Disney name. Now, the best of both worlds! A family show all levels of the family can enjoy, relate with, and watch together. There are no ethical dilemmas, or back-to-school morals, just some good imaginative fun!

According to ABC.com “Brace yourself for a modern fable with thrilling twists and hints of darkness. Brimming with wonder, and filled with the magic of our most beloved fairytales…”

Adam Horowitz, known for his writing on LOST as well as the writer of Tron: Legacy, is working triple duty this time working as the co-creator, producer and writer for Once Upon a Time. Apparently lost on the Abrams Island the past few years, Horowitz has stepped onto the mainland, and making a huge splash.

So why am I raving about this show? First, the concept is different, creative, and truly inspired. I had my doubts about its staying power. However, I will admit the core of the show opens it to limitless possibilities. The genius of the writing is attention getting for adults, teenagers, and kids.

So far we have met the two central characters, Emma Swan, a bounty hunter who has been unable to put down roots anywhere, but is also the daughter of Snow White, and Henry if the son of the Mayor, aka the evil queen, who ventured outside of Storybrook to find his birth mother, Emma Swan. This simple plot has pulled us into a seemingly quiet town where Grandma runs the local Inn and Little Red Riding Hood drives a Charger, working as the local diner waitress. Cinderella is pregnant and signed a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to give up her baby. Prince Charming is in a coma, the Huntsman is the Sheriff, and Jiminy Cricket s the town shrink.

Best of all is the evil Queen, who is not only responsible for the curse of Storybrook the fairy tale characters unknowingly find themselves under, but unlike the fairy tale community around her, knows who she is, and why she placed the curse. They do not muffle the limit of the queen’s power, making for not so happy endings, as proven in the recent demise of the Huntsman.

ABC’s Once Upon a Time has stayed true to the original characters, but has added a refreshing depth and reality, bringing the fabled icons into the twenty-first century. The piece of genius that keeps you watching is the fact that we all know how the story ended back in fairy tale land. The Queen’s curse has however erased all of the happy ending that once were, so as the viewers we are all watching to see if true love really does conquer all.

Will our favorite storybook couples find each other again before it is too late? With the evil queen, aka the mayor, having the advantage of her memory, the conflict is evident in every episode. Her son, Henry, who is actually Snow White’s Grandson, is the beacon within the chaos. The little boy, true of heart, believes in his book of fairy tales. He sees its characters in the people around him and is diligently working to discover how to lift the evil spell and set them all free.

ABC - Catch Up on Once Upon A Time Full Episodes!
https://abc.go.com/watch/once-upon-a-time/