Once Upon a Time: The Complete First Season

Once Upon a Time...
By the end of season One, ABC was already touting Once Upon a Time as the best new drama on television and small wonder given that it breaks away from the wretched crime drama rut and wonder of wonders; no sleaze, excessive violence or profanity to be found, probably one of the most family-friendly dramas that television has seen in like twenty years. What... is a creatively enjoyable story with likeable characters, great FX and gorgeous sets still sufficient to rate as exceptional adult entertainment?

Seriously, this brilliant fantasy drama just continues to gain momentum with each episode as you are drawn into a world where classic fairy tale characters are brought to life after having been exiled to our world via a wicked queen's evil spell and all memories of their previous lives have been erased. Snow White and Prince Charming are the most obvious main characters but there are also dwarves, fairies, trolls and other great characters like Red Riding Hood, Gepetto &...

Fractured fairy tales
I don't watch a lot of television, but I do allow myself to get hooked on a few series (Mad Men and The Walking Dead presently). I very happily added Once Upon a Time to the list this year. Very skillfully written, especially in terms of transversing the fairy tale world and the "real world" Storybrooke. And I appreciate the way the writers fractured a few fairy tales in the interest of advancing certain plot lines. Unlike one of the other reviewers, I think the characters are rich and multi-dimensional. Some of the most interesting aspects of the show are found it its dark undercurrents/themes. It might be an 8:00 show, but it is definitely an 8:00 show with an edge.

The acting is top-notch. Robert Carlyle will always be a favorite, but all of the actors are spot on for their characters. It has been a great first season and I look forward to Sunday's finale with mixed feelings. I can't wait to see what happens, but I will miss watching the show over the summer.

Here's What's On the DVD!
Okay, we all love the show. That's why we're here. Here's what's on the DVD, according to the back cover:

BONUS FEATURES
-Fairy Tales in the Modern World - Filmmakers and cast discuss their early love of fairy tales and how it inspires their work on the show.
-Building Character - Follow the character of Belle from initial concept, through casting of Emilie de Ravin and costumes, to filming.
-Welcome To Storybrooke - Meet the residents and watch the small port town of Steveston, British Columbia, transform into an East Coast village trapped in time.
-The Story I Remember...Snow White - The cast's childhood memories are interwoven in this retelling of the beloved tale.
-Fairest Bloopers Of Them All
-Audio Commentaries
-Deleted Scenes

5 disks. 946 minutes of total episode running time.

Here's what's on the DVDs, according to my research:

DISK 1
1. Pilot
2. The Thing You Love Most
3. Snow...

Click to Editorial Reviews