Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Once Upon a Time, Season 1, Episode 13: What Happened to Frederick?



I think this is going to be a romance episode as we begin with Princess Abigail (Kathryn) who is betrothed to be married to Prince James (David) meeting with James’ fake father – remember of course that James (David) really loves Snow White (Mary Margaret).

Wow that beginning sounds awfully soapy.

Prince James is doing a runner from his own wedding day, avoiding his father’s guards only to be ambushed by other guards – Princess Abigail’s. See, she knows Prince James loves Snow White and she isn’t all that fussed about marrying James either so is quite happy for him to escape and for both of them to be free from matrimony. Because she is also in love – with a Frederick.

But Frederick was a knight who bravely saved her and her father from being attacked and, unfortunately, got a bit of the Midas touch in return and is now a very very shiny statue. What will save him? Lake Nostros’ special water guaerded by a fierce beast – which Prince James will go seeking to grant Princess Abigail happiness (since James is doomed to unhappiness since Snow White told him she didn’t love him last time – long story).

The fierce beast is a siren, of course. And she turns into Mary Margaret to make with the seduction but James is too in love for such silliness and makes with the stabbing, collecting the water and freeing her true true love.

Meanwhile, considerably less exciting, in Storybrook, Kathryn (Princess Abigail) and David (Prince James) are having a most awkward meal together. And Kathryn has applied to and been accepted for Law School – and wants to move them to Boston, to a fresh start – and, of course, away from Mary Margaret (Snow White). Time for a walk with the woman in question who wants them to be honest and tell her! After all if they can’t be honest with other people how can they be honest with each other… ok, I admit that the logic of that statement somewhat bemuses me and I don’t understand why Mary Margaret doesn’t have the intellectual capacity to grasp the idea of telling someone the truth but lying to other people – I mean, she’s a teacher! You’d think she’d be smart enough to grasp the concept of selective honesty – but let’s just go with it for now.

Of course honesty is easier said than done and David kind of bottles it when confessing all to Kathryn, their fairytale counterparts are much more gutsy.

Emma is setting a date with cute, nameless writer guy who has a name – August W Booth. And then she has a coffee meeting with Mary Margaret of the Wet Lettuce where Mary is shocked to find that she wasn’t nearly as subtle as she thought she was (I giggled).

August is busy making copies of the Once Upon a Time book… hmm someone else who knows the truth along with Regina and Rumplestiltskin? Still he and Emma go dating (hey there’s granny in the background I love these fairy tale spottings) to a well that is said to have the same magical powers as Lake Nostros. I do like their banter with each other.

And, of course, it works – and in the water around Emma’s car she finds THE BOOK (left by Augustus, I’m guessing since he made a copy)

Speaking of Regina, she is trying to make Henry happier and consoling him for the loss his book with computer games (yes, I laughed). But Henry misses Emma as well – but this is broken up by Kathryn coming tearfully to Regina saying that David is leaving her. Giving Regina chance to drop the news of the affair – bombshell time; Kathryn decides to take down Mary Margaret at school in the middle of the school day. Hmmm, part of me wants to give props to Kathryn, but, really don’t blame the other woman, blame the guy actually doing the cheating. Why is it always the other woman who is at fault? Of course, this is where Mary Margaret discovers that David was lying to her about telling Kathryn.

The whole town now knows about Mary Margaret having an affair with David and of course they’re shaming her for it (because it’s always the woman’s fault) shame shame shame! This causes extra sogginess on Mary Margaret’s part. She chews David out for ling to everyone and wants to call the whole thing off.

While Kathryn realises that Mary Margaret and David’s love is true and pure unlike theirs (she can totally tell from the photos!) So he’s going to go off and find her true love – not stay with David, much to Regina’s consternation – she takes the note that Kathryn wrote for David wishing him love and joy with Mary Margaret. Woe, they will be kept apart with much angst

Of course, Kathryn can’t leave Storybrook and crashes – just in time for her true love Frederick’s Storybrook version to find her empty car.


All in all… a necessary episode I feel to move the plot along, but not an overly awesome one, especially with the shaming of Mary Margaret