Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-11464223-20160522134756/@comment-25926288-20160526113425

DracoWombat wrote: Honestly, I don't hate the Disney inserts; it's a publicity stunt Once did to try to get more viewers. It didn't work permanently so it tried to change it to Once Upon a Captain Swan, which failed as well. They seem to be driving it back to a Regina-centric season now, and while that'll enrage the antis, Regina's a fairly popular character that might be the thing to save the writers the small viewership they still have. I'm praying we go back full force to the 5 mark on the show viewership. I'm like the opposite in parts. I hate the Disney Inserts because that shows no originality (especially when the show is all about twists and then they refuse to twist those particular characters). I respect it as a decent business move, however.

I would agree that they tried to win over the younger crowd (or their key demo) with the Disney insertion of those popular and recent characters, but Frozen led to mild success and nothing significant for the others (aka Merida). I think that's also why the Hook/Emma relationship has been pushed hard because that's a teen draw. Not that they are only important to teens, but that's why we see Hook a lot more even when he isn't doing anything, him being super angsty, and Emma being a "90s female character" (Nostalgia Critic defined that character as a strong, independent woman who secretly is a sad little bunny rabbit that wants someone to hold her and love her"). Plus, we can see how simplistic their relationship sort of is, but that could just be writing.

Regina is fairly popular and I expect it to do well, even though the viewership of the whole ABC Network has drastically dropped. Everyone loves a good villain XD. As long as we don't get the atrocious, campy EQ.

In terms of campy, cheesy, (not at all serious), the seasons surely go:

(most cringy and campy) 4a> 4b >> 5a > 5b =3b > 3a > 2 > 1 (most bleak and less kid-humor)