Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25926288-20151120143743/@comment-26159109-20151121153510

CoolDudeAl wrote: Eskaver wrote: Correct with Farerb. If you are going to do 11-episode arcs then the story should be concise because it's not really going to be continued. How do I know? Well, they do it every half season. Every half-season is like a partially self-contained arc.

If you think anyone here is complaining, then you need to update your lexicon. Not as an insult, but voicing a complaint is perfectly vaild and "complaining" has a negative connotation making it seems like some are whining that the story isn't direct and clear when it has only 11 episodes.......

Once has all those things you mention CoolDude, but the use of them is the important part.

One of the major things I mentioned isn't the side characters or the subplots because there aren't subplots! There is only a plot in a half. Dark Swan stuff and then Zelena's baby. I frankly think you are being liberal with "plots".

Main topic of the thread is plot points and development consistency. A character doesn't need to develop fully in a short period of time, but many of the characters are relatively stagnant.

Let's take Regina as an example. What has she learned or developed since 5x02,? If you can find something, tell me if it was learned previously to 5x03. Then you get my point. Regina besides 5x02 has been standing around being partially self-aware and partially blaming others and tons of one-liners like she's some comedian. That's not the characer development that a major character deserves.

Let's take the new recruits of Robin and Zelena. Zelena had a tad of character development as wanting her baby and it went throughout the course of the halfseason, but she has progressed somewhere. Robin on the other hand has done absolutely nothing.

Let's discuss Belle and Henry. Well, now let's move on to Belle (because Henry hasn't undergone any development, because a first date doesn't count when it's just a glorified plot device and not addressed.) Belle was seen caring for a dying Rumple, wondering if she wants to re-explore their relationship and..........well, that's where we left off.

Snow and David were supposedly having different plans on how to save Emma and take an active role.........and they sit on the sidelines and contribute very little to the rescue of their daughter. Whose daughter? THEIR DAUGHTER! IF anyone should get some limelight, it's David and Snow and while they get a little, Hook's angst drowns all. Emma sole care is a plot device and a man with a Hook. Emma never discusses her parents and they really haven't had a character moment sense episode 3-4 and haven't even had a conversation since episode 2.

Hook's had some I guess. But I can't really sense much over all this angst and anger.

Rumple did one heroic act and .........well, it's better than most others.

Arthur had a little, more than most, but he sort of fell into crazy guy really quickly. Gwen and Lance have absolutely nothing.

Merida learned the same lesson twice. I guess you can say we learned that Merida isn't that brave, but more so hot-headed. Must be the hair!

Emma has had the most as it should, but she's the Eiffel tower to their cardboard boxes. I don't know, I think if you try hard enough, you can find flaws in every tv show (and even more generally, every work of fiction). But the question is, does picking something apart and finding flaws make it more enjoyable to you? If the answer is yes, then that's fine, but I personally don't find that enjoyment in doing so, and so try to either find reasons that explain the "flaws", or just ignore them entirely. The thing is that we don't really try that hard to find the flaws of Once Upon A Time. They might as well hold a sign that says " This is wrong" or "Plot Hole" or "Retcon" and so on...