Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-4962906-20151023123622/@comment-24674051-20151024180642

Going back to the original question. I am personally liking this season much better than season 4. I think the overall storytelling (from what has been seen) is better, and more coherant. and, given some of the inherant flaws in the show, the overall flow has been better. They've had better character defining moments this time around.

Once does have a problem in that they have felt it necessary to constantly weave in and out different characters. In this sense, it is a bit of an unusual show. Most scripted TV shows that I am familiar with will focus on the core cast, bring in a guest star for one, or maybe 2 episodes, spend very little time on background except as it relates to the core cast, and then they are done.

Once does story arcs, and they try to bring in different characters from the new stories, while still maintaining a core cast. This is where I think everyone complains. We are vested in the core, so we want more of them. Then after a few episodes, we start to become vested in the new characters, only to have them disappear once the current arc is done. The story within each arc is therefore rushed from trying to fit too much into 11 episodes, and at the same time the story between arcs is very disjointed. That has nothing to do with this season, but with the overall concept of the show.

So, yes, I am impressed by this season (I did not come in with high expectations), But I think there is a lot of room to grow. and it might do the show good to go one arc without ANY guest stars, and just focus on the main cast they have (including Sean and Bex).