Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25926288-20170419212817

About narrative flow, of course. More so this season and even more so this half, I feel that the the narrative flow is unsettling at times. In other words, you can really tell that someone else is writing the episode. I know how Jane described the writing process and it explains why such a thing as this happens, but it feels more jarring this season. I'll give examples.

EX 1. (604) has Rumple threaten Belle after trapping her. (607) has Rumple tell Belle that he's afraid. (608) has Rumple entrap Belle and threaten her. (609) has Rumple threaten her, but Belle tells him of the good in him, but they are on bad terms.

That's pretty jarring. It was okay Rumple, then bad Rumple, then okay Rumple, then bad Rumple. It's as if the general idea was Rumple is tempted to change fate, but Belle wants nothing to do with him...but something was lost in translation.

EX 2. (609) has Regina refuse to forgive Zelena. (613) has Zelena working with Robin behind Regina's back. (614) has Zelena as an unwilling snark. (617) has Zelena working together with Regina, without any clue as to what has occured between them.

That's not as bad, but they should have kept Zelena somewhat unwilling or uncooperative until she and Regina made amends. This sort of paints Zelena as a casual person who has nothing better to do.

Other examples, include Rumple and Belle simply not being involved from 614 to 616, in which Gideon sent Hook away, betrayed Emma, in which Rumple and Belle were like "What? Really?! WE will be there for our son...unlike now." So, that could ahve been just due to availability rather than writing.

Each season post 1 has been an experiment of sorts and this was one that is mini arcs dispersed between two regular villain arcs. (Mini Arc- Hyde, Mini-Arc-Jafar, Main Arc-EQ, Main Arc-Black/Saviorology)

(NOTE: If you rewatch episodes often as I do to review them, be warned that the dialogue may end up killing you from the cringy execution or repetitiveness.) 