Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-4962906-20151023123622/@comment-26159109-20151024192202

Hmcooper4 wrote: 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). I think this season and 4B are great example of why the 11 episode arc doesn't work. They want to introduce new characters, they want us to feel something for these characters and be done with them after a short time. Take Cruella for instance, she might have been hilarious, but I honestly didn't care for her or what will happen with her. Same with the Camelot characters, they are not interesting and I don't care what will happen with them cause I already know that after 511 they'll be gone and forgotten about. If they have a story to tell, then they should just let the story be played out regardless of the episodes, Camelot has enough material for a whole season, but they just forced everything because they don't have the patient to wait a little longer to introduce the next 11-episodes-only characters, which is dumb and feels really forced.