Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25926288-20170501005830/@comment-25926288-20170501143812

Esk's Grade Report for the episode "The Black Fairy".

Plot ( 2 of 3)

Overall, solid.

o Mythos being explored, but there are many gaps with unanswered questions. The backstory was solid, however, seems a tad rushed when its setup for the totality of the story thus far. (My personal subjective note: It's like when Apprentice Man was like "Merlin tethered the Darkness to a human soul, the first Dark One." However, it was not the case. Most shows are "true, until proven otherwise", but this show makes so many characters say false things.)

++ Present day was an example of a solid storyline with time to balance other previous storyline and bring up many plot-related questions, like "Maybe we should have a safe word?" Plus, a merging of flashback with the dream world and memory-sharing was a neat and new way to present information.

Character ( 3.5 of 4)

+ Rumple, Gideon, Emma: A neat display of how common these characters are and the relationships between them.

+ Fiona: Ambiguously developed. She chose power over fate. She was a new mother told that her son will die. She was ambitious and actively tried to prevent it. Current day, she seems to utilize manipulation, whether true or not, to sway Rumple. If it's truly manipulation with a hint of emotion, then it's well-played.

+ Everybody else. Felt like a town filled with clashing fairytales into the real world once again. Zelena running into Black, while it was clear that Regina and Black were fighting amidst mild traffic (background).

- Belle seems to get the short stick, despite her role in Gideon and Rumple's life. She displays her hesitation nicely, but she then goes to her one-note "I see the man behind the beast" character.

General Consensus ( 1.5 out of 2)

- It appears to be received pretty well, with the leaps of story aside.

Balance (1 of 1)

- Intensity was moderately placed, with key angst moments and nice, humorous moments.

Overall Score: 8 out of 10, or a B, or a solid episode. (Maybe an 8.5, but the mythos was clogged, yet thin.0