Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-24386552-20161217174626/@comment-25926288-20161218003632

I'll try not to ask too many questions in attempt to persuade others that "It's not that bad". XD

Top 5: It's really hard to do because I love season 1 as a whole, but not much runs into my head as top 5. Although I'd say objectively it was better than practically anything else.

With no order, they are:

- Pilot (Sort of basic, but genuinely good set up)

- A Curious Thing: Deserves more than a side-note. Snow and David's chemistry was the highest of all time in the show. I never saw more passionate love ever. I was thinking to just cave into shipping and ship them (but I stay away from such things). The Crocodile and some others really show Rumple and Belle's love and passionate acting, but it comes second to Snow and David. True Love was so strong that it was punching me in the face multiple times. They never get much but when they are given something, even in Heartless, their true love shines through and above all else. That makes most of the episode for me, forget all else.

- The Queen is Dead (Delicious Cora villainy and sorrow and shifts. Cora's backstory leaves a bit to be desired, but this episode creates a good set-up for that backstory.)

- Going Home: Season 3 is when I feel that was the last time character was chosen over plot. Since then, plot and DDI have run rampant. Not that it was all bad, but it's always going to be compared to character which is the significant other. This episode had "the feels" and if the show ended there, it would be the most perfect bittersweet moment. It has been the only finale (coupled with 3B somewhat) that felt as though it could be the end. Every other finale now seems like a random side-story that starts the next arc and season and sidelines key character insight.

- The Return: Rumple. Rumple. Baelfire and Rumple. Nuff said.

I tend to value character insight over character moments. Seeing what the character actually is going through and feels is far greater than a hypeful moment that's great acting and intense. Example, Skin Deep's "Who could ever love me?" hits harder than when Rumple says it Operation Mongoose. You know why? Because in Skin Deep, it was insight to Rumple's complex character, while the other times it's a retread that makes for a good moment. All beautifully acted by Robert Carlyle, but can't change how things are.

So, my least favorite are kind of the exact opposite. There might be character moments which are sort of good actingwise, but the bigger thing is plot and the retroactive continuity.

The first two are the top worst ones of all time.

1. Swan Song: It had a retconny flashback and a quick, unsatisfying conclusion. Forget the terrible backstory for a moment. Hook has a last second realization that is not earned. "Oh, Killian saw how Emma was hurting!" That makes no difference because he was hurting Emma emotionally. (For some reason the witers seem to forget that hurting people emotionally still means that you are hurting them). The worst part is Nimue prefaces Hook's "change" with saying how "I can't kill you Emma and all I'm doing really is slowing you down". Hook was not seeing Emma in mortal danger. He saw Emma emotionally hurt and her family in mortal danger but there was no change. So, seeing Emma physcially being pestered by a choke that really just annoys her is a stupid way to hinge Hook's change on. I know it's cheesy, but stick a flash-summary of the times he has hurt Emma and fighting the Darkness than a change.

But don't forget the retconny backstory and almost as bad as the character....a vial of magic. There are contrivances and macguffins on the show that I will wholeheartedly pardon if the writers go bakc in time and change that. That was the laziest way I have ever seen anything be done. I've seen characters not know someplace they should with "they redecorated", even though nothing changed but one small detail. But this holds the cake because it just doesn't even seem like they tried. I'd take a convenient spell or a vial of magic that was an ornate bottle and called "Liquid from the Giving Tree" over a transparent "vial of magic". It's like they had Rumple grab a glass of water from Granny and somehow got all the powers of everything.

2. Street Rats. This was the cheapest, tryhard-iest episode I ever did see. This episode seemed like they tried, but with as little conceptual thought put into it. I don't like to insult anyone, but I couldn't take the sort of rip off final battle in the flashback. It felt random and forced. It did not fit. Why would Jafar randomly put Jasmine in a jar in front of no opposition? This guy kills people! Why would he think "I'll put Jasmine in an hourgalss that isn't full because I don't believe Aladdin will come as I have just said"? Other than that, Jafar as well as the EQ in general were too much the Omniscient Villain. Rumple can spout exposition because he sees the future and has lived for centuries. Jafar can't do this because he clearly just was introduced to this a few moments ago.

3-5. Give or take any thing that doesn't fit. The worst episodes will generally be an episode that I feel completely indifferent towards. If it doesn't entertain me or enrage me, then its probably never going to watched again in my rewatches.