Once Upon a Fangirl...: Selfess, Brave & True

I really didn't like this episode when it first came out up to the point that I didn't even do a proper recap & I named it my number one worst season 2 episode in my list a couple of years ago! If I can be very honest, it was mostly because the fans thought it was the worst, but watching it again, I can actually understand why! The problems in this are almost impossible to write down & it's downright bizarre. The way they handled August was unforgiveable cos he was such a complex & interesting character to know & sympathize with & for them (well, he is returning in the second half of season 4, so maybe it can be forgiven depending on when we'll see him in the show's timeline)! It doesn't really help that Eion Bailey sounds like he really doesn't give a crap & sounds monotone or hams it up throughout, the dialogue that he's given is really cheesy or that the awful CGI on the wood gives him a really creepy uncanny valley look! Anyway, may as well get on with what I thought about the tone because my god, it's way too serious for a fun fairytale show! It all really fails because what was great about the first season (and seasons 3 & 4) was that they balanced the fun, heartfelt & serious moments yet this episode just feels so out of place & any attempts at heartfelt moments really fail! As for Tamara, there is absolutely NOTHING I like about her! Not only is the dialogue that she's given is absolute drivel, but her backstory with lying about cancer & working with some sort of 'Home Office' just made her one dimensional, non threatening & easily the worst villain in the show alongside Greg. And I am not blaming Sonequa Martin-Green at all! If anything, she's doing her best to try & make her threatening, but Tamara herself is just so pathetic & cliched, that she really really fails as a villain. And the fact that she's having a thing with Greg just makes them even more pathetic & stupid. The rest of the characters felt like cardboard cutouts of themselves with no development besides the whole situation with Mary Margaret & her blackening heart quickly being resolved thanks to some sweet choice of words by her husband while Emma & Henry just stated the obvious, Regina was just back to being creepy & Mr Gold wasn't in it at all, so his subplot with Belle's amnesia was put to the side again! The flashbacks would've been more interesting if they hadn't felt so pointless & the writing was very contrived & it was a shame about the Dragon being killed off after one episode because it would've been interesting to see other kinds of magical characters in our world & not connected to any of the characters in Storybrooke besides August & Tamara!
Anyway, rewatching this makes me understand more about why I put this at number one because with silly & contrived writing, awful dialogue, horrible CGI, boring characters & a jarring tone compared to the rest of the episodes, it's no surpise that this is considered one of the worst episodes of the show (well, my personal worst is different, but we don't need to go into that!)

Well, at least they chose somewhere with a 12 hour time difference to co-operate with the 8:15 in Storybrooke!

OK...

I get David wants to do something nice, but Emma's right that they need to stop throwing a pity party & let her accept what she's done!

N'aww!

OK, bringing your fiance to a place filled with magical fairytale characters definitely wasn't the brightest idea!

Interesting way to vent out your anger: doing archery while listening to Joan Jett!

God, the CGI makes him look so creepy!

EWW! Pretty extreme way of trying to prove your leg is wood!

Bit weird the Thai characters have American accents when speaking English...and rather convenient that he knows someone who can help with August's situation!

1) Kinda sad he wanted Emma & Neal back together 2) For once Mary Margaret's got a point he needs to stop feeling sorry for himself & 3) GOD, that CGI is still so creepy!

Very very awkward lunch...

OK, surely she'd think he was crazy talking about being from a world full of fairytales. Bless Neal for trying though!

Bit of a weird personality change being a clingy bitch when talking about Emma!

OK, pretty contrived that they've met & happen to be in Storybrooke at the same time!

Bit weird she thinks she recognises him despite not seeing him for 20 years!

'If I were you, I'd try the fish special. It's right up your alley! Blackened sole.' Could that potshot be any more obvious?!

Note to self: don't trust Mary Margaret with keeping secrets!

Well, he's very interesting given he's not from the Enchanted Forest & knew August was Pinocchio!

Pretty big sacrifice given the sentimental value of it!

Still very contrived that they know each other...

Why the hell would you leave a bundle of money out in the open when he would obviously steal it?!

Feeling guilty now, aren't ya August?

Poor August!

OK, I didn't need to see his creepy CGI eyes close-up!

What makes you think you can dominate someone's life while being in Storybrooke for about 5 minutes?! Oh yeah, and great, she's now acting like the most obvious villain on the planet!