Once Upon a Time Season 1 | |
---|---|
Season 1 | |
No. of episodes | 22 |
Release | |
Original network | ABC |
Original release | October 23, 2011 (2011-10-23) – May 13, 2012 (2012-05-13) |
Season chronology | |
Next → | |
List of episodes |
The first season of the ABC television series Once Upon a Time premiered on October 23, 2011 and concluded on May 13, 2012. The series is created by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. The series centers on the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke, and the Evil Queen's (Lana Parilla) plot to disrupt others' lives so she can be the only one with a happy ending.
Once Upon a Time's first season received "generally favorable" reviews from critics. Metacritic gave it a score of 66 out of 100 based on 26 reviews.[2] Washington Post's Hank Stuever called the series "a smartly-crafted reward for fans of light fantasy, with the right mix of cleverness, action and romance."[3] Verne Gay of Newsday said the series "glows with a near-theatrical shine, challenging viewers to think about TV drama as something other than boilerplate."[4]
The pilot episode was watched by 12.93 million viewers and achieved an adult 18-49 rating/share of 4.0/10.[5] Those numbers dipped late in the season to a series low of 8.36 million viewers and a 2.8/8 adult 18-49 rating/share in April 2012,[6] but rebounded slightly for the season finale with 9.66 million viewers and a 3.3/10 adult 18-49 rating/share.[7]
The show is based on the theory that there is an alternate universe where every classic fairy tale character exists - a world that has a loose connection to Our World. On the night of her 28th birthday, bail bonds collector Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) is reunited with Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) - the son she gave up for adoption ten years ago - and takes him back to his hometown of Storybrooke, Maine - a place where nothing is what it seems.
Henry has in his possession a large book of fairytales and is convinced that Emma is the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas) – who sent her away so she would be protected from a powerful curse enacted by the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla), a curse in which she is the only one with a happy ending. It's because of the curse that everyone in Storybrooke is frozen in time with no memories of their former selves - except for the Queen, who is Storybrooke's mayor and Henry's adoptive mother Regina Mills. Emma refuses to believe a word of Henry's "theory" and returns Henry home, but then decides to remain in the New England town...and causes the hands of the Clock Tower to move for the first time in 28 years.
It's soon revealed that Snow and Charming - concerned for the safety of their unborn child - went to seek advice from the imprisoned trickster Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle), who told them their only hope is the child, who will return on her 28th birthday and begin "The Final Battle". The child, an infant girl, is born on the day the Queen enacts her curse and is placed in a wardrobe carved out of an enchanted tree - which takes the child to Our World, the child who is now Emma Swan.
As Emma stays in Storybrooke and soon becomes Sheriff following the sudden death of Sheriff Graham (Jamie Dornan), Regina's antagonistic attitude raises her suspicions and prompt her to move in with Henry's teacher Mary Margaret Blanchard - who is really her mother Snow White. Regina's bitter rivalry with Storybrooke's wealthiest resident Mr. Gold becomes heated when she learns he is aware of his true identity as Rumplestiltskin and Mary Margaret falls in love with David Nolan, a patient awake after being in a coma who is in reality Emma's father Prince Charming. David however is married to Kathryn Nolan, the woman who was his ex-fiancee Princess Abigail - daughter to King Midas. David and Mary Margaret begin a secret relationship, unable to deny their love any longer, that becomes public and upsets Kathryn.
Kathryn eventually decides to go to Boston and let David be with Mary Margaret - only to disappear before leaving Storybrooke, due to an effect of the Curse being no one can leave. Some time later an antique jewelry box - which belonged to Mary Margaret when she was a child - is found buried near the old Toll Bridge and is revealed to contain a human heart which is proven to be Kathryn's via DNA testing. Mary Margaret is arrested for Kathryn's supposed murder and is about to be prosecuted by corrupt District Attorney Albert Spencer (Alan Dale) when Kathryn is found alive in an alley. She reveals that someone abducted her and held her captive in a basement for several days but she managed to escape. When corrupt Daily Mirror chief editor Sidney Glass (Giancarlo Esposito) confesses to having abducted Kathryn in order to jump-start his career, Emma is not convinced and comes to the conclusion that Regina orchestrated the conspiracy.
Emma soon discovers that writer August W. Booth (Eion Bailey), who is the first stranger ever to arrive in town after she did, is from the Other World and that he is Pinocchio, who was sent to Our World through the same wardrobe that brought Emma to watch over her. But he abandoned her out of fear and is slowly turning back into a wooden puppet. Emma then makes an attempt to take Henry out of Storybrooke forever, but is then forced to reconsider when he refuses to go. Emma makes a deal with Regina in which she leaves but still visits Henry on occasion.
But Emma is unaware that Regina is aware of her true identity and has retrieved her Poisoned Apple - the same one she used on Snow White - in order to use it on Emma in the form of an apple turnover. Henry then takes a bite of the turnover and proves to Emma the Curse is real. She is then forced to forge an alliance with Regina and retrieves Rumpelstiltskin's True Love Potion only to have Mr. Gold steal it. Henry is then pronounced dead. Emma tells Henry that she loves him and kisses him. The kiss wakes Henry up and breaks the curse on Storybrooke. The force of the true love's kiss reaches David, just before as he leaves Storybrooke. He returns to find Mary Margaret on the street, wondering what just happened. When they each other, they remember each other, calling each other Snow White and Charming. However, Gold drops the bottle of true love into a well that restores what is lost. He explains that he is bringing magic back to Storybrooke. As the cloud engulfs Storybrooke, Emma asks Henry what the cloud is and Henry says, "Something bad." Regina is seen looking outside of Henry's window smiling at what is happening. Snow White and Prince Charming kiss each other before the cloud reaches them.
Once Upon a Time is created and produced by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. In addition, Jane Espenson, Steve Pearlman, Kathy Gilroy, Damon Lindelof, and Brian Wankum are also producers. Liz Tigelaar also serve as series executive producers. Paul Kurta, Chad Oakes, Mike Frislev are producers, while Jordan Feiner and Keri Young are associate producers. Writers for season one episodes include: Kitsis, Horowitz, Espenson, Liz Tigelaar, David H. Goodman, Andrew Chambliss, and Ian Goldberg, with Daniel T. Thomsen writing an episode teleplay.
No. | # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (million) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Mark Mylod | Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz | October 23, 2011 (2011-10-23) | 12.93[5] |
2 | 2 | "The Thing You Love Most" | Greg Beeman | Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz | October 30, 2011 (2011-10-30) | 11.74[8] |
3 | 3 | "Snow Falls" | Dean White | Liz Tigelaar | November 6, 2011 (2011-11-06) | 11.45[9] |
4 | 4 | "The Price of Gold" | David Solomon | David H. Goodman | November 13, 2011 (2011-11-13) | 11.36[10] |
5 | 5 | "That Still Small Voice" | Paul Edwards | Jane Espenson | November 27, 2011 (2011-11-27) | 10.69[11] |
6 | 6 | "The Shepherd" | Victor Nelli | Andrew Chambliss & Ian Goldberg | December 4, 2011 (2011-12-04) | 9.66[12] |
7 | 7 | "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" | David M. Barrett | Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz | December 11, 2011 (2011-12-11) | 8.92[13] |
8 | 8 | "Desperate Souls" | Michael Waxman | Jane Espenson | January 8, 2012 (2012-01-08) | 10.35[14] |
9 | 9 | "True North" | Dean White | David H. Goodman & Liz Tigelaar | January 15, 2012 (2012-01-15) | 9.83[15] |
10 | 10 | "7:15 A.M." | Ralph Hemecker | Story by: Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz Teleplay by: Daniel T. Thomsen | January 22, 2012 (2012-01-22) | 9.33[16] |
11 | 11 | "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree" | Bryan Spicer | Ian Goldberg & Andrew Chambliss | January 29, 2012 (2012-01-29) | 10.91[17] |
12 | 12 | "Skin Deep" | Milan Cheylov | Jane Espenson | February 12, 2012 (2012-02-12) | 8.65[18] |
13 | 13 | "What Happened to Frederick" | Dean White | David H. Goodman | February 19, 2012 (2012-02-19) | 9.84[19] |
14 | 14 | "Dreamy" | David Solomon | Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz | March 4, 2012 (2012-03-04) | 10.67[20] |
15 | 15 | "Red-Handed" | Ron Underwood | Jane Espenson | March 11, 2012 (2012-03-11) | 9.29[21] |
16 | 16 | "Heart of Darkness" | Dean White | Andrew Chambliss & Ian Goldberg | March 18, 2012 (2012-03-18) | 8.69[22] |
17 | 17 | "Hat Trick" | Ralph Hemecker | Vladimir Cvetko & David H. Goodman | March 25, 2012 (2012-03-25) | 8.82[23] |
18 | 18 | "The Stable Boy" | Dean White | Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz | April 1, 2012 (2012-04-01) | 8.36[6] |
19 | 19 | "The Return" | Paul Edwards | Jane Espenson | April 22, 2012 (2012-04-22) | 9.08[24] |
20 | 20 | "The Stranger" | Gwyneth Horder-Payton | Ian Goldberg & Andrew Chambliss | April 29, 2012 (2012-04-29) | 9.20[25] |
21 | 21 | "An Apple Red as Blood" | Milan Cheylov | Jane Espenson & David H. Goodman | May 6, 2012 (2012-05-06) | 8.95[26] |
22 | 22 | "A Land Without Magic" | Dean White | Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz | May 13, 2012 (2012-05-13) | 9.66[7] |
No. | Title | Air date | 18–49 rating | Viewers (millions) |
Weekly rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Pilot" | October 23, 2011 (2011-10-23) | 4.0 | 12.93 | #13[5] |
2 | "The Thing You Love Most" | October 30, 2011 (2011-10-30) | 3.9 | 11.74 | #18[27] |
3 | "Snow Falls" | November 6, 2011 (2011-11-06) | 3.8 | 11.45 | #24[28] |
4 | "The Price of Gold" | November 13, 2011 (2011-11-13) | 3.8 | 11.36 | #18[29] |
5 | "That Still Small Voice" | November 27, 2011 (2011-11-27) | 3.4 | 10.69 | #14[30] |
6 | "The Shepherd" | December 4, 2011 (2011-12-04) | 3.2 | 9.66 | #21[31] |
7 | "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" | December 11, 2011 (2011-12-11) | 2.9 | 8.91 | #25[32] |
8 | "Desperate Souls" | January 8, 2012 (2012-01-08) | 3.7 | 10.35 | #18[33] |
9 | "True North" | January 15, 2012 (2012-01-15) | 3.3 | 9.83 | #18[34] |
10 | "7:15 A.M." | January 22, 2012 (2012-01-22) | 3.2 | 9.33 | #24[35] |
11 | "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree" | January 29, 2012 (2012-01-29) | 3.5 | 10.91 | #14[36] |
12 | "Skin Deep" | February 12, 2012 (2012-02-12) | 3.0 | 8.65 | #20[37] |
13 | "What Happened to Frederick" | February 19, 2012 (2012-02-19) | 3.1 | 9.84 | #23[38] |
14 | "Dreamy" | March 4, 2012 (2012-03-04) | 3.4 | 10.67 | #16[39] |
15 | "Red-Handed" | March 11, 2012 (2012-03-11) | 2.9 | 9.29 | #18[40] |
16 | "Heart of Darkness" | March 18, 2012 (2012-03-18) | 2.9 | 8.69 | #18[41] |
17 | "Hat Trick" | March 25, 2012 (2012-03-25) | 2.9 | 8.82 | #14[42] |
18 | "The Stable Boy" | April 1, 2012 (2012-04-01) | 2.8 | 8.36 | #25[6] |
19 | "The Return" | April 22, 2012 (2012-04-22) | 3.0 | 9.08 | #18[43] |
20 | "The Stranger" | April 29, 2012 (2012-04-29) | 3.0 | 9.20 | #17[44] |
21 | "An Apple Red as Blood" | May 6, 2012 (2012-05-06) | 3.0 | 8.94 | N/A |
22 | "A Land Without Magic" | May 13, 2012 (2012-05-13) | 3.3 | 9.66 | #24[7] |
No. | Title | Air date | 18–49 rating increase | Viewers (millions) increase |
Total 18-49 | Total viewers (millions) |
Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Pilot" | October 23, 2011 (2011-10-23) | 1.2 | 2.54 | 5.2 | 15.48 | [45] |
2 | "The Thing You Love Most" | October 30, 2011 (2011-10-30) | 1.1 | 2.36 | 5.0 | 14.10 | [46] |
3 | "Snow Falls" | November 6, 2011 (2011-11-06) | 1.0 | 2.62 | 4.8 | 14.07 | [47] |
4 | "The Price of Gold" | November 13, 2011 (2011-11-13) | 1.1 | 2.54 | 4.9 | 13.90 | [48] |
5 | "That Still Small Voice" | November 27, 2011 (2011-11-27) | 1.1 | 2.56 | 4.5 | 13.24 | [49] |
6 | "The Shepherd" | December 4, 2011 (2011-12-04) | 1.0 | 2.43 | 4.2 | 12.08 | [50] |
7 | "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" | December 11, 2011 (2011-12-11) | 1.2 | 2.72 | 4.1 | 11.64 | [51] |
8 | "Desperate Souls" | January 8, 2012 (2012-01-08) | 1.3 | 2.86 | 5.0 | 13.21 | [52] |
9 | "True North" | January 15, 2012 (2012-01-15) | 1.4 | 2.99 | 4.7 | 12.82 | [53] |
10 | "7:15 A.M." | January 22, 2012 (2012-01-22) | 1.3 | 2.99 | 4.5 | 12.32 | [54] |
11 | "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree" | January 29, 2012 (2012-01-29) | 1.2 | 2.56 | 4.7 | 13.47 | [55] |
12 | "Skin Deep" | February 12, 2012 (2012-02-12) | 1.3 | 2.99 | 4.3 | 11.64 | [56] |
13 | "What Happened to Frederick" | February 19, 2012 (2012-02-19) | 1.1 | 2.61 | 4.2 | 12.45 | [57] |
14 | "Dreamy" | March 4, 2012 (2012-03-04) | 1.2 | 2.55 | 4.6 | 13.21 | [58] |
15 | "Red-Handed" | March 11, 2012 (2012-03-11) | 1.1 | 2.63 | 4.0 | 11.92 | [59] |
16 | "Heart of Darkness" | March 18, 2012 (2012-03-18) | 1.1 | 2.27 | 4.0 | 10.96 | [60] |
17 | "Hat Trick" | March 25, 2012 (2012-03-25) | 1.1 | 2.38 | 4.0 | 11.20 | [61] |
18 | "The Stable Boy" | April 1, 2012 (2012-04-01) | 1.0 | 2.31 | 3.8 | 10.67 | [62] |
19 | "The Return" | April 22, 2012 (2012-04-22) | 1.0 | 2.51 | 4.0 | 11.59 | [63] |
20 | "The Stranger" | April 29, 2012 (2012-04-29) | 0.9 | 2.10 | 3.9 | 11.29 | |
21 | "An Apple Red as Blood" | May 6, 2012 (2012-05-06) | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | |
22 | "A Land Without Magic" | May 13, 2012 (2012-05-13) | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Several feminist outlets were pleased with the show for its feminist twist on fairy tales. Avital Norman Nathman of Bitch stated that she liked the show for "infusing a feminist sensibility" into the stories.[65] Feministing's Genie Leslie commented that Emma was a "badass", that she liked how Emma was "very adamant that women be able to make their own decisions about their lives and their children", and how Emma was a "well-rounded" character who was "feminine, but not 'girly'".[66] Natalie Wilson from Ms. praised the show for a strong, "kick-butt" female lead, for including multiple strong women who take turns doing the saving with the men, for subverting the fetishization of true love, and for dealing with the idea of what makes a mother in a more nuanced fashion. Wilson went on to state about the lead: "Her pursuit of a 'happy ending' is not about finding a man or going to a ball all gussied up, but about detective work, about building a relationship with her son Henry, and about seeking the 'truth' as to why time stands still in the corrupt Storybrooke world.[67]
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