Plot: What’s it about?
Once Upon a Time follows stories in two locales, some tales in the modern day town of Storybrooke and others in the magical world of Fairy Tale Land. Of course, the worlds sometimes cross over and the mystical characters within Fairy Tale Land often seek to cross over into the real world of Storybrooke. In this second season, we watch as new rivalries are sparked, unexpected bonds are forged, and old grudges surface once again. Emma continues to grow into her role as a powerful princess, a love triangle blossoms, and Captain Hook plays spoiler when Rumplestiltskin reunites with a once lost love. In addition to the continuance of these stories, new characters come in and out of the worlds, while some familiar ones have their pasts revealed more than ever before. As good and evil push forward in a timeless, endless battle, so do these characters try to march on with their lives. But by the end of this second season, who will find themselves out in the cold and who will emerge triumphant?
The first season of Once Upon a Time was a lot of fun, the kind of show you could burn through an entire season of in a weekend. A kind of fairy tale soap opera, the show boasted a large cast and some great performances, as well as some wicked webs of deception, betrayal, and all the other soap opera style drama elements. But don’t think that comparing this show to a soap opera is a bad thing, as that only references the constant drama, twists, and shocks. The writing in is leagues better than any soap opera and the performances are excellent, so all the drama and none of the ham fisted soap opera elements. Some of the plot lines work better than others of course, but odds are you’ll find some characters you’ll want to follow. That is one of the big benefits of such a large, varied crew of characters. This second season is just as addictive as the first, perhaps even more so. I scorched through this set in no time, eager to find out what twists and turns lurked just ahead. So if you love a good drama filled show or are already a fan of this series, this second season is well worth picking up.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in 1.78:1 widescreen. This show looks superb. The level of detail is stunning, with so much depth, you can detect even the most obscure facial textures. This is the kind of visual depth that makes HD so awesome, a three dimensional quality with remarkable detail. The colors are natural in scope and contrast is even handed, which is good news. Simply put, this series looks superb in this release.
Audio: How does it sound?
This show provides a lot of depth, even in the more reserved scenes. The magical landscape comes alive in the surrounds, making the show feel like it is real and in the moment. More power kicks in when needed, as well as added presence when the tension ratchets up as it often does. The vocals are crystal clear here, so not a single line is missed. And the music is lively as well, so this mix hits all the right marks. This release also includes English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The extras include audio commentaries, deleted scenes, bloopers, Good Morning Storybrooke segments, and some behind the scenes featurettes.
