This week, I finally finished watching season five of the Once Upon a Time TV series. I was quite surprised I actually managed to make it this far. Perhaps I have to attribute it to the fact that I finally sat down (or stood up) to hook up my TV in the bedroom after moving to this apartment since August and wanted to watch something.
Now I don’t consider myself to be one of their targeted core audience of the series. The only reason I started watching it was because it is one of the rare shows that I’m able to leave playing in the background without having to wreck my brain trying to understand and follow the plot. And well, rare for a TV series made in this time and age, the violence level is laughable so I’m able to stomach it.
I first heard about the series from my old housemate who started watching it sometime back in 2014. Shortly after that, I moved to Toronto for a new job and lo and behold, my job responsibilities had changed and I actually had time to do my things after work. Since it’s been ages since I had free time to burn, I ended up browsing online around for random shows to fill my time.
I came across Once Upon A Time and recalled watching the show over my housemate’s shoulder, so I decided to check it out. The story premise was good enough that I kept going and … going. Before I knew it, it was mid season 4 and I guess over the course of perhaps quite a few months, I finally made it to season 4.
But with all the near deaths (or more accurately, dead then actually was alive again), heart wrenching moments (literally), crazy turnabout plot devices and just general insanity, I was literally walking around the apartment and doing stuff while the show ran in the background because it just got BORING because we were going in circles. No one seem to be able to die in this show.
Finally, around mid-season 4, I officially stopped watching because well, I don’t even recall what was going on anymore.
Then a year passed.
One day, I was back to a state of boredom and somehow, the show appeared on my Netflix dashboard. After browsing some news sites, I discovered that the show was into season six! To be honest, I did enjoy the original show premise but I had expected it to have ended sometime ago.
I randomly picked up from an episode in season 4 … and before I knew it, a few weeks had passed and I finished season 5.
What a surprise. In fact, I found myself enjoying season 5 even if I had to switch off the TV a few times (it was bedtime anyway) when the actors spouted some seriously cheesy lines. I mean, it was so bad I figured I didn’t want to have to get out of bed just to puke over the toilet. Oh, and let’s not forget the angst.
But the pacing was a little more decent this time around because the story line was dark enough to keep my interest and I think some of the lead actors really shined through in talent this season.
Even so, it is quite frustrating when you’ve finally figured everything out and the writer decides to hit a ball through the glass window. It’s as if the writers of the show just wants to prove that they are smarter than you and screaming “You don’t know anything!” as they tear apart all semblance of sanity in this show.
To be honest, I have downloaded several episodes of season 6 with the intention of watching them. However, I think the best approach to “enjoy” this show is just to wait until the season is over and maybe a little more time to settle the stomach before binging on the series.