Snow Falls is a bit dry, but really grew on me over time.
ENCHANTED FOREST SYNOPSIS
Prince Charming's carriage is ambushed by a rogue thief named Snow White. She steals away with his family jewels (most notably his wedding ring), forcing Charming to pursue her until she reveals that she sold the ring to trolls in order to escape the tyrant Evil Queen. Charming and Snow team up to get the ring back, starting their famous romance.
STORYBROOKE SYNOPSIS
Henry persuades Snow White to read to the comatose Charming, hoping to jog their memories. Charming disappears shortly after, and Snow leads the pursuit to find him, motivated by the potential of true love.
ANALYSIS
I must admit it didn't really hold my attention for the first half or so, maybe because this is a rewatch and I'm already familiar with the origins of these characters (and this episode is in essence just a backstory for Charming and Snow). I'd also forgotten how intense the tonal shifts between the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke scenes could be. The fairy-tale side of the story really does play out with fairy-tale logic. The dialogue isn't subtle, it's all cheesy and corny (in a good way). But the Storybrooke scenes are much more subtle and atmospheric, rife with intrigue. It's a bit difficult to switch from one to the other.
What mainly got me onboard was the later scenes in the flashback, where Snow and Charming are starting to cozy up to one another. Goodwin and Dallas have such great chemistry that it's hard not to love them. The fact that they married in real life makes it even more endearing. Also, I loved the way both storylines climaxed at different versions of the same bridge, and then Charming having to reunite with his intended wife rather than Snow. I thought that was very clever. It's a strong reminder of how much passion and thought was put into early OUAT.
CHARACTERS
I think Josh Dallas is a very likable guy, so I hope I'm not being too mean when I say that I don't think he's a great actor. He works perfectly fine as Prince Charming and I wouldn't want him recast or anything, but he's not exactly a performer who captivates or draws me in with his acting. So what I'm getting at is that this episode is really the Ginnifer Goodwin show for me. It's she who really sells the burgeoning romance between these two, the heartwrenching deep desire to find true love, hidden underneath a gruff exterior (in the Enchanted Forest) or meek obedience (in Storybrooke). There's such a sincerity to her that I can't help absolutely adoring every moment she's onscreen.
I don't really have anything to say about the others, everyone else is in a supporting role.
NOTES
- Snow White being unable to land a good date might be the most believable example of the curse being real thus far. I refuse to accept it. What the hell, Frankenstein?
- I really love the windy autumn night location filming. I feel like they did a lot less of that as the show went on.
- Where is Henry's play castle supposed to be? Why is the land around it incredibly barren?
- Very nice of the Evil Queen to give Snow a luxurious apartment in Storybrooke.
- I liked the touch of Snow reading the events of the flashback to the comatose Charming. That's another smart parallel between the two timelines.
- How did Charming set up a trap right outside Snow White's little den without her hearing it?
- Why was Charming not accompanied by guards when he reunited with Snow? The royalty just let him go off on his own?
- Snow is collecting money to travel to "another realm". I'm not sure whether that means another kingdom or literally another dimension (since the show uses the term interchangeably for both).
- Gotta love Snow's perfect makeup after months (years?) of living in the forest.
- Why doesn't Charming just bring Snow over to his own castle? I don't think the Evil Queen rules over his territory, so if she just lived there under a different identity, she'd probably be fine.
CONCLUSION
It's a competent introduction to the show's most beloved romance, although I doubt I'll ever watch it again. There's not much else to go back to.