Overall: 6.0
Prince Charming is a bit of a putz in our world, isn't he?
Plot Synopsis:
The official "photo-recap" is here.
The Skinny:
I find this one very dodgy, truth be told. While the questionable themes are mitigated somewhat by the fact that the lives these characters are leading in our world are products of the queen's curse (and thus are not in fact their real lives), the emphasis this episode places on one's feelings - as opposed to one's responsibilities - has the potential to be very pernicious. Remember: Love is not a sentiment. It's a willingness to offer yourself completely to another person no matter your mood, and its perfect model is Christ on the cross.
As I suggest above, I come away from this episode not liking Prince Charming very much -- at least in our world. In the fairy tale world, he had every right to resist the king's demands, as said demands come from cold political calculation and not from any genuine concern for the prince's well-being. But in our world? No -- just because Kathryn turned out not to be pregnant this time doesn't mean you can just continue to lead her along while you secretly go off to do whatever you want. You told your wife that you were willing to go to marriage counseling, and that too is a promise you have to honor.
I know, I know -- maybe it's unreasonable for me to expect these characters to hold to commitments that were magically imposed upon them. But again, I worry that some people in the audience won't be able to see the distinction and will therefore feel justified in breaking off their marriages to pursue this Hollywood figment called "true love."
Writing: 6.0
Also, the writing is very cheesy. "Oh, no! I have to go out in a storm to help this poor dove!" "Oh, no! Now we have to seek shelter in an abandoned cabin in the woods!" Give me a break, guys. I probably would've given this script a 5.0 if it weren't for the fact that I find the new writer character quite intriguing.
Acting: 7.0
The acting's not terrible here -- but it's also not great.
Message: 5.0
I don't want to penalize this episode too much for its misguided notions of what love actually means. After all, as I note above, there is the curse to consider. Still, I think the writers need to be a little more careful when it comes to how they handle the Nolans and their marriage.
My disagreement with you comes from the fact that I view the marriage as "arranged"...a lie whispered in a half-dead man's ear...and, frankly, the wife has come across as a bit of a selfish git, so I don't see this as a marriage worth defending.
ReplyDeleteI do understand your point...it's just that I think it's a bit dangerous to be too literal with something that isn't even real despite being in the "real" world.