I liked it more than the S1/S2 finales, the multi person flashbacks were a better idea than going no-flashback and the crowd/departing shots were solid. Still I don't find these event episodes to be the show at its best.

I thought the half season was pretty great, the actual Neverland plot dragged a little but I liked that they put the characters in personal/psychological conflict instead of ramping up the action scenes. The flashbacks really made the season though imo.

Somehow I still didn't find Pan stone cold evil despite all his gloating. Just insanely selfish and unable to really love anyone but himself. Definitely the most purely sick person on the show. This quote really says it all:

Yes, the FX are awful, bad worst I've ever seen on tv.

But the show at its heart, it's great.

The VFX is goofy but I don't mind it because it's magic. Is it believable that magic looks goofy and colorful and like it comes out of a production stage? Sure, why not? Not like we have any experience with it.

It was fine in the first season and I'm willing to suspend my disbelief to a certain extent, but honestly The CW has better production values on its genre series right now and I'm certain they're working with lower budgets.

I understand that this show is ambitious for a network drama. It's sometimes to a fault, but in a way I respect it (though I do think they rely a little too much on adding new 'classic' characters than developing the ones they already have on the series). But they HAVE to learn to work with the budget they are given and craft something that looks suitable around that. They shouldn't just be throwing that money into that terrible CGI. It really cheapens the show, IMO.

Some guesses on the 2nd half of the season

- I could see many of the flashbacks next year, being "what happened in the last year". Especially if Storybrooke is already back in present day, then the flashes being an Oceanic 6 equivalent of how they got back

- I have a feeling Wicked Witch of the West will not be the same type of villain as Cora/Pan/Greg and Tamara. It's just too many true big bads in a row and in a half season where the curse already gives them story material, why go back to it? They'll need to revisit the big bad formula in upcoming years so they may as well breathe so it doesn't get tired. I could see WWW being more like the Hook introduction where she's got a dark side but is redeemable and doesn't dominate the storyline. Also she's probably the exiled "Black Fairy" mentioned in this episode since the Blue Fairy-Black Fairy relationship sounds exactly like the good/bad witches in Oz

The mid season premiere was FIYAH

Really sharp episode and a reminder how great a character Emma can be when they have the time for it like in S1

Loved the heart burying scene as well

It was a good episode. I look forward to see the Wicked Witch next week.

THAT WAS AWESOME

This show owes Lana Parrilla everything.

Of course a Regina centric episode was gonna be awesmoe.

Jane Espenson (who also wrote tons of great Buffy episodes and done work for other shows over the years like BSG) is an amazing talent, when she does an episode it's almost always between great and a home run. Of the like 13 episodes she's done she has The Miller's Daughter (Cora flashback), Tallahassee (Emma flashback), Skin Deep (first Rumple/Belle episode), The Evil Queen (Regina becomes fake peasant), We Are Both (Regina centric at start of S2 where she pushes Cora through mirror), Desperate Souls (Rumple origin), some other pretty nice ones like That Still Small Voice (Jiminy Cricket episode), Red Handed (Ruby first episode) and a few others including some from S1 I can't recognize from the name alone but were probably great - then Quite A Common Fairy (Tinkerbell episode) and Witch Hunt (last night) so far this season. Crazy list

Yep, all great episodes.

On a side note, I know all about Swan Queen and how the show would enevr ever ever eveeeeeeeeeer go down that road, but last night they made it really hard not to get no board with it.

They're even hiding their relationship from the town now.

HMMMMM

I thought it was a great episode, and I loved seeing Rumple at the end. I am glad he is back.

Another GREAT episode and probably Josh Dallas' best performance so far (has been doing a good job the whole season actually). Rebecca Mader is crushing as Zelena

Making Emma detective it is such a great decision. Loved the scene with her and Hook through the woods. Just a lot of good scenes in this episode of characters interacting head to head.

Something being set up with the Tin Man/Scarecrow/Lion part of Oz. Rumple's brain, David's courage - someone's heart gets pulled out next

Omg, i did not expect Neil to die!!!.

Loving this second half even more thn the first!

REgina's b-plot was amazing too btw

I felt horrible for Rumple. He went through so much to get Neal back, only for his son to die instead. I hope he is the one to kill the Wicked Witch.

Kind of disappointed by the episode like when August got wrote out, but I liked the Regina scenes

Could see Neal being brought back as the new Dark One or something

Nice interview from creators http://tvline.com/2014/03/31/once-upon- ... questions/ Sounds like Neal's death is permanent.

Also confirmed what I think makes it more interesting. Neal may have died in sacrifice but putting in the key was Rumple and Regina on a bad day-like and for himself not others (Not like he was going back to save Henry again who had a happy trouble-less
life at time, he wanted to interject himself in Henry's life, perhaps endangering him in the process - and everyone else by bringing back Dark One to Zelena). Belle also wasn't thinking straight by messing with dark magic without seeing a catch. I guess a criticism could be made it's out of character for both, but moment of weakness I guess

Loved that episode. Zelena's Rumple obsess and general craziness is perfect. Shame if this is her only season

They've done a great job with Regina and Robin Hood. On most shows it probably feels forced. Here just natural

That's thanks to Lana Prrilla's inredible acting

I love the Wicked Witch as well. So far she has been one of the shows best villain.

The back half of the season has been MUCH better than the complete flop that was the Neverland half. I'm enjoying Rebecca Mader a lot as the Wicked Witch.

I'm not 100% on board again yet, as there are still a ton of problems, but at least it's on an upward trend.

I still thought Neverland was better than the second half of season 2 which by far was the worst stretch of episodes outside maybe the season finale.

Wasn't a fan of the latest episode. I liked seeing JoAnna Garcia back but the twist at the end with her being Zelena was kind of stupid.

I still loved the Neverland half (haven't decided if this half is better, I haven't liked it quite as much since they found out Zelena's identity). Peter Pan was a fabulous villain IMO, most of the Rumple scenes in NL were strong and most of all, the flashbacks were at the show's highest quality. My main criticism would be including all 3 of Charming getting poisoned, Ariel finding the deux ex machina trinket for them and the whole episode with the caves (capturing the shadow, rescuing Neal by revealing secrets) were a little "in a 22 episode season you have to fill some time with smaller plots"-y. But that's not a major complaint from me. I think the show's quality has remained as consistent as I could ask despite making some major changes to the plot and characters every year.

Season 2 is probably my favorite. I thought they let characters tap into a darker part of themselves in a way they probably never will again. (Hook's decision last episode wasn't that far off, though if this was S2 Eric probably would have been revealed as really dead)