What I’m Watching: Once Upon a Time

Once Upon a Time: Season 1, Episode 15 “Red-Handed” (C)

Talk about spicing up fairy tales! This grim rendition of the Red Riding Hood story is rather bleak and deadly, and this episode didn’t offer up much of a positive spin on things even by its end, as a real world character was mimicking traits of an entirely unconnected fairy tale personality featured only in this hour. Ruby is a decent character in both universes, full of spunk and energy, and quite a bit of bite as the seemingly innocent Red. She makes for a great receptionist for the sheriff’s station, and it would be good for Emma to have a few allies around. Granny was also rather memorable, serving as an intense storyteller and an angry citizen determined not to let her friends and family be massacred. Snow White’s definitely edgier than Mary Margaret, and it would be nice to see the schoolteacher put up more of a fight for herself. It’s hard to believe that she would be complicit in Katherine’s murder and that anyone would be able to make that stick given that the only evidence is a random human heart in a box with no body or blood to be found anywhere. Regina seems set to get her revenge on Snow White in her new life, and David being lost in his own mind isn’t exactly an ideal fate either. I suppose this provides a grander sense of where the show is headed, but it would be good to see some more of our token characters, like Regina and Mr. Gold, on a more regular basis.