The Stable Boy
- Episode aired Apr 1, 2012
- TV-PG
- 45m
Emma continues to search for evidence that will prove Mary Margaret's innocence, as flashbacks reveal the reason behind the Evil Queen's hatred for Snow White.Emma continues to search for evidence that will prove Mary Margaret's innocence, as flashbacks reveal the reason behind the Evil Queen's hatred for Snow White.Emma continues to search for evidence that will prove Mary Margaret's innocence, as flashbacks reveal the reason behind the Evil Queen's hatred for Snow White.
- Henry Mills
- (as Jared S. Gilmore)
- Dr. Archie Hopper
- (credit only)
- King's Page
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn the flashback, the Evil Queen is shown being far older than Snow White, yet in the present day Lana Parrilla is only 1 year older than Ginnifer Goodwin. However, Regina could have used magic to stall her own aging.
- GoofsIn the Storybrooke Daily Mirror newspaper that Emma is reading at the docks, Kathryn Nolan's name is spelled "Katherine"
- Quotes
Regina Mills: The trial starts tomorrow, and it won't be a long one. And you'll be sent out of Storybrooke for good, and I will never have to see you again. Oh, I want to enjoy this while I still can.
Mary Margaret Blanchard: Enjoy what?
Regina Mills: Justice.
Mary Margaret Blanchard: Justice? Watching an innocent suffer?
Regina Mills: You've always seen yourself that way, haven't you? Innocent.
Mary Margaret Blanchard: [crying] I am innocent! I don't know what this is about, I don't know what I ever did to you, but whatever it was, Regina... I'm sorry. I truly am.
Regina Mills: Apology not accepted.
Mary Margaret Blanchard: Please. Don't do this to me. I don't deserve this. I did not kill Kathryn!
Regina Mills: Oh, I know. But you do deserve this.
- Crazy creditsThe opening sequence shows a woman riding a horse.
Of a solid, from personal opinion, first season, "The Stable Boy" is among the best episodes. If there is a gripe, everything about Daniel (the acting of Noah Bean, the writing and the character) just screams of flaccid compared to the rest of the cast/characters. This is a shame because "The Stable Boy" is flawless otherwise and contains one of the season's best and most interesting character arc.
Although The Evil Queen was always one of the most consistently scene-stealing and stronger characters, it was "The Stable Boy" at this early stage of 'Once Upon a Time' where one sees much more to her than a "stock villain" (not that she ever was in a way, it's just that it would have been so easy to not do anything with her character). Here in "The Stable Boy" she has a sympathetic and conflicted edge where one sees how she came to be the way she turned out, and it is very hard to not feel sorry for her.
Lana Parrilla knocks it out of the park here, injecting more nuance than seen before and she was always one of the best performers on 'Once Upon a Time'. Ginnifer Goodwin is charming and one roots for her and her increasingly dire situation in the Storybrooke scenes, while Jennifer Morrison continues to grow.
Visually "The Stable Boy" is a very handsomely mounted episode, settings and costumes that are both colourful and atmospheric, not too dark or garish and never cookie-cutter. The effects are also above average, not exceptional but not bad. It is photographed beautifully and there is some make-up that suited the characters perfectly. The music is haunting, ethereal and cleverly used with a memorable main theme.
Regarding the writing, "The Stable Boy" shows that it really has come on a long way. There is far less corn and instead the humour, emotional and tense elements and the balance between them are getting stronger. The story is absorbing, with a tragic scene being quite heart-breaking. The parallel between fantasy and real life is as ever handled beautifully, both the present day scenes and fantasy flashbacks are intriguing and well-balanced.
Overall, fine episode. 9/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jan 1, 2018
Details
- Runtime45 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD