Timeless: Las Vegas 1962

Last time on ‘Timeless:’ Lucy was rightly freaking out about her sister being wiped from existence but Agent Christopher didn’t particularly care. All she cared about was the fact that Flynn had taken the Mothership to before Lincoln was supposed to be assassinated.

Flynn worked with John Wilkes Booth and his fellow conspirators, giving them modern weapons to make sure their full plan was carried out. Meanwhile, Lucy befriended Robert Lincoln while Rufus came face-to-face with the optimism African-Americans felt at the end of the war. Poor Wyatt got shot by Flynn.

Rufus and Wyatt also contemplated the idea about changing history, about saving Lincoln once Lucy revealed she had been invited to the play by Robert Lincoln. Lucy, though, insisted that they needed to keep it the same. After losing her sister, she didn’t want to risk changing the present any more than they already had.

They managed to save Vice President Johnson, Secretary Seward and General Grant but even though Lucy called out to warn the president at the last minute, Flynn shot Lincoln and fled the theater. Lincoln died and as they returned to the present, Lucy realized how much harder it was to live through history rather than study it.

Back in the present, Wyatt got proper medical treatment while Jiya revealed to Lucy how the Hindenburg had changed her present. It ended with her realizing that the man she had thought was her father…wasn’t her father after all. She returned home to her own engagement party and when she tried to confront her mother, Carole refused to talk to her.

And then Lucy met the man she was engaged to when he came up and kissed her.

Lucy flips through a photo album documenting her life with her fiance. And who has those anymore? I mean, I’m sure there are some people, but wouldn’t that mostly be on social media? Anyway, he comes out in nothing but a towel (hot damn) and notices she looking at a picture of them on her beach. He reminds her that’s when they got engaged and then reveals he found her ring in the bathroom. After putting it on, he starts kissing her but Lucy is still awkward about it. She is very relieved when her phone rings. Agent Christopher asks her what’s important about September 1962 but nothing comes to Lucy’s mind. She’s ordered to figure it out on her way over.

Wyatt is looking at an article about his deceased wife when he gets the call to come in.

Nostalgia Nook: Halloweentown III

I know, I know. I kinda let the Nostalgia Nooks die. Mostly because I didn’t really have the time to write them and I ran out of interest, honestly. But I wanted to stick to posting about the Halloweentown franchise to celebrate Halloween, so here I am!

Hop on your broomstick and avoid the SPOILERS!

Marnie Cromwell (Kimberly J. Brown) has a plan to bridge Halloweentown and the mortal world: an exchange program! She talks to the Halloweentown council about letting some students from Halloweentown come learn at her high school in the mortal realm. The council, though, is a bit apprehensive due to legends of the Knights of the Iron Dagger—a group dedicated to destroying everything magical. Marnie assures them that the plan will work and in the process, bets all the Cromwell magic. So if it fails, her entire family loses their magic.

Uh oh.

Marnie starts to have doubts but her grandmother, Aggie (Debbie Reynolds), assures her that everything will be okay.

OUAT: Facade

 Last time on “Once”: We revisited Cinderella and learned more about Ashley and her stepsisters. Well, mostly her stepsister Clorinda. Clorinda was awful to pretty much everybody, but especially Ella. She was even the one to dub her “Cinderella” after burning a dress that once belonged to Ella’s mother. It led Ella to discover a key to the Land of Untold Stories but she chose not to use it to escape her sad life.

At the ball, she met Snow and danced with the prince. But her stepmother taunted her, making her misinterpret a moment between Thomas and Clorinda. Heartbroken, Ella fled the ball and was ready to go to the Land of Untold Stories when Clorinda stopped her. She told Ella the prince loved her and Clorinda loved his footman, Jacob. She was running off with him. Knowing her stepmother, Ella gave Clorinda the key to use.

Lady Tremaine continued to use her mind tricks and manipulation on Ella, getting her to reveal where Clorinda went before breaking Ella’s shoe. But Thomas and Snow tracked her down. He knew it was her and proposed. She accepted before going to stop her stepmother but it was not to be. Lady Tremaine used the key, dragging Clorinda into the Land of Untold Stories in order to keep her from marrying Jacob.

In Storybrooke, Ashley asked to see the list of refugees in order to see if she could help. Later, Thomas reported her missing to Emma and explained she found Clorinda’s name on the list. He believed she was going after her stepsister. Emma, Hook and Henry tracked her down and she explained she was trying to right a wrong. She ran off as the Evil Queen came out to taunt Emma for her trembling hand and failing magic. She then sent the trio to the town line.

Ashley found Clorinda at a farm and it seemed she was going to get her revenge on Ashley for ruining her life. Lady Tremaine too, until she revealed Jacob owned the farm. Clorinda turned on her mother, who tried to shoot Jacob. Ashley took the bullet as Emma, Hook and Henry showed up. With Henry’s encouragement, she was able to heal Ashley.

As Emma decided to keep living and not worry so much about her visions, she asked Hook to move in and he agreed. Snow and Charming decided to find out what normal in post-curse Storybrooke is, with Snow deciding to go back to teaching. Regina worked with Jekyll to find a way to destroy their other halves while Rumple tried to connect with Belle.

dun dun dun!

Rumple works on a watch in his shop but grows frustrated. He stares at the scissors in his hand before disappearing behind the curtain. When he emerges, he has short hair! Yes, Rumple decided to give himself a makeover.

(Robert Carlyle was filming Trainspotting 2 over the summer so the show decided to accommodate his new do).

(He looks so dejected)

Tis the Season!

I know, I know. It's not even Halloween yet. You know who doesn't care?

Hallmark! 

They've started their Christmas movies, which will now run straight through to after the New Year. So if you're ready to skip Halloween as well, tune in! 

Starting next week, I'll be posting recaps of some of Hallmark's movies. So stay tuned for that! 

Ho ho ho! 

Timeless: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Last time on “Timeless:” We met Wyatt, a soldier; Lucy, a history and anthropology expert; and Rufus, a coder. They are enlisted to help retrieve a time machine that’s been stolen by escaped convict Garcia Flynn. He goes back to the Hindenburg and prevents it from exploding as it landed in New Jersey so that he could blow it up while it’s returning to Europe—with several high ranking Americans onboard. With the help of ace reporter Kate Drummond, they are able to thwart his plan though the Hindenburg still blows up hours after it originally did. Flynn gets away, Kate unfortunately dies though from a gunshot wound not a flaming dirigible crashing onto her like in the cold open, and our heroes return to the present. However, Lucy learns that the change made to history has serious repercussions for her—her mother is no longer dying, she’s apparently engaged and her sister, Allison, no longer exists.

Uh oh.

We open in Ford’s Theater, where a production of “Our American Cousin” is being performed. John Wilkes Booth downs some alcohol at a bar before entering the theater, where Lincoln’s body guard is also drinking. The bartender asks Booth when they’ll see him on stage next and he replies that it will be soon. He heads over to Ford’s Theater and makes his way up to the box where Abraham Lincoln sits with Mary, enjoying the show. The Civil War is over and though he faces the difficult task of Reconstruction, he’s going to enjoy himself. But John Wilkes Booth shoots him in the head before leaping to the stage as everyone gasps in horror. He stands on an injured leg, shouts “Sic semper tyrannis,” pretty much says the South will rise again and then makes a run for it.

In the present, Lucy’s mother is trying to get answers from her daughter. Lucy, though, says she has to go. Carol Preston is concerned and wants to know why her daughter keeps asking for someone named Amy. Lucy lies, claiming Amy is a friend from work who needs her help. This satisfies Carol and she lets Lucy leave, reminding her not to forget about tomorrow night. Lucy pretends she has a clue about it and promises she won’t.

Lucy returns to the warehouse and asks Wyatt and Rufus if anything in their lives changed and Rufus reveals his dinner with Jiya bombed but that’s nothing new. She says her sister has been erased and Agent Christopher is like “What are you talking about? You never had a sister named Allison.” Lucy holds up a locket and shows a picture of Allison. Mason is amazed that she has something from the time before history was changed but Agent Christopher snaps him out of it. She is focused on the fact that Flynn is trying to destroy American history and tells them that he’s gone to April 14, 1865. Lucy points out that it’s the day Lincoln is assassinated as they head out to get ready.

OUAT: Sympathy, Tenderness

Last time on “Once:” Snow and David found themselves the target of the famous Count of Monte Cristo when he arrived from the Land of Untold Stories. Turned out Regina hired him to kill them back in the Enchanted Forest and he was determined to follow through. She tried to call him off but he refused to back down, saying he had to see it through to the end.

She asked Emma to take her parents somewhere safe and the Charmings were alarmed to see her taking them to the town line. But the barrier was still up and Emma’s car crashed into it. Regina realized it was the same spell she had on the town line back during Curse #1 and said the only way to cast it was to use ingredients from her vault, sealed with blood magic. She asked Zelena about it but she denied having anything to do with it. Pissed off at the accusation, Zelena peaced out.

In the Enchanted Forest, Regina hired the Count to kill Snow and Charming for her because Rumple put a protection spell on them, preventing her from killing them directly. He agreed in order to get the names of everyone who wronged him but had a change of heart after meeting them…and their handmaiden, Charlotte. When it seemed Charlotte was going to be a victim, he decided not to go through with it. Rumple, though, poisoned her anyway and sent the Count into the Land of Untold Stories with her.

Now, though, the Evil Queen taunted Regina and then revealed she had the Count’s heart, controlling him, after Regina was forced to kill him to save the Charmings. The Evil Queen told them that everyone has an untold story—even them—and soon they will tear themselves apart while she sits back and watches. This unnerved Regina but Snow and Emma assured her that they will defeat the Queen.

Meanwhile, the Queen aligned herself with Zelena, got something off Rumple, who was still stinging over the fact Belle left him and was rooming with Hook, and then the Queen used what she took off Rumple to torment Charming about his father.

Deep breaths!

Regina leads Snow and Charming down the hospital hallway where she meets up with Nurse Ratchet. The nurse hands Regina a tray and she says they are going to bribe Hyde with her lasagna for some information. But when she opens the door, she’s shocked to find out that someone redecorated it and gave Hyde a steak dinner with wine. She realizes the queen beat them to it and he says that the price of his information has gone up. He holds out his handcuffs but no one moves to remove them. Hyde sighs and taunts the queen, saying she was going to have to stay one step ahead of herself now.

(Fancy digs. The Evil Queen is snazzy interior decorator)

Timeless: The Hindenburg

I’ll be honest—I tuned into this show because back during the summer, it was announced that Sean Maguire would be a guest star on one of the episodes. When I checked out the premise, though, I realized that it appealed to my inner history nerd and my Whovian side. After watching it, I’m definitely hooked even beyond Sean’s appearance.

Let’s take a look at the first episode, hmm?

We open the day the Hindenburg lands in New Jersey. As a crowd watches and the people aboard eagerly await landing, we see the ground workers pulling the ropes to bring the dirigible to ground. A soldier approaches a woman with a camera, asking her if she’s ever seen anything so big. She makes a quip about men being impressed with size before turning back to the Hindenburg.

A worker in the Hindenburg touches something that sparks, igniting the hydrogen in the dirigible. It goes up in flames as people try to escape and fall out. As it comes down, the woman with the camera tries to outrun it but ends up caught in the inferno as we hear those famous words—“Oh the humanity!”

We cut to a university at night. Abigail Spencer, whom my longtime readers (do I even have any?) will remember as Blah-Blah from “How I Met Your Mother,” is teaching a class and talking about LBJ’s dick. I’m not even kidding. She ends the class when she sees David Sutcliffe come in and gets a bad feeling.

Outside, they are arguing as he says he had to cancel her tenure meeting. She asks why and he starts to mention something about the board thinking…but then she cuts him off so we don’t know why the board doesn’t want to consider her for tenure. Abigail—whose character name is Lucy—points out that her mother built up that department, it’s her legacy and Lucy’s destiny so David Sutcliffe could give her tenure but doesn’t want to. She then storms off.

At a giant warehouse, people continue to work the night shift as two men watch it from a van. Inside, an older gentleman tells a man named Rufus that it’s his turn to pick the tacos for taco night. He suggests Rufus take Jiya, one of their coworkers Rufus has been making eyes at, with him. Rufus grows nervous but agrees.

Then the two men storm the facility and start shooting. They demand everyone get down as they climb into the giant metallic CBS logo sitting in the middle of the warehouse (I seriously think CBS might have missed a big opportunity here). Before anyone can stop them, the CBS logo starts spinning before it disappears with a giant whoosh of air as everyone watches, shocked.

OUAT: Obsession

Last time on “Once:” A dirigible from the Land of Untold Stories crash-landed in Storybrooke and our heroes braced themselves for an influx of new people. Hyde kept smirking about the place, believing he owned it. Our heroes quickly put him in his place and he was given residence in Zelena’s old cell.

Speaking of Zelena, she moved in with Regina. And continued to show questionable parenting skills. She also lost the feather Roland gave her to give Regina. While she bottled up that rage, I didn’t. But after a talk with Snow, Regina finally had it out with her sister. Zelena gave it right back and then decided to move out.

Emma started to experience a tic with her hand as well as a terrifying vision of her fighting a hooded creature. Her family grew concerned and sent Archie to talk to her. She resisted, asking Hyde what he knew. He advised her to follow the bird. It lead her to a little girl that had been with Aladdin and Jafar in the cold open, who told her that she saw her own death—the hooded creature would run Emma through with a sword.

Of course, she decided not to tell her family.

Meanwhile, Rumple used some dust Hyde gave him to enter Belle’s dreams so he could wake her. Morpheus greeted him and brought him to where Belle was spending her dreams—in a replica of Dark One Manor. But Rumple needed to remind her of how much she loved him through recreating the Beauty and the Beast dance. It also reminded her of all the horrible things he had done to her so she rejected him. Morpheus praised her, revealing that he’s really their unborn child. He told her not to go back to Rumple and then used True Love’s Kiss to wake her. Belle peaced out of there while Rumple seethed.

As the people from the Land of Untold Stories came to Storybrooke, Regina and Snow had a heart-to-heart in which Regina decided to start a new story for herself. One without the Evil Queen. As she embraced that, a feather floated down. Of course, unbeknownst to her, the Evil Queen was already in town and buttering up Zelena.

Uh oh.

We open in the cemetery as the Evil Queen and Zelena head to Regina’s vault. Since Regina used blood magic to seal her vault, the Queen easily gets past the protection spells and heads inside. She raids Regina’s stash while Zelena asks why she’s there. The Queen says she needs Zelena’s help and is hoping that she won’t tell Regina that she’s back. Not yet. Zelena looks torn as the Queen appears set on getting her revenge on Regina for trying to get rid of her.

(Zelena isn't too sure about this)

OUAT: Letting Go

Last time on Once: THEY KILLED ROBIN!

(Nope, still not over that)

Henry decided to destroy magic, causing his mothers and grandfather to chase after him. He succeeded…just in time to learn most of his family was trapped in another world. They all had to work together with the Dragon to try to bring magic into the world and Henry recruited a bunch of New Yorkers to help. With their help, they were able to restore magic and open a portal to save the others.

Snow, David, Zelena and Hook needed to be rescued from the Land of Untold Stories. They had befriended Dr. Jekyll, who helped them break out of an asylum. But it also meant dealing with Mr. Hyde, who separated himself from Jekyll. The heroes saved Jekyll and he came with them to the Land Without Magic AKA our world.

Jekyll brought back the serum he used to separate Hyde from him. He gave it to Snow, who gave it to Regina to use. With Emma and Snow watching, Regina used it and separated the Evil Queen from herself. She took out the Queen’s heart and crushed it, killing it and ridding herself of her evil side.

Rumple traveled to the Land of Untold Stories and made a deal with Hyde to get Belle in the Box back. That deal? He gave Hyde Storybrooke for the people of the Land of Untold Stories to move into. The others discovered this when Hyde showed up to ruin the moment after Henry’s first kiss with Violet. Regina was pretty much “Not another idiot thinking he can take my town from me. When will they learn?”

Meanwhile, the Evil Queen materialized in the Dragon’s shop. Regina didn’t kill her and now, she’s out for revenge.

And that brings us to Season 6…

(Another shot of a rider on a horse)

The Return of Robin Hood

Last May, Once Upon a Time killed off Robin Hood in the penultimate episode of Season 5, "Last Rites." If you read my recap here, you would remember that I got very ranty about it.

My anger about it simmered all summer long. And I was not alone. Hoodies and Outlaw Queen fans were angry and upset. We let the producers, Adam and Eddy, know. Often. And loudly. Yet it seemed like our pleas and complaints fell on deaf ears. As multiple interviewers kept asking them about Robin, they kept insisting that he was dead and not coming back. We continued to complain but doubted we'd see any change.

Especially when Adam and Eddy made a comment before the season 6 premiere that they get about 3000 tweets every 2 seconds and still didn't seem affected by that. We were told "dead is dead."

Then came Tuesday, September 27th.

Entertainment Weekly posted an exclusive story online--Sean Maguire was returning as Robin Hood!

OUAT: Mad as a Hatter

Last time on “Once’s” first season: Emma booked Mary Margaret for suspicion regarding Kathryn’s murder. She protested her innocence even as the evidence piled up against her and Regina got involved. Gold apparently also can practice law so Mary Margaret hired him to be her lawyer while Emma set out to prove her friend was framed.

Henry tried to help her but grew moody when he realized everything continued to point to Mary Margaret—especially when a hunting knife was found hidden in her room. August gave him a pep talk, revealing he knew the truth about Storybrooke. Afterwards, Henry found his mother’s skeleton keys and proved that Regina could have gotten in to steal Mary Margaret’s jewelry box and plant the hunting knife.

Proving it, though, was going to be difficult. So she told Mary Margaret to hold on and then went to Gold to get his help. He agreed.

Meanwhile, David went to Dr. Hopper to try to unlock the mystery behind his blackouts. But his Enchanted Forest memories started to bleed through, unfortunately making him believe that Mary Margaret had meant to hurt Kathryn. When he went to talk to her, she sent him away—heartbroken that he wasn’t giving her the same support she had given him.

So where were his memories coming from? From when Snow had taken the potion to forget him—they also took away her ability to love and turned her into a sociopath. She snapped at the dwarfs and then decided to kill Regina, even going to Rumple for help. Charming found her and tried to use True Love’s Kiss but she knocked him out instead. She tied him up and told him that she valued actions over words.

Taking her words to heart, Charming was freed and he jumped in front of the arrow to keep Snow from going dark. She’s surprised by how much he really does love her and True Love’s Kiss worked that time. But their reunion was short-lived as King George’s men hauled Charming away. Snow vowed to find him and got help from the dwarfs, who forgave her for her bad attitude.

After she found a key to her cell earlier, the episode ended with a shot of Mary Margaret’s empty cell.

Uh oh.

Mary Margaret runs through the forest and she stops, leaning against a tree as she tries to catch her breath. She looks determined and pauses only a moment before running again.

(She's determined to win the cross country meet)

OUAT: Snow White and the Bad Attitude

Last time on OUAT Season 1: It was a Ruby/Red centric episode! After a fight with Granny, Ruby quitted her job and moved out. She ended up staying with Mary Margaret and Emma. After witnessing Ruby answering the phones at the station, Emma decided to give her a job and let her help with the Kathryn Nolan case. Ruby was able to find an unconscious David, who Whale believed was having blackouts related to his coma, and then she located a box buried in the woods with truly horrifying contents. It made her re-evaluate her life and she returned to the diner, where Granny admitted she was harder on Ruby because she planned on turning the diner over to her one day. They then hugged it out.

In the Enchanted Forest, Red Riding Hood was chafing under her grandmother’s restrictions. She had fallen in love with her childhood friend, Peter, but Granny disapproved. And with a bloodthirsty wolf on the prowl, Granny refused to let her out often.

Red found Snow rifling through their henhouse and the two became fast friends. She confided about her feelings for Peter and then enlisted Snow to help her kill the wolf. As they tracked it, they determined the wolf was also human…and was Peter. So Red told him and offered to chain him up so he wouldn’t hurt anyone that night. Then they would run away together. It was a good plan except for one problem…

Peter wasn’t the wolf. Red was.

Granny and Snow arrived too late to save Peter but Snow took Red, running away with her to save her from the mob.

Emma informed David and Mary Margaret about what was in the box—a heart they believe to be Kathryn’s. David collapsed in shock that he could do something. Emma, though, said that the prints didn’t come back to him—they came back to Mary Margaret.

dun dun DUN!

We open in the Enchanted Forest. King George’s army chases Red and Charming as they ride across the snow covered fields. As they close in, Red decides to send Charming on ahead while she holds them off. She tells him to find Snow as she glances at the full moon over head. Red takes off her cape and charges at the soldiers, wolfing out.

(They're doomed)

OUAT: Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?

Last time on OUAT Season 1: Emma investigated Kathryn’s disappearance, with Sidney and then Regina encouraging her to arrest David. Her gut told her that David wasn’t involved but she took him in for questioning anyway.

Meanwhile, Miner’s Day approaches and Mary Margaret had difficulty getting volunteers since no one wanted to work with her. But Leroy ended up volunteering after meeting Sr. Astrid. When he overheard that Sr. Astrid made a mistake that could cost the sisters’ their convent, Leroy vowed to help her make up the money they needed to pay Gold their monthly rent. Mary Margaret thought he done lost his mind.

They failed to sell any candles but Leroy lied to Sr. Astrid. He then tried to sell his boat to raise the money but Gold salivated at the chance to evict the sisters. Sr. Astrid discovered Leroy’s deception and ran off, betrayed.

In the Enchanted Forest, we learnt that dwarfs are hatched from eggs fully grown. They then get their names from their magical pick axes. And Grumpy was originally called Dreamy. He met a fairy named Nova (Sr. Astrid) and they fell in love, making plans to run off. But Chieffy the Dwarf and Blue convinced Dreamy otherwise. So he broke Nova’s heart and turned into Grumpy.

After a pity party with Mary Margaret, Leroy found a way to sell all the candles—he caused a blackout. Sr. Astrid forgave Leroy and Mary Margaret got the town’s forgiveness. Now, she just had to worry about David.

We open in the Sheriff’s station as Emma talks with David. She shows him Kathryn’s phone records but he swears he never talked to Kathryn. He didn’t even make that call. Emma says she knows he’s telling the truth but she can’t explain the phone records. She lets him go home but advises him to get a lawyer.

(We were paying that much for phone service?)

Star Trek Beyond: To Boldly Go

I’ve reviewed the other ones, so I figured it was only fitting that I review the third movie in this trilogy.

Yes, it was sad to see Anton Yelchin after his untimely death in June. The world has been deprived of a great talent who had a promising career ahead of him. But his work as Chekov, especially in this film, will live on.

So let’s go beyond, where no SPOILERS have gone before!

OUAT: Even Dwarfs Have Dreams

Last time on Once Upon a Time’s first season: Kathryn told David that she had been accepted into law school in Boston. After talking with Mary Margaret, he agreed he was going to tell Kathryn about them and that he couldn’t go to Boston. He did tell her the latter but omitted the former. Regina told Kathryn about the affair, leading her to confront Mary Margaret in the school hallway. Mary Margaret was heartbroken to learn David lied to her and that she was now the town harlot. She decided to break it off with David.

Emma learned the name of the mysterious stranger—August. He invited her out for that drink, taking her to the wishing well. However, he didn’t tell her he took the storybook and did something weird with it. He let her find it in a storm drain and she returned it to Henry, both excited.

In the past, Charming made a break for it ahead of his marriage to Princess Couldn’t Care Less. George’s soldiers pursued but Charming got an assist from an unlikely ally—Princess Couldn’t Care Less herself! She revealed she was in love with one of her father’s soldiers, Frederick, but he was turned to gold while saving Midas. There was a way to turn him back and she asked Charming to go get water from Lake Nostos.

Charming did so, facing down a nymph along the way. She transformed herself into Snow White to trap him but he was able to fight back, saving himself from the fate that had befallen others who had tried to get the water. He returned with the water, allowing Abigail to free Frederick. They were reunited and Abigail wished Charming luck in finding Snow.

He found Red instead and the two rode away from King George’s army in hopes of finding Snow.
Kathryn decided to give David and Mary Margaret her blessing and left Storybrooke. Regina stole the letter she wrote David, though, and burned it.

At the same time, the gym teacher found Kathryn’s car off the road…and abandoned.

Uh oh.

We open above the clouds. The Blue Fairy sits there and watches as a fairy in pink crash lands on one of the clouds. She holds up a bag before popping up to reveal everyone’s favorite adorably quirky actress—Amy Acker! She’s playing Nova, who is a fairy who longs to be a fairy godmother. Blue laughs at this dream and says she needs to master delivering the fairy dust, their most precious commodity, before she can do anything else. Disappointed, Nova follows Blue as some fairy dust falls out of the bag and dances on the wind.

(Hi, Amy Acker!)

The camera zooms down below ground where a dwarf says a giant egg is about to hatch. Another dwarf doesn’t believe so, saying that the whole group isn’t due to hatch until that night. But the first dwarf says that one must be impatient.

As they watch, the egg is broken up. Leroy leans out, his beard long and his expression wide-eyed. He’s also smiling as he takes in his new world. The other two dwarfs welcome him to it.

(Welcome, Dwarf!)

OUAT: Bombshell

Last time on Once’s First Season: Gold repossessed florist Moe French’s van right before Valentine’s Day due to non-payment on a loan or whatever racket Gold is running. Moe got revenge by breaking in and stealing things from Gold’s house. One item in particular incensed Gold and he went after Moe despite Emma’s warnings not to. She rescued Moe from Gold, locking him up when he refused to explain why he was beating the man senseless.

In the Enchanted Forest, Moe was a duke named Maurice. He asked the Dark One for help in the Ogre Wars and Rumple’s price was Maurice’s daughter, Belle. She agreed to go be the Dark One’s servant to help her people. Over time, she and Rumple grew closer and she came to love him. He felt the same but feared it.

After killing her fiancé Gaston, Rumple tested Belle. He sent her out to the village, fully expecting her not to return. Belle met Regina, who told her about True Love’s Kiss. Eager, Belle returned home and used it on him. When he realized it, though, he flipped out and threw her in a cell. He then let her go, saying he loved his power more than her. Belle didn’t believe that but left.

Later, Regina went to Rumple and told him that Belle had died. She gloated before he threw her out of Dark One Manor.

Regina visited Gold in jail and gave him back his chipped teacup. She then got him to reveal that he has his memories and there was clear animosity between them. The episode ended with Regina going deep in the hospital to visit someone locked up—Belle.

We open in the Enchanted Forest. Princess Can’t Be Bothered is greeted by King George, arriving in No-Name Kingdom for her wedding to Prince “James.” She asks if everything’s alright and he assures her it is. He then turns to his knights and orders them to find “him.”

(She looks so beautiful and so bored)

“Him” is David, who is riding as hard as possible. The knights pursue him and he has to hide from them, pulling himself and his horse off the road. Confused, they turn back and David breaths out in relief…until he is knocked out.

(They'll never find me in this bright red cloak!)

OUAT: Something There...

Last time on Once’s 1st season: In the aftermath of the storm, Henry’s beloved playground was torn down. Suspicious of Regina’s motives, Emma teemed up with Sidney to find dirt on the mayor. They thought they caught her stealing money to build a mansion for herself in the middle of the woods…but Regina revealed it was really to build a new playground to replace the one that was destroyed. Emma looked ridiculous and Regina looked good, just like she wanted when she had Sidney set Emma up.

We learn that in the Enchanted Forest, Sidney was the genie in the lamp. King Leopold found him and brought him back to his palace. There, the Genie fell in love with the queen and saw how lonely she was, how she was often ignored for Snow White. Regina asked him to kill the king for her so they could be together and the Genie did so. She then revealed it was all a trick and when the Genie used the wish Leopold granted him to wish to be with her always, he got trapped in her mirror. So Sidney is both the Genie of the Lamp and the Magic Mirror!

After Emma’s stunt, Regina banned her from seeing Henry. And it was revealed that August stole the storybook, though not why.

Hmm…

We open in a new place in the Enchanted Forest as several people are gathered around a map. Ogres are invading and the situation looks dire for this town. A young brunette in a familiar gold dress hovers, listening as the men wonder if “he” will come as promised. She tries to assure one of the men, her father, as knocking interrupts their meeting.

(Gee, wonder who this is?)

As everyone tenses up, the doors open to reveal...no one. The Dark One then laughs, sitting in Maurice's seat. He says he’s come to help them as the lord grouses that he’s late. Rumple, though, still offers to give them help. And in return, he wants to keep Lord Maurice’s daughter. I’m sure you can already see where this is going, right?

(The beast?)

His daughter, Belle, steps up and volunteers to go. Lord Maurice and Gaston, her fiancé, are against it. She says this is how she will be able to help their people. Rumple tells her that it will be forever but she still agrees, making a deal with him.

As we all know by now, Rumple is the beast from Beauty and the Beast. Let’s check out the beginnings of Rumbelle, hmm?

The Nine Lives of Christmas

It’s that time of the year again! Yep, it’s time for Hallmark to reveal this year’s ornament and so the Hallmark Channel gets to bust out the Christmas movies for a week, even though we’re all floating in the pool right now.

But I’m going to post some things about the Hallmark Christmas movies to contribute to this week. So put on a Santa hat or reindeer antlers, put on some Christmas music and let’s pretend it’s December!

Ho ho ho SPOILERS!

Crown for Christmas: Hallmark’s Obligatory “Princess for Christmas” Movie

Seriously. Are they required to make one of these every Christmas season? They are going to run out of ways to do this plot.

As we enter Hallmark’s annual “Christmas in July” week, let’s take a look at 2015’s offering.

Watch out for SPOILERS!

Outlander: Dining with the Enemy

Last time on “Outlander:” Jamie found his days jam-packed as he tried to juggle ruining Prince Charles’ cause from the inside and being a prominent Parisian businessman. Claire, though, found herself growing bored of gossiping at Louise’s—even as she discovered that Mary Hawkins was Frank’s ancestor.

However, Claire found a purpose when Master Raymond told her about a hospital in need of help. Murtagh escorted her down there and though Mother Hildegard is a bit suspicious at first, Claire soon won her over. Jamie, though, was less than thrilled about his wife spending all hours at the hospital—especially when he needed her. The meeting between the Minister of Finance and Prince Charles didn’t go as he thought and Jamie learned that Charles had secured a good amount of funding for his cause. He stormed out of the house and went to the brothel.

There, he found a young boy stealing from the patrons. Jamie chased him down and offered him a job. The boy, now named Fergus, agreed and went home with the Frasers. Jamie explained to Claire that Fergus could steal letters from Charles’ supporters so they could learn who the prince’s funders were. She admitted it was a good idea.

One of the letters Fergus took led Jamie to seek the help of Mother Hildegard, a trained musician. He and Claire were then able to discern that the Duke of Sandringham was Prince Charles’ benefactor. And so they plotted to have a dinner, hoping to dissuade the duke and anyone else from supporting the Jacobite cause.

Let’s see how that dinner goes, hmm?

I still really like the credits. Will the French chorus be dropped, though, once they go back to Scotland? Hmm…

We open in Versailles, where Jamie is playing a chess game with Duveney. Claire watches her husband and the Minister asks if they’ve thought of any names. She admits that she was hoping to name the baby after her uncle, Lambert. Jamie shoots it down as too English. He suggests a name that has Claire crinkling her noise in disgust.

(The Frasers...debating baby names)