The Miller's Daughter
- Episode aired Mar 10, 2013
- TV-PG
- 44m
Mary Margaret is tempted by dark magic and David, Emma and Neal attempt to protect Gold from Regina and Cora, as flashbacks show a young Cora seek revenge against the royal family after they... Read allMary Margaret is tempted by dark magic and David, Emma and Neal attempt to protect Gold from Regina and Cora, as flashbacks show a young Cora seek revenge against the royal family after they degrade her in public.Mary Margaret is tempted by dark magic and David, Emma and Neal attempt to protect Gold from Regina and Cora, as flashbacks show a young Cora seek revenge against the royal family after they degrade her in public.
- Captain Killian 'Hook' Jones
- (credit only)
- King Xavier
- (as Joaquim De Almeida)
- Princess Eva
- (as Eva Allan)
- Dancer
- (uncredited)
- Dancer
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis is not Rose McGowan's first time portraying a witch. She previously portrayed Paige in Charmed (1998).
- GoofsAround the 20:53 mark, when Snow exits Rumpelstiltskin's shop, she closes the door behind her as she leaves. In the next shot, the door remains open.
- Quotes
Mr. Gold: I know that you're... confused about who you are. So I'm gonna tell you. You are a hero, who helped your people. You're a beautiful woman... who loved an ugly man. Really... really loved me. You find goodness in others. And when it's not there, you create it. You make me wanna go back... back... to the best version of me. And that never happened before. So when you look in the mirror... and you don't know who you are... *that's* who you are. Thank you... Belle.
- Crazy creditsThe opening sequence shows Rumplestiltskin's spinning wheel.
- Alternate versionsIn a deleted scene, Neal teaches Henry how to steer the Jolly Roger, and the two of them talk about Peter Pan and Neverland.
"The Miller's Daughter" is not just one of Season 2's jewels in the crown, but also one of the best 'Once Upon a Time' episodes. It represents everything that 'Once Upon a Time' is all about in the first place, while being one of the strongest examples (perhaps the strongest of the show up to this point) of the stories and characters progressing in the right direction.
Quite rightly there is a focus on characters that were there since 'Once Upon a Time' first started, and is highly successful in making them and their dilemmas and feelings interesting and worth emotionally investing in. Similarly quite rightly, it focuses much less on adding and introducing new characters that Season 2 did with varied success. What stands out the most with "The Miller's Daughter" is the focus on Cora (introduced in Season 2 but was quickly established as one of the best new characters and one of the show's most interesting overall even up to this point) and the take on the 'Rumplestiltskin' story.
What could have been a conventional telling with nothing new instead felt fresh and was a story in context of the show that really advanced the characters and the stories. This can be seen by a lot of significant plot developments, that feel natural in how they're placed and given full depth, and already interesting characters made even more so with clearer motivations, more complexity and a stronger sense of how and why they became who they are.
Fairy-tale flashbacks and Storybrooke scenes are balanced adeptly, instead of being too much of one, and are equal in impact, with the connection/parallel between the two worlds that are so easy to get immersed in is stronger and handled far more seamlessly than any episode before. Also striking was the emotional impact, the flashbacks have a lot of heart and are full of some of the show's most emotional moments ever. The Storybrooke storyline has a real sense of urgency and builds upon what is already known and with new things introduced. "The Miller's Daughter" manages to achieve the impossible, making one feel sorry for Cora when we see how and why she came to be the way she was portrayed before.
All the acting is great, as good as Robert Carlyle and Barbara Herschey are it is Rose McGowan who comes out on top in a very emotionally charged and complex performance that has an icy exterior but pretty conflicted on the inside.
Furthermore, "The Miller's Daughter" is a very handsomely mounted episode visually, the settings and costumes are both colourful and atmospheric, not too dark or garish and never cookie-cutter. It is photographed beautifully too. The effects are not as sloppy here. The music is haunting, ethereal and cleverly used with a memorable main theme.
Writing has the right balance of humour, pathos, mystery and intrigue.
In summation, wonderful episode and a refreshing one.10/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Feb 6, 2018
Details
- Runtime44 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD