The Cricket Game
- Episode aired Jan 6, 2013
- TV-PG
- 44m
As Hook and Cora arrive in Storybrooke, Regina struggles to gain the trust of the town, as flashbacks show Snow and Charming disagree over how to handle Regina now that they have taken over ... Read allAs Hook and Cora arrive in Storybrooke, Regina struggles to gain the trust of the town, as flashbacks show Snow and Charming disagree over how to handle Regina now that they have taken over the kingdom.As Hook and Cora arrive in Storybrooke, Regina struggles to gain the trust of the town, as flashbacks show Snow and Charming disagree over how to handle Regina now that they have taken over the kingdom.
- Henry Mills
- (as Jared S. Gilmore)
- Dr. Archie Hopper
- (voice)
- …
- Sleepy
- (as Faustino di Bauda)
- Doc
- (as a different name)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe Welcome Home sign hung up at Granny's for the party is the same sign used to welcome Mary Margaret home (after Kathryn was found alive) with a small addition of "and Emma" added on with another sign.
- GoofsWhen talking to Rumplestiltskin, the position of Snow's hair changes between shots.
- Quotes
Henry Mills: What are you guys still doing in bed? It's the middle of the afternoon.
Mary Margaret Blanchard: The trip back was tiring and I needed to rest.
David Nolan: And I needed to... help her... rest.
Emma Swan: ...Uh, let's, let's go make the tacos. Though we have to make a lot, because there's gonna be a ton of people at Granny's welcome back party tonight.
Mary Margaret Blanchard: [whispering to Emma] We thought you were gonna be back later.
Emma Swan: [flustered] Yeah, well, we weren't. So maybe next time you could put a tie on the door, or send a text, or... You know what? I, I'm... gonna go make some tacos.
[walks off]
David Nolan: It's impressive that we can still provide her with a few traumatic childhood memories at this stage of the game.
- Crazy creditsThe opening sequence shows Pongo.
The previous episode "Queen of Hearts", the last one before the hiatus, was a return to form for Season 2 and 'Once Upon a Time', after a three episode dip, and proved to be the season's best episode since "We Are Both". "The Cricket Game" is just as good and its freshness is almost as if the hiatus never happened.
Like "Queen of Hearts" excelled brilliantly at answering much needed questions and tying up loose ends, "The Cricket Game" is equally adept at plot advancement, introducing new ideas and expanding on characterisation while staying consistent with what we already know (an especially good job is done with Regina) and not feeling the need to introduce as many new characters.
Visually, "The Cricket Game" is a very handsomely mounted episode, 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.
Humour, mysterious intrigue, charm and pathos are beautifully balanced, the corn and unintentional humour seen in the three episode dip between "The Doctor" and "Queen of Hearts" are not just toned down or minimalized, they are also not obvious. Regina/Evil Queen has the best lines that add a lot to her character. The story, in the Storybrooke and fantasy flashbacks, is compelling and paced solidly without trying to do too much.
Performances are all strong, but the episode belongs to Lana Parrilla doing a masterful job at bringing out a more conflicted Regina/Evil Queen than what was often seen before.
In summary, a more than game episode, brilliant in fact and one of the best of the second season. 10/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jan 23, 2018
Details
- Runtime44 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD