Sunday, February 19, 2012

It's the whimsical world of fairy tales!

Who doesn't love a good fairy tale?  They are wonderful stories that not only take us away from the harsh reality of life, but can also offer us hours of mindless entertainment.  

As we all know Hollywood has always embraced the wonderful world of fairy tales, I mean HELLO Disney has made millions off of these fun stories.  And now we not only get one new live action Snow White movie but two, "Mirror Mirror" staring Julie Roberts coming out March 30th and "Snow White and the Huntsman" staring Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron coming out June 1st. But for those of us who love this type of fantasy entertainment and have watched "Buffy" and "Angel" over and over to the point you can quote the episodes in your sleep, we now have "Grimm" and "Once Upon A Time."

So lets get to the point of this post, which one really shines when it comes to entertainment.  Both shows are great in their own right, but I think "Grimm" out shines "Once Upon A Time."  I find "Grimm's" premise to be much more original than "Once Upon A Time."  It simply asked the question: what if the Grimm Brothers were not just writing down stories to teach us morality lessons, but what if, in fact they were taking a detail inventory of all the evils in the world and how to kill them? The show focus around Detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli).  Nick works for the Portland Police Department solving what are normal everyday cases until his aunt comes to visit.  She tells him she's dying and needs to tell him about his past and what really happen to his parents.  However, before Nick and his aunt can have a  heart to heart chat she's attacked and ends up in the hospital.  While fighting off his aunt's attacker Nick notices his face changes and a monster is revealed.  Nick is able to get some information out of his aunt before she dies, most importantly that he is a Grimm and is the last in the Grimm bloodline.  It is now his job to help fight off the evils of the world and keep humanity safe.  Nothing like having the weight of the world on your shoulders and no one to help you out!  Luckily Nick's aunt left him her trailer filled with all the resources a Grimm might need, oh and his best friend happens to be a Bluebod or a Big Bad Wolf.  Now what those normal everyday cases are anything but, and the world of "Grimm" is crossing over into the "real" world.  It's up to Nick to make it right.

"Once Upon A Time" takes a look at what happens when an Evil Queen cast a spell transporting all the fairy tale characters to our world! Here's the problem no one remembers who they are.  They only know the life they have been living in our world, however, most of them seem to lack a strong understanding of their past.  So now Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a teacher, her daughter is a bounty hunter, Prince Charming is a coma patient and the Evil Queen, well she just happens to be the Mayor is this lovely town they all live in, a place ironically called Storybrooke!  We meet Henry (Jared Gilmore) who happens to be the biological son of Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison). Henry explains to Swan that she is his mother and he needs her help to free the resident of Storybrooke from the prison they are unknowingly living in! Swan has a hard time dealing with the fact her son has just shown up seeing she asked for a closed adoption, but she take pity on the boy and lets him tell her the whole story.  Henry explains that Emma is Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter and she is the only one who can save these characters from this evil curse.  We soon find out that Henry's adopted mother is none other than the Mayor of Storybrooke and he truly believes she is the Evil Queen!  As the show continues Emma stays in Storybrooke becoming the Sheriff.  Show by show more is revealed about each character blending flashbacks between the fairy tale world and our world.

Both shows have their strong points.  Clearly "Once Upon A Time" is more light hearted and whimsical.  Also the flashbacks revealing who each character was in the fairy world is a neat aspect of the show.  I think that's my favorite part of the hour long show,  the fantasy angle.  I would classify "Once Upon A Time" as a show the whole family can enjoy.  "Grimm" is much darker, usually focused around a strange murder somehow intertwined with a fairy tale.  For those who are "Buffy" and "Angel" fans this show might just be up your alley. The show is written by "Buffy" and "Angel" producer David Greenwalt.  Sean Hayes of "Will and Grace" fame is also an Executive Producer.  And although the cast may not have as many famous names attached to it as "Once Upon A Time" it's cast can hold it's own without a list of famous names to help it in the ratings race!

Luckily for those who might find both show intriguing you don't have to pick one over the other.  "Grimm" is on Friday night on NBC 8 o'clock cst. "Once Upon A Time" is on Sunday night on ABC 7 o'clock cst.  So why not watch both and decide for yourself which one is better!



  

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