When 'Once Upon a Time' first started it was highly addictive and made the most of a truly great and creative premise. Really loved the idea of turning familiar fairy tales on their heads and putting own interpretations on them and the show early on clearly had clearly had a ball. Watched it without fail every time it came on and it was often a highlight of the week. Which was why it was sad when it ran out of ideas and lost its magic in the later seasons.
Season 3 for me has been a very solid one. "A Curious Thing" is another one of the best. Would also consider it one of the best episodes of 'Once Upon a Time' up to this point and ever. Like the previous episodes after the mid-season finale "Going Home" (that episode being one of the show's most special) it has been great that the second half of Season 3 has not been affected at all by the hiatus after the mid-season finale. There is a slight inconsistency regarding the production and recreation of the Dark Curse, or so it seemed, with the recreation taking much shorter. That is nowhere near a big flaw to mar the episode or to consider it an issue.
"A Curious Thing" forwards momentum, progresses story lines and advances character development better than any episode of Season 3 and is one of the more successful episodes to achieve all of the show up to this point. It also has new intriguing ideas with enormous potential, has a lot of surprises and the introductory appearance of Glinda/The Good Witch is as far away from a wasted opportunity. It actually feels like she's been present for longer, so well she seems to have settled.
Am continuing to love the character of Zelena, who made a very big impression when she was first introduced, she is a very interesting and well written character. Peter Pan left very big shoes to fill as the villain of the first half of the season, Zelena fills them pretty brilliantly. The flashbacks are illuminating and compelling to watch, with nothing being padded out or confused, really advancing the characters. The character relationships are never less than intriguing.
Can't fault any of the acting, there is a lot of meat for everyone to sink their teeth into which all do with aplomb. Lana Parrilla and Rebecca Mader especially.
Furthermore, "A Curious Thing" 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 music is haunting, ethereal and cleverly used with a memorable main theme.
Writing has the right balance of humour, pathos, mystery and intrigue.
Summing up, brilliant. 10/10 Bethany Cox