It is always great to see development to a great character like Hook, who showed great potential when he was introduced from the get go in Season 2's "The Crocodile" as a contender for the best character introduced that season. A character who has actually needed some kind of focus on him in a while, or at least some that did him justice. Which Season 6 didn't do enough of due to over-stuffing and running out of ideas, constant problems throughout Seasons 6 and 7.
"Knightfall" certainly shows what a great character he is, the character writing for Hook/Rogers, and even more so actually for Ivy, is where the episode is at its most successful by quite some way. Unfortunately "Knightfall" is generally heavily problematic with most of the other characters and the other plot strands, some great individual moments aside. It is not one of the worst episodes of Season 7, a season that disappointed on the whole, but prime-'Once Upon a Time' this is not, not by a long shot.
There are good things in "Knightfall", none of the disappointing episodes of 'Once Upon a Time' are irredeemable. It is beautifully and atmospherically photographed and the flashbacks are especially designed with a lot of atmosphere. Hook's story does have some tension, but actually Ivy's storyline is the best-faring of the subplots. The only one to properly have much emotional impact.
One of the more emotional individual moments was Lucy finding out that Regina was awake, one of the season's sweetest and most heartfelt moments. Colin O'Donoghue brings charisma, intensity and pathos to Hook/Rogers and Adelaide Kane brings depth to easily the best character of the season. Most of the acting is solid enough, but O'Donoghue and Kane are in a different league to everybody else.
Sadly, we have to come on to the bad things. It is very clear, and it has been obvious for pretty much all this season and for the sixth season too, that 'Once Upon a Time' had run out of ideas and putting inferior variations on old ideas. What little freshness or progression there is here excepting with two characters, and in the season in general, is convoluted and doesn't make much sense. Captain Ahab's role is mildly intriguing but one-dimensional and his role in the story doesn't feel followed all the way through. The mystery subplot is derivative and not really progressing.
What has never done anything for me has been the non-existent chemistry between Henry and Jacinda and their subplot is horribly cliched, derivative of other far superior romantic subplots from earlier seasons and dull as dishwater. Dania Ramirez is both charmless and irritating. The dialogue throughout is very melodramatic soap-opera and full of unintentional camp, a few minor exceptions aside.
In summary, worth one one-time watch but the lack of originality, over-stuffing, convolution and blandness that it and pretty much all of Season 7 (it's even present at times in its best episodes) are turn offs. 5/10
"Knightfall" certainly shows what a great character he is, the character writing for Hook/Rogers, and even more so actually for Ivy, is where the episode is at its most successful by quite some way. Unfortunately "Knightfall" is generally heavily problematic with most of the other characters and the other plot strands, some great individual moments aside. It is not one of the worst episodes of Season 7, a season that disappointed on the whole, but prime-'Once Upon a Time' this is not, not by a long shot.
There are good things in "Knightfall", none of the disappointing episodes of 'Once Upon a Time' are irredeemable. It is beautifully and atmospherically photographed and the flashbacks are especially designed with a lot of atmosphere. Hook's story does have some tension, but actually Ivy's storyline is the best-faring of the subplots. The only one to properly have much emotional impact.
One of the more emotional individual moments was Lucy finding out that Regina was awake, one of the season's sweetest and most heartfelt moments. Colin O'Donoghue brings charisma, intensity and pathos to Hook/Rogers and Adelaide Kane brings depth to easily the best character of the season. Most of the acting is solid enough, but O'Donoghue and Kane are in a different league to everybody else.
Sadly, we have to come on to the bad things. It is very clear, and it has been obvious for pretty much all this season and for the sixth season too, that 'Once Upon a Time' had run out of ideas and putting inferior variations on old ideas. What little freshness or progression there is here excepting with two characters, and in the season in general, is convoluted and doesn't make much sense. Captain Ahab's role is mildly intriguing but one-dimensional and his role in the story doesn't feel followed all the way through. The mystery subplot is derivative and not really progressing.
What has never done anything for me has been the non-existent chemistry between Henry and Jacinda and their subplot is horribly cliched, derivative of other far superior romantic subplots from earlier seasons and dull as dishwater. Dania Ramirez is both charmless and irritating. The dialogue throughout is very melodramatic soap-opera and full of unintentional camp, a few minor exceptions aside.
In summary, worth one one-time watch but the lack of originality, over-stuffing, convolution and blandness that it and pretty much all of Season 7 (it's even present at times in its best episodes) are turn offs. 5/10
