Once Upon A TV Show...

Television. It isn't what it used to be. Today, most programs that you see are tainted with so much profanity, violence, and sexual references that there is little (if anything) to gleam from the programming. Most of what we have are crime dramas, distasteful sitcoms, and goofy reality shows. Whatever happened to some of the shows we used to love; the ones that were suitable for family viewing and often had themes of faith and family values? Well, if you can catch the reruns (or buy the series on DVD) you can still watch shows like that. My personal faves include "Little House on the Prairie", "Full House" (and not just because John Stamos is in it), and "Family Matters." I grew up on these shows, and there were always good things to observe and learn from them.

If you're like me, maybe you don't watch very much TV anymore because they just don't "make them like they used to." You stick to the re-runs and DVD collections, and maybe occasionally check out a new show to see if it's any good. However, it just doesn't compare with the kind of media we grew up on. However, an exception rolls around every now and then. I have come across just such a show. My friend, Kaitlyn, often tweets about the shows that she watches and I noticed how much she raved about the show "Once Upon A Time." Despite her insistence, I adamantly refused to give the show a try. While the genre did appeal to me, I had no desire to begin liking a new series that would probably end up getting cancelled should I decide that I liked it (my friend, Shane, understands this "curse" as well ha ha!). However, her incessant tweeting piqued my curiosity to the point where I decided I would check it out.

I went online and began watching the first episode. That was all it took! Everything about the series is absolutely captivating; the characters, costumes, sets, musical score, special effects, and most surprisingly, the storyline! It was a welcome surprise from ABC/Disney; I have been losing faith in their ability to provide true family entertainment for a long time!

The thing that I enjoy most, which is what has stirred me to blog, is the spiritual and Biblical themes. This show brings up so many scriptures, Bible stories, and spiritual concepts to my mind as I watch it. It reminds me a LOT of how C.S. Lewis used Narnia to teach those sorts of things to children. I can see the same theme at work in "Once Upon A Time" (whether it's intended to be there or not). The premise is that the evil queen places a curse on the fairy tale world. The characters are all sent to the "real" world to a town called Storybrooke. No one remembers who they really are or what has happened to them and the little town/characters go about their lives frozen in time. They are waiting for the the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White (who escaped the curse) to come and rescue them and break the curse. Throughout the series, we see everything unfold; in addition to viewing flashbacks of the fairy tale world and how everything came to be (and in relation to the characters and their histories). It's fascinating how each episode toggles between the real world and the previous one and shows how things transpired with the characters both then and now. There's always some sort of "theme" to each episode, and it's very deep and thought provoking!

It didn't take long for me to want to begin blogging the episodes. I didn't get around to it as soon as I would have liked, so I decided to wait until the series came to DVD so I could watch them again and take notes. The second season begins September 30th, so I am HOPING to get the first season episodes blogged BEFORE then (and then blog each week's episode soon after it airs). I'll do my best, but I might be a little behind lol. ;) At any rate, it WILL be done eventually (and I hope you all will enjoy them - especially if you're as big of a fan of the show as I am!).

So, while they may not make them as good as they used to, they sometimes come pretty close! God still moves in various and mysterious ways; including the media!! Keep your eyes and heart open!! You might be surprised! God bless you all!