Once Upon a Time: The Complete Second Season is now on Blu-ray and DVD, and if you didn’t watch the series when it aired, this is a good way to catch up before the third season starts.
One of the first things I noticed watching it on Blu-ray is how exceptionally clear the images are. Better than what I recall from merely watching the show on the television. The colors seem more vivid.
The story of season two follows the inhabitants of Storybrooke after Regina’s curse has been lifted, and everyone remembers their alternate lives in Fairy Tale land. But the lifting of the curse isn’t enough to bring a happy ending, and the saga continues as Emma learns to adapt to having a family, Regina struggles with maintaining her relationship with Henry, and more is revealed about the Fairy Tale world, both past and present.
One of the more delightful additions to the season two cast is Colin O’Donaghue as Captain Hook. He’s handsome, a pirate, and he switches allegiances more times than I can count. Will he end up as a love interest for Emma? What about Henry’s father? The story grows more and more complex as the season unfolds.
The bonus content includes:
A Fractured Family Tree – Explore the tangled magical genealogy behind the series’ fairytale family.
Sincerely, Hook – Set sail with Colin O’Donoghue (Killian Jones/Captain Hook) and learn more about the man behind the hook.
Girl Power – Enjoy a high impact look at Storybrooke’s fearless females as they fight for love and justice between the realms of magic and reality.
The Fairest Bloopers of Them All – Fans will laugh-out-loud with outtakes from the latest season.
Deleted Scenes – Experience never-before-seen moments from the magical series.
Audio Commentaries – Join the cast and crew as they share details about what it was like to make each spellbinding episode come to life.
Of the deleted scenes, my favorite is one in which Regina, Dr. Whale, and Jefferson are in Cora’s room of collected hearts, and the walls begin closing in. It brought to mind the trash compactor scene from Star Wars: A New Hope, where the characters use objects at hand to try to brace against the walls.
I had hoped for something a bit more exciting with the Sincerely, Hook bonus, but I suppose just sitting and watching Colin talk in his Irish accent is sufficient. It mostly focuses on how he decided to portray Hook and shows clips from some of his scenes.
I think any Once Upon a Time fan will be pleased with the Season Two DVD or Blu-ray, and it’s not too late for those who haven’t seen it to get caught up. I’m eager to see what the new season holds, now that our heroes are going by way of the second star to the right, straight on til morning.
