Once Upon a Time…There was a Town Called Storybrooke

Come with me to Storybrooke, a New England town that is much more than it seems. For it is here that Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison, House, Star Trek) may well meet her true destiny as an epic battle for the future of all worlds is about to begin on the new ABC series Once Upon a Time, premiering Sunday, October 23.

The new fantasy-mystery series was created by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, long-time writing partners, probably best known for their work on Lost and Tron Legacy. The hour-long drama fuses fantasy with mystery—fairy tale with thriller.

Set in the New England town of Storybrooke, the story centers on Emma Swann, a 28-year old bail bonds collector and her son 10-year old son Henry. Having given up Henry as an infant, Emma is shocked when one day he turns up on her doorstep urgently seeking her help.  You see, Henry believes that Emma is really the missing daughter Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin, Big Love) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas)—and that his hometown is inhabited by fairy tale characters come to life in modern New England.

Emma wants nothing to do with Henry’s fantastic tale, and not especially interested in what he has to say, Emma returns Henry to Storybrooke. Despite her best efforts, Emma finds herself drawn to Henry and strangely attracted to the outwardly sleepy little town. It is, in fact, a small town with a big secret, and I do mean a big secret. Welcome to Storybrooke.

There’s only one hitch. None of the characters, from the Snow White’s Evil Queen (also known as Regina, mayor of the town) to Jiminy Cricket (also known as Archie, Henry’s tutor), actually know they’re fairy tale personages. They are completely modern characters, clueless of their origins.

So, join me as we unveil the magic of the town and its cast of characters, familiar fairytale characters now living alive and well in Storybrooke (well maybe not so well, since they can’t actually remember they’re fairytale characters in modern New England!). Keep checking back all through the month of October as Blogcritics previews this new series from the creators of Lost.

Images courtesy ABC Medianet.