Bullet Points: The Ties That Bind

counttotwenty:

Murder Most Foul-part 1

Bullet points are encapsulated scene analysis from the top of each act to the bottom. (each act is bookended by a commercial break)

This ep is a really nice example of something I’ve mentioned quite a few times lately–the idea of parallel storytelling. It can be easy to mistake certain common events within 2 storylines as an indication of parallel storytelling when just as often they’re meant to serve as compare/contrast. 

There are at minimum five men in this episode dealing with the concept of redemption. Some for themselves (August, Killian, Grandpa Charming), some for a loved one (David) and one wrestling with the idea of not wanting to be redeemed no matter how high the cost he paid (Rumple). Each journey informs all the others. Which provides amazing emotional layers and is what made this such a powerful episode and perfectly set up the emotional gut punch at the end.

But none of these storylines are parallel in a way that would allow you to predict an ending to one based on the other. For example–look at Grandpa Charming and Killian. Both are men dealing with the idea of not only personal redemption but of changing the way the people they love see them. Making good as it were. Do their storylines inform each other? Absolutely. Are there common elements? You betcha. Are they parallel? No. In fact near the end of the ep Killian takes a hard right and Grandpa Charming takes a hard left and they crash into each other head on. So even though they were on similar journeys using either storyline to try to predict the ending of the other is folly. 

True parallel storytelling is about a lot more than common events. It’s about larger overarching themes. Motivations. Intentions. That sort of thing.

But enough of that let’s get on to the ep.

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