# Fairytale Smackdown



## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

ABC debuts Once Upon a Time tonight (Sunday 10/23) and this Friday NBC rolls out a similar series, GRIMM. You can even catch the first 20 minutes of Grimm on NBC's website.

This sorta reminds me of the launch of Pan Am and Playboy Club, two retro series that were likely inspired by the success of AMC's Mad Men. And unfortunately, I think the result will be similar with ABC having much better success than NBC.

So, what's your guess as to the likelihood of success for these two fairytale inspired shows?


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Well, since tonight's "Once Upon a Time" debuts against both Game 4 of the World Series on Fox and the Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints on NBC, as well as "The Amazing Race," I don't expect the premier to do all that well in live+same day ratings.

And since "Grimm" is on Friday, a night when there are traditionally far fewer total viewers, and at 9:00 against "Fringe" on Fox, "CSI:NY" on CBS, and the second hour of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" on ABC I don't.... Well, it is following the "Chuck" season premier so it might do nearly as well as "Once Upon a Time", though it is on NBC.

Creatively, both might be very good. But I am a bit ...grim :sure: ... about the fact that Disney-owned ABC is pushing a show featuring a live take on Disney characters.


----------



## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

I wonder if they'll take it along the line of Rocky & Bullwinkle's "Fractured Fairy Tales"


----------



## Lucavex (Apr 26, 2011)

It disturbs me to see the amazing amount of "re-launches" and reality series on TV these days. Once upon a Time? Really? I saw a preview for it and it looked like a parody to me. Will not be going on my DVR.

You'd think TV execs would eventually learn that we don't want to watch our favorite shows of the past, re-done by inferior actors and mangled scripts. Where have our original series gone? I swear if I see another primetime network show about who can cook, dance, sing, remodel, decorate, or tan the best I'm going to throw my satellite receiver out the window. If I see another re-launch of a series that was good, and is now anticipated to be absolute crap (anyone remember the "new" Knight Rider?) I'm going Los Angeles, taking off my shoe, and beating the holy heck out of the executive producer.

Them's my two pennies, don't spend it all in one place.


----------



## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Well I'm enjoying _Once Upon a Time_.


----------



## Church AV Guy (Jul 9, 2007)

I thought Once was very good. Grimm seems to be a very different show, and I see no reason that only one of them should do well. Why not both?

The ratings for Once were quite good. We'll see what they are next week.


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

The premier of "Grimm" (we haven't watched it yet) did very well pulling a surprising rating of 2.1/ 6 among adults 18-49, surprising for a Friday night and surprising because it was against the World Series game 7.

However because CBS decided not to waste new episodes, on the West Coast where the game was over it was not up against a new episode of "CSI: NY" nor, of course, "Fringe" on Fox. But it is direct competition for both.

As one review notes:


> The show is like CSI with a case of the heebie-jeebies&#8230; SVU if Stabler could see spooks!


(Don't read the review if you don't like spoilers.)

If you missed it, it will be on Syfy Tuesday night.


----------



## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

I read something about the character being some sort of profiler. That was all I needed to write it off completely.


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

SayWhat? said:


> I read something about the character being some sort of profiler. That was all I needed to write it off completely.


Well, if you accept as profiler


Spoiler



"Homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) learned he was descended from the brothers Grimm, could see demons, and was fated to spend the rest of his days hunting the pests."


 then I guess you have it right.

(It's not really a spoiler in my view, but someone might think so.]


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Also, ABC is repeating the "Once Upon a Time" pilot at 7:00 followed by the second episode a 8:00.


----------



## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

I went into "Grimm" expecting it to be more of a police procedural with a slight-supernatural twist, and expected to not like it. Well, I was right about the first part except that it's not "slight", and I was completely wrong about the second part ... I liked the show quite a bit. I was actually surprised that I liked it...


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Drew2k said:


> I went into "Grimm" expecting it to be more of a police procedural with a slight-supernatural twist, and expected to not like it. Well, I was right about the first part except that it's not "slight", and I was completely wrong about the second part ... I liked the show quite a bit. I was actually surprised that I liked it...


+1

We watched it tonight and thought it was original, clever, witty, darned scary in the startling way, and well produced.


----------



## olguy (Jan 9, 2006)

I enjoyed the first episode of both and look forward to more. It does appear, to me anyway that Grimm will have more humor.


----------



## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

I've watched both shows premiere's and I like Once Upon a Time very much more than Grimm. For some reason Grimm just didn't catch my attention, which is a shame as I was really looking forward to it.

I'll keep both in timers for now, but unless the next couple of episodes of Grimm improve, I'll be cancelling it.


----------



## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

lparsons21 said:


> I've watched both shows premiere's and *I like Once Upon a Time very much more than Grimm.* For some reason Grimm just didn't catch my attention, which is a shame as I was really looking forward to it.
> 
> I'll keep both in timers for now, but unless the next couple of episodes of Grimm improve, I'll be cancelling it.


After just the premiers, I'm in agreement, but think Grimm has a better chance of developing its characters.


----------



## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

Mrs. R and I have to watch the second episode of Once Upon a Time, but after the first we turned to each other and said "we'll give it a few episodes." Mainly because ... well, spoilers. But there are plot 'points' that make absolutely NO sense to me. Hopefully last night's ep will explain a bit that will make it more clear, but man...I have a low tolerance for bad writing.


----------



## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

I decided to wait and catch two episodes of each before deciding anything. Both deserve points for pushing into a rarely used genre, but my feels about each are a bit mixed.

*Once Upon a Time* feels more like it should be a miniseries rather than a ongoing show, but then again, shows like Hercules and Xena lasted for ages. The little boy is cute and the wicked witch is great, but the whole thing is a little bit over the top. Plus, I didn't like Snow White at all - she was a miserable whiner from the start.

*GRIMM* I like this one a bit more. Love the attention to detail and the mix of germanic fairytales mixed with the pacific northwest setting. The writing of the actual crime drama part of the show is kind of weak, like a hundred other cop shows, but the Grimm twist makes it fun.


----------



## say-what (Dec 14, 2006)

I thought I was going to like Grimm and not like Once Upon A Time, but it's actually the opposite for me.

Grimm just seems like any other cop show, but with werewolves and such, and not well done. Once Upon A Time just seems to have a much broader concept IMO and better story.


----------



## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

I agree. I'm enjoying the "fantasy" aspect of OAAT much more than Grimm. 

I also agree with an earlier comment that OAAT seems like it could have been a mini-series. Right now I can't see how they develop this into a multi-year series based on the initial premise. 

Obviously, there's one goal: for Emma to save everyone by restoring everyone's memories and returning them to their original "homes", thereby defeating the Evil Queen's plot to doom them to a life worse than hell (so to speak). When Emma achieves this is the first question.

The flashbacks to their story book land tend to remind me of "Legend of the Seeker", a show I miss, so I'm really enjoying this and hope it sticks around for a while.


----------



## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

Drew2k said:


> The flashbacks to their story book land tend to remind me of "Legend of the Seeker", a show I miss, so I'm really enjoying this and hope it sticks around for a while.


I was a big Seeker fan and was really disappointed when they cancelled it after two seasons. Another favorite from 4-5 years ago was Dresden Files.


----------



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

I still like "Grimm" though I think my wife just tolerates it.

"OUAT" neither of us is sure of just yet, though I'd have to admit what I consider to be a radical retelling of the Snow White character in last night's back story helped.


----------



## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Thanks for reminding me to check my spelling when using shorthand... 

OAAT ≠ OUAT !


----------



## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

say-what said:


> I thought I was going to like Grimm and not like Once Upon A Time, but it's actually the opposite for me.
> 
> Grimm just seems like any other cop show, but with werewolves and such, and not well done. Once Upon A Time just seems to have a much broader concept IMO and better story.


I'm intrigue by both. But for inventiveness, my nod goes to _Once Upon A Time_. While _Grimm_, so far, is the sort of standard monster-in-the-closet fair.


----------



## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

This week's GRIMM was fun with the evil bees theme. Plus they're starting to introduce the underlying conspiracy theme, which should help drive the story forward and make it something more than just monster of the week. 

And, yeah, phrelin, last week's Snow White back story was a kickass surprise. Adding a bit of humor helped liven the show up a bit.


----------



## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

On the Retention of Interest Scale, Grimm is sinking while Once is rising. I find myself distracted and not paying attention to Grimm, while I can't get enough of Once.

I wanted so much to like it, but Grimm has to start doing more to keep my interest of I may be letting it go.


----------



## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Well Once has the pretty babes. Grimm is grim in this respect.


----------



## yosoyellobo (Nov 1, 2006)

Still liking it. I wonder what happen to the three were people the they put in jail last week.


----------



## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

Now that both of these have had a few episodes, I'm really enjoying both. Grimm has developed pretty darned good. And Once Upon a Time just keeps getting better with each passing episode.

I still like OUAT a bit more than Grimm, but I like both plenty!


----------



## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

After almost a full season, I'm now liking *Grimm* more than *Once Upon a Time*.


----------



## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

"Drucifer" said:


> After almost a full season, I'm now liking Grimm more than Once Upon a Time.


I definitely like both. They are definitely taking different approaches to the fairy tale genre, which is nice.

- Merg


----------



## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

And there's room for both, we'll see them next season.


----------



## yosoyellobo (Nov 1, 2006)

Enjoying both of them.


----------

