Once Upon a Time 1x05: That Still Small Voice

Original Air Date: 27 November 2011

Storyline: As Sheriff Graham deputizes Emma, the ground shakes and a giant sinkhole mysteriously appears at the edge of town. But a curious Henry's life is placed in danger when he decides to explore the innards of the sinkhole to see if its contents can link the inhabitants of Storybrooke to the fairytale world. Meanwhile, back in the fairytale world, Jiminy Cricket yearns to leave the family business and transform into the person he wants to be.Trivia: The candy bar Archie takes from Henry's backpack is the Apollo brand. Apollo candy was used frequently in Lost, both in the show and as part of its real-life viral campaign.

Archie's dalmatian, Pongo, is named after the father dog in the movie 101 Dalmations.

Best Quote:

Jiminy: Look, can't we skip this tonight? We don't need the money.
Princess of Puppets: Everything isn't about money, Jiminy. It's the principle.
Prince of Puppets: A commitment to excellence.
Princess of Puppets: Excellence at stealing money.

Review: I'm ashamed to say I'd only heard about Jiminy Cricket incidentally, from the Disney movies. I don't remember reading "Pinocchio" when I was a kid, maybe because I was lying so much to my parents that I didn't want to be reminded of the bad things that could have happened to me because of this. So I didn't really know whether the writers would follow Goldoni's story or would reinvent the character, much like it happened with Snow White and the other fairy tale heroes this show is giving new life to.

I'm actually excited that the series doesn't follow Emma and her family exclusively, but seems to concentrate on a different character with each episode. And who would have thought Jiminy Cricket would get his day to shine? But here he is, a guy who starts up by being too much of a coward to want to change his life, but when something really bad happens, he decides he has to be the man he wants to be. Similar to the rest of the people who are trapped in Storybrooke, Archie's real life has a lot in common with his fairy tale life: he's trapped in a situation he hates being a part of, but finds it difficult to leave behind what he knows and actually do the right thing. I was greatly entertained by his journey, but what I've had fun with the most was with Jiminy's outlaw parents, who went by a very important principle: it's not about the money, it's about "a commitment to excellence".
While Jiminy's fairy tale struggle was to be free from his parents, back in Storybrooke Archie found himself trapped between helping Henry and Regina's demands that he removed her son's delusions by any means necessary. This couldn't have happened at a worse time: with Emma taking on the deputy job (much to Regina's displeasure), the earth literally moved in the small Maine town, revealing some hidden tunnels which Henry thought to contain proof of the fantasy world. Not that it didn't, and we're left asking ourselves again just how much does Regina remember from her Evil Queen days.
If you thought the mayor and Emma would bury the hatchet after almost losing their son, you are quite wrong; but the tragedy opened Archie's eyes and the speech he gave Regina was the most ballsy thing I would have ever expected him to deliver.
In a side plot, Mary Margaret seems to have found her Prince Charming in real life, much like she did back in the Enchanted Forrest. They are drawn together by an invisible thread and only the fact that he was married kept her from sticking around. She did the only thing she could do: walk away, but will her resignation really keep them apart? In a world where he doesn't recognize a single soul or remember what his life was supposed to be like, David Nolan thinks she's the only thing that feels right. Fighting for their love will become a focus point eventually, since in all stories the hero conquers all obstacles to win the heart of his princess, but I'm quite aware that this cannot happen before the end of the series, so I'll wait for it patiently. Once Upon a Time 1x04: The Price of Gold Back to Season 1