---
title: "Once Upon a Time"
year: 2011
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/once-upon-a-time"
fi1m_id: "once-upon-a-time"
imdb_id: "tt1843230"
tmdb_id: 39272
wikidata_id: "Q23673"
fi1m_score: 65
critics_score: 60
critics_reviews: 4
published: "2026-09-23T12:08:58.889612+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-23T12:09:23.726236+00:00"
region: "EE"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Once Upon a Time (2011)

Created by Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz · 43m · Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

## Identity

Once Upon a Time

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/once-upon-a-time
- **Type:** Series
- **Fi1m ID:** once-upon-a-time
- **IMDb ID:** tt1843230
- **TMDB ID:** 39272
- **Wikidata ID:** Q23673
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1843230/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/39272, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23673

**Fi1m score: 65** · Critics 60 (early) from 4 reviews

*In a sentence:* We would happily let Rumplestiltskin interrupt a few more explanations

> *Once Upon a Time* has an inviting premise and a cast able to make its sillier moments enjoyable. The tangled plotting and solemn fairy-tale flashbacks make this a qualified recommendation for fantasy enthusiasts.

## Synopsis

Storybrooke is the modern setting for a story that also unfolds through fairy-tale flashbacks, with Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) and Henry Mills (Jared S. Gilmore). Regina Mills (Lana Parrilla) has a counterpart in the Evil Queen, while Mary Margaret Blanchard (Ginnifer Goodwin) is also Snow White. David Nolan (Josh Dallas) is also Prince Charming, and Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) is Rumplestiltskin. The programme brings these figures from separate stories together, moving between their modern lives and their fairy-tale identities.

## Review

*Once Upon a Time* is a warm, uneven fantasy series for viewers who can forgive tangled plotting. Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz take familiar fairy-tale figures and give them lives that must continue beyond a single story. The attraction is straightforward: we know something about these people before the programme begins, yet there is room for them to surprise us. The difficulty comes when keeping all those stories connected means stopping too often to explain them.

Jennifer Morrison gives Emma Swan a useful toughness, holding the modern sections steady when the fantasy threatens to become self-important. Ginnifer Goodwin makes Mary Margaret Blanchard and Snow White approachable, which matters in a series so ready to surround its characters with elaborate explanations. These women are interesting enough to carry a scene without another revelation arriving to assist them. The writing is less secure when it insists on spelling out feelings the performances have already made clear.

The more extravagant performances are often the more enjoyable ones. Lana Parrilla gives Regina Mills and the Evil Queen an authority that makes even the sillier material worth attending to. We laughed at Robert Carlyle’s Rumplestiltskin, whose exaggerated delivery gives the fairy-tale scenes a welcome hint of mischief. Both performances suggest that the programme could relax a little without sacrificing its characters. The other performers do not always look as comfortable with the fairy-tale dialogue.

Steven Fierberg and Stephen Jackson’s cinematography keeps the changes between the contemporary setting and the fairy-tale flashbacks legible. The production design, credited to Steven Wolff, Mark Worthington and Michael Joy, gives the fairy-tale scenes enough grandeur to justify the actors’ extravagance. Some of the effects are less persuasive, and the elaborate settings make those weaknesses harder to ignore. Storybrooke is often easier to believe in, leaving us free to attend to the cast.

Henk van Eeghen, Julie Monroe and Geofrey Hildrew are among the editors managing the shifts between present-day scenes and fairy-tale flashbacks, and the comparisons remain clear. The cutting cannot disguise how often a new piece of information postpones the business already under way. Early episodes can feel crowded even when an individual scene is simple. Mark Isham’s music encourages the big feelings, sometimes more firmly than the scene requires. There are moments when leaving the actors to supply the emotion would be enough.

The useful comparison is with a continuing family drama: the cast has to make another encounter worth watching after the novelty of the premise has worn off. Here, the acting is more dependable than the plotting. The early episodes offer enough human interest to justify some patience, though the solemnity will try anyone hoping for a brisk, mischievous fantasy. Start for the actors and the chance to see familiar storybook figures share a programme. If the explanations already tire you, we would not advise making a long commitment.

*Fi1m score 65, published 23 September 2026.*

## Straight answers

**Is Once Upon a Time worth watching?**

*Once Upon a Time* is worth trying for fantasy enthusiasts willing to forgive tangled plotting; we score it 65 out of 100. The cast makes familiar fairy-tale figures enjoyable company, particularly Robert Carlyle and Lana Parrilla, but frequent explanations and solemn flashbacks make this a qualified recommendation rather than a series to commit to unquestioningly.

**How long is Once Upon a Time, and what is it rated?**

*Once Upon a Time* has episodes of about 43m. It is a drama and sci-fi & fantasy series.

**Where can I watch Once Upon a Time in Estonia?**

*Once Upon a Time* is streaming on Disney+ in Estonia. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Once Upon a Time, and is it suitable for children?**

*Once Upon a Time* carries a UK 12 certificate and a US TV-PG rating, so its fairy-tale characters should not be taken as a promise of suitability for young children. The UK certificate points towards viewers aged 12 and over; these ratings alone do not establish how frequent or intense its violence or frightening moments are.

**How does Once Upon a Time compare to Pushing Daisies?**

*Once Upon a Time* offers an ensemble of familiar fairy-tale figures, while [*Pushing Daisies*](https://film.one/tv/pushing-daisies) centres its storybook appeal on an impossible romance; we recommend the latter more confidently. Both mix everyday life with elaborate fantasy plotting, but the choice comes with different reservations: repeated explanations and solemnity here, sweetness that can become exhausting in *Pushing Daisies*.

### Reviews we read (4)

- **The AV Club**, Erik Adams, Oliver Sava (B-): The pilot has strong production values and potential for clever fairy-tale revisions but takes itself too seriously with campy flashbacks, over-the-top performances, and heavy Lost-style plotting that may not sustain. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/once-upon-a-time-once-upon-a-time-1798170128)
- **Variety**, Brian Lowry (65/100, inferred): The pilot is conceptually daring and exceptionally well cast, a bold bet with strong visual and casting choices for the leads. However, a second previewed episode fails to sustain the magic, with some shoddy FX and concerns about long-term consistency. [Read](https://variety.com/2011/tv/reviews/once-upon-a-time-1117946404/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Tim Goodman (35/100, inferred): The series has a bold idea but the fairy-tale flashbacks look and feel hokey, with unconvincing performances in period segments. There is some hope for the modern-world portions in Storybrooke, though early episodes suggest it may be getting worse. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/grimm-once-a-time-250113/)
- **Den of Geek**, Kylie Peters (75/100, inferred): The critic praises the series for its character-driven storytelling, strong female characters, ambition, and unique premise blending fairy tales with reality, while noting it can be silly and occasionally illogical. They highlight the strong performances, especially Robert Carlyle's Rumplestiltskin, and the show's big heart. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/looking-back-at-season-1-of-once-upon-a-time/)

## Details

- **Created by:** Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
- **Creator:** Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
- **Director:** Ralph Hemecker, Ron Underwood, Dean White, Romeo Tirone, Steve Pearlman, Billy Gierhart, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Eagle Egilsson, David Solomon, Alrick Riley, Milan Cheylov, David Barrett, Paul A. Edwards, Mario Van Peebles, Guy Ferland, Geofrey Hildrew, Morgan Beggs, Jon Amiel, Sharat Raju, Mick Garris, Ellen S. Pressman, Craig Powell, Norman Buckley, Eriq La Salle, Jennifer Lynch, Rob Duncan, Bryan Spicer, Tessa Blake, Mark Mylod, Greg Beeman, Michael Schultz, Mairzee Almas, Ernest Dickerson, Tara Nicole Weyr, Anthony Hemingway, Michael Waxman, David Boyd, Kate Woods, Andy Goddard, Lana Parrilla, Steve Miner, Alex Kalymnios, Alex Zakrzewski, Nina Lopez-Corrado, Ciarán Donnelly, Victor Nelli, Jr., Antonio Negret, Adam Horowitz
- **Writer:** Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, David H. Goodman, Jane Espenson, Andrew Chambliss, Jerome Schwartz, Dana Horgan, Kalinda Vazquez, Ian B. Goldberg, Brigitte Hales, Robert Hull, Leah Fong, Tze Chun, Christine Boylan, Daniel T. Thomsen, Scott Nimerfro, Christopher Hollier, Adam J. Karp, Liz Tigelaar, Brian Ridings, Paul Karp, Miguel Raya, Bill Wolkoff, Nelson Soler
- **Story:** Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz
- **Teleplay:** Paul Karp
- **Cinematography:** Stephen Jackson, Steven Fierberg
- **Editor:** Geofrey Hildrew, Julie Monroe, Henk van Eeghen
- **Music:** Mark Isham, Michael D. Simon, Cindy O'Connor
- **Production design:** Michael Joy, Steven Wolff, Mark Worthington
- **Costume design:** Eduardo Castro
- **Producer:** Kathy Gilroy, Brian Wankum, Samantha Thomas
- **Cast:** Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan; Lana Parrilla as Regina Mills / Evil Queen; Colin O'Donoghue as Captain Hook; Robert Carlyle as Mr. Gold / Rumplestiltskin / Weaver; Michael Raymond-James as Neal Cassidy / Baelfire; Josh Dallas as David Nolan / Prince Charming; Jeffrey Kaiser as Dopey; Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret Blanchard / Snow White
- **Runtime:** 43m
- **Release (Estonia):** 23 October 2011
- **Genres:** Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

## Where to watch in Estonia

- Disney+: streaming, hd

*Checked 2026-09-23.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Pushing Daisies* (2007), Fi1m 82: For another collision of storybook romance, everyday work and elaborate television plotting. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/pushing-daisies.md)
- *The 10th Kingdom* (2000): A more openly comic journey between modern life and fairy-tale kingdoms.
- *Beauty and the Beast* (1946): For fairy-tale romance sustained by expressive faces and carefully built rooms.
- *The Company of Wolves* (1984): Familiar bedtime stories become unsettling here; choose this for the darker possibilities.
- *Tale of Tales* (2015): For adult fairy tales whose extravagance comes with sharper teeth and stranger desires.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/once-upon-a-time