Amy Acker

[Denisof:] He wanted to bring a feel of the mid-century Golden Age of moviemaking, the noir, romantic noir, comedy: some hybrid of that. So kinda keep pushing the tempo of it a little bit so it stays fast and muscular.

A smart pseudo-anthology vehicle for Dushku to spread her wings (not unlike the way Quantum Leap showcased Scott Bakula's versatility) with a touch of The Prisoner in the dark overtones of the show's ongoing mythology.

The reach for epic status sets Once Upon a Time apart; one hopes that reach will result in more grasp during the upcoming sophomore season.

Whedon goes for a kind of radical naturalism, an understated approach that suggests the characters could be your friends and neighbors.