pilot time pilot series premiere american fairy tale drama television series time introduces main characters establishes basic premises series details beginnings curse placed start destiny survivor present day woman break curse episode written directed sought write new perspectives familiar characters featured themes hope family pilot sets template rest series jumps maine original lives actor approached series accepted sent script included debut abc allowed viewers united_states pilot website days aired premiered united_states abc october canada broadcast series hour ahead abc debut airing regions episode received positive reviews watched million viewers scoring rating share demographic ranking timeslot abc watched pilot episode plot characters past prince charming rides rescue eating poisoned apple given evil queen informs charming late charming kisses snow regardless breaking curse wedding day snow white prince charming evil queen arrives delivers ominous threat powerful curse intends release time later pregnant worried curse visits issues prophecy queen curse terrible happy endings reveals daughter return years old rescue beginning crucial battle queen following connor tracy advice fashion wardrobe magical tree allow person escape queen curse day gives birth daughter queen curse strikes places daughter magic wardrobe mortally wounded battling queen queen stands prince charming curse takes horrible present day boston morrison lives lonely existence working bail bounty hunter approached year old boy identifies son given adoption teenager wanting relationship emma agrees drive home maine way henry shows large book fairy tales insisting stories real arrive henry informs town reality fairy tale character exiled curse memory real identities includes teacher henry claims time frozen people unable leave curse broken emma skeptical emma returns henry adopted mother town mayor regina evil queen emma attempts leave having drunk apple given mayor nearly hitting wolf car accident knocked arrested taken jail henry runs away emma makes deal mayor release find exhausting possibilities speaks tells emma check castle finding henry wooden jungle gym bears resemblance castle talk emma decides stay temporarily especially regina warns leave town leads emma suspicious mayor motives shortly conversation emma volunteers hospital placing flowers patients stops dallas prince charming sleeping coma unaware mayor home regina takes book henry room goes look mirror expression acknowledge aware fairy tale existence emma arrives given key room elderly proprietor actually comes granddaughter followed man came collect money gold helped build owns entire town emma mentions gold knew emma decision stay causes hands town clock previously frozen begin moving production pre production february abc ordered new pilots television schedule included time premiere episode written series creators directed veteran showtime drama signed direct mid february network picked time drama series writing years previous time pilot completed work inspired write love mystery excitement exploring lots different worlds presented premise networks refused nature learned time lost look story different way character mythology expanded people got void heart lives care character journeys seeing ripped coming going way opposed making break curse despite comparisons similarities lost writers intend different shows lost concerned redemption time hope lost creator aided development series consultant official credit pilot differentiate storytelling audience knew writing staff decided begin pilot end typical snow white themes concerning family emphasized contrast focus lost sought write strong female characters classic distress stated desire approach character way asking icons real pilot meant template series confirmed week contain flashbacks worlds love idea going forth informing character missing life writers desire present mash small characters seen scene pilot war council featuring elaborated fun things coming stories thinking ways different characters interact ways casting stated initially wanted cast series accepted offered role sent script cast appreciated playing strong character audience actress completed work series big love looking new project turned television film scripts failed interest having said previously interviews love play called acceptance role self described big fans wrote mind plays prince charming pleased writers took dramatic license character believing prince real explained prince charming happens man emotions man prince prince people gets hands dirty got kingdom run family protect epic epic love like everybody human hired actress explained character help kid like little bit emotionally dysfunctional noted emma believe universe year old known work mad men took role son henry role evil queen regina went explained character stories told playing regina threat knowing evil queen pure simple fact biological mother stepped world threat losing son enormous fear think adopted mother think going help audience relate regina level role given written mind writers initially thought accept recalled prison sequence actor day set mind blowing actually jump time character fantastic writers offered blue fairy recording artist lady_gaga heard management staff visual effects executive producer referred time effects heavy ways meant obvious viewers provided visual effects seen pilot building virtual sets fairy tale sequences action scenes production visual effects staff collaborated difficult schedule limited budget studio technology real time camera tracking allowing creative flexibility cast crew work green screen stage executive creative director commented time amazing creative opportunity highly detailed environments imaginative characters series fairy tale world challenged expand fine tune animation television digitally reproduced war room ballroom castle interiors based concept designs created art director wedding scene staff extended columns added stained glass windows completed wedding party additions digital guests effect evil queen disappearing charming flying sword cost abc reported commented network supportive worried losing feel series flashback sequences explained pilot cheap goal maintain level production values visual effects continue future episodes marketing october days national broadcast date presented early screening pilot episode new_york comic con panel answered questions fans later viewers able stream entire pilot episode advance broadcast pilot episode aired october september month new fall season shows normally premiered pleased later broadcast date believing creates second wave anticipation audience work business couldn tell names new shows season bombarded episode included time tale novelization season published cultural references pilot contained number popular culture references noted viewers television critics references lost series scripted episode writers street address regina home town clock stuck number doomed airline flight aforementioned series emma car smoke monster emma eye opening wakes noted references lost creator godfather dna stated intention continue making lost references future prince charming use magical wardrobe transport new born baby different universe real world lion witch wardrobe volume series similarly powerful magical wardrobe transports main characters real world magical universe cultural reference appeared scene emma hears actually song film version seven indicating acknowledged ties disney subsidiary happens production company time disney allowed access fairy tale characters properties use series given license said wrong think time shown sword pregnant disney references include blue star emma wishes scene film version wishes blue star wish granted blue fairy brief appearance alongside episode song featured emma introduction scene reception ratings timeslot america funniest videos pilot viewed estimated million viewers received rating share adults ages result season highest rated drama debut adults abc biggest debut years competed world series pre game fox football night america nbc cbs competed sunday night football including ratings episode totaled million viewers rating canada debuted series hour ahead abc debut airing regions debuted pilot watched million viewers placing 14th week pilot aired slot pulled million viewers highest week april channel reviews pilot received positive reviews television critics review zap2it gave pilot praise bringing central theme saying new fall attempting tell bigger story hoping rough patches smooth potential strong cast premise cited performances appear scenes falls morrison story world fortunately audience able pull gives confident grounded performance helps feeling big plus notes writers producers great premise series progresses given cast people involved scenes optimistic time find way doesn swinging new_york_times writer compared time similarly series believing richer premise interesting characters particular praised morrison performances concluded watching pilot harder ignore soap opera ign gave episode rating praising casting acting writing acknowledging cheesy moments expressed hope series remain focused story special effects fanatic gave episode stars calling beautiful stunning magical journey saying hooked opening scene complimented cast especially saying perfectly creepy praised character henry saying intelligent right persistence faith fantasy want believe concluded simply stating good
Pilot (Once Upon a Time)