Always letting its conscience be its guide, Once Upon a Time is bringing back Raphael Sbarge as Archie Hopper/Jiminy Cricket, for the sixth season premiere episode, “The Savior.” TV Line reports creator and EP Adam Horowitz said, “…our favorite cricket-shrink is going to find himself with a new patient.” Speculate with us, after the jump.
Sbarge hasn’t been seen on Once Upon a Time since season four, episode three, “Rocky Road,” during the Frozen storyline, featuring Elizabeth Mitchell, Elizabeth Lail, and Georgina Haig. Once Upon a Time season six premieres Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 8:00pm ET/PT on ABC. The series stars Jennifer Morrison, Ginnifer Goodwin, Lana Parrilla, Robert Carlyle, Josh Dallas, and Colin O’Donoghue.
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Sbarge tweeted about his return saying, “After a million questions about “When are you coming BACK? “. #onceuponatime Now you know….”
https://twitter.com/RaphaelSbarge/status/750501639249915904
Executive Producer Adam Horowitz added, “Thrilled to have our dear friend @RaphaelSbarge back for the #OnceUponATime season 6 premiere! Hope to see ya 9/25!”
Thrilled to have our dear friend @RaphaelSbarge back for the #OnceUponATime season 6 premiere! Hope to see ya 9/25! https://t.co/m30jJ9xdIP
— Adam Horowitz (@AdamHorowitzLA) July 6, 2016
Who do you think Archie’s new patient might be? Could it be Dr. Jekyll (Hank Harris) who has been split off from Mr. Hyde (Sam Witwer)? What about Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) who still needs to see the light? Frankly, everyone in Storybrooke would benefit from a cruise on Archie’s couch.
Both Zelena (Rebecca Mader) and Regina (Lana Parrilla) could stand a little head-shrinking. Aside from being Cora’s (Barbara Hershey) daughters — cause enough for an inpatient stay — they have both lost their loves. Additionally, Zelena has to learn how to be a mother.
This reporter thinks Regina is the sleeper candidate. She began the series as the big bad. By the end of the fifth season, she was so firmly committed to walking the road to redemption that she used Jekyll’s serum to rid herself of her Evil Queen bits. Regina thinks she has killed her dark side, but the audience knows better.
Before Queenie wages her war on her alter-ego (and let’s face it, all of Storybrooke), Regina has to come to terms with losing that part of herself. It seems likely she will face an identity crisis of some kind, with half of herself gone. Who better to talk to, than Archie?
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Sbarge is currently a series regular on the Murder in the First TV show on TNT. His recent guest appearances include AMC‘s Better Call Saul, as well as Elementary and NCIS: Los Angeles on CBS, and The CW‘s iZombie.
What do you think? Are you excited for the sixth season of ABC’s Once Upon a Time TV series? Who do you think Archie’s new patient will be? Who do you think Archie’s new patient should be?