I’m going to break form to set up this poll, because it feels entirely personal to me, but I’m getting ahead of myself. As previously reported, after the season six finale, star Jennifer Morrison is leaving the Once Upon a Time TV show and her character, Emma Swan, daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (aka David Nolan; Josh Dallas). While Once Upon a Time is renewed for a seventh season, Morrison has contracted to appear in just one future episode. For what it’s worth, Once Upon a Time was renewed for season seven on May 11th. Details here.
A fairy tale fantasy drama, Once Upon a Time also stars Lana Parrilla, Robert Carlyle, Emilie de Ravin, Colin O’Donoghue, Rebecca Mader, and Jared Gilmore. It’s long been known that the seventh season will be a reboot without Goodwin and Dallas. Still, ABC Studios had been negotiating for Morrison, Parrilla, and O’Donoghue to return (although it seems they’ve known for quite a while that Morrison was out). Reportedly, Andrew J. West, a veteran of Once creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz’s cancelled Freeform TV show, Dead of Summer is joining the cast, in season seven.
Even when networks cancel shows I dislike or don’t watch, I never revel in cancellations. I feel too sorry for the people who are going to lose their jobs, particularly the below-the-line crew members, and rookie actors who are trying to establish themselves, professionally. I mention this, because although I am quite happy OUAT snagged a season seven renewal, I still kind of feel like it has been cancelled.
I’ve lost a job I loved and needed. The heartbreak was horrible and the financial hardship was worse. That job happened to involve recapping the first few seasons of Once Upon a Time, for the now defunct website, Television Without Pity. (Pssst. All the TWoP recaps are archived at Brilliant But Cancelled.)
Once upon a time, after watching the season three premiere, in fact, I opened my recap of episode 3.01, “The Heart of the Truest Believer,” with the following:
Welcome to the third season of Once Upon A Time. While they beat pilots, I’m not particularly fond of season premieres. “The Heart of the Truest Believer” is an exception. From the cold open, it engaged me far more than I expected and made me see the show from a fresher perspective: this show tells Emma’s fairy tale.
I’m both sure I’m not the first person to have thought or said so, and this isn’t even the first time I’ve thought it, but throughout season 2 I forgot all about it, and that’s where I think last season suffered.
Emma, who grew up in the stark reality of Our World, is our gateway to this magical multiverse. When an episode or plot-line forgets about Emma, it forsakes us. No matter how deliciously devilish Regina, Rumpy, Cora, etc. can be, no matter how noble Snow and Charming, no matter how well done flashbacks are, Emma needs to be the heart of this show, because this is her story, every bit as much as Sleeping Beauty is the story of Princess Aurora, or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is Snow White’s.
Over the ensuing seasons, Emma’s story has not always been the one upon which Kitsis and Horowitz have chosen to focus. Now, please know, I am a great fan of this dynamic duo, and have been since they wrote for Lost (which I also recapped). In my opinion though, when storylines have shifted focus away from the fairy tale of Princess Emma Swan, the show has usually suffered as a result.
So, while I am grateful Once Upon a Time was not cancelled, I’m not sure I’ll watch, once she’s gone. I wanted the renewal for Kitsis, Horowitz, the remaining cast and crew, and most of all for the loyal Oncers — those fans who will keep watching through the end credits of the Once Upon a Time series finale, no matter how many seasons it runs.
Coincidentally, I also recapped The Vampire Diaries for TWoP, so this feels a bit like déjà vu all over again. When Nina Dobrev exited, also at the end of season six, I tried to keep watching. I made it through the first episode of season seven, before quitting, in disgust. My heart wasn’t in it, because I felt her character, Elena, was central to the story for which I had signed up. I only returned for the TVD series finale, earlier this year, because Dobrev did.
So while I might try to watch an Emma-free seventh season of Once Upon a Time, I’m already pretty sure I won’t get through it. Truthfully, I’ve had tears in my eyes the whole time I’ve been writing this article. I am just so sad — deeply sad. Should Kitsis, Horowitz, or Morrison happen upon this piece, I hope they understand my sorrow is a tribute to the beautiful character they created together, and I thank them for it — and for my Emma.
Right now, as I wipe away my tears, I’m nearly certain I’ll sit out season seven, read spoilers, and if it sounds worth watching, binge the whole installment once it’s through. I know that’s not what the creators, cast, crew, studio, or network want to hear, but it’s my truth.
Despite the season seven renewal, I feel Morrison’s departure has cancelled my show, if not the show. I know she feels worn out, and she so deserves to have a personal life. Honestly, I applaud her moving on to try new things. I wish her the best and will follow her career with interest and enthusiasm. I’m neither bitter, nor angry. It’s just that Once Upon a Time without Emma is not the story I chose to watch, back on October 23, 2011, and it never can be.
How about you? Will you watch a seventh season of Once Upon a Time, without Jennifer Morrison’s Emma Swan? Please vote in our poll, and sound off in the comments, below.
She gets on my nevers & I stopped watching a long time ago. I would be more likely to watch without her.
LOL, I didn’t watch this show WITH Jennifer Morrison so it makes no difference to me!
I was torn until the very end. The end hooked me.
What could have possibly happened that made Henry, of everyone lose his belief? That’s what I really want to know.
Well, that, and how they plan on telling this without Jared.
I feel the show has run its coarse. Apparently, several of the main actors feel that same way. To continue a show that has run its coarse is like running a horse with a bad leg in a race. All it will accomplish is an embarrassing limp to the finish line… if it even makes it that far. I really wish they would have let the show go with some dignity. Instead, they are intent to run it into the ground.
I completely agree with this article. I agree also that much of the focus was taken from Emma and her story and placed on Regina. Emma Swan is the heart and soul of the story and if her sons story is to be told next, then she should have a huge part in as well. I can’t help but feel so very disappointed, and even betrayed, that JMO couldn’t find in in herself to stick it out just one season more. What about Hook? We captain swan fans never truly got that payoff for investing our time in the show,… Read more »
Excuse me, bit Regina and Robin didn’t get TLK, which proves that CS silliness wasn’t the only one who didn’t get TLK. And after that OutlawQueen was destroyed.
And don’t forget aside from Snowing, Emma/Henry, Regina/Henry, Zelena/Hades, and Red/Dorothy: Aurora/Phillip and Aladdin/Jasmine got TLK too. Why even Rumple and Belle got a bit of it in s1 (before the darkness reverted to his scaly form).
I am sorry how you are feeling, but whatever happens and what is happening now, there is nothing you do about it.
I am not sure if I am going to watch any more networks lately because all they do is cancel many great shows. I will probably not watch Season 7 because I haven’t watched Season 6 yet.
Yes I will watch without Jennifer Morrison. I’m a big fan of the show watch ever Sunday. I’m a big fan of the cast and I wish for the ones that are leaving the show the very best. As long as Once Upon a Time take me away from my reality to a fantasies world. I will still be a fsn
I will Miss Emma also, but the question is, will any of the characters be back? We saw Henry OLDER answering the door to a child who claims to his daughter….
I guess I don’t like change. Yes, they all lived happily after……But,not for me
Ginnifer Goodwin said they plan and will be back soon. But not this season. Said so here: http://ew.com/tv/2017/05/14/once-upon-time-ginnifer-goodwin-exit-interview/?xid=entertainment-weekly_socialflow_twitter
I’m not sure at this point how I feel about the show continuing. The characters arrived in such a good place at the end of this season. I too, watched with the idea that this was Emma’s fairytale. However, more often than not the interest seemed to be more in focusing on excusing the actions of the villains while bringing down the heroes through some sort of moral equivalency. Also, the pacing didn’t leave much room for more in-depth character exploration of their thoughts and motivations, even just reactions that they naturally should have had to events tbey experienced. The… Read more »
She will b missed, but please continue series without her. I love these series!
I really don’t know. What about Rumpelstiltskin? He is my favourite character?
There are a lot of changes don’t think it will be the same.
Will miss captainswan.dont know how they will wrote emma off the only reason i watched was cause of captainswan.
I’m done. I wish everyone EXCEPT A&E well on s7 because I also don’t like people to lose their jobs. I am going complete radio silence because I don’t trust that my wonderful Emma and Killian will be left to revel in their happiness. I think OUaT will be remembered as the show that had unbelievable potential that was ruined by the showrunners inability to plan a proper arc, their own obsession with the EQ to the point they petty much pushed Emma out of her own fairytale and they left so many incomplete stories (perhaps they went to the… Read more »
Technically Snow somehow hinted us about what Neal did (even though it was only to get her home) by saying “no what this man did, Henry has the right to know who his father is”. Clearly Emma’s may have told her earliest (even if we didn’t see it).
The only reason there are a SQ fandom is because of Jmo. She can have a great chemistry even with a rock and Jmo pings on screen and Lana doesn´t at all, even DQ scene looked forced because Regina doesn´t ping and Kristin Bauer had to go for it and Hook has been Emma´s shadow season after season, so i don´t know what kind of story will involve Hook without Emma because the good Hook without the thirst for revenge is kind of boring, plus ouat without charming family, Bex and Emilie …… Not even the talented Robert carlyle will… Read more »
I’m going to miss all of the previous stars greatly but I enjoy the show so much so I’m anxious to see what direction it takes now