Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 12+
Fresh take on fairy tales is moody fun for families.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
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Language
some
"Ass," "hell," "suck," and "damn" are sometimes used; "bastard" much less frequently.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
Couples get dressed after implied sexual activity; shirtless men and bare-backed women are visible. Some bed-hopping is implied. Kissing.
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Violence & Scariness
some
Crashes, bloody sword fights, explosions, murder. People's hearts are removed from their chests in a non-gory (but startling) way. Frightening creatures like trolls and eerie monsters. A man is attacked by wolves; a dragon burns people alive. One character is impaled, and dead bodies can be seen after a town is destroyed. Most graphic acts take place off-screen. Arguments, conflict. Characters disguise themselves as other characters to trick people into having sex with them.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
Characters drink (mostly beer). Magical potions have the effects of drugs.
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Products & Purchases
very little
Though many characters come from folklore, later seasons feature characters from Disney movies, which ties them to a world of products and merchandise.
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Positive Messages
some
Themes include the importance of love, the difference between good and evil (and the idea that good always triumphs in the end), parenthood, loss, abandonment, and a lack of fulfillment.
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Positive Role Models
some
Emma and Henry are committed to each other; some characters' loyalty to others shifts. Emma is strong-willed and would do anything to fight for good. Characters deepen over the course of the show and are humanly flawed. Villains are often complex, driven by a range of motivations, some of which may inspire empathy.
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Diverse Representations
a little
Making a shift from the first seasons -- where almost everyone is White -- later seasons feature characters of color, including Princess Tiana (who's Black), Mulan (who's Chinese), and Cinderella (who's Afro-Latina). Women have agency, and some are action heroes. Body diversity is minimal. Ruby and Dorothy are in a romantic relationship.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Once Upon a Time is a fantasy series inspired by classic fairy tales including Snow White, Pinocchio, and revivals of popular stories such as Mulan, Brave, and Frozen. The content is often violent -- including murder, sword fights, characters disguising themselves to have sex with others, and death threats (though anything truly graphic happens off-screen) -- and much of the story is clouded in a sense of peril and shifting loyalties. Sexual content includes shirtless men, women buttoning up their blouses, and lovers escaping out of windows. There's innuendo and iffy language ("hell," "ass," "damn," "suck"). Characters drink, and magical potions have the effects of drugs. There are characters of various races, as well as a few LGBTQ+ characters. The show has multi-generational appeal, but parents may want to preview it before sharing with tweens.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Once Upon a Time
Parent and Kid Reviews
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- Parents say (98)
- Kids say (427)
age 12+
Based on 98 parent reviews
CommonSenseChristian Adult
July 27, 2016
age 13+
Fairytales for Grown-Ups...This Show Knocks it Out of the Park!
I became acquainted with this show fairly late, but have loved it ever since. It gives a great adult spin to all the fairytales we know and love, from Snow White and Cinderella to lesser-known tales like Robin Hood, Aladdin, and even the characters from Frozen and The Snow Queen. The characters are definitely my favorite part of this series. There are clear heroes and villains, but often the lines between them are not clean. This makes them delightfully human but also gives each one the potential to do great things for themselves and others. (Spoiler ahead) Since her redemption, I've actually become a Regina fan, although Mary Margaret and Belle remain my two favorite characters.There's also a ton of great discussion fodder in the show. As a Christian I tend to see religious connections, but you can still explore these topics even without a Christian lens. They include:-The power of sacrifice-The importance of purity, unselfishness, and truth-Whether "bad" people can redeem themselves and what redemption means-The fact that children sometimes see things adults can't-The harm envy, anger, and desire for justice/revenge can do if not controlled-The idea of love as a force more powerful than magic-The idea that men and women can both be intelligent and powerful, despite gender restrictionsThere are some issues that make OUAT inappropriate for children. The bedroom door has remained closed so far, but sex is discussed, including a hom*osexual relationship between two minor characters. Characters swear, drink, and smoke on occasion. In "cursed" Storybrooke, David/Charming wants to have an affair with Mary Margaret/Snow because deep in his heart he knows they're meant for each other. She resists him because he's currently married but still ends up labeled a tramp.The magic elements can get quite disconcerting. People's hearts are ripped out and crushed (not bloody, but potentially scary for kids). Other people are turned to stone or gold or obliterated from existence. Fireballs are thrown around, ogres hunt humans, and demons, wraiths, and shadow-people appear. One particularly character often takes on a scaly appearance that makes it look as though his skin is disintegrating.The fifth and most recent season prominently features a version of the Greek underworld and the god Hades. While this is not graphic by adult standards, it may be scary for kids. Judeo-Christian parents may raise eyebrows at the lack of a Biblical representation of heaven and hell. However, again, this is more a discussion opportunity than anything else for appropriate audiences. Families can talk about their own faiths' take on the afterlife, what aspects of the Underworld do or don't line up, and so on.Overall, OUAT is one of the smartest and most adventurous shows to come out of ABC recently, perhaps Hollywood in general. I'm really rooting for at least 8 seasons.
Caroline D. Adult
January 4, 2018
age 15+
Great modern fantasy show! But no to kids and pre-teens
It is a great storylines, complexily characters, strong females characters (good role models for women) and message that "love always wins" and "make the right things". But in my point of view would no be good to kids because of implicity sexual insinuations, implicit sex and violence, characters make ambiguous things and darker themes like revenge, passional crimes, villians make evil things with their own family and intenses psycological conflits (parental abuse, depression and self destructive tendencies).
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See all 98 parent reviews
What's the Story?
ONCE UPON A TIME takes place in Storybrooke, Maine, a town inhabited by fairy tale characters who've been robbed of their memories by the Evil Queen, Regina (Lana Parrilla), who used a dark spell she got from Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle). Only Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), the long-lost child of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas), can break the curse. During the first six seasons, Emma and her son, Henry (Jared S. Gilmore), try to save Storybrooke, leading to an epic battle between good and evil. During the seventh season, an adult Henry (Andrew J. West) faces new evils and meets new characters in Seattle.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (98):
Kids say (427):
The entertaining, imaginative series is a sharply written modern spin on fairy tales that combines drama, romance, and suspense in a truly magical way. Once Upon a Time brings together a wide range of favorite characters, including stand-bys like Red Riding Hood (Meghan Ory), Peter Pan (Robbie Kay), and Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle) and more contemporary characters like Merida (Amy Manson) and Princess Elsa (Georgina Haig). The story takes generous liberties with the content of the original narratives in order to allow viewers to engage with them in exciting new ways. Purists might take issue with this aspect of the show, but the formula allows for creative plot lines to drive the show through its seven seasons.
This isn't your kids' fairy tale collection, however, nor is it a suitable bedtime story for little ones. It's dark, intense, occasionally sexy, and at times too violent for younger kids. The constant plot twists and the characters' unpredictable motivations can be worrisome, too. It does, however, promise a fun experience for older viewers craving something outside the repetitive realm of sitcoms, dramas, and reality shows. Overall, Once Upon a Time is a fun journey that will have you rooting for underdogs, cheering for true love, and embracing a world that's as clever as it is enchanting.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Once Upon a Time's version of reality. Do the residents of Storybrooke lead lives that reflect your impression of reality? Do you think people turn to entertainment for a reflection of their own lives or an escape from it?
Teens: Do you like this show's interpretation of fairy tales? How do their stories diverge from the originals you know? If you could rewrite a classic tale, which would it be? Which fairy tale character would you like to meet?
What do you think the intention of Once Upon a Time is? Does it offer any positive lessons you can relate to your own life? Does entertainment always have to have a point? Which of your favorite shows would you say has educational qualities?
TV Details
- Premiere date: October 23, 2011
- Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jared Gilmore, Jennifer Morrison
- Network: ABC
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Book Characters, Fairy Tales
- Character Strengths: Courage, Perseverance, Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: August 31, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Once Upon a Time
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