Once upon a time...

...there was a show by the same title that absolutely captivated me.
Actually it's just beginning to air here in Australia, and I've seen enough of five episodes to be hooked.
You should definitely get into it if you haven't seen it already.

Once Upon a Time is based on the plot of fairytale characters who are trapped in a modern world, not realising who they are. They all live in a town called Storybrook, and can't seem to physically leave the town without bad things happening to them.

L-R: Sheriff Graham of Storybrook, the evil queen, Snow White, Prince Charming, Rumplestiltskin, Henry and Emma Swan - who helps him uncover the strange happenings. 

A young boy, Henry, finds a story book that details the characters and their lives in the true fairytale world - and he goes about figuring out who is who in reality and what they need to believe in.

Rumplestiltskin. In the real world, he has been sold the baby of struggling 19-year-old laundrymaid Ashleigh (Cinderella), and is quite scarily determined to get it even after she changes her mind about the deal she made.

Emma Swan - who is actually Henry's real mother but gave him up as a baby, and the Mayor/Henry's foster-mother having a threatening argument.  

The evil queen - (Mayor/Henry's foster-mother) - in the fairytale world.

It's really well done, with scenes that you can hardly bear to watch yet can't look away, characters that you either love or hate in both worlds, things that you desperately want to happen - like Mary Margaret (aka. Snow White) falling in love with a recovered coma patient (aka. Prince Charming) - and things you don't - like Henry's beliefs being crushed by his selfish and strict foster-mother who also happens to be the town mayor with a lot of evil power going on.

 Hunky Prince Charming, anyone?

 The confident runaway Snow White who lives in the forest and thieves to survive after the evil queen wants her dead (I haven't worked out why yet).

Despite Prince Charming about to get married to some fussy royal blonde in the fairytale world, he crosses paths with Snow White and they're headed towards romance.

I definitely adore Snow White and Prince Charming - in both their worlds. She's sassy, he is obviously very cute, and they just have the best story figuring out who they are meant to be.

Mary Margaret of Storybrook is less sassy than her fairytale alter-ego at this point, but I still find her just  gorgeous with her cute cardigans and haircut and desire for true love. The actress Ginnifer Goodwin suits the role really well, like all the characters.

It's like losing yourself in books the way you did as a kid, but with more allusions to sex and violence, attractive characters to check out, and evil people that just make you scowl when they appear on the screen.

Note: Follow this link for all the episodes for free online at Yahoo:
http://au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/once-upon-a-time/

Can't deny that Sheriff Graham's pretty damn attractive too!

xZ