Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Sixth Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 15, 2017

Once has traversed the tricky path that has seen it evolve -- significantly in some ways -- since its inception but at the same time hold firm to its core system and the qualities that have made it one of the more popular shows on television and a must-see for any longtime Disney fan. The show, which rearranges classic Disney characters -- many of whom come from the animated realm -- and mixes them with some from other areas of popular culture and introduces a few new ones along the way, has reached six seasons and twisted through enough plot elements to tangle any newcomers into a hopeless lost cause. It's certainly best to start from the beginning, but in season six veterans will be greeted with a number of lingering questions as plot twists from last season only wrap tighter around the world, as new characters arrive and old characters depart, as some who remain have fundamentally changed. Indeed, season six is not for the freshly initiated. It's highly recommended that newcomers start at the beginning and fans get a season five refresher before heading in. Check out the reviews for previous seasons before proceeding:

• Season One
• Season Two
• Season Three
• Season Four
• Season Five

Some spoilers follow

Red Is the New Gold.

Official synopsis: After Regina crushes the heart of her Dark Half, it appears Storybrooke will finally enjoy an era of tranquility. But this reprieve is short-lived when the Evil Queen reemerges and wreaks a level of havoc and terror that makes her previous cruelties pale by comparison. Desperate to right her counterpart’s wrongs, Regina fights the ultimate battle against her nemesis, but can one survive if the other is destroyed? Meanwhile, Gold’s attempt to win back Belle before their child is born has heartbreaking consequences; Snow and David face a new, even more insidious curse; and just as Emma begins to envision a happy ending with Hook, she discovers she’s destined, as the Savior, to die at the hands of a sword-wielding assassin-unless she can somehow change her fate.

If there's a recurring theme throughout season six, it would be one that champions the importance of enjoying the journey rather than simply focusing on the end point destination and learning to live in harmony with all aspects of oneself. Both themes better tie the show into the real world, beyond the fantastical, the novelty, and the plot mechanics, creating, in a way, a true mirror, mirror (flat panel, flat panel) on the wall through which the audience can find their own reflection in the characters. In season six, characters both new and old are faced with difficult decisions and, in the process of sorting them out, must confront the secrets and lies that pervade Storybrooke, as each character faces their own fears and must decide how their story will play out. As the season progresses, a theme of hope develops, too. Even as the characters are faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, they still ultimately choose how they will face their stories and ultimately decide if fate will rule them or if they will instead rule fate.

The season's most intriguing character and deeply developed arc centers around Emma. How does knowing one's fate dictate one's life? Does one stop participating in the middle and wait for the inevitable or actively try and do something about it? It's a psychological nightmare, compounded by her decision to inform others of her discovery. The result is ample character growth -- some of the finest yet throughout the series run -- and also yields one of the best performances in the show courtesy of Jennifer Morrison. She's brilliant as the scared and conflicted "savior" who alternates between her duty to save the town and her desire to run away and forget all about it.

Regina also faces a difficult decision when her Dark Half reappears and she isn’t sure how to destroy her or if her destruction is even possible. One of the season's more compelling components sees Regina's character develop in isolation of the Evil Queen. Lana Parrilla does an amazing job of playing both sides of her personality as two distinct characters, opening up a performance that carries the show for all of her screen time. Regina’s battle with herself (literally and figuratively) links the fantasy world of the show to something viewers can easily relate to in the real world, that dichotomy of good and bad and grey area matters that seem more prevalent today than ever before. That's much of what makes the show so good, that ability to entwine the fantastical realm with the real world, which the show does on a literal level and, much more enticingly, really, a metaphorical one, too.

Meanwhile, as Gold efforts to win back Belle’s affections, he inadvertently drives her further away and deepens the wedge between them. He wants to overcome his evil side and be the man Belle thinks he is, or perhaps wants him to be, but is that even possible? Can he overcome his more mischievous side even with his best foot forward? Or is he destined to repeat mistakes and fall back into his established ways and lose her once and for all? Such is one of the season's most compelling arcs, served by strong performances and quality narrative development, and that relatable inner struggle furthers the show's status as a finely crafted reflection of real world conundrums. Likewise, newcomers Aladdin and Princess Jasmine and established characters Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde also face difficult decisions en route to determining their own story's end, too. All are reflective parallels, in many ways, of the Emma and Regina stories on several core levels, each deepening the other in complimentary fashion.

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Sixth Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Sixth Season delivers a well-rounded 1080p image that cannot escape its somewhat flat and mildly glossy digital roots but that does at least appear rather faithful to the source. Noise spikes in lower light, severely in a few places, but it's only in those heaviest spurts where it truly rises to the level of eyesore. Some light banding creeps in as well. A few heavily green-screened scenes do tend to stand out as almost painfully artificial as well, but that's not a fault of the transfer itself. Otherwise, there's not much room for major complaint. The image is capable of revealing impressive textural accuracy on all of the basics -- clothes, faces -- as well as the varied backgrounds from the real and fantasy worlds, such as Storybrooke street level elements and some of the more sylvan areas, for example, found in places throughout the season. Color reproduction appears more or less true to a neutral presentation. Primaries find sufficient depth and punch. Black levels hold fairly deep and skin tones raise no alarm bells.

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Sixth Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Sixth Season's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack comes pretty standard, not making any sort of lasting impression either positive or negative. That doesn't mean it's a "bad" track by any standard; it just never separates itself from the general vicinity of merely "good." Musical clarity and width are in fine working order. Listeners should be satisfied with the track's base level of competency, delivering satisfyingly rich and detailed elements throughout the range, including a well defined, though certainly not potent, low end. Much the same can be said of general action effects. The track picks up steam as needed and presents various things like whooshes, swords clanking one against another, and the like with solid baseline detail and placement in the stage. Ambient effects present with pleasing immersion, though never are they overwhelming unless by scene-specific design. Dialogue is the season's foundational element, and it plays with pleasing front-center placement, clarity, and prioritization above any competing and surrounding sounds.

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Sixth Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Sixth Season contains supplements on discs one and five.

Disc One:

• Audio Commentary: Director/Executive Producer Steve Pearlman and Writers Jane Espenson and Jerome Schwartz for "The Other Shoe."

Disc Five:

• The Storybrooke Songbook: Inside the Musical Episode (1080p, 10:20): Cast and crew discuss the creation of the musical episode: choosing which episode to use, why the fans have always wanted one, choosing to create a whole new soundtrack instead of rerecording famous Disney songs, the mechanics of recording the show and using the cast for the songs instead of stand-in singers, and the fun the cast had in making the episode
• The Fairest Bloopers of Them All (1080p, 7:46): The obligatory gag reel.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 28:17 total runtime): Scenes from Table for One, Open Sesame, Savior Vision, True Love's Light, Silent Treatment, and Strength in Family.

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Sixth Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Once Upon a Time: The Complete Sixth Season sees character arcs and character relationships evolve, develop, solidify, and set the stage for season seven, which promises to be a significant departure for a number of reasons, chief amongst them the well publicized cast and character comings-and-goings. This season, though, delivers a satisfying blend of entertainment and drama. It's polished, well acted, and largely engrossing. It's certainly not for newcomers -- few shows will lose a new viewer as quickly as this one this deep into the run -- but for those who have been with it from the beginning, it's another rewarding season. Disney's five-disc Blu-ray offers the expected quality video and audio presentations. Supplements are scant but adequate. Recommended.