Perhaps I am blinded by feelings in my lady parts, but even though that was a weak episode I enjoyed it so much! I have respect for you as always for ranting about the isms. I am willing to allow them some generous reading, though, because they're working with the terrain of fairy tales -- a canon that's basically unadulterated racism and sexism. Generally, the show's approach is to take this up but portray fairy tale 'verse in a dark and thus critical light. Or so I like to think, at least. To wit:
1. RACISM. OK, obviously. The show has a problem in that Sydney is like the only character of color (if you don't count Lana Parilla or Mr. Gold being an evil Jew cum sparkly-skinned demon) and he's basically a flunky. That said, the genie backstory was so cracktastic that I kind of loved it! Where else would they go for a man of color in European fairy tales? I would prefer to interpret the genie's over-the-top persona and evident oppression as a critique of this trope, although it's fair to say that every viewer probably wouldn't get that. The issue with RL Sydney is more difficult to justify. I mean, he is the human version of a mirror, i.e. 2-dimensional, but they don't get a pass on that with the rest of the casting. He did at least seem to be in a parallel position to Graham? I like thinking of Regina having a town harem of people she controls through sex...
2. SEXISM. I disagree! Wasn't the show presenting King Toby's actions as horrific? They seemed to make a move with the character that they are deploying with respect to fairy tales in general: revealing the dark underbelly of something that on the surface is unremittingly wholesome and sweet. I thought his jealousy and control was supposed to read as completely unreasonable and unsympathetic -- a "twist" on how the character was initially portrayed.
As for the Queen -- well, there is clearly more to be revealed about why she was in that unhappy marriage and what transpired with Snow White afterwards. But I don't think it was implied that her evilness justified her imprisonment, and I HOPE they don't retcon it so that the King was somehow doing the world a favor.
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1. RACISM. OK, obviously. The show has a problem in that Sydney is like the only character of color (if you don't count Lana Parilla or Mr. Gold being an evil Jew cum sparkly-skinned demon) and he's basically a flunky. That said, the genie backstory was so cracktastic that I kind of loved it! Where else would they go for a man of color in European fairy tales? I would prefer to interpret the genie's over-the-top persona and evident oppression as a critique of this trope, although it's fair to say that every viewer probably wouldn't get that. The issue with RL Sydney is more difficult to justify. I mean, he is the human version of a mirror, i.e. 2-dimensional, but they don't get a pass on that with the rest of the casting. He did at least seem to be in a parallel position to Graham? I like thinking of Regina having a town harem of people she controls through sex...
2. SEXISM. I disagree! Wasn't the show presenting King Toby's actions as horrific? They seemed to make a move with the character that they are deploying with respect to fairy tales in general: revealing the dark underbelly of something that on the surface is unremittingly wholesome and sweet. I thought his jealousy and control was supposed to read as completely unreasonable and unsympathetic -- a "twist" on how the character was initially portrayed.
As for the Queen -- well, there is clearly more to be revealed about why she was in that unhappy marriage and what transpired with Snow White afterwards. But I don't think it was implied that her evilness justified her imprisonment, and I HOPE they don't retcon it so that the King was somehow doing the world a favor.