21 replies to this topic

[skizzo]

I think the actor and his several characters deserve their own thread.

What's your opinion on Sydney? Where do you think they're going with his character? Remember in the original story, the magic mirror changed his mind about the evil queen - I wonder if Sydney will also change his view on Regina.

[jessied112]

Eh, I'm not liking Sidney or the Genie. I preferred when he was just the Mirror, to be honest. I guess I tolerated Sidney before this episode (I did laugh when he did a double take when Regina told him that he was running for Sheriff) but this episode just made me not like him. The actor is good, I can't deny that. A little campy as the Genie, but not bad. But his characters aren't very likeable and I think that's the point. He willingly killed the man that freed him with little to no hesitation just for uncertainty. He only knew Regina for two days, tops and he's already willing to kill for her? Though I wonder if she put him under some sort of spell because the scene where he figures out her scheme, well, he said that he'd never leave her and I found that incredibly fishy.

[Spartan Girl]

OK, I'll come right out and say it: Was this actor Gus on Breaking Bad?

On the character itself, I can't believe the Genie/Mirror Man would want to stay with the Evil Queen after she basically set him up for murder.

[baltlady617]

To be fair ... you're the Genie ...

You've been trapped in a lamp for countless years with nothing but your own thoughts to keep you company. The little while you're not trapped in the lamp alone, you've granted hundreds of people their wishes, but you have only 2 wishes of your own that would make you happy: To be free and to find love.

Leopold gives you the first out of the blue and invites you to his kingdom having wished for "the happiness of all who set foot" in it. You've already declared that "finding love" will make you happy.

You've set yourself up for a big fall -- despite it being an enchanted land, first love for most doesn't end in happily ever after.

In a way, I think when the Genie saw the Queen, it was a little bit of wish-fulfillment figuratively and literally.

Maybe he fell rapturously in love at first sight a la Leopold's wish. Maybe there's no wishing involved and he's just like a lot of guys who go nuts for the first beautiful face they see (think Romeo's "love" for Rosaline pre-Juliet) before they know what real love really is. Maybe it's some of both.

No matter what, though, the only way he's ever interacted with humans over his long life has been to give them what they want; what he wants has never been part of the equation. So I can see the Genie being completely out of his depth dealing with a manipulator like the Queen and doing something awful because it's what she wants, and making a stupidly rash wish to forever be with her because he's not really sure what he wants (other than to be near the object of his devotion) and trapping himself again, now in a mirror.

As Sidney, he's still spending an inordinate amount of time trying to please Regina and do her bidding. We'll know the curse has started to crack for him when/if that changes. Has it changed already? Was there more truth than we've been led to believe in his rant to Emma that she didn't know what Regina had done to him?

As a magical being, he might be one of the few who has his memory, and he -- like Gold -- could be playing a long game. I hope the writers keep us guessing. He's got the potential to be a great grey character.

Edited by baltlady617, Jan 30, 2012 @ 7:52 PM.

[Camera One]

He only knew Regina for two days, tops and he's already willing to kill for her?

This is what made his backstory episode feel unconvincing to me, though what baltlady617 says also makes perfect sense. I just wish I felt that in the episode itself.

Why is the Genie/Magic Mirror doing the Evil Queen's bidding, if the mirror is like another prison to him? So he felt no resentment against the Evil Queen for using him for her own purposes?

[baltlady617]

He only knew Regina for two days, tops and he's already willing to kill for her?

This is what made his backstory episode feel unconvincing to me, though what baltlady617 says also makes perfect sense. I just wish I felt that in the episode itself.

You're right, Camera One, there really wasn't enough on the page/in the episode to give us a clear understanding of the Genie's motivation. In my mind, this was the least well-scripted ep of the show so far (or maybe the most poorly edited, since I don't know what got cut).

I wanted to add one thought I had regarding why the Genie would bind himself to the Queen even after he'd realized that she had used/played him.

He's spent his whole existence in service to the lamp, which was a pretty cruel master. That's all he knows, and being treated well isn't something he's used to. Once free of it, it's understandable that he would be looking to tether himself to something/someone else instead.

[Fable]

Sadly, I found his acting in this episode very stilted and unbelievable. I haven't seen him in anything else, so I have nothing to compare to, and I haven't seen enough of him in this series to get a grip on the character, but for me, he was so one-note and predictable.

[Scorpiosrule]

Sadly, I found his acting in this episode very stilted and unbelievable. I haven't seen him in anything else, so I have nothing to compare to, and I haven't seen enough of him in this series to get a grip on the character, but for me, he was so one-note and predictable.

I agree, and the sad thing is Giancarlo is a very good actor. I remember him during his days on Homicide: Life on the Streets, the stints he's done on L&O.

Here, he's so over the top and one-dimensional as to be caricaturish.

[Corydora]

He has much to lose by the curse being broken because right now he has his freedom. When things go back to normal, he goes back into the mirror.

[MorninStar]

Not if this is the curse to break all curses. Although.. he wasn't really 'cursed' into the mirror.. he 'wished' himself into it.. so??

[Scorpiosrule]

he wasn't really 'cursed' into the mirror.. he 'wished' himself into it.. so??

I don't think he wished himself into the mirror--just that he would always be with Regina--which sucked him into the mirror. I don't think he thought that would happen.

[Aliasscape]

I know only "one" knows the truth but I did debate if there was really any reason for the genie's mind to be wiped. He still wanted to be with Regina forever after she orchestrated him committing murder and he still was helpful and of service to her even after getting stuck in the mirror. She made a curse that gets him out of the mirror, back in the flesh and off the hook for murder, surely he'd be just as loyal as he is to her now? If he doesn't remember anything I suppose he just feels this attraction to her not knowing how much it burned him in the past.

Edited by Aliasscape, Feb 6, 2012 @ 12:03 PM.

[Camera One]

I suppose even in Storybrooke, he's not free since he's forced to do whatever Regina tells him. It certainly doesn't look like he resents it, though, unless some of the feelings she divulged to Emma during the "con" were real ones.

In the Genie/Magic Mirror's case, he didn't get a happy ending in Fairy Tale Land because he was serving out a consequence for the evil deed that he had done. But again, the Magic Mirror certainly didn't seem like it hated its job.

[Glass Ocean]

this was the least well-scripted ep of the show so far (or maybe the most poorly edited, since I don't know what got cut).

I strongly second that emotion.

I agree, and the sad thing is Giancarlo is a very good actor. I remember him during his days on Homicide: Life on the Streets, the stints he's done on L&O.

Here, he's so over the top and one-dimensional as to be caricaturish.

Yes, I've seen him do very good work, but whatever he's putting out here feels somehow wooden and neon at the same time. Plus I'm not clear on why he's currently so enmeshed with Regina and willing to do her bidding. It's got to be more than a crush from some thigh-rubbing.

[MorninStar]

From the book 'The Sociopath Next Door'

Sociopaths do not always have a covetous nature, but when they do, a fascinating and frightening picture emerges. Since it is simply not possible to steal and have for oneself the most valuable possessions of another person ie: beauty, intelligence, success,or perhaps a strong character the covetous psychopath settles for besmirching or damaging enviable qualities in others so that they will not have them, either, or at least not be able to enjoy them so much. Here the pleasure lies in taking rather than in having.The covetous sociopath thinks that life has cheated her somehow, has not given her nearly the same bounty as other people, and so she must even the existential score by robbing people, by secretly causing destruction in other lives. She believes she has been slighted by nature, circumstances, and destiny, and that diminishing other people is her only means of being powerful. Retribution, usually against people who have no idea that they have been targeted,is the most important activity in the covetous sociopath's life, her highest priority.Since this clandestine power game is priority number one, all of the covetous sociopath's deceitfulness and tolerance for risk are devoted to it. For the sake of the game, she may devise schemes and perform acts that most of us would consider outrageous and potentially self-destructive, in addition to cruel.And yet when such a person is around us in our lives, even on a daily basis, we are often oblivious to her activities. We do not expect to see a person direct a dangerous, vicious vendetta against someone who in most cases has done nothing to hurt or offend her. We do not expect it, and so we do not see it, even when it happens to someone we know or to us personally. The actions taken by the covetous sociopath are often so outlandish, and so gratuitously mean, that we refuse to believe they were intentional, or even that they happened at all. In this way, her true nature is usually invisible to the group. She can easily hide in plain sight among genuinely intelligent, professional people.When people do not provoke in the sociopath a desire for something they have, or for something they are, then she does not target them. To the contrary, she may be especially charming and courteous when she believes that certain underlings, as she thinks of them, are useful in maintaining her sheep's-clothing disguise, a disguise that includes a presentation of herself as an extraordinarily nice, caring, responsible, and pitiably overworked person. Sound like anyone you know? Beware...

There is a specific situation described further in the book.

****

I think the above quote describes Regina quite well. I've seen a woman like this in action (with a parish priest no less). She had him so snowed he never knew what hit him and he defended her even thought she would do simply outrageous things. He would never believe it because 'she was SO nice.. everyone else is just 'jealous' of her.' The staff & other priests in town could see through her, but the one priest she chose to target (and got her power through) never believed anyone who complained about her outlandish manipulation and downright cruelty.

Edited by MorninStar, Feb 6, 2012 @ 2:57 PM.

[MDKNIGHT]

I don't know if the writers did any research or anything so I don't know if it could have influenced them or not but in some mythology genies were demons bound into bottles by Solomon or some other person with power. So if that is the case in this universe it would not be out of character for a genie to be selfish and ungrateful and dishonorable and therefore turn on the guy who freed him. He's a demon. He was bound in a bottle without the ability to act on his free will in order to keep him from doing bad things. He gets freed. Now he can do bad things. Regina gave him the motivation. Voila! Murdering somebody who helped you after knowing your "love" interest for only a few days. Otherwise it was hard for me to swallow him being capable of what he did for a virtual stranger.

He is better off in Story Brooke but that makes sense since Regina wasn't trying to make him more miserable. She doesn't care about him but OTOH he's a toady so she wouldn't go out of her way to get rid of him either. And I'm sure it makes sense for someone like Regina to keep him around to worship her. He seems pretty immoral in Story Brooke too since he published Emma's juvie record and is in on the con.

[RTS390]

OK, I'll come right out and say it: Was this actor Gus on Breaking Bad?

I especially liked Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo Fring in Breaking Bad. This guy is an outstanding actor. One of the best in the business. Maybe I am a little bias but in my opinion (which is worthless) he has done a pretty darn good job here so far. They didn't give him that great of a part and the writing for that not so great part has so far been just that. Not so great!!! I believe as the story progresses along and he becomes more familiar and settled in his role that his acting abilities will come shining through.....

[MDKNIGHT]

I read in another thread that he is going to be playing a villain in a new tv show about an apocalyptic world where they have suddenly lost all energy. I think it is called Revolution. I never saw Breaking Bad but I heard he was great at playing a real badass.

Edited by MDKNIGHT, Feb 29, 2012 @ 6:50 PM.

[Glass Ocean]

Glad to hear he's going to be leaving for another show. In this one, he's basically just a lackey, another extension of Regina's will and power in the community. He shows up to do her bidding and then disappears. Blech.

And why did Emma allow him to take photos of the abandoned car, the potential crime scene? Wouldn't that be contrary to standard police procedure? Not that they have a CSI unit in Storybrooke...

[Trini Girl]

Glad to hear he's going to be leaving for another show.

It's just a pilot. He's not necessarily leaving, even if the show gets picked up.

[Aliasscape]

Yeah, zillions of pilots are panned every year and never make it series. And even if they do make it to series, they could still not get the back 9 if they last the first 13 to begin with.

[Tricksterson]

Revolution was picked up. He's playing a bad guy. Which may or may not have something to do with why in the finale, the door in the mental ward next to Belle's had the name "S. Glass" on it.