Categories: Actors

Carlyle’s Once Upon A Time finishes 2011 with strong ratings

ABC’s new fantasy series Once Upon A Time is off for the holidays, but has turned in a strong premiere and another half-dozen episodes.  The series co-stars Robert Carlyle (SGU‘s Dr. Nicholas Rush) as Rumplestiltskin and the enigmatic Mr. Gold.

After debuting in October to 12.93 million viewers, the show has averaged 10.96 million over its first seven episodes.  The trend is downwards, however, with last week’s new episode attracting 8.92 million.

Once is first among entertainment programs on Sunday nights among women 18 to 34 and women 18 to 49, according to the network.  TVbytheNumbers.com currently has it listed as a “Likely Renewal” for ABC, noting that it’s gained 21 percent on what the network had in the same time slot a year ago.

The show will return January 8, 2012, with an episode focusing on Carlyle’s two characters — one in the fairy tale world, the other a powerful businessman in the real world town of Storybrooke, Maine.  In the episode titled “Desperate Souls,” “Regina engages in dirty politics with Mr. Gold while Rumpelstiltskin’s backstory is revealed along with his attempt to help his son avoid a war,” according to Zap2It’s TV guide.

Frequent Stargate SG-1 guest star Tony Amendola (Bra’tac) also has a recurring role on the series, as Gepetto.

Once Upon A Time has been picked up for a full, 22-episode first season, and airs Sunday nights at 8/7c on ABC in the United States.

Darren

Darren created GateWorld in 1999 and is the site's managing editor. He lives in the Seattle area with his wife and three spin-off Stargate fans.

View Comments

  • At the very beginning I loved the show,then a few eps later it started getting kinda too drawn out,the strong and great pace of it from the beginning had diminished.And then with the last couple episodes at the end of the first half of the season it's picked up again and now I think it's an awesome show with a a huge potential to become even much greater if the obvious easy cliches are avoided and lines(good/evil,real/fairy world) more blurred.

    One thing though has been a constant the entire time of the show's run thus far and that's an amazing performance of our Robert Carlyle as both excentric Rumpel and enigmatic Mr.Gold.He is an absolutely amazing,intriguing character and I really look forward to seeing more of him in the series,which is coming as mentioned already with the start of the second half of the season!

  • I personally hate how formulaic the show is. There's nothing radical about it. I kept watching it for Carlyle though, which I'm a big fan of. But even Carlyle's great appearance on the show wasn't able to keep me watching the show. I stopped watching 2-3 weeks ago. Too bored with it.

  • I absolutely love the show, it is really good ... makes me happy knowing specially with these days of series getting cancelled.

  • Carlyle had very little screen time so far. The show is not that great, for me at least.

    PS: it seams that this days shows aren't bad any more, they are formulaic.

  • I love this show and think that Robert Carlyle plays his role brilliantly! Quite a different character then his past Dr. rush, and still great!

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