"The Thing You Love Most" | |
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Once Upon a Time episode | |
Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 2 |
Directed by | Greg Beeman |
Written by |
Edward Kitsis Adam Horowitz |
Original air date | October 30, 2011 |
Guest appearance(s) | |
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"The Thing You Love Most" is the second episode of the first season of the American fairy tale/drama television series Once Upon a Time. The series takes place in the fictional seaside town of Storybrooke, Maine, in which the residents are actually characters from various fairy tales that were transported to the "real world" town by a powerful curse. This episode centers on Regina's (Lana Parrilla) efforts to run Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) out of Storybrooke and reveals how the Evil Queen (Parrilla) unleashed her curse upon the Enchanted Forest.
The episode was co-written by co-creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, while Greg Beeman directed. Actress Kristin Bauer van Straten was cast at the last minute and guest starred as the sorceress Maleficent, a character from Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty. Mary Margaret's (Ginnifer Goodwin) loft as well as most of the interior shots of the episode were filmed in Vancouver, while many exterior shots were shot in nearby Steveston, British Columbia.
"The Thing You Love Most" first aired in the United States on ABC on October 30, 2011. It was watched by an estimated 11.64 million viewers, scoring a 3.9 ratings share in the 18-49 demographic. The episode received mixed to positive reviews from television critics; many were complimentary towards Emma and Regina's feud and thought the episode was superior to the pilot, but believed Bauer van Straten was underused. A novelization of the episode was published in 2013.