Once Upon a Time (2011)
Magic is coming.
There is a town in Maine where every story book character you've ever known is trapped between two worlds, victims of a powerful curse. Only one knows the truth and only one can break the spell.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 23 October 2011 |
| Status | Ended, last episode 18 May 2018 |
| Genre | Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy |
| Created by | Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz |
| Starring | Lana Parrilla, Colin O'Donoghue and Robert Carlyle |
| Seasons | 7 seasons, 156 episodes |
| Episode length | about 43 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 112 hours |
| Rated | TV-PG |
| Scores | TMDB users 7.4/10 |
Where to watch Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time is streaming on Disney+ ($15.99 a month) in the US. It is also on Hulu ($18.99 a month). At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 3 months of Disney+, or $47.97 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 15 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
A 2011 fantasy drama where fairy tale characters are trapped in a Maine town, stripped of their memories by a curse. It runs 156 episodes across 7 seasons, totaling 112 hours of viewing. That is a specific kind of commitment. The hook is simple: one person knows the truth, and she is the only one who can break it. The tone balances camp with genuine stakes, relying on a cast that includes Lana Parrilla and Robert Carlyle. It is a long detour through a town where nothing changes for 28 years.
What the critics said
Critics found the premise ambitious, even if the execution felt uneven. Metacritic assigned a 66 out of 100, labeling the response generally favorable. The reception split along familiar lines. Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe gave it a C+, calling the fairy-tale backstory a "random collection" that doesn't promise to surprise. Gail Pennington of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch saw more promise, naming it a top fall show. Feminist critics were particularly fond of the dynamic, praising how the series reimagined female agency. That is a solid foundation, provided you can tolerate a lead some found wooden.
How it did with audiences
The pilot pulled in 13 million viewers, a number that would impress a mid-tier cable hit. Add DVRs, and it climbed to 15.5 million, securing a 5.2 rating/share among adults 18–49. That made it ABC's biggest debut in five years and the top-rated drama series premiere for the season. It didn't just start strong; it stayed there. The next three episodes held over 11 million viewers each. By Sunday night, it was the number one non-sports program in the U.S. for both total viewers and young adults.
On TMDB, users rate it 7.4 out of 10. The audience did the math before the studio did.
What came next for the cast
Robert Carlyle had already done Trainspotting and 28 Weeks Later before this. After, he returned for T2 Trainspotting in 2017. Jennifer Morrison appeared in Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Star Trek previously. Her later work includes This Is Us, Bombshell, and The Night Agent. Lana Parrilla was in 24 before. Since then, she has been in The Tax Collector, The Lincoln Lawyer, and Atlas. These credits show what followed. They do not prove the film caused any of it.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Once Upon a Time.
Read more: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Sources
- Once Upon a Time on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q23673 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Once Upon a Time (TV series)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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