ABC's Once Upon a Time became a sensation on television as it reimagined classic fairy tale stories into intriguing fantasy and adventure drama. In 2018, the show got a new competitor that took a different spin on beloved fairy tales like the Three Little Pigs, Red Riding Hood, and more.
Tell Me a Story was a 2018 psychological thriller that ran for two seasons. The show took famous stories and twisted them into modern-day thrillers with an edge. Comparing the two shows, it could be argued one did better at giving fans a more worthwhile display of a new look at fairy tales than the other.
TMAS: More Compact Characters
Disney became incredibly popular for its fairy tale movies like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and more. Tell Me a Story focused on certain popular tales for each season. The first season centered on three stories - Red Riding Hood, Hansel & Gretel, and Three Little Pigs.
These stories are also seen in Once Upon a Time but in a different context, that somewhat relates to their origins. TMAS revamped the characters in a way that isn't mystical, fantasy, or in tune with common Disney portrayals. The show kept it simple by focusing attention on certain stories and connections.
OUAT: The Fantasy & The Whimsical
What had fans hooked from the get-go in OUAT was its use of fantasy and whimsical elements often seen in classic fairy tales. As Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) gets involved in the fantasy world, things get more and more magical with every episode. The inclusion of the fantasy elements plays well into introducing multiple characters from fairy tales so it all makes sense.
The show has an overall feel that is a joy to watch like Emma becoming the white witch, Merlin's magic and storyline, and much more. To be fair, a lot of the characters introduced in the show can't exist without the use of fantasy or the whimsical.
TMAS: An Adult Audience
TMAS showcases its fairy tales in an adult context and they're not explicitly detailed as such. The show is not as well suited for younger audiences as OUAT. TMAS pushes the boundaries a bit more on the risky and sexual. The show has themes of forbidden minor and adult relations, sexual escapades, and dark thoughts.
The show is meant to give fairy tales more adult grounding in the real world. The show twists the tales to depict crime, greed, ambition, and deceit while pertaining to the tale's overall theme. Not to mention there are a couple of curse words not suited for children.
OUAT: A Much Bigger Array Of Stories & Characters
The best part of OAUT is its impressive display of multiple and well-known characters. The show has just about everything and includes more fairy tales than TMAS. Fans get to see the Mad Hatter, Merlin from the Arthurian legends, and even Dr.Jekyl and Hyde.
To make things more intriguing, the show even includes Disney characters like Elsa from Frozen. The big surprise was how the show included one of Disney's best heroines, Mulan, and the unique story she told in the show. OUAT takes examples from the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen tales and Greek mythology.
TMAS: Dark Thriller & Mature Stories
The characters' stories are riffled with deceit, turmoil, and revenge. A cop, a struggling blue-collar worker, and a drug dealer are part of a criminal group who have to deal with the consequences of their robbery gone wrong. There's also a New York restauranteur seeking revenge for his fiancé's death.
There's also a misinterpreted teen who moves to New York and soon who gets into a relationship with her teacher. Her teacher starts to exhibit stalker and obsessed tendencies. In the second season, a struggling writer on the brink harbors dark secrets. There's also a rising musician who shelters herself at home after surviving a brutal attack.
OUAT: The Distinction Between Reality & Fairy Tale
OUAT story starts mundanely with Emma being a bail-bonds person who gets thrust into the world of fairy tales. The interesting aspect of the show is that it distinguishes itself from the real world and the mystical one. A fictional yet human seaside town of Storybrooke, Maine seems ordinary.
In reality, the town's residents are all characters from fairy tales who are trapped and memories taken by the Evil Queen portraying herself as Regina (Lana Parrilla). The show often shifts back and forth between Emma's journey in the fantasy world and its effects in reality.
TMAS: The Subtle Hints At Fairy Tales
TMAS doesn't explicitly tell its audiences the storyline is based on a certain tale of who the characters are meant to portray. There are small hints that strike a lightbulb moment where it all makes sense a bit more. For example, the cop, blue-collar worker, and drug dealer rob a bank that goes fatally wrong.
How are they ties to the Three Little Pigs? During the robbery, the main characters wear scary pig masks to conceal their identities. The character meant to portray Little Red at one point leaves the house when it's raining and her grandmother hands her a vibrant red raincoat. Simple, yet effective.
OUAT: One Main Character To Follow
TMAS's stories are split between seasons with a new set of characters and actors being introduced. This also means there's constantly a new storyline to follow. In OUAT, fans need to intently focus on Emma Swan's story and her journey to discover who she really is. Her mundane life is changed when the son she abandoned returns to tell her she's Snow White's only daughter.
Her mission at first is to free the town's residents from Evil Queen's spell. As the series progressed fans got to see Emma's story evolve into something much bigger. At the same time, each season has a new unique plot to follow with its supporting characters and how Emma ties into it all.
TMAS: How They Twisted The Fairy Tales
Unlike OUAT, TMAS changes the story and look of its fairy tale characters to be more brooding, dark, and creepy. The characters exhibit certain characteristics and overall themes of the tale characters but don't explicitly follow their story. Kayla Powell (Danielle Campbell) processes the loss of her mother as she moves to New York with her father to be close to her grandmother.
Kayla is described as Little Red from the tales but is much more snarky. She's not an innocent character as she has a relationship with her teacher. The teacher is tagged as the Big Bad Wolf who lures his prey but starts to become obsessed with Kayla. For Beauty & the Beast, Beast is equivalent to a country musician who is brutally attacked and shelters herself from the outside world in her apartment.
OUAT: Side Characters Have Bigger Roles
While the show focuses on Emma's journey, the supporting fairy tale characters each have their own stake in the overall story. TWAS only focuses on a select number of characters, while OUAT tries to interweave famous characters into the bigger picture. For example, in season 5, the other characters embark on a journey to Camelot to find Merlin. Merlin is the answer to freeing Emma from the darkness.
The following season the character has to deal with a new evil and the return of the Evil Queen. At the same time, Emma must deal with the fate of saviors and surprisingly learns the previous savior was Aladdin. The show does a swell job at giving side or supporting main characters a unique storyline inclusion.