Once Upon a Time (TV Series) Skin Deep (2012) User Reviews

Rumpelstiltskin steals the show

[aditya420 · 10/10 · 16 March 2012]

By far the best episode in this Season. After watching this episode, one cannot help but to develop a soft corner for Rumpelstiltskin. There's something strangely attractive about him, despite his character, keeps you guessing. Is he really that evil or is there still good in him and just really good at getting what he wants. He's going to win the hearts of all before it is done and said.

I love how he completely transforms between Rumpelstilskin into Mr. Gold. His voice, facial expressions, body movements completely transform him from one character into the other and he does it so well.

i hope he has a major part for the downfall of the Evil Queen.

A Belle and Rumpelstiltskin episode that is very well-written

[gavin-thelordofthefu-48-460297 · 9/10 · 11 April 2016]

This episode is very similar to what happened between Snow White and Charming in 7:15 two episodes earlier. And it's a good thing too. It does a great job developing the relationship between Belle and Rumpelstiltskin, has a complex characterizations for Emma, Belle, and Regina, and Robert Carlyle gives a very superb performance, giving his character some emotion and he improves in every scene he's in despite his silly accent.

Also, the rest of the performances are still good, the dialog is very fresh and a neat improvement over the previous episode, the pacing is nice, the music is still beautiful, and the visuals are still good.

My only quibble is that the Stockholm Syndrome theme in the episode wasn't developed enough and would've shined more, but despite that, the relationship between Belle and Rumpelstiltskin is great and they share some amusing lines together which gives them a lot of chemistry.

Skin Deep is a complex episode and a great one at that, so this receives a thumbs up from me. :)

Best Season 1 Ep So Far

[KikiFlorida · 10/10 · 20 October 2016]

I just started "binging" Season 1, and I have to say this is the best episode yet. It's touching and shows us yet another side of Mr. Gold / Rumpelstiltskin / The Beast. (Robert Carlyle is an amazing actor by the way!) I don't think any of us saw the Belle story coming - at least not with him as the Beast! The show thus far has teased us by not quite revealing how much Gold knows about the curse. So the jail scene is super satisfying when we finally discover where he and Regina stand. Now it leaves us wondering who really holds the power in Storybrooke. Personally, I think the final scene where Regina "visits" Belle was pretty shocking. Keeping someone in solitary confinement for that long is a new level of cruelty. It was bad enough when she killed her own father, but at least she felt a little bad about it. She gloats over her possession of Belle and how it may ultimately ensure she has the upper hand with Gold.

Beauty and her Beast

[lilafaewood · 6 April 2012]

Again and again we have learned in these series that not everything is black and white; everything is grey and swirling. But this time we get to get a glimpse of Mr.Gold/Rumpelstiltskin's past life. I have rarely seen characters such as this one to have such a complex character. Robert has achieve above and beyond my expectations. He is truly outstanding in all, but especially this, performance. Many people will have their hearts slightly pull and melt towards this malicious character. I know I did; Mr.Gold is like Snape who we all pitied him. But maybe this will soften your hearts even more. I congratulate the writers on creating such a twisted yet beautiful piece of work.

Belle and Rumpelstiltskin

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 7 December 2017]

When 'Once Upon a Time' first started it was highly addictive and made the most of a truly great and creative premise. Really loved the idea of turning familiar fairy tales on their heads and putting own interpretations on them and the show early on clearly had clearly had a ball. Watched it without fail every time it came on and it was often a highlight of the week. Which was why it was sad when it ran out of ideas and lost its magic in the later seasons.

Like "7:15 A.M" saw Season 1 back on track after stumbling a little with "True North", "Skin Deep" is on near-top form in one of its best episodes after "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree" underwhelmed a little. The David and Mary Margaret subplot didn't add as much as it could have done and didn't go very far. The writing and character detail however has come on such a long way since 'Once Upon a Time' first started and this is one of Season 1's better examples.

Belle and Rumpelstiltskin's chemistry is done beautifully, not fully developed perhaps but it didn't feel too rushed, nor did it feel cold. This is helped by storytelling that's charming, witty, harrowing and poignant and by the character writing for Rumpelstiltskin, who warms the heart as well as darkens it (the most interesting he's been of the season up to this point). Belle is written charmingly.

"Skin Deep" is a very handsomely mounted episode, settings and costumes that are both colourful and atmospheric, not too dark or garish and never cookie-cutter. The special effects, after being pretty bad in a couple of episodes like "True North", are superior here. It is photographed beautifully and there were some make-up that suited the characters perfectly. The music is haunting, ethereal and cleverly used with a memorable main theme.

The writing is humorous, very touching and has a lot of character nuance and great one-liners from particularly Rumpelstiltskin. Likewise with the storytelling, where the real world and fantasy world parallel is adeptly handled.

Robert Carlyle takes the acting honours here, a fun, dark yet oddly charming characterisation.

Overall, great episode and one of the better ones to me of the first season. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Tale as old as time

[sini-200 · 9/10 · 17 March 2023]

I love what Once Upon a Time does with the fairy tales we know by heart (and Disney ones). The show honors the originals, but gives them a twist of their own. It's not copying in any way or bad, OUAT knows how to make them well.

Not to mention Rumplestiltskin is one of the best characters of the show, so well layered and just those "bad guys" you love. And episodes around him are always so good. I love how we are introduced Belle as his love interest. I absolutely adore Emilie de Ravin as Belle, she does the iconic character justice. "All you have is an empty heart and a chipped cup" love that line so much!