Once Upon a Time in Wonderland Review: Don't Be Late For This Enchanting New Series!

We're reviewing all of the five network's newbies, and we've got gathered up everything you need to know about Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

By Leanne Aguilera Oct 10, 2013 7:51 PMTags
Once Upon a Time In Wonderland, Sophie LoweABC/Bob D'Amico

Curiouser and curioser.

We don't know how they do it but the masterminds behind the ABC's hit magical drama Once Upon a Time have brought us yet another mesmerizing fairytale-inspired series. Get excited to travel down the rabbit hole to the dark and dangerous realm of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland..

This magical new spinoff is headed to your TV screens tonight and we've snagged everything you need to know about the characters, adventures and romance coming up in Wonderland. So sit back, relax, and enjoy a cup of tea as we gush over the many, many reasons that you need to tune into this wonderous new drama tonight at 8 p.m

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (ABC)
Premieres
: Thursday, Oct. 10, 8 p.m.
Time-Slot Competition: The Big Bang Theory (CBS), The X Factor (Fox), Parks and Recreation (NBC) and The Vampire Diaries (The CW)
CastSophie Lowe, Peter Gadiot, Michael Socha, Naveen Andrews, Emma Rigby, and the voice of John Lithgow
Status: We've seen the pilot episode

Welcome (Back) to Wonderland: Any true Once Upon a Time lover has visited the wacky world of wonderland a few times in the past, but now it's time to get a deeper peak! This new series was developed because OUAT creators felt that Wonderland is a world that needs it's own bright spotlight.

"We saw a bit of Wonderland in the Mad Hatter story and obviously with the Queen of Hearts but I think you'll see with this is that we really loved Wonderland and we felt like we didn't show Alice and a lot of the world," Creator Edward Kitsis revealed at the summer TCA press tour.

Marshes made of actual marshmallow, genies who grant bejeweled wishes, and a carnivorous Cheshire cat are just a few of the crazy things you'll encounter in this spell-binding land. Like its flagship series, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland will feature many flashbacks and parallel tales, however the creators want to stress that fans do not necessarily need to follow both series to get the full enchanting picture. 

"We think this show has it's own mythology that is really not dependent on the mothership," Kitsis says. "Wonderland has its own unique vibe in the way that Storybrooke has its own vibe. I think for us Wonderland is like a psychedelic romance and it's trippy and it's weird but it also has some real characters and humor and romance."  

ABC/Jack Rowand

I'm a Genie in a Bottle Baby: Although fans should prepare themselves for a wild ride, at the heart of Wonderland is a love story that has never been addressed in any other variations of the tale. Alice (Sophie Lowe) falls for a genie named Cyrus (Peter Gadiot) and fans will instantly see that these are two characters are truly the Prince Charming and Snow White of the series. The soul mates are separated and we'll soon embark on a quest with Alice as she searces for her lost love.

However, you should know that this Alice is not some lost little girl stumbling through a strange land—she's a kick-ass heroine. "We just love writing strong females. We never wanted Alice to be a damsel in distress," Kitsis says. Lowe adds, "She's tough, mentally and physically, and she can take care of herself." And believe us when we tell you this Alice is pretty damn incredible!

ABC/Bob D'Amico

Dark Forces: We want to make sure to clarify a few things for all you future Wonderland lovers out there: The Red Queen will be played by the gorgeous Emma Ribgy and should not be confused with the former ruler of Wonderland, The Queen of Hearts, also known as the wickedly evil Cora (Barbara Hershey). 

The Red Queen is fierce, fabulous and absolutely ferocious. Kitsis exclusively tells us that she and Alice have a very unique dynamic in Wonderland. "Well you know I think oddly they have sort of a sister kind of dynamic." He continues with a mini spoiler alert saying, "The Red Queen pushed the love of [Alice's] life off the ciff and that makes for some interesting revenge for Alice."

VIDEO: Wonderland Cast Talks Fairy Tale Spin Off

And of course wherever there's a genie, the evil Jafar (Naveen Andrews) is always close behind. Adam Horotitz explains to us, "Jafar is coming into this world so now you have different forces of antagonism sort of criss-crossing in their world as Alice is searching for her love."

Verdict: Watch it! We know that Thursday night is a highly competitive night for TV, but if you're a fan of Once Upon a Time's mesmerizing tales, you'll love exploring the new dangerous and dreamy world of Wonderland.

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