Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

:

Season 1
  • Network: ABC
  • Series Premiere Date: Oct 10, 2013
User Score
7.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 92 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 57 out of 92
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 92
  3. Negative: 14 out of 92
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User Reviews

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  1. Exakter
    Oct 11, 2013
    5
    I like Once upon a time, and I'm a 28 YO White male. I think OUAT has some interesting remakes of popular characters and I like seeing where they go, even if the episodes sometimes drag.

    This... felt weird. Right from the start. Perhaps that is fitting for a tale about Wonderland and Alice, but, I think it might have lost me, and I give pilot episodes a LOT of leeway and drift.    I like Once upon a time, and I'm a 28 YO White male. I think OUAT has some interesting remakes of popular characters and I like seeing where they go, even if the episodes sometimes drag.

    This... felt weird. Right from the start. Perhaps that is fitting for a tale about Wonderland and Alice, but, I think it might have lost me, and I give pilot episodes a LOT of leeway and drift.

    Here's what's up acting, actually relatively decent. They have a great actor from Britain (previously on Being Human) as the Knave of Hearts, and honestly I only found his part's to be entertaining.

    The entire romantic storyline was so shoddely put together that it felt terrible. It was forced, and it was so briefly introduced. They really could have skipped it entirely except for references to "a genie, or him" and come up with better motives for Alice going into Wonderland. And... what time period are we in? Alice's father seems like he dresses for the early 1900's or 1800's but then the Knave is in modern day storybrooke? Uh... what?

    The story's internal consistency there leaves a LOT to be desired. The main female actor is frankly terrible. her dialogue is even worse. When are these writers going to start giving these actor's lines that any decently intelligent human can't see coming miles away?

    Action scenes? hah, well other than being classically awful in the few we had, the cgi also looked really cheap. They screwed themselves by creating a story that relies so much on the territory of Wonderland... which really should look more unique. I understand everything is darker now... but not only did the contrast feel off so did the colors of the plants.

    The only part I liked, the introduction of the cat...

    Ways to turn this show around? Perhaps make the main actor a little more observant, or the Knave? That's his world, and he doesn't see ANYTHING wrong right off the bat? Or if he knows (like he may seem to) whats going on, wouldn't he say SOMETHING to Alice?

    This show needs something beyond faith and hope. OUAT is fascinating, and a fun adventure. This feels like a pale shadow, for spin offs done right, look to the Originals and Vampire Diaries. Both shows are QUITE different, despite coming from the same place.

    This feels just like OUAT except with worse acting, visuals, and plot. Recommend staying away unless the writers drastically turn this around. But I doubt they will.    … Expand
  2. runner
    Dec 30, 2015
    5
    I usually only write reviews for video games, but felt the urge to write some about Wonderland.

    While the series on its own swings throughout its 13 episodes from OK to extremely mediocre, I think it is a serious disgrace to Once Upon a Time. I really had high hopes for this season, as I really loved the main series and I really love the world and stories of Wonderland. Sadly this    I usually only write reviews for video games, but felt the urge to write some about Wonderland.

    While the series on its own swings throughout its 13 episodes from OK to extremely mediocre, I think it is a serious disgrace to Once Upon a Time.

    I really had high hopes for this season, as I really loved the main series and I really love the world and stories of Wonderland.

    Sadly this goes a few levels below the parent series in almost every possible way.
    Although the music is amazing as always (thanks to the talented Mark Isham), and Wonderland looks visually stunning (although sometimes too 'computerized', but I can totally forgive that), the rest just doesn't make up for the series being just a big meeeh for me.

    It tries to focus each episode on two different storylines, just like Once Upon a Time, and while the parent series does so masterfully and wonderfully, Wonderland seems like it simply couldn't accumulate to this formula, and the result is as I already said, very mediocre.

    There are very few of those amazing twists we had in OUAT, and here the seemingly lazy story, the dull script, the so-so actors and the not-too intriguing characters, which have a very (very!) simplistic and obvious course of development throughout the series, simply don't add too much entertainment value to this series.

    I've also expected some cross-overs and interesting connections to the parent series.
    They weren't too impressive or thoughtful, to say the least.
    And sadly, we end up with a series which is barely worth anyone's time, in my humble opinion, aside from some very rare good moments here and there, which, truthfully, I could live without watching.    … Expand
  3. ZombieWhosoever
    Nov 2, 2013
    5
    While it's certainly imaginative and has plenty of decent visual splendor to spare, its a bit stiff on its storytelling and doesn't bring any real new interest to the story it's based on.

Awards & Rankings

53
#53 Most Discussed TV Season of 2013
90
#90 Most Shared TV Season of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 23
  3. Negative: 3 out of 23
  1. Newark Star-Ledger
    Reviewed by: Vicki Hyman
    Feb 13, 2014
    50
    The grand, star-crossed romance between Alice and Cyrus is promising, and turning Alice into a willful Victorian riot grrl is a move that will resonate with many viewers. As in "Once," the computer-generated landscapes and creatures don't quite work--they look do look unworldly, but in a cheesy way.
    Read full review
  2. People Weekly
    Reviewed by: Tom Gliatto
    Oct 24, 2013
    38
    Wonderland grabs elements from the Lewis Carroll classic, throwing them down a rabbit hole and lets them land willy-nilly. [28 Oct 2013, p.42]
  3. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Margaret Lyons
    Oct 10, 2013
    40
    Wonderland has no nuance. It's not elegant or metaphorical at all, and many of the scenes would be at home on an episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
    Read full review
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