Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
TV spin-off takes dark fantasy drama to another dimension.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 4 parent reviews
Based on 10 kid reviews
Kids say the show is a magical and enjoyable experience, often comparing it favorably to its predecessor, though many acknowledge it lacks the depth of the original and features more violence with toned-down sexual content. Viewers find it entertaining and family-friendly for older children, with some expressing a desire for more episodes despite acknowledging its limitations.
- magical experience
- family-friendly
- more violence
- not as good
- enjoyable show
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND opens with a grown-up Alice (Sophie Lowe) as a patient in a mental hospital, declared insane by her father and doctor for telling tales of falling down a rabbit's hole and visiting a magical place called Wonderland. On the verge of an extreme procedure that will make her forget the pain of losing her true love –- a genie named Cyrus (Peter Gadiot) –- Alice is rescued by the Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha), who tells her that Cyrus is alive. With the help of the White Rabbit (voiced by John Lithgow), they journey back to Wonderland to save him from the clutches of the Red Queen (Emma Rigby) and her associate Jafar (Naveen Andrews).
Is It Any Good?
The creative team behind Once Upon a Time opens a new can of proverbial worms in this companion series that boasts the same level of curiosity and drama as does the first but with an entirely new cast. Once Upon A Time in Wonderland's best assets are its scintillating characters -– from lovelorn Alice to the malicious Red Queen -– and, as with its predecessor, the writers' ability to manufacture connections between traditionally unrelated players. It's like walking through a haunted house: You never know who might be lurking around the next corner or how their presence will affect what happens next.
There's very little plot crossover between the two shows, which makes it easy to jump into this one and not feel like you've missed anything by skipping the first. Existing Once Upon a Time fans will notice similarities in the cinematography, music, and plot development, but, all in all, this is a wondrous new adventure set against the backdrop of the creators' fresh (and very grown-up) take on Lewis Carroll's Wonderland.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of throwback concepts like Once Upon A Time in Wonderland. How well do you think this series will stand up to other prime-time options? Does the advent of fairy-tale-based series mark a shift in viewers' interest away from the longstanding presence of police dramas, for instance?
Teens: Do shows like this one make you think more in-depth about well-worn characters from books or movies? If you could write a backstory for a favorite character, who would it be?
How is the issue of violence treated in the media? Is it portrayed differently in comedies than it is in dramas? Do a show's roots in fantasy forgive or lessen the impact of violence? What rules should exist for "acceptable" content of this sort?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 10, 2013
- Cast : Emma Rigby , John Lithgow , Sophie Lowe
- Network : ABC
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic , Fairy Tales ) , Book Characters
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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