History Series / OnceUponATimeInWonderland

** Alice comes from a world where VictorianBritain still exists.

* VictorianBritain: As usual, Alice is from this time period. However, [[WordOfGod according]] to [[http://tvline.com/2013/08/04/once-upon-a-time-in-wonderland-pilot-details-scheduling/ the producers]], this version is located in a separate universe and is a “land of story” removed from time (similar to Dr. Frankenstein's black-and-white Austria in another world from the parent show), thus handling the issue of ''Alice in Wonderland'' being a fictional story in its parent show. Demonstrated by the fact that the Rabbit and Knave travel from modern day Storybrooke to Alice's London ([[spoiler: and Alice, Cyrus and the Rabbit briefly return there]]) without actual TimeTravel.
** It should be noted that ''most'' characters in the parent show are simultaneously known as fictional characters (Frankenstein, Peter Pan, etc). At least to Emma Swan.
** This also allows the writers to get away with what would otherwise be PoliticallyCorrectHistory. For example, Jafar (played by an Indian actor) is able to convincingly pretend to be a doctor named "Sheffield" in Alice's world.
** The parent show later uses the same concept by showing that [[Disney/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians Cruella de Vil]] is from another parallel England that's stuck in TheRoaringTwenties.

A SpinOff of [[Creator/{{ABC}} ABC's]] ''Series/OnceUponATime'', which aired for one season in 2013-2014 as a self-contained storyline. This series focuses on Alice, a young woman from VictorianBritain who apparently traveled to Wonderland and back, but nobody believed the fantastic stories she told. Just before an attempted procedure (implied to be a lobotomy) that would have her forget it all, the White Rabbit rescues her and says that they can help her reunite with a genie she rescued and fell in love with.

Rather than being distantly related to ''Once Upon a Time'', it has a SharedUniverse. Given that ''Wonderland'' stars a protagonist from Victorian England (Alice), whereas Storybrooke has a protagonist from modern-day [[BigAppleSauce NewYork]], it was up in the air how connected the two series would be. WordOfGod tells us that they avoid a TimeyWimeyBall in that Alice's VictorianBritain is a separate story world, like that of Frankenstein in the parent show. Several significant characters cross-over, but only in backstory. Apart from cameos and {{flashback}} {{cross over}}s, Wonderland is its own self-contained HeroOfAnotherStory.

* FeministFantasy: Alice is not only an ActionGirl, but brilliant and able to outwit the various {{Chessmaster}}s gunning for her. Discovering that her LostLenore is still alive, Alice undertakes a quest to rescue him.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Since most of the fairytale characters are based on Disney's interpretation more than their original source material, this happens a lot, most obvious with [[GrandVizierJafar Jafar]].

* VictorianBritain: As usual, Alice is from this time period. However, [[WordOfGod according]] to [[http://tvline.com/2013/08/04/once-upon-a-time-in-wonderland-pilot-details-scheduling/ the producers]], this version is located in a separate universe and is a “land of story” removed from time (similar to Dr. Frankenstein's world from the parent show), thus handling the issue of ''Alice in Wonderland'' being a fictional story in its parent show. Demonstrated by the fact that the Rabbit and Knave travel from modern day Storybrooke to Alice's London ([[spoiler: and Alice, Cyrus and the Rabbit briefly return there]]) without actual TimeTravel.

** The parent show later uses the same concept by showing that [[OneHundredAndOneDalmatians Cruella de Vil]] is from another parallel England that's stuck in TheRoaringTwenties.

** The parent show later uses the same concept by showing that Cruella de Vil is from another parallel England that's stuck in TheRoaringTwenties.

* PoliticallyCorrectHistory: {{Justified}} since, according to the producers, Alice's Victorian London is a separate "land of story" that exists in our time rather than the actual historical Victorian London. This allows Jafar, played by an Indian actor, to pose as "Dr. Sheffield" without anyone batting an eyelash.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Since most of the fairytale characters are based on Disney's interpretation more than their original source material, this happens a lot, most obvious with [[GrandVizierJafar Jafar]]. Though the Cheshire Cat is notably more aggressive towards Alice here than both the original and the Disney movie.

* ActionGirl: Alice and Lizard.

* TheAtoner: [[spoiler: The Red Queen]].

* BattleCouple: Alice and Cyrus.

* [[spoiler: EvilVersusEvil: In "Home" The Red Queen and Jafar's alliance falls apart and Jafar is now actively trying to kill her]].

* [[spoiler: HappilyEverAfter: The series ends with Alice and Cyrus married in England with a daughter. Will and Anastasia become the White King and the White Queen of Wonderland. Naturally, the episode is titled "And They Lived..."]]

* [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim If You Kill Her, You Will Be Just Like Her]]: [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] by Alice as the reason she [[spoiler: didn't kill The Red Queen]] when presented with the opportunity:

* KnightOfCerebus: [[spoiler: The Jabberwocky]].
* LadyOfBlackMagic: Amara.

* RedEyesTakeWarning: The Cheshire Cat.

* [[ThatManIsDead That Woman Is Dead]]: An interesting example - Will treats the Red Queen and [[spoiler: Anastasia]] as two separate people. The actress also adjusts her performance accordingly.

* LargeHam: The White Rabbit. It's JohnLithgow, what did you expect?

* AllMythsAreTrue[=/=]CanonWelding: Takes place in the same universe, or rather {{Multiverse}}, as ''Series/OnceUponATime'', which includes pretty much every classic fictional character from [[PeterPan Captain Hook]] to {{Frankenstein}}.

Despite a few characters being left with open fates at the end of the series, if you're curious), the show is wrapped up in its single season. However, Michael Socha is confirmed to be reprising his role as the Knave of Hearts as a regular in the fourth season of ''Series/OnceUponATime'', so of course you're free to speculate about the others.

* Ms. Fanservice: The Red Queen, who wears many form fitting outfits that show off her cleavage and figure

* BedlamHouse: Alice is kept in one after insisting on Wonderland's existence.

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: Done very obviously with Jafar. The Red Queen as well, to a degree, since in the original she was a red-faced chess piece and now she's a thin blonde human woman.

** Alice and Cyrus are implied to have traveled to multiple worlds, including Neverland.

** This also allows the writers to get away with what would otherwise be PoliticallyCorrectHistory. For example, Jafar (played by an Indian actor) is able to convincingly pretend to be a doctor named "Sheffield."

Despite a few characters being left with open fates at the end of the series, if you're curious), the show is wrapped up in its single season. However, Michael Socha is confirmed to be reprising his role as the Knave of Hearts in the fourth season of ''Series/OnceUponATime'', so of course you're free to speculate about the others.

Rather than being distantly related to ''Once Upon a Time'', it has a SharedUniverse. Given that Wonderland stars a protagonist from Victorian England (Alice), whereas Storybrooke has a protagonist from modern-day [[BigAppleSauce NewYork]], it was up in the air how connected the two series would be. WordOfGod tells us that they avoid a TimeyWimeyBall in that Alice's VictorianBritain is a separate story world, like that of Frankenstein in the parent show. Several significant characters cross-over, but only in backstory. Apart from cameos and {{flashback}} {{cross over}}s, Wonderland is its own self-contained HeroOfAnotherStory.

Rather than being distantly related to ''Once Upon a Time'', it has a SharedUniverse. Given that Wonderland stars a protagonist from Victorian England (Alice), whereas Storybrooke has a protagonist from modern-day [[BigAppleSauce NewYork]], it was up in the air how connected the two series would be. WordOfGod tells us that they avoid a TimeyWimeyBall in that Alice's VictorianBritain is a separate story world, like that of Frankenstein in the parent show. Several significant characters cross-over, but only in backstory ([[spoiler:Robin Hood]] for Will and [[spoiler:Cora]] for the Queen of Hearts). Apart from cameos and {{flashback}} {{cross over}}s, Wonderland is its own self-contained HeroOfAnotherStory.

Despite a few characters being left with open fates at the end of the series ([[spoiler:Jafar and the Jabberwocky]], if you're curious), the show is wrapped up in its single season. However, Michael Socha is confirmed to be reprising his role as the Knave of Hearts in the fourth season of ''Series/OnceUponATime'', so of course you're free to speculate about the others.

Rather than being distantly related to ''Once Upon a Time'', it has a SharedUniverse. Given that Wonderland stars a protagonist from Victorian England (Alice), whereas Storybrooke has a protagonist from modern-day [[BigAppleSauce NewYork]], it was up in the air how connected the two series would be. However, the writers decided to pull a big ol' TimeyWimeyBall and have major characters interacting with one another across the two series and times. The Knave of Hearts from Wonderland is first seen breaking into Granny's diner in Storybrooke before somehow going to VictorianBritain to convince Alice to break out of the insane asylum she's being kept in. Then in the third episode, he's shown as one of RobinHood's (a significant character in the third season of OUAT) Merry Men. Whether the two series will see a full-blown CanonWelding or merely significant {{Cross Over}}s will be a matter of time.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor:

* RuleOfThree: [[spoiler: In order to change the laws of magic, Jafar needs the three different genies. He already has two, and he's ''very'' intent on making Cyrus the third]].