It was a weird time for network TV. Back in 2013, ABC was riding high on the success of the flagship Once Upon a Time, and they decided to gamble on a spin-off. They didn't just want a companion piece; they wanted a "limited series" feel before that was even a cool buzzword in Hollywood. But honestly? The cast of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland was arguably tighter, more cohesive, and frankly more charismatic than the sprawling ensemble of the original show by the time it hit its later years.
The show focused on a very specific, high-stakes quest. It wasn't about a whole town with amnesia. It was about Alice.
The Core Trio That Carried the Looking Glass
Sophie Lowe played Alice, and she didn't play her as the dainty Victorian girl we saw in the Disney cartoons. This Alice had scars. She had been institutionalized. Lowe brought a sort of "final girl" energy to the role that made you believe she could actually survive the Red Queen’s whims. She was gritty.
Then you had Michael Socha as the Knave of Hearts (Will Scarlet). If you recognize the name, it’s probably because he was the only one who actually migrated over to the main show after Wonderland got the axe. Socha is a master of the "lovable rogue" archetype. He brought a thick British accent and a cynical worldview that perfectly balanced Alice’s desperate hope. Their chemistry wasn't romantic, which was a breath of fresh air. They were just two broken people trying to navigate a psychedelic hellscape together.
Peter Gadiot played Cyrus, the Genie. Now, usually, the "love interest" in these shows can be a bit bland. Cyrus was different because he wasn't just a prize to be won; his backstory in Agrabah added layers of tragedy that most fans didn't see coming.
Navigating the Villains of the Chessboard
Every good fairy tale needs a villain you love to hate, and Emma Rigby’s Red Queen was... a choice. Initially, fans were divided. Her performance was stylized, almost theatrical, with a pout that seemed painted on. But as the season progressed, the writers peeled back the layers of Anastasia (her real name). We realized she wasn't just evil for the sake of being evil. She was a girl who chose power over love and lived to regret every second of it.
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And then there’s Naveen Andrews. Coming off the massive success of LOST, Andrews joined the cast of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland as Jafar. He was terrifying. He didn't need to scream. He just stood there with that staff and let his presence fill the room. He brought a level of "prestige TV" gravitas to a show that featured a CGI rabbit voiced by John Lithgow.
Speaking of Lithgow, having a legend like him voice the White Rabbit was a massive flex for a mid-season replacement show. He voiced the character with a nervous, twitchy energy that felt grounded despite the character being a literal talking bunny in a waistcoat.
Why the Chemistry Worked Better Than the Original
The main Once Upon a Time series suffered from "too many characters" syndrome. By season four, you had Elsa, Anna, Merida, and everyone else fighting for screen time. Wonderland was different. Because it was designed as a single-season arc, the cast of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland felt like they were in a focused stage play.
The Stakes Stayed Personal. The show wasn't trying to save the world every week. It was about Alice finding Cyrus. That's it. This allowed actors like Sophie Lowe and Peter Gadiot to dig into the emotional exhaustion of being separated by realms.
The Villain Redemption Felt Earned. When Anastasia and Will Scarlet’s history was revealed, it didn't feel like a cheap plot twist. It felt like a gut punch. Rigby and Socha played the "ex-lovers who now hate/love each other" trope with a lot of nuance.
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Jafar Was Actually Competent. Unlike some of the villains in Storybrooke who seemed to lose their IQ points whenever the plot needed them to, Jafar was a legitimate threat. Naveen Andrews played him with a cold, calculating logic.
The Problem With the "Limited Series" Label
ABC marketing really dropped the ball here. They called it a "limited series," which in 2013, signaled to audiences: "Don't bother getting attached, because it's going to end anyway." It was scheduled on Thursday nights—the "death slot"—against powerhouse shows.
Despite the ratings struggle, the cast of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland remained incredibly professional. You can see it in the later episodes like "And They Lived..." where the emotional payoffs land perfectly. The finale provided a sense of closure that most canceled shows never get.
The special effects haven't aged gracefully. Let’s be real. The green screen work in the Caterpillar’s domain looks like a PlayStation 2 cutscene. But you ignore it. You ignore the blurry backgrounds because Michael Socha is delivering a monologue about lost hearts that actually makes you feel something.
Where Are They Now?
If you're looking to follow the actors today, they've stayed busy. Peter Gadiot went on to have a massive role in Queen of the South and later appeared in the live-action One Piece as Shanks. Naveen Andrews stayed in the limelight with Sense8 and The Dropout.
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Michael Socha is a staple of British television, appearing in This is England and various gritty dramas. Sophie Lowe has carved out a respectable career in indie films and Australian television. They've all moved on, but for a brief window in 2013, they were the best thing on network television that nobody was watching.
How to Experience the Story Today
If you're going to dive back into this show, don't watch it as a spin-off. Watch it as a standalone 13-episode miniseries. It’s actually better that way.
- Watch for the Will/Anastasia Backstory: It’s the emotional core of the show.
- Pay Attention to the Agrabah Crossovers: It builds the lore of the "Once" universe without needing to know what Emma Swan is doing in Maine.
- Don't Expect High-End CGI: Focus on the performances.
The most effective way to appreciate the cast of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland is to view the series as a character study on trauma and recovery. Alice isn't just a girl in a blue dress; she's a survivor of a system that tried to tell her she was crazy. That resonance is why the show still has a cult following over a decade later.
If you want to track the character arcs accurately, watch the episodes in their original broadcast order, as the pacing was specifically designed for a weekly reveal of the Knave's past. Start with the pilot and pay close attention to the way the Red Queen’s posture changes over the first five episodes; Rigby’s physical acting is actually quite subtle once you see where the character ends up.