"Wonderland" was back last Thursday, with its second episode, "Trust Me", in which we learn more about Cyrus (Peter Gadiot) the genie, who is alive and why Jafar (Naveen Andrews) wants him so badly.
In last week's episode, I felt that I couldn't take the Red Queen (Emma Rigby) seriously because of the choice of costume. I noticed the costume was changed from the early editions of the pilot since I saw an advance screening and I liked the old one much better. Also, Rigby's acting wasn't the best at portraying a viciously evil Red Queen, but in the second half of "Trust Me, her characterization of The Red Queen improved vastly.
In this episode, we learn that The Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha) has broken some hearts in the past, for example a fairy named Sliver Mist. She wasn't at all pleased about his return to Wonderland. In fact, she even tried to drown him. He doesn't have many fans in Wonderland and has become a man wanted by many. Now I see why he didn't want to return to Wonderland with Alice in the first place. I'm starting to really like his character however, he has great lines and he and Alice just seem to click on screen.
The dynamic relationship between The Red Queen and Jafar continues to be a very compelling villain team-up for this show. Both of them trying to be one step ahead of the other is intriguing to watch on screen. We learn that their partnership isn't all it's cracked up to be with Jafar trying to control the Queen rather than be equal partners. She and Jafar both want to find Cyrus' genie bottle so Jafar can re-write the laws of magic. The Red Queen finds the bottle first and tricks Jafar, which teaches him that she can't be played or treated like a little girl.
I'm also really loving the dynamic between Alice (Sophie Lowe) and Cyrus. I love watching how they fell in love. I don't blame Cyrus for falling in love with her as I would too. She's clever, kind hearted, cunning, sassy, and brave. I love that Alice refused to make her wishes and instead chose to keep Cyrus with her. I think she is definitely one of the best-written characters in the Once universe. Lowe has really taken the character of Alice and made it her own. I think she was a great choice as the lead of the series.
The show's take on the White Rabbit (John Lithgow) is interesting; he's not as baffled as he seems to be in the Disney version. Yet, he's conflicted about whose side he should be on, The Red Queen's or Alice's. I'll be looking forward to the episode in which we learn the reason he started helping The Red Queen.
I love the twists in this show, for instance, we found out the reason The Knave of Hearts was so cold-hearted, is because he was hurt by someone named Anastasia. We also learned that Alice is clever enough not to speak so loudly in Wonderland, as there are wondering ears just waiting to hear secrets.
I thought the CGI was improved in this episode, the effects were for the most part fantastic and really made me think I was part of the world of Wonderland. I will admit parts of Wonderland still don't look real. But they did do a better job with the flying fairy than the parent show "Once Upon A Time" did last week. Every new show with special effects improves over time as the money allocated to CGI increases.
In the end, I thought this was another great episode. I'm loving all the characters and the story, so I'm looking forward to see how this season plays out and to see more of the connections to its parent series, "Once Upon A Time", made.
Once Upon A Time In Wonderland airs, Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC.
"Trust Me" was written by Rina Mimoun and directed by Romeo Tirone.
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