Sebastian Stan as Jefferson in Once Upon a Time

According to Hollywood.com, the answer is “maybe.” More after the jump.

The show, which originally was going to debut as a mini-series during next winter’s Once Upon a Time hiatus, has been picked up as a full series and has been moved up to debut in the fall. So the network must have a lot of confidence in the show. If you watch the trailer, you can see why. The show looks fantastic.

And now, for the question that fans most want to know: Will Sebastian Stan, who played the Mad Hatter and his Storybrooke alter-ego Jefferson in Once Upon a Time, be coming back? For a long time, from what we heard, it sounded like the answer was “no,” that he couldn’t be in the new show because his schedule was too busy. But now there is at least a glimmer of hope. OUAT — and OUAT in Wonderland — creator Edward Kitsis, quoted in an article published today in Hollywood.com, left the door open a crack:

As for Sebastian Stan, the Mad Hatter that fans have already come to know and love in Once, Kitsis says that infamous role in Wonderland all depends on the actor’s busy schedule. “If Sebastian has a week, we’ll take it,” Kitsis says, adding, “[But] he could be free when Wonderland wraps. We’d love to have him back.”

Do I hear a squee?

The doctors think Alice is insane.

This looks very good! Much better than I had expected from the show’s description. Great chemistry between the romantic leads. Sinister doctors. Lots of tension. I’m drawn in — and rooting for Alice — already! What about you?

(Editing to add: If you can’t see the trailer, there’s another copy in the comments below, which should play on more systems.)

The official description is after the jump.

In Victorian England, the young and beautiful Alice (Sophie Lowe) tells a tale of a strange new land that exists on the other side of a rabbit hole.

An invisible cat, a hookah smoking caterpillar and playing cards that talk are just some of the fantastic things she’s seen during this impossible adventure.

Surely this troubled girl must be insane, and her doctors aim to cure her with a treatment that will make her forget everything. Alice seems ready to put it all behind her, especially the painful memory of the genie she fell in love with and lost forever — the handsome and mysterious Cyrus (Peter Gadiot).

But deep down, Alice knows this world is real, and just in the nick of time, the sardonic Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha) and the irrepressible White Rabbit (John Lithgow) arrive to save her from a doomed fate. Together, the trio will take a tumble down the rabbit hole to this Wonderland where nothing is impossible.
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What do you think? Does this sound good?

Season 2 is almost over (sniff). From ABC’s description of the finale — titled “And Straight On ‘Til Morning” and airing May 12, 2013 — it sounds like the season will end with a bang, as our visiting villains try to make Storybrooke disappear. Maybe it too will go “Bloop!” More, including six sneak peeks from the finale, after the jump (warning: spoilers!)

Official description:

The inhabitants of Storybrooke brace themselves for the end when Greg and Tamara detonate the trigger Regina had placed within the curse, with the annihilation of the town and its residents imminent.

Mr. Gold mourns the loss of his son, Bae/Neal.

Meanwhile, back in Neverland of the past, Hook discovers his connection to a young Bae after he rescues him from the sea and soon realizes that the Lost Boys are in hot pursuit of the boy.

Returning guest stars:

Raphael Sbarge as Archie Hopper/Jiminy Cricket
Lee Arenberg as Leroy/Grumpy
Michael Raymond-James as Neal Cassidy
Beverley Elliott as Granny
David-Paul Grove as Doc
Gabe Khouth as Mr. Clark/Sneezy
Faustino Di Bauda as Sleepy
Jeffrey Kaiser as Dopey
Michael Coleman as Happy
Mig Macario as Bashful
Dylan Schmid as young Baelfire
Ethan Embry as Greg Mendell
Christopher Gauthier as Smee
Sonequa Martin-Green as Tamara

New guest stars (not very many this time!)

Parker Croft as Felix, who has been described as a “tough, natural born leader of a sinister group of boys.”
Alex Barima as twin one
Jack Diblasio as twin two

Behind the camera

Writers: Series creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz
Director: Dean White

Promo from end of last episode:

Lots of sneak peeks:

Sneak peek 1: Greg and Tamara are willing to die for their cause, even though they don’t appear to know what that cause is.

Sneak peek 2: RumpelGold finds out that Bae is gone. He feels guilty, which doesn’t help Snow and Prince C, who were hoping for his help.

Sneak peek 3: Shootout in Storybrooke

Sneak peek 4: Young Bae and Hook. Hook knows …

Sneak peek 5: Regina comes down on the side of good after all, which makes me happy.

Sneak peek 6: Hook and Smee hatch a plot

The season is almost over. Do you think this episode was a good lead-in to next week’s finale?

Behind the scenes in 2×21 Second Star to the Right

It’s the second-to-last episode of the season. Plot summary, guest cast members, sneak peek, and promo photos after the jump (spoilers).

This official sneak peek shows the scene where Greg is getting ready to torture Regina. The scene was already included in the video, released earlier, that showed what was billed as the first ten minutes of the episode (which was actually only eight minutes). If you saw the earlier video, then you’ve already seen this piece of it:

Promo photos, including some behind the scenes shots:

You can also see all the promo photos here: Wiki photo gallery

Plot summary

Emma, Mary Margaret and David go in search of Regina when they discover that she – along with some magic beans – have gone missing.

But against Neal’s protests, Emma still believes that Tamara had something to do with Regina’s disappearance.

Mr. Gold contemplates telling Lacey the truth about his ability to conjure magic.

Meanwhile, after Rumplestiltskin abandons his son and lets him travel alone through a portal, young Bae finds himself back in 19th century London and is taken in by the Darling family — befriending their daughter Wendy.

Returning guest stars

David Anders as Dr. Whale/Victor Frankenstein
Keegan Connor Tracy as Mother Superior/Blue Fairy
Michael Raymond-James as Neal Cassidy
Dylan Schmid as young Baelfire
Ethan Embry as Greg Mendell
Christopher Gauthier as Smee
Sonequa Martin-Green as Tamara

New guest stars

Freya Tingley as Wendy
Benjamin Cook as Michael
William Ainschough as John
Andrew Airlie as George
Karin Inghammar as Mary

Behind the cameras

Writers: Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg

Director: Ralph Hemecker

Question:

Any guesses about what the episode title “Second Star to the Right” will refer to? I’m guessing it will have something to do with Wendy giving young Baelfire directions.

Bae gets fed up with his father. Then Greg Mendell channels the torture-loving Jack Bauer of “24.” I wish the show wasn’t going there. As evil as Regina may be, I don’t like watching anyone get tortured:

Also, here’s the Promo shown at the end of the last episode:

What do you think?

Regina wears another great costume in episode 2×20 The Evil Queen

Regina makes the least convincing plea ever for Henry’s help … but … there’s a twist at the end …

The Evil Queen shows why she is called “evil”:

Hook gets an offer of help:

This music video show some of Regina’s greatest moments: