Happy news for all the Neal/Emma fans out there, because Once Upon a Time has promoted Michael Raymond-James to series regular.

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.

“Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” stars Sophie Lowe (“Beautiful Kate”) as Alice, Michael Socha (“This Is England”) as Knave of Hearts, Peter Gadiot (“The Forbidden Girl”) as Cyrus, Emma Rigby (“Hollyoaks”) as Queen of Hearts and John Lithgow (“3rd Rock from the Sun”) as the voice of the White Rabbit.

“Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” was written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (“Once Upon a Time”), who serve as executive producers. Steve Perlman and Zack Estrin also serve as executive producers, and the pilot was directed by Ralph Hemecker. “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” is produced by ABC Studios.

The show will air on Thursday nights at 8:00 pm during the 2013/2014 TV season.

This is a crazy week in TV because we are on the cusp of the end of the current television season. That’s right, this week we will be saying adios to some of your faves.

Tonight, Once kicked off season finale week and it was a doozy of an episode. This season had its ups and downs. I do not think we actually felt like this season was going anywhere until the midseason mark. To tell you the truth, when this show brought in the outsiders it flourished and it hooked me once again, no pun intended. With the introduction of Greg and Tamara, the tension in Storybrooke was amped up to a fever pitch and as a result we won out as viewers.

At the end of the second to last episode of the season, we knew that Tamara and Greg had gotten their hands on the trigger that would destroy Storybrooke. What we were not expecting was everyone working together to stop Tamara and Greg, and to ensure the safety of everyone in Storybrooke.

In the moments where the inhabitants felt all hope was lost, we saw Henry embrace Regina and call her Mom, we saw Emma call Snow and Charming Mom and Dad for the first time, and we saw Gold give Lacey the antidote that would enable her to regain her memories. It was well-written, well-acted, and had many of us a bit weepy.

If you follow me on GetGlue, than you know that there was a moment where I was shaking my fist at the TV when Hook, yet again, screwed over Emma. He stole the last magic bean that would have enabled Regina to toss the trigger into another universe and save Storybrooke. Then he redeemed him as he was about to sail off into the sunset when it dawned on him (thanks to a back story that showed how Hook and Bae knew one another) that he had to return to help protect Storybrooke.

By the way, seeing how Hook tried to befriend the son of the woman he loved, but then having to cast him out because Bae felt that it was Hook’s fault for the destruction of what he believed was his happy home was very intense and gave us a lot of insight into what makes Hook tick and why Bae is the way he is.

When Hook returned, he learned that Regina and Emma worked together to stop the trigger, but a new issue arose and that was Tamara and Greg had kidnapped Henry. We come to find out that Henry was the mark all along.

So, hatchets were buried as Regina, Charming, Snow, Emma, Hook and Rumple decide to work together to find Henry, who was forced to jump into a portal with Tamara and Greg. Where did that portal take them? Neverland.

Now, Storybrooke is still in existence and Rumple has given Belle instructions on how to protect the town, but to see him depart and her heart break at the thought of possibly not seeing again… well, my heart broke for them.

There was a bright moment. Neal is alive and in the Enchanted land and guess who found him??? Mulan, Phillip and Aurora!

Now, remember how I said that Henry was the mark for Tamara and Greg. Do you know who is looking for Henry? Peter Pan, of course.

This show was renewed for a third season and I cannot wait to see what insanity will occur on Neverland. Will Emma and Regina find Henry? Will Neal get back to Emma and Henry? Will Gold and Belle find one another? Will Storybrooke still be there when and if they return? What gies with Peter Pan? So many questions….

What did you think of the episode?

It was ABC’s turn to issue their renewals and pick-ups today. Happily and unlike CBS and NBC, it was not a slaughterhouse of a day over at the Disney network.

What we were speculating about yesterday, came into fruition today. Now only was Once given the go-ahead for a third season, but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. got it’s series order and you know what that means…

Agent Coulson will be in our living rooms on a weekly basis!

Here is the synopsis for Marvel’s latest foray into prime time:

Clark Gregg reprises his role of Agent Phil Coulson from Marvel’s feature films as he assembles a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Together they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary. Coulson’s team consists of Agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), highly trained in combat and espionage, Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) expert pilot and martial artist, Agent Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker); brilliant engineer and Agent Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) genius bio-chemist. Joining them on their journey into mystery is new recruit and computer hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet).

From Executive Producers Joss Whedon (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” ”Buffy the Vampire Slayer”); Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen, “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” pilot co-writers (“Dollhouse,” “Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”); Jeffrey Bell (“Angel,” “Alias”); and Jeph Loeb (“Smallville”) comes Marvel’s first TV series. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is produced by ABC Studios and Marvel Television.

By the by, there will be a little sneak-peek of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. during the season finale of Once Upon a Time.

Adam Horowitz also notified the twitterverse that Once Upon a Time in Wonderland was picked up!!!!

Here is a first look at Sophia Lowe as Alice and the following is the synopsis of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland:

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.

There is really no official language of a pick-up, but there was video of leaked footage with the Hulk in it.

After watching the success of True Blood, Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead (all of which have less than 14 episodes a season), the networks are now re-evaluation what they have to offer to their audiences. The success of these shows, shows that shortened season are not an issue. This type of formatting allows networks to have drama-based content throughout the year and allows it to not rely so much on reruns and reality-based programming as filler. It also allows networks to ”maintain series options on the actors while at the same time maintain the project’s international value. And if you market them well, they bring in audience,” as Deadline noted.

Some of the pilots that we have been watching over the last year are strong contenders for this format.

The CW is seeing if it will use this cable-like formatting for The Reign and The Selection.

ABC is looking at it’s spin-off, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, as a contender, as well as Gothica.

Fox may use this methodology for its Sleepy Hollow series.

CBS is using Under the Dome as it’s gateway into this type of programming.

There is an added plus to this, many of you will be quite thrilled at the prospect of not having to deal with four-week gaps in-between new episodes of some of your favorite shows (and I’m talking about CW) because if the networks see that this works than shortened seasons allow for a straight run of back-to-back new episodes. A win-win for everyone.

Let’s hope that this happens.