History Podcast / TheChroniclesOfOz

** The Wizard comes across as this, even more so in the second season. He's a pretty pleasant guy to be around, polite and charming, and he seems to genuinely regret some of his worst actions when he's seen in the present. In contrasst, his appearances in flashbacks paint him as an amoral and untrustworthy con man who thinks nothing of using people for his own means and betraying or abandoning them afterwards. [[spoiler: The Wicked Witch of the West accuses him of having killed King Pastoria -- and while he denies having had anything to do with that, his tone makes it ambiguous. Either he ''did'' kill the king, or he just wants the Witch to ''think'' he did.]]

* AscendedFridgeHorror: The spoiler:reveal that Tip is an unwillingly transformed Princess Ozma]] is played for serious drama, delving into the effects that would have on someone's sense of self, and the [[HeroicSacrifice rather]] [[DeathOfPersonality worrying]] implications that would happen should he go through with reversing the spell.

The first season, ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,'' tells the familiar story of Dorothy Gale from Kansas, who gets caught in a tornado and finds herself in the magical land of Oz, where she (together with her dog Toto, a Scarecrow, a Tin Woodman and a Cowardly Lion to travel to the Emerald City to ask the Wonderful Wizard to send her back home. Unfortunately, this is an Oz in the middle of a great unrest, and Dorothy's accidental assassination of the Wicked Witch of the East leads to a power struggle and a civil war in Munchkinland that threatens to spread to the rest of Oz.

* AmbiguousSituation: Mombi's relationship to Tip is complicated. While she did [[spoiler:turn Ozma into a boy unwillingly, she only did so by the Wizard's orders,]] and only managed it once she admitted she wanted an apprentice of her own. While she's short-tempered and demanding of him, she acts the same around everyone else, and seems to regret trying to turn him to stone.

** Dorothy's a lot more troubled than her book counterpart and her adventures take more of a toll on her, to the point where she lapses into a HeroicBSOD on a couple occasion. Her home life in Kansas is also played a lot harsher; while she loves her aunt and uncle dearly, the fact remains that they're living below the poverty line, which is highly stressful for all three of them.

** Omby Amby, Jellia Jamb and Faramant (the Guardian of the Gates) all have substantially increased screentime compared to their book appearances, going from minor palace staff to the main public servants of the Emerald City. Many episodes have sideplots dedicated to their work as the face of Ozian politics, only occasionally interacting with the core cast. If not for the Tin Woodsman, Glinda, and Scarecrow having prominent roles every season, these three would have the most time in the spotlight.

* BloodierAndGorier: And without visuals at that. While much of the specifics are left up to the imagination, many supporting characters are killed off in rather brutal ways, from beheading, to getting executed, to being stabbed. Injuries characters recieve tend to be treated far more seriously as well, with even inanimate characters like the Scarecrow or the Tin Woodsman who normally have DeathIsCheap apply to them still suffer extensive pain and the fear of losing limbs.
* TheCameo: While Dorothy sits out season 2, her voice actress still appears as an illusion cast by Mombi to tempt the Woodsman.

* DeadpanSnarker: It's probably quicker to list all the characters who ''don't'' have some traits of this. Dorothy's probably the biggest one, though the Tin Woodsman and the Guardians are close seconds.

** General Jinjur was an antagonist in the original book, sure, but she wasn't murderous and dangerously unstable like she is here.

** The Wizard comes across as this, even more so in the second season. He's a pretty pleasant guy to be around, polite and charming, and he seems to genuinely regret some of his worst actions. However, he's very much an amoral and untrustworthy con man who thinks nothing of using people for his own means and betraying or abandoning them afterwards. [[spoiler: The Wicked Witch of the West accuses him of having killed King Pastoria -- and while he denies having had anything to do with that, his tone makes it ambiguous. Either he ''did'' kill the king, or he just wants the Witch to ''think'' he did.]]

** Omby Amby, Jellia Jamb and Faramant (the Guardian of the Gates) all have increased roles, being the main public servant officers of the Emerald City.

* DarkerAndEdgier: To an ''extent.'' It's certainly darker and more cynical than the original books... but it's also LighterAndSofter than [[Literature/{{Was}} certain]] [[Literature/TheWickedYears other]] [[Series/EmeraldCity adaptations,]] [[WebVideo/NoPlaceLikeHome retellings]] [[VideoGame/EmeraldCityConfidential or]] [[Literature/DorothyMustDie re-imaginings]]. Oz may be plagued by civil unrest, violent revolutions, political manipulations/assassinations, but it's by no means presented as the CrapsackWorld other adaptations love to turn it into.
* DeadAllAlong: Possible case with [[spoiler:Tip, who at the end of season two gives up his life so that Ozma might live. It's all but stated that an aspect of him lives on as a voice and consciousness in Ozma's head, and that [[PosthumousNarration his narration of the series]] has in fact been him telling her his story.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: It's probably quicker to list all the character who ''don't'' have some traits of this. Dorothy's probably the biggest one, though the Tin Woodman's a close second.

** Arguably, [[spoiler: Tip. In the book, Tip was just Ozma in a different body -- here, Tip is a separate personality who was created when Mombi enchanted Ozma, and who pretty much has to give up his life so that Ozma can live. It's hinted that he lives on as a voice in Ozma's mind... much like Ozma was a voice in his mind.]]

* NiceGuy: The Scarecrow. He's the friendliest, cheeriest and most earnest of all Dorothy's companions; he just wants everyone to get along and be happy. This does cause some problems during his time as King of the Emerald City in the second season, because while he ''is'' a surprisingly good peacemaker and motivational speaker, he doesn't have it in him to be the ruthless leader the civil war demands.

** Tip is a lot more easy-going and takes Mombi's horrible treatment of him pretty lightly, much like his book counterpart did, but certain revelations hit him ''hard'', especially when [[spoiler:he discovers that he isn't even a real person and in order for Ozma to return and save everybody he has to cease to exist.]]

* AdaptationPersonalityChange: A lot of characters have been hit with this to some degree. In many cases, the changes are minor and they stay close to their original book counterparts (though in somewhat more serious situations) -- but other characters, like Dorothy and the Tin Woodman, are almost completely different.

*** Most notably, the Hungry Tiger. The creators have expressed regret at cutting him, and hope to be able to fit him in in later seasons, but there were already too many major characters in the story. (There is a very young tiger cub who appears in the first season, but -- just like in the original book -- there is no confirmation or denial on whether this is supposed to be a young Hungry Tiger. The Cowardly Lion bluffs that he's known as the Hungry Lion with a fondness for eating babies in the third season when escaping Dr. Nikidik's laboratory.)

* CowardlyLion: The TropeNamer himself is a major character in the first and third seasons. He's a more serious character than he was in the original books, and ''certainly'' does not play comic relief like his [[Film/TheWizardOfOz movie counterpart]], but he has [[DeadpanSnarker his moments]].

The creators have confirmed that more seasons are forthcoming.

** After killing the Wicked Witch of the West, Dororthy just breaks down completely as every bad thing that's happened catches up with her. She retracts into herself and is unable to do anything much for several days.

*** Most notably, the Hungry Tiger. The creators have expressed regret at cutting him, and hope to be able to fit him in in later seasons, but there were already too many major characters in the story. (There is a very young tiger cub who appears in the first season, but -- just like in the original book -- there is no confirmation or denial on whether this is supposed to be a young Hungry Tiger. The Cowardly Lion bluffs that he's known as the Hungry Lion with a fondness for eating babies in the third season when escaping Professor Nikidik's laboratory.)

*** Most notably, the Hungry Tiger. The creators have expressed regret at cutting him, and hope to be able to fit him in in later seasons, but there were already too many major characters in the story. (There is a very young tiger cub who appears in the first season, but -- just like in the original book -- there is no confirmation or denial on whether this is supposed to be a young Hungry Tiger.)

** Dorothy, as part of her AgeLift from "sweet little girl" to "sassy and sarcastic teenager" is a lot haughtier and slower to forgive than her bock counterpart.

* MythologyGag: Oh, so many. The [[Film/TheWizardOfOz 1939 movie]] is referenced a bunch of time, usually by a character referencing a line or a song from the movie, or events from the movie being alluded to, but there are a lot of other references too, to other Oz stories and adaptations:
** The Tin Woodman's characterization as a JerkWithAHeartOfGold recalls how he was characterized in the ''WesternAnimation/TalesOfTheWizardOfOz'' cartoon.
** The Wicked Witch of the West has an assistant called Ugu, who's named for the villain of ''The Lost Princess of Oz.''
** A conversation between Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West name-drops Queen Zixi of Ix as a mutual former friend.
** The Guardian of the Gates is given the name "Faramant," which is the name he was given in Alexander Volkov's ''Literature/TalesOfTheMagicLand''. Likewise, the Queen of the Field Mice is named "Ramina," like she was in that series.
** "What did the Woggle-Bug say?", which is repeated a few times by several characters, was originally a recurring contest question from the newspaper serial ''Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz.''
** In one conversation between her and Locasta, Glinda says she's never strived to be [[Literature/{{Wicked}} popular.]] It's also revealed that she and the Wicked Witch of the West used to be friends.
** Fans of the original book have speculated for years that the unidentified liquid the Wizard gave to the Cowardly Lion was booze. This adaptation makes it ''blatant'' that it's moonshine, and the Lion spends the rest of the episode acting drunk.
** In a flashback sequence in the second season, the Wizard tells the Wicked Witch of the West that [[Literature/{{Wicked}} "nobody mourns the wicked."]]
** The second season contains a lot of quotes and song titles from the ''Woggle-Bug'' stage musical.
** In the second season when everyone is riding the Gump, Tip laments that he didn't build it well enough, to which the Tin Woodman replies, [[Film/{{Return to Oz}} "it can't be helped now."]]
** In the second season, the Scarecrow is talking about visiting Munchkinland, and he says that they can just "[[Theatre/TheWiz ease on down the Road]]".
** The third season has a ton of references to ''Film/ReturnToOz''. Most notably, Billina sneaks into the room where Princess Langwidere keeps her extra heads, to look for the key to Dorothy's cell, figuring that the Langwidere will keep important things in the same place as her original head. She's most indignant when she finds out that Langwidere actually had the key in her pocket the whole time.
** Another blatant reference to ''Film/ReturnToOz'' is when the Scarecrow comments on how Dorothy and Ozma are NotSoDifferent, claiming (much to Dorothy's dismay) that "you could be each other's mirror images."
** Perhaps an unintentional reference, but in the third season, Billina comments that Princess Langwidere changes her heads "like hats." In the [[Anime/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz 1986 anime]] Langwidere's thirty heads had famously been [[LighterAndSofter softened]] down to a collection of hats that she kept changing depending on her mood.
** While on the road to Ev, the Scarecrow comments how different the landscape is from the first journey he was on and adds "Music/GoodbyeYellowBrickRoad!" Dorothy dryly asks him how long he's been waiting to say that.
** While captured and questioned by Doctor Nikidik, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion quote the theme song from ''WesternAnimation/TalesOfTheWizardOfOz''.

** In ''Ozma of Oz,'' when Billina mentions eating bugs, Dorothy replies [[Disney/TheLionKing "Hakuna matata!"]]

-->'''Dorothy:''' "Women only call each other 'sister' when they have called each other a lot of other things first."\\

* ShoutOut: In ''Ozma of Oz,'' when Billina mentions eating bugs, Dorothy replies [[Disney/TheLionKing "Hakuna matata!"]]

** The Nome King is cheerful, pleasant, welcoming and witty, always ready with a smile and a funny joke... and he's a total sadist who delights in small cruelties, and has a dangerous temper. He's pretty much like his original book counterpart, really.

* GreenEyedMonster: Ozma has just a ''little bit'' of a jealousy problem when it comes to Dorothy. The jealousy seems to be born mostly out of a worry that her companions see her mainly as a second-rate replacement for Dorothy.

* AffablyEvil: The Wizard comes across as this, even more so in the second season. He's a pretty pleasant guy to be around, polite and charming, and he seems to genuinely regret some of his worst actions. However, he's very much an amoral and untrustworthy con man who thinks nothing of using people for his own means and betraying or abandoning them afterwards. [[spoiler: The Wicked Witch of the West accuses him of having killed King Pastoria -- and while he denies having had anything to do with that, his tone makes it ambiguous. Either he ''did'' kill the king, or he just wants the Witch to ''think'' he did.]]

** The crew that goes with Ozma to the Land of Ev in ''Ozma of Oz'' is smaller than in the book; here she's only accompanied by the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Cowardly Lion and Sawhorse. In the book she had a much larger entourage, including 27 soldiers and the Hungry Tiger... and though Omby Amby, who is already an important supporting character in the series, ''does'' appear in the first episode, he doesn't come along on the journey to Ev; and the other 26 soldiers are not even mentioned. As for the Hungry Tiger, the creators have expressed regret at cutting him, and hope to be able to fit him in in later seasons, but there were already too many major characters in the story. (There is a very young tiger cub who appears in the first season, but -- just like in the original book -- there is no confirmation or denial on whether this is supposed to be a young Hungry Tiger.)

** The third season has a ton of references to ''Film/ReturnToOz''. Most notably, Billina sneaks into the room where Princess Langwidere keeps her extra heads, to look for the key to Dorothy's cell, featuring that the Langwidere will keep important things in the same place as her original head. She's most indignant when she finds out that Langwidere actually had the key in her pocket the whole time.

The third season, ''Ozma of Oz,'' is all about Ozma journeying to the land of Ev, accompanied by the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Cowardly Lion, to aid her relatives, the Royal Family of Ev, in their time of need. At the same time, Dorothy and her new friend Billina the chicken, have also ended up in Ev after having been swept off a ship in a storm, and soon they're all off to the land of the Nomes to rescue the Royal Family from the Nome King.

** While captured and questioned by Doctor Nikadik, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion quote the theme song from ''WesternAnimation/TalesOfTheWizardOfOz''.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Ugu the Shoemaker was a selfish villain and a disagreeable grouch in the eleventh Oz book (though he did end up doing a HeelFaceTurn in the end). Here, as the enslaved assistant to the Wicked Witch, and later on to the Tin Woodman, he's a polite and sympathetic man who does his best to help out when needed.

** Dorothy was a little girl in the original. Here, she is in her late teens at the very least.

* NonActionGuy: The Woggle-Bug, who admits that he's not much use in a fight.