The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
Encyclopedia
The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne is a 22-episode science fiction
television series in the steampunk
genre that first aired in June 2000 on CBC Television
in Canada and in syndication in the United States.
The plot concept is predicated on a vast fictional conspiracy
beginning with the revelation that Jules Verne
did not merely write the stories behind his famous science fiction classic books Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
, Journey to the Center of the Earth
or Around the World in Eighty Days — but actually experienced these adventures personally.
A television technological historic footnote, this work was the first hour-long series filmed entirely in HDTV
format.
The group's only recurring enemy is the League of Darkness, an international terrorist organization aiming to use steampunk technology to rule the world. Its leader: Count Gregory (Rick Overton
), a steampunk cyborg
who originally died 500 years ago.
Most episodes took advantage of both the Wold Newton family
and metafictional possibilities of the premise. Mark Twain
, the Holy Grail
, and Cardinal Richelieu (played by Michael Praed
) all made appearances.
Some parts of the show are truthfully historical, such as the mention of Nicolas Poussin
or Verne's friendship with Alexandre Dumas. However, the show cannot be historically placed. For example, at least one episode ("Southern Comfort") takes place during the American Civil War (1861-1865). During the Civil War, the historical Jules Verne was already married; the fictional character remains single throughout the first season. Also, the historical Verne would have been in his mid-thirties at the time of that conflict, whereas Chris Demetral
, the actor who portrayed him on television, was in his mid-twenties.
, property of Mr. Phileas Fogg of London
, it combines unexampled luxury, total mobility and an extraordinary array of weapons and gadgets. It is to this series what the Starship Enterprise
is to Star Trek
: both as a home base and also as the route to the world of adventure. The Aurora became Phileas' property after he won it in a poker game that was rigged by the British government.
. In April 2011, Perseverance Records
released a 2-CD soundtrack of the series' music. The soundtrack included the main theme, closing theme, "bumpers" (played at commercial breaks), and suites from every episode of the series apart from "The Book of Knowledge", for which the composer and the recording studio were unable to locate the original tapes.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series in the steampunk
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
genre that first aired in June 2000 on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
in Canada and in syndication in the United States.
The plot concept is predicated on a vast fictional conspiracy
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
beginning with the revelation that Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
did not merely write the stories behind his famous science fiction classic books Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a classic science fiction novel by French writer Jules Verne published in 1870. It tells the story of Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus as seen from the perspective of Professor Pierre Aronnax...
, Journey to the Center of the Earth
Journey to the Center of the Earth
A Journey to the Center of the Earth is a classic 1864 science fiction novel by Jules Verne. The story involves a German professor who believes there are volcanic tubes going toward the center of the Earth...
or Around the World in Eighty Days — but actually experienced these adventures personally.
A television technological historic footnote, this work was the first hour-long series filmed entirely in HDTV
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
format.
Characters
- Phileas FoggPhileas Fogg (SAJV)The fictional character of Phileas Fogg was re-written for the science fiction television series The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne and is a substantially different character than the Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne's book Around the World in Eighty Days....
as played by Michael PraedMichael PraedMichael Praed born Michael David Prince, 1 April 1960 in Berkeley, Gloucestershire) is a British actor, is probably best known for his role as Robin of Loxley in the British television series Robin of Sherwood, which attained cult status worldwide in the 1980s... - Rebecca FoggRebecca FoggRebecca Fogg is a fictional character created for the science fiction television series The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne and is Phileas Fogg's second cousin. She is the first female field agent ever employed by the British Secret Service....
as played by Francesca HuntFrancesca HuntFrancesca Hunt is a British actress. She has starred in two television drama series for the BBC, Roughnecks and Strathblair, as well as the sitcom A Prince Among Men and several one-off dramas including Over Here. In between TV appearances, she has also managed to play some of Britain's most... - PassepartoutPassepartout (SAJV)Passepartout as a fictional character in the science fiction television series The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne was born to the semi-piratical captain of a Mediterranean trading vessel, Passepartout, uncertain of his actual birthplace, combines all the nationalities of Southern Europe from...
as played by Michel CourtemancheMichel CourtemancheMichel Courtemanche is a Québécois comedian and actor. He has drawn hundreds of thousands to his one-man shows in Quebec, France, Belgium and Switzerland.... - Jules Verne as played by Chris DemetralChris DemetralChristopher Peter "Chris" Demetral is a former American actor best known as Jeremy Tupper, the son of newly divorced New York book editor Martin Tupper on the HBO series Dream On...
Premise
Jules Verne is a struggling author who joins Phileas, Rebecca, and Passepartout after a chance encounter. Phileas leads the group. Dapper, daring, intelligent, brash, and arrogant, Praed described him as essentially a more flawed version of James Bond. Rebecca Fogg is his second cousin; it is clear that Phileas and Rebecca are attracted to one another, but it remains platonic. Passepartout is Phileas' valet, and an accomplished inventor/mechanician. Although Phileas treats Passepartout very poorly (at least by today's standards), the servant is a valued member of the crew.The group's only recurring enemy is the League of Darkness, an international terrorist organization aiming to use steampunk technology to rule the world. Its leader: Count Gregory (Rick Overton
Rick Overton
Richard "Rick" Overton is an American screenwriter, actor and comedian. His writing credits include Dennis Miller Live, and his acting credits include Willow and The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne.-Life and career:...
), a steampunk cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
who originally died 500 years ago.
Most episodes took advantage of both the Wold Newton family
Wold Newton family
The Wold Newton family is a literary concept derived from a form of crossover fiction developed by the science fiction writer Philip José Farmer...
and metafictional possibilities of the premise. Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, the Holy Grail
Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
, and Cardinal Richelieu (played by Michael Praed
Michael Praed
Michael Praed born Michael David Prince, 1 April 1960 in Berkeley, Gloucestershire) is a British actor, is probably best known for his role as Robin of Loxley in the British television series Robin of Sherwood, which attained cult status worldwide in the 1980s...
) all made appearances.
Some parts of the show are truthfully historical, such as the mention of Nicolas Poussin
Nicolas Poussin
Nicolas Poussin was a French painter in the classical style. His work predominantly features clarity, logic, and order, and favors line over color. His work serves as an alternative to the dominant Baroque style of the 17th century...
or Verne's friendship with Alexandre Dumas. However, the show cannot be historically placed. For example, at least one episode ("Southern Comfort") takes place during the American Civil War (1861-1865). During the Civil War, the historical Jules Verne was already married; the fictional character remains single throughout the first season. Also, the historical Verne would have been in his mid-thirties at the time of that conflict, whereas Chris Demetral
Chris Demetral
Christopher Peter "Chris" Demetral is a former American actor best known as Jeremy Tupper, the son of newly divorced New York book editor Martin Tupper on the HBO series Dream On...
, the actor who portrayed him on television, was in his mid-twenties.
The Aurora
The Aurora is at the heart of The Secret Adventure of Jules Verne. The world's first dirigible airshipAirship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
, property of Mr. Phileas Fogg of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, it combines unexampled luxury, total mobility and an extraordinary array of weapons and gadgets. It is to this series what the Starship Enterprise
Starship Enterprise
The Enterprise or USS Enterprise is the name of several fictional starships, some of which are the focal point for various television series and films in the Star Trek franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. It is considered a name of legacy in the fleet...
is to Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
: both as a home base and also as the route to the world of adventure. The Aurora became Phileas' property after he won it in a poker game that was rigged by the British government.
Episodes
| Episode | Title | Notable guest stars |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | In the Beginning | David Warner David Warner (actor) David Warner is an English actor who is known for playing both romantic leads and sinister or villainous characters, both in film and animation... and Rick Overton Rick Overton Richard "Rick" Overton is an American screenwriter, actor and comedian. His writing credits include Dennis Miller Live, and his acting credits include Willow and The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne.-Life and career:... |
| 2. | Queen Victoria and the Giant Mole | Tracy Scoggins Tracy Scoggins Tracy Dawn Scoggins is an American actress known for her roles as Cat Grant in the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Monica Colby in the 1980s prime time soap opera Dynasty, and its spin-off series The Colbys... |
| 3. | Rockets of the Dead | Patrick Duffy |
| 4. | The Cardinal's Design | John Rhys-Davies John Rhys-Davies John Rhys-Davies is a Welsh actor and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah in the Indiana Jones films and the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy... and Rene Auberjonois |
| 5. | The Cardinal's Revenge | John Rhys-Davies and Rene Auberjonois |
| 6. | The Eyes of Lazarus | Michael Moriarty Michael Moriarty Michael Moriarty is an American-Canadian actor of stage and screen, and a jazz musician. He played Benjamin Stone for four seasons on the TV series Law & Order.-Early life:... and Margot Kidder Margot Kidder Margaret Ruth "Margot" Kidder is a Canadian-born American actress. She is perhaps best known for playing Lois Lane in the four Superman movies opposite Christopher Reeve, a role that brought her to widespread recognition.... |
| 7. | Lord of Air and Darkness | Sonia Vigneault Sonia Vigneault Sonia Vigneault is a French-Canadian actress, based in Montreal, Quebec. She has starred in several television programs and movies, including Mogadon 7, Bouscotte and Zigrail and Providence.-External links:... and Rick Overton |
| 8. | Southern Comfort | Larissa Laskin Larissa Laskin Larissa Laskin is an American television actress whose credits include the A&E original film, The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery .-External links:... , Sonia Vigneault and Rick Overton |
| 9. | Let There Be Light | Michael Yarmush Michael Yarmush Michael Yarmush is an American television, film, and voice actor.-Early life and career:Born in Miami, Florida, Yarmush began acting in 1995. That year, he portrayed Eric in the television series My Life as a Dog. The following year, he provided the voice for the title character in Arthur... |
| 10. | The Ballad of Steeley Joe | |
| 11. | The Black Glove of Melchizedek | Kim Chan Kim Chan Kim Chan also known as Kim S. Chan, was a Chinese-American actor and producer. He was most notable for his role as The Ancient in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.-Early life:... and Nigel Bennett Nigel Bennett Nigel Bennett is an English actor/director/writer who has been based in Canada since 1986. He is best known for playing the vampire patriarch Lucien LaCroix in the TV series Forever Knight, for which he won the Canadian Gemini Award for best supporting actor in a dramatic series.-Life and... |
| 12. | Dust to Dust | Pascale Bussieres Pascale Bussières Pascale Bussières is a Canadian actress.- Life and work :She is a cinema studies alumna from Concordia University, living in Montreal.- Movies :- TV Series :*1989: Chambres en ville*1991: Marilyn... |
| 13. | The Golem | Caroline Dhavernas Caroline Dhavernas Caroline Dhavernas is a Canadian actress. Dhavernas is best known in the United States as "Jaye" from the short-lived television series Wonderfalls on Fox. She starred as Dr. Lily Brenner in the ABC medical drama Off the Map.-Life and career:... |
| 14. | Crusader in the Crypt | |
| 15. | The Strange Death of Professor Marechal | Polly Draper Polly Draper Polly Carey Draper is an American actress, screenwriter, playwright, producer and director. She is renowned for her ensemble role in ABC's hit series Thirtysomething. In 1998, Draper starred in her screenwriting debut The Tic Code, featuring Gregory Hines which was inspired by her husband Michael... |
| 16. | The Rocket's Red Glare | Rick Overton |
| 17. | Rocket to the Moon | R. H. Thomson R. H. Thomson Robert Holmes "R. H." Thomson, is a Canadian television, film and stage actor.Thomson was born in Richmond Hill, Ontario. He studied at the University of Toronto, and the National Theatre School. His own play The Lost Boys was staged at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in March 2000 and at... |
| 18. | The Inquisitor | Mako Mako (actor) , born , was an Oscar- and Tony-nominated Japanese actor. Many of his acting roles credited him simply as Mako, omitting his surname. -Early life:... |
| 19. | Royalty | Geordie Johnson |
| 20. | Secret of the Realm | Rick Overton |
| 21. | The Victorian Candidate | Bill Paterson and Keir Cutler |
| 22. | The Book of Knowledge | David Warner David Warner (actor) David Warner is an English actor who is known for playing both romantic leads and sinister or villainous characters, both in film and animation... and Michael McManus Michael McManus (actor) Michael McManus is a Canadian actor, known for his portrayal of characters such as the ex-assassin Kai, in the sci-fi series Lexx.-Early life:Michael McManus was born in London, Ontario, Canada... |
Soundtrack
The series' main theme and incidental music was composed by Nick Glennie-SmithNick Glennie-Smith
Nick Glennie-Smith is a film composer whose most prominent work is a collaboration with Hans Zimmer on the score to the 1996 action film The Rock as well as work on the 1993 drama Point of No Return...
. In April 2011, Perseverance Records
Perseverance Records
Perseverance Records is a record label which releases film scores on CD and online. Releases are usually accompanied by extensive, well-researched booklets...
released a 2-CD soundtrack of the series' music. The soundtrack included the main theme, closing theme, "bumpers" (played at commercial breaks), and suites from every episode of the series apart from "The Book of Knowledge", for which the composer and the recording studio were unable to locate the original tapes.
| CD 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1 | Opening Titles | 0:53 |
| 2 | In the Beginning | 2:34 |
| 3 | Queen Victoria and the Giant Mole | 13:25 |
| 4 | Bumper #1 | 0:09 |
| 5 | Rockets of the Dead | 11:31 |
| 6 | The Cardinal's Design | 2:04 |
| 7 | The Cardinal's Revenge | 2:33 |
| 8 | The Eyes of Lazarus | 2:00 |
| 9 | Bumper #2 | 0:11 |
| 10 | Lord of Air and Darkness | 1:56 |
| 11 | Southern Comfort | 19:05 |
| 12 | Let There Be Light | 7:56 |
| 13 | The Ballad of Steeley Joe | 6:51 |
| 14 | Bumper #3 | 0:09 |
| CD 2 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1 | Bumper #4 | 0:09 |
| 2 | The Black Glove of Melchizedek | 9:02 |
| 3 | Dust to Dust | 6:17 |
| 4 | The Golem | 3:51 |
| 5 | Crusader in the Crypt | 1:53 |
| 6 | The Strange Death of Professor Marechal | 4:32 |
| 7 | The Rocket's Red Glare | 5:53 |
| 8 | Rocket to the Moon | 3:55 |
| 9 | Bumper #5 | 0:09 |
| 10 | The Inquisitor | 5:25 |
| 11 | Royalty | 12:38 |
| 12 | Secret of the Realm | 6:00 |
| 13 | The Victorian Candidate | 7:27 |
| 14 | End Credits | 0:42 |