AustLit

Two students--easy-going and not terribly academically inclined Toby and unpopular teacher's pet Elizabeth--are hit by an unusual magnetic pulse that transforms them both into scientific geniuses. While Toby is uncomfortable with his new power and not certain how to put it to use, Elizabeth revels in hers, hoping to dominate the school.

Creator Jonathan M. Shiff notes (in the media kit for season one) that

'I wanted the series to be grounded in real teenagers and an authentic school environment - bringing the chaos of teenage emotions and friendship to the backdrop of science and adventure. Wicked Science is very much driven by Elizabeth's desire to catch Toby's attention and instead of witchcraft or magic it is science she uses as the tool'.

The production company also liased with Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) to create a study guide that would enable teachers to use Wicked Science as a starting point for classroom discussions of science, its place in society, and the specific scientific concepts explored in the series.

Silversun follows the journey of the titular spacecraft, two years into a ninety-year journey to a distant, Earth-like planet, intended for colonisation. The colonists are in cryogenic status, and the ship's crew is largely teenagers, who will take over the primary roles as the adult crew ages.

The program's focus was a combination of the coming-of-age/interpersonal relationship storylines typical of a teenage show and the type of ethical dilemmas common to science-fiction story-telling. Among the latter were such issues as whether or not a crew member's clone was human, and what effect long-distance interstellar travel would have on the human mind and emotions.

Season two of the program ended on a cliffhanger, and no plans have been made to revive the program.

Fifteen-year-old Kate and her two younger siblings, Nicholas and Sarah, are accidentally zapped inside Kate's current video-gaming obsession: Pirate Islands, a swashbuckling action-adventure game. Now the children--and the island's existing population of castaway children, led by the fearless Mars--must battle the fearsome Captain Blackheart if they wish to get back to their own world.

The program is structured around the generic conventions of video gaming: the protagonists must find a powerful object (the Golden Idol) in order to exit the game; the islands contain 'power ups', namely a jet-pack and magic boots, that give the protagonists super-human powers; and the location is divided into several distinct environments that the protagonists can explore (Castaway Island, Haunted Island, Plant Island, Main Island, and Secret Island).

The program has never been released on DVD in its entirety, but was cut down and released as two films.

A short-lived television series about idealistic young police officers in an inner-city Sydney area, Young Lions did not rate well, and was not renewed for a second season.

'They've each been given a $20,000 head start but there's still time for you to catch up with Loc Minh, Clare and Patrick Gormley, Basia Lem, Seth Wallace, Kyle Richter and Katherine Ingram as they take off in pursuit of their dreams. Shepherded by company representative Garret Quinn, a reformed maverick trying to redeem his reputation in the eyes of his multi-national banker bosses, seven young adults try to make their mark on the world with their own dynamic and innovative ideas. Will they accomplish their cherished objectives or go with their failed ambitions like lambs to the slaughter?'

Source: Australian Television Information Archive. (Sighted: 22/10/2012)

Thirteen-year-old Lauren's life is confusing enough, with her mother remarrying, moving to another country, and introducing Lauren to a new stepfather and little stepbrother. But that's not nearly as confusing as the day two Nelfs (Santa's helpers) jump from his sleigh and into Lauren's life. With Santa's rounds finished for another year, Lauren is stuck with the bickering, meddling siblings until next Christmas. But when only Lauren can see them, her family start to think she's going mad.

A prototype cybernetic human from a distant planet crash-lands on Earth in order to explore the species from which she was developed. To move safely around the city, she disguises herself as the human cousin of a local boy. But two evil replicants are sent after her.

In positioning this program for the media, Jonathan M. Shiff emphasised both similarities to and differences from his previous programs:

'With CYBERGIRL, I set out asking myself how to create a series which has a teenage girl as a principal lead star, in a hip and modern way for the 21st century. Whereas OCEAN GIRL dealt with environmental themes, CYBERGIRL deals with the balance between humans and technology. In a world where millions of our audience are comfortable with the Internet, I thought it would be fun to have our hero as a walking computer!'

Indeed, Shiff placed great emphasis on his choice of a young female protagonist:

'I believe it has been many years since young children had a female superhero - the last was probably WONDER WOMAN. The recent trend for children, especially girls, to identify with characters like CHARLIE'S ANGELS indicates a strong desire for them to see themselves in the media as quite proactive, intelligent and strong, whilst still being emotionally sensitive'.

Source: Cybergirl media kit: http://www.jonathan-m-shiff.com.au/downloads/cg_media_kit.pdf. (Sighted: 17/2/2012)

Set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, Thunderstone follows Noah Daniels who, with his family, lives in the underground colony of North Col, after all life on the surface of the Earth is destroyed by the impact of the Nemesis Comet. Fascinated with the holographic animals that the North Col colonists use to teach their children about the Earth's extinct species, Noah is accidentally transported forward in time, to the colony of Haven. 'Thunderstone' is the name given to the remnants of the Nemesis Comet, which allow Noah to travel through time.

Season one involves Noah's travels through time, in company with Arushka (a nomadic girl from Haven), in an attempt to repopulate the Earth with animals. Season two revolves around Noah's attempts to completely destroy the Nemesis Comet before it strikes the Earth, thereby preventing the apocalypse. Season three involves Noah's experiments in wormhole technology, his plans to set up a space colony, and the attempts of guerillas from the future to assassinate Noah before he can (allegedly) murder his own parents.

Season one has been released in its entirety on DVD, but neither season two nor season three have been made commerically available.

One of Australia's highest rating dramas, All Saints is a Logie Award-winning Australian medical drama set in the fictional All Saints Western General Hospital in suburban Sydney. The stories originally focused on the nursing staff of Ward 17 run by Nursing Unit Manager Terri Sullivan. It was sometimes referred to as the 'garbage ward' because it took the overflow of patients.

In 2004 Network Seven producers overhauled the series in an effort to increase the show's gradually dwindling audience. They achieved this by closing down Ward 17 and transferring some of the staff to the Emergency Department managed by Frank Campion. Several other new lead characters were also introduced. The changes also saw the storylines begin to focus more on the lives of the doctors and nurses.

Another significant change to the series came in early 2009 when the producers introduced the Medical Response Unit. Central to this development was the helicopter which took doctors to rescue situations outside the hopsital and which in turn brought patients to the All Saints Emergency Department. The show's name was also changed at this time to All Saints: Medical Response Unit. The increased production costs created by having scenes shot on location played a part, however, in the series being cancelled mid-year. The series ended with the Emergency Department and Medical Response Unit teams having a dinner to farewell the last remaining original character, Von Ryan on her final day at All Saints.

All Saints was popular in many countries including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium and Iran.

A teen drama set in a school divided between mainstream high-school students and students with the potential to compete in sports at an Olympic level.

The two series had distinct storylines.

Series one:

The first day at any new school is always tough but when your schoolmates can run 100 metres in 11 seconds, clear 1.8 metres in the highjump and include the national junior champions in ten Olympic sports...you have to be a winner. (Via Screen Australia)

Series two:

The second series follows the fortunes of the soccer team as they strive for a place in the league play-offs. The team's problems on the field are complicated by problems off the field as allegiances and alliances between the kids (divided into Book Worms and Sports Freaks) shift and develop. (Via Screen Australia)

'Inspired by true events, Stingers reveals the shadowy and ambiguous world of undercover cops — people with covert lives and constantly changing identities. They are police who defeat crime from within the criminal world — always without a badge and frequently without protection. The series follows the lives of the operatives as they befriend and betray those on the other side of the law. For these select few, it is a deadly way of life.The undercover cops of Stingers are a unique breed. They must juggle their own lives — love, laughter, family and humanity — with the tension of the criminal personas they adopt in their passion for justice.'

Source: Australian Television Information Archive. (Sighted: 7/6/2013)

An adult drama set in an inner-city crisis centre and police station, Wildside focuses on a group of people who deal with the endless array of problems, crimes, and triumphs that tumble onto the streets of a city bursting with life. In addition to the police, other characters include those who work in a crisis centre in the tough red-light district of the city.

'The series is based on a national park ranger, her two children, their friends and how they form the Bush Patrol to help protect the park and its native inhabitants. There's plenty of adventure and fun featuring Australia's unique flora and fauna and modern family relationships.'

Source: Screen Australia. (Sighted: 3/12/2013)

'Staff in an emergency department of a large Australian hospital have become addicted to the adrenalin rush they experience while dealing with life and death emergencies.'

Source: Screen Australia.

'Jane Halifax, forensic psychiatrist, aids in the grief counselling of pupils at Blenheim House, a prestigious boys' school, after the death of a teacher. When a pupil is murdered, Jane suspects that the deaths are related.'

An American/Australian co-production, this series was a revival of the original 1964 - 1967 series Flipper.

The show's production is sharply divided between seasons one and two on one side and seasons three and four on the other.

Seasons one and two aired in first-run syndication in the US, as American television networks turned away from funding comparatively expensive one-hour dramas in the late 1980s and 1990s. These two seasons were made in Australia and took advantage of local directors and other crew, but, notably, the script-writers were exclusively American (as far as they have been traced).

For seasons three and four, Flipper left first-run syndication and aired in the US on the new network PAX TV (now Ion Television). These two seasons were also made in Australia and directed by Australians, but for the first time, they also used Australian script-writers: of the writers who have been traced for seasons three and four, all of the season three writers and the majority of the season four writers are Australian.

For full information on the script-writers, see the list of episodes on the film details page of this record.

'A 10-part series about the prison psychologist Louisa Correlli who has recently begun working in the male prison, Blackstream. The series deals with her experiences in dealing with the inmates and staff of the prison. In particular, it deals with her relationship with one of her clients, a prisoner by the name of Jones.'

Source: Screen Australia. (Sighted: 4/6/2013)

Ocean Girl follows the adventures of Jason and Brett Bates, who move with their mother (a reasearch scientist studying whale song) to an underwater research station near Port Douglas. There, they accidentally meet Neri, a young girl with super-human strength, the ability to breathe underwater, and an affinity for communicating with whales. As the series progresses through four seasons, the Bateses (and the audience) learn more about Neri's arrival on Earth, her home planet, and the ecosystem of their own home planet.

Ocean Girl, one of the earliest productions to come out of Jonathan M. Shiff Productions, is creator Jonathan Shiff's first science-fiction program; his name has subsequently become synonymous with children's science-fiction and fantasy television programs, through such shows as Cybergirl and H2O.

Ocean Girl is ecological science fiction, in that it uses the genre of science fiction to explore the consequences of exploiting Earth's resources. For example, as the program progresses, Dr Dianne Bates (mother of protagonists Jason and Brett) shifts from her early role as cetologist to a more active role as environmental protectionist, in response to the increasing threat of building large underwater constructions in the delicate ecosystem around ORCA. Similarly, season four shows the devastating effects of a 'Red Virus' on the oceans of Neri's home world.

'Fast-paced series spin-off of the hit feature film. Filmed at an abandoned school in Sydney's Maroubra, this program was about an ethnically diverse group of students attending Hartley High School.'

Source: National Film and Sound Archive record.