AustLit

'Larry is a tiny fairy possum with a tremendous problem. He’s on a mission to find a home that’s just right for him.

Brimming with friendship and optimism, his adventure invites us into a world where even the most challenging circumstances can be overcome.'

Source: publisher's blurb

Three young girls accidentally stumble on a tidepool on a secret island; when bathed in moonlight, the tidepool transforms them into mermaids, with great powers over water--but also a tendency to sprout a tail whenever they come into contact with water.

The original three mermaids--Emma, Cleo, and Rikki--separate at the end of season two, when the actress playing Emma left the show. In season three, another character, Bella, is added: Bella had become a mermaid in an unrelated incident some years earlier.

The mermaids also face various antagonists, ranging from rivals (e.g., the antagonist for season two, Charlotte, who manages to obtain similar powers from the moon pool) to those who wish to exploit the mermaids for their own profit.

As with Jonathan M. Shiff's other productions, the program is aimed largely at young teen audiences.

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.

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 daily television drama series set in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough, Neighbours chronicles the lives of the residents of Ramsay Street. The series initially revolved around three families: the Ramsays (at number 24 Ramsay Street), the Robinsons (at number 26), and the Clarkes (at number 28). The scope of the series has since broadened to include new Ramsay Street familes.