"Animorphs" (1998) TV series 1998-1999

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Directors:

Timothy Bond
Stacey Stewart Curtis

Writer:

K.A. Applegate (novel)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | unknown

Release Date:

4 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Plot:

Five human kids and an alien with the ability to turn into any animal they touch vs. an army of parasitic aliens which is slowly infiltrating the earth.

Plot Keywords:

Transformation | Alien Invasion | Alien Possession | Human Transforms Into Animal | Morphing

Cast

Shawn Ashmore	...	Jake Berenson (13 episodes, 1998-2000)
Brooke Nevin	...	Rachel Berenson (13 episodes, 1998-2000)
Boris Cabrera	...	Marco (13 episodes, 1998-2000)
Eugene Lipinski	...	Victor Trent / ... (13 episodes, 1998-2000)
Nadia-Leigh Nascimento	...	Cassie (12 episodes, 1998-2000)
Christopher Ralph	...	Tobias (12 episodes, 1998-2000)
Richard Sali	...	Principal Chapman (10 episodes, 1998-2000)
Paulo Costanzo	...	Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (8 episodes, 1998-1999)
Joshua Peace	...	Tom Berenson (8 episodes, 1998-1999)

Also Known As:

"AniTV" (USA) (promotional title)
"The Changelings" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

Canada:24 min (1998-2000) | USA:30 min (26 episodes)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Angel/Brown Productions

Trivia:

Unlike in the book series, where any normal clothing the Animorphs wore during morph was either destroyed or left behind, the TV series showed the Animorphs capable of morphing their clothing whenever they transformed; no explanation was given for this, beyond simple dramatic license.

Quotes:

[Marco complains that he gets all the lame morphs]
Marco: Why can't you be the duck for once?
Jake Berenson: Because I can't afford the bill
Marco: You'd better let me handle the jokes.

Movie Connections:

Spin off Animorphs: Shattered Reality (2000) (VG)

Well, it could've been worse...

My first thought when I heard they were making a television series out of Animorphs? "How the *beep* are they going to that?" Well, apparently I am a primordial gizmo-challenged dinosaur. Nowadays, there is a wonderful shitload of what folks call "Special Effects." Or, "SpEff," if you will.

With Speff, we have managed to create one of the most horrendously adapted small-screen projects ever.

No, I am not a book snob. But really, the only benefit I got from watching this television series was a newfound understanding of the pronunciation of Tobias' name, and an urge to bash open my skull and gouge out every lasting morsel of respect I had for the books.

I had never noticed this before, but the thought-speak is ridiculous! It's like Doctor Dolittle gone Spandex! One day, when the 'Speff' and creative teams for television are better, perhaps they will try again-- with slightly better results.

Till then... 4/10