The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne (2000– )

The fantastic steampunk adventures of the future science fiction writer and his friends, the Foggs and Passepartout.

Creator:

Gavin Scott

Stars:

Francesca Hunt, Michel Courtemanche, Chris Demetral

Cast

Series cast summary:
Francesca Hunt	...	Rebecca Fogg (22 episodes, 2000)
Michel Courtemanche	...	Passepartout (22 episodes, 2000)
Chris Demetral	...	Jules Verne (22 episodes, 2000)
Michael Praed	...	Phileas Fogg (22 episodes, 2000)
Jonathan Coy	...	Sir Jonathan Chatsworth (10 episodes, 2000)

Storyline

In this series, we see the adventures of the young Father of Science Fiction and his friends, Phileas and Rebecca Fogg and their servant, Passepartout. In an alternative Victorian era, which has taken that era's technology to fantastic levels, this intrepid quartet battles villians wherever they find them.

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Plot Keywords:

victorian era | steampunk | aviation | character name in title

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Taglines:

Inventing the future. Battling to save it.

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Adventure

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Details

Official Sites:

Space [ca]

Country:

UK Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 January 2001 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmline International, Talisman Crest

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Inspired by an alternate draft of "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea," which featured Nemo as a Pole attacking Russian ships to avenge his dead family. (The book was changed to its more famous version of a stateless man attacking unflagged ships when Napoleon III signed a treaty with Russia.)

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Quotes

Phileas Fogg: Passerpartout, if you shall die, I shall kill you!

User Reviews

Excellent premise, mostly successful

The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne was a fine series that suffered from a lack of network support and a lack of budget. Despite those flaws, it was quite entertaining. Using a favorite steampunk premise, it imagined a world where Phileas Fogg and Passepartout are as real as their creator Jules Verne. In fact, they, along with Fogg's cousin Rebecca, are friends and companions. Together they work to stop the League of Darkness and other foul villains.

Michael Praed was outstanding as Fogg, now a retired secret agent and gentlemen. He is joined by valet and comic relief Passepartout, played with great aplomb by Michael Courtemanche. Courtemanche was adept with both physical and verbal comedy and made a decent adventurer. He gets a chance to shine in "Royalty" where he gets to perform a dual role as King Carl, ala the Prisoner of Zenda. Christopher Demetral is passable as Verne, but he lacks emotional depth and his performance could be wooden. The real standout was Fancesca Hunt as Rebecca Fogg. She was a sort of Victorian Emma Peel, and carried the role off with style and grace.

Despite the limited budget, the series matched the imagination of Verne. Many of the fantastic ideas from Verne's stories found themselves recreated; from the airship Aurora to the League of Darkness' aerial battleship Prometheus, inspired by Robur's Albatross, no doubt. The designs were inventive, while maintaining the Victorian feel.

Although I preferred the scientific plots to the supernatural; both were carried out quite well. Some of the history is a bit incorrect, such as Jesse and Frank James carrying Colt Peacemakers during the Civil War, but it is a fantasy series.

This is a series I wold have liked to have seen continued; but, I fear it was not commercial enough to be successful. It's a shame really, as the series would appeal to fans of the Wild, Wild West and lovers of the works of Jules Verne. Considering that Verne gave birth to speculative fiction (i.e. science fiction) I would think that the audience would be quite large. Definitely worth seeking out.

Some personal favorites from among the episodes: "In the Beginning", "The Cardinal's Design" and "The Cardinal's Revenge", "Lord of Air and Darkness", "Southern Comfort", "Let There Be Light" and "The Ballad of Steely Joe".