The Girl from Tomorrow

While nowhere near as good as The Girl From Tomorrow, Tomorrow's End plays more for action and explosions, unlike it's character-driven predecessor. It does, however, contain many interesting theories on the cause and effect of time-travel and holds more than enough to keep the viewer interested.

Alana (Katherine Cullen) lives in an utopian community in year 3000 Australia. Her guardian Tulista travels back in time to investigate a disaster in 2500 which destroyed much of the world. She is taken prisoner by criminal Silverthorn (John Howard) returning back to 3000. In a struggle, Silverthorn takes Alana and the time capsule back to 1990. Alana with her transducer headband and computer wristband PJ is taken in by Jenny Kelly (Melissa Marshal) and her bratty little brother Petey (James Marshall Findlay). Jenny's mother, divorced shopkeeper Irene (Helen O'Connor), enrolls Alana as her niece Alana Turner. Mr Rooney (Andrew Clarke) is a teacher. Silverthorn suffers from a brain tumor and has stolen the time capsule with his minion Eddie. The capsule is on a timer to return to 3000 and Alana is desperate to find it.

I kinda remember this show back in the day although I doubt that I actually saw it. I just remember the girl with the headband. There are two series of 12 half-hour episodes. The first series starts with a solid sci-fi premise. The girl is awkwardly naive although she is a 14 year old from the year 3000. Sometimes, the writing gets a little clunky like going to the media. I don't understand why Silverthorn would return the time capsule if the group goes public. A social worker turning a girl over to her father willy-nilly is also problematic. She could be a victim of abuse. The least she could do is call in the cops. It should be a simple kidnapping out of the facility instead. Nevertheless, the writing is good enough especially for a children's program. The second series titled "Tomorrow's End" has Alana going back to 3000 and 2500. She gets separated from Jenny and the plot gets a bit muddled.

The production is low budget Australian TV. It has its charms in the first series. The girls are good and John Howard is a scary villain. The second series struggles. Most of the 2500 setting looks cheap. A dystopian world needs dollars to look good. The second series also splits up the cast which diffuses the tension. It should have kept Alana and Jenny together. Their reunion is forced and the time traveling logic is bent out of shape. The adults not believing in Silverthorn also gets tiresome after having already saved the world from his villainy.

I grew up watching this series, and to tell the truth it's a very well thought out and highly imaginative take on the whole time travel genre. Instead of action heroes or vicious psychos using time travel to destroy each other, the young Alan is an accidental traveler who has to come to terms living a thousand years in the past. good stuff, see it.

My sister and I were hooked on The Girl From Tomorrow back when it was aired in the UK. We remember it to be extremely engaging and enjoyable. Watching it now in 2013, it has aged fairly well and is still very watchable. The graphics were clearly limited by the technology and budget of the time, but that's the only aspect that hasn't stood the test of time. The performances are genuinely solid and actors play their parts well - Irene is a harassed single mum, Jenny a rebellious teenager, Petey an annoying but resourceful nine-year-old, and Alana a confused and terrified time traveller from the future trying to make sense of Sydney in the '90s. Alana stole the hearts of thousands of 12 year old boys. Good to see Katharine Cullen went on to a solid, respectable acting career.

The series benefits from good casting, screen writing and drama. The cliffhanger endings are well crafted and you're always hoping for more. Silverthorn is a great charming villain, and the Great Disaster plot gives tremendous scope.

It was never a high-budget all-star production, but if you have fond childhood memories of this show, don't be afraid to re-watch it as an adult. It lives up to your memory.

I've just discovered this show on Amazon Prime in the UK, and it is making me ridiculously happy! Pure 90's retro scifi joy with great performances and great characters.