The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne

Wonderful! This series is a breath of fresh air to this season of TV. Most networks are too inundated with 'Reality TV'. It's wonderful to see something so creative. The show has a very distinctive look to it and is marvelously made. The actors give top rate performances. I hope the Sci Fi channel realizes what a wonderful thing they have in their hands and keep it going.

In the genre of science fiction television that is known for lack of well-developed characters, "The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne" is delightful exception to the rule. The four regular characters, Phileas and Rebecca Fogg, Jules Verne, and Passepartout, wander the world of the 1860's in Phileas' fantastic dirigible the Aurora. Phileas, played by Michael Praed, is an ex-British Secret Service agent, an adventurer and a gambler, out to enjoy his pleasures but forever being diverted to aid his friends. His distant cousin Rebecca, played by Francesca Hunt, is a nineteenth-century Mrs. Peel, an agent extraordinaire who mixes strength and daring with warmth and vulnerability. Chris Demetral's Jules Verne is a young visionary, a blend of innocence and insight that forges a link with these people who recognize his extraordinary gifts. And Michel Courtemanche brings a wonderful blend of humor and intelligence to the inventive valet. It has humor, it has adventure, it has mystery, it has sexual tension (everyone is attracted to Rebecca, including Phileas and Jules), it has angst (watch for Phileas' reasons for quitting the secret service). It is science fiction with a refreshing nineteenth-century twist. There is a weakness in the early episodes in plot lines, but plots get better quickly. Stick with the series and it's a real treat. And kudos to Francesca Hunt's Rebecca, the strongest and most appealing female character on television today.

If you have given up on series television (I know I had), The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne has the power to draw you back to the small screen. It builds a Victorian Era universe that is a delight to the eye and populates it with characters that interact with each other and the world on many interesting levels. You must be prepared to suspend your disbelief upon entry as some of the gadgetry and plot devices will put a strain on it, but it is so much fun inside that you won't miss that silly old reality anyway.

The series is currently broadcast on the SciFi channel at the very peculiar time of 1:00 AM Eastern on Sunday mornings, but come this fall, it can be seen on the WB100+ group of stations, as well as many other syndicated stations. Watch for it. Watch it with your kids. Watch it with your friends. Drag strangers in off the street to show it to them. They will thank you for it.

Meet Phileas Fogg, the owner of the Aruora a fantastic flying ship and employer to a mechanical genius and sometimes vocabulary confused valet named Passpartout. Fogg was Great Britian's best secret service agent. A bitter parting of ways with the organization has him wanting nothing more than the opportunity of gambling in Europe's finest casinos. Instead, he keeps on getting dragged into adventures due to the missions of his cousin Rebecca (England's first female secret service agent) and his friendship with (and mentorship of) the young idealistic writer Jules Verne.

Set in the middle of the 19th century `The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne' operates on the assumption that the events Mr. Verne wrote about in his 50 plus works were actually experienced by him. This is quite a fantastic notion if you think about it. It is also quite a daunting task for anyone who attempts to translate this type of Science Fiction tale on screen. Fortunately, the right people are involved and they give the viewer a unique and different take on the genre.

`Jules Verne' is part Western with a European slant, a historical drama with an undercurrent of Science Fiction, and an adventurous journey into the realm of imagination with some comedic elements as well. This is also a world devoid of computers and modern technology. Even though fantastic machines are present the characters still have to rely on themselves and each other to get out of the situations they find themselves in.

The characters are very well developed and three-dimensional. It is exciting to watch how well they interact with each other. At the core of the show is the meaning of friendship. These people truly care about each other. When one of their members gets into a tight corner the others come to their aid. They are also comfortable enough in each other's company to confide and enjoy a bit of humor at a member's expense.

As for the actors themselves, their display of friendship is genuine. You actually believe that they are friends. One also gets to see how the parts are well played and well thought out. There is such attention to detail from Phileas Fogg's immaculate appearing gentleman, to Passpartout's devoted servant, to Rebecca Fogg's espionage tactics to Jules Verne's sometimes-headstrong hopeful optimism. Each displays their own view on the tales that they participate in.

And what tales they are. There is some genuine storytelling going on here, which is rare in this particular era of television. The viewer finds himself or herself caught up in the episode wondering what is coming up next. Each story is different. Some of the episodes are a bit darker in tone, others a bit lighter and others use a combination of both.

There is also the pleasure of watching the characters interact with real life figures of the times. We get to see Queen Victoria (who is Rebecca Fogg's unofficial godmother), `Three Musketeers' author Alexandre Dumas (a personal friend of the real life Jules Verne) and burgeoning outlaw Jesse James during an adventure out West. This is great for those who like history and enjoy historical novels. It also creates a lot of what ifs and is a great opportunity to create an enthusiasm for history during the adventure that is taking place.

Along with the history aspect we are treated to other elements and some fine action. Phileas Fogg, when necessary, uses a sword and his fists (sometimes his head as well). Rebecca Fogg has a nice arsenal hidden about her petticoats and isn't above hand to hand combat either. Jules Verne doesn't participate in the action as much. He tries to use his intellect to solve the problems. Passpartout, on the other hand, provides some comic relief and gets to invent/create machines that help our heroes out in certain situations.

There is a lot to see and hear with each episode and many layers to unfold. A second viewing allows a person to see the show from another vantage. It is quite a treat to watch.

"The Secret Adventures Of Jules Verne" is the most creative and visually stunning series I have seen....well ever. The actors are Perfect for their roles: Michael Praed as Phileas Fogg is a man tormented by tragedy and betrayal. He would be living the life of a gentleman of means if not for his cousin Rebecca Fogg. Need I mention that Michael Praed is an actor who can play all the complex emotions that Phileas tries to keep under control and can show more feelings with his soulful eyes than most actors can with their whole bodies. Rebecca Fogg is played by Franchesca Hunt. Rebecca is not a shrinking Victorian Violet. She is the British Secret Service's first female agent. Trying to keep her alive keeps pulling Phileas back into danger and adventure. Passepartout is Phileas valet. He is played to perfection by Michel Courtemanche. This includes not only inventing ingenious if sometimes wacky items that he feels Phileas might need but also doing a wicked impersonation of his master from time to time. And last but not least is Jules Verne. He is played with just the right amount of idealism and eagerness by Chris Demetral. But he is growing up and seeing the world through different eyes. Jules is living the adventures he will write about. Chris is careful not to play him overly exciteable like a puppy but as a young man wanting to know everything he can about the world. Phileas has taken Jules under his wing to make sure he doesn't end up as disillusioned as Phileas is himself . If you want to watch a show that combines the very latest in HDTV technology with creative and lively story lines you need look no further than "The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne". It is currently showing at sat. night/sunday morning at 1am eastern on Scifi. But it will be going into wide syndication this fall. Look for it!