The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne is a 22-episode science fiction television series in the steampunk genre that first aired in June 2000 on the Sci-Fi cable channel. The plot concept is predicated on a vast fictional conspiracy beginning with the revelation that Jules Verne did not merely write the stories behind his famous science fiction classic books Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth or Around the World in Eighty Days — but actually experienced these adventures personally. A television technological historic footnote, this work was the first hour-long series filmed entirely in HDTV format.
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Characters
- Phileas Fogg as played by Michael Praed
- Rebecca Fogg as played by Francesca Hunt
- Passepartout as played by Michel Courtemanche
- Jules Verne as played by Chris Demetral
Premise
Jules Verne is a struggling author who joins Phileas, Rebecca, and Passepartout after a chance encounter. Phileas leads the group. Dapper, daring, intelligent, brash, and arrogant, Praed described him as essentially a more flawed version of James Bond. Rebecca Fogg is his second cousin; it is clear that Phileas and Rebecca are attracted to one another, but it remains platonic. Passepartout is Phileas' valet, and an accomplished inventor/mechanician. Although Phileas treats Passepartout very poorly (at least by today's standards), the servant is a valued member of the crew. The group's only recurring enemy is the League of Darkness, an international terrorist organization aiming to use steampunk technology to rule the world. Its leader: Count Gregory (Rick Overton), a steampunk cyborg who originally died 500 years ago. Most episodes took advantage of both the Wold Newton and metafictional possibilities of the premise. Mark Twain, the Holy Grail, and Cardinal Richelieu (played by Michael Praed) all made appearances. According to Chris Demetral in an informal chat session in 2001, ideas for the next season included an explanation for why Jules never wrote about Rebecca, the appearance of Aouda Fogg, and an episode featuring Captain Nemo.
The Aurora
The Aurora is at the heart of The Secret Adventure of Jules Verne. The world's first dirigible airship, property of Mr. Phileas Fogg of London, it combines unexampled luxury, total mobility and an extraordinary array of weapons and gadgets. It is to this series what the Starship Enterprise is to Star Trek: both as a home base and also as the route to the world of adventure. The Aurora became Phileas' property after he "won" it in a poker game (which was rigged by the British government).
Episodes
| Episode | Title | Notable guest stars |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | In the Beginning | David Warner and Rick Overton |
| 2. | Queen Victoria and the Giant Mole | Tracy Scoggins |
| 3. | Rockets of the Dead | Patrick Duffy |
| 4. | The Cardinal's Design | John Rhys-Davies and Rene Auberjonois |
| 5. | The Cardinal's Revenge | John Rhys-Davies and Rene Auberjonois |
| 6. | The Eyes of Lazarus | Michael Moriarty and Margot Kidder |
| 7. | Lord of Air and Darkness | Sonia Vigneault and Rick Overton |
| 8. | Southern Comfort | Larissa Laskin, Sonia Vigneault and Rick Overton |
| 9. | Let There Be Light | Michael Yarmush |
| 10. | The Ballad of Steeley Joe | |
| 11. | The Black Glove of Melchizedek | Kim Chan |
| 12. | Dust to Dust | Pascale Bussieres |
| 13. | The Golem | |
| 14. | Crusader in the Crypt | |
| 15. | The Strange Death of Professor Marechal | Polly Draper |
| 16. | The Rocket's Red Glare | Rick Overton |
| 17. | Rocket to the Moon | R. H. Thomson |
| 18. | The Inquisitor | Mako |
| 19. | Royalty | |
| 20. | Secret of the Realm | Rick Overton |
| 21. | The Victorian Candidate | Bill Paterson Keir Cutler |
| 22. | The Book of Knowledge | David Warner Michael McManus |
Primary crew
- Creator: Gavin Scott
- Executive producers: Nicolas Clermont, Pierre de Lespinois, Neil Dunn, Michael Huffington, Richard Jackson, Gavin Scott
- Theme Composer: Nick Glennie-Smith
See Also: Sci Fi Channel
