Starhunter

Infobox Television
show_name = Starhunter


caption = "Starhunter" season one intertitle
genre = Science fiction
runtime = approx. 47 minutes
creator = G. Philip Jackson and Daniel D'or
developer =
producer = G. Philip Jackson, Daniel D'or, George Campana, Alain Bordiac, Demerise Lafleur, Stephan Jonas
executive_producer = Elaine Scott
starring = Michael Paré
Tanya Allen
Claudette Roche
country = Canada
network = The Movie Network
first_aired = 1 November 2000
last_aired = 1 April 2004
num_episodes = 44
website = http://www.starhunteronline.co.nr/
imdb_id = 0250750
tv_com_id = 1241

"Starhunter" is a Canadian science fiction television series that aired for two seasons. The series was produced in Canada with co-producers in the United Kingdom and France. The first season ran, in Canada, from 1 November 2000 to 28 March 2001 and the second from 9 August 2003 to 3 April 2004. The name of the series was changed in the second season to "Starhunter 2300" ; in the United States, both seasons share the same title. For the first season special effects were handled by Das Werk from Germany, special effects for season two were taken over by Optix Digital Pictures in Toronto, Canada. The show's opening credits theme was composed by Peter Gabriel.

Plot

"Starhunter" follows the exploits of the crew of a retired liner refitted to serve a bounty-hunting crew. The owning company's name "Trans-Utopia Cruiseship Lines", was painted on her side but has faded, leaving some letters readable while obliterating others. The letters that remain have become her nickname, so she is casually known as "Trans Utopian" or "Tulip".

In the first season, "Tulip" is owned by Rudolpho DeLuna, who has hired Dante Montana as a bounty hunter. Dante took the job to provide a means of traveling — while also financing the search for his son, Travis, who was abducted a decade prior by a group of brigands, named Raiders. Aiding him are the ship's engineer, Percy Montana (Dante's niece) and Lucrecia Scott, a former marine, added to the crew by DeLuna to keep Dante focused on the missions given him. When broadcast in Canada, each episode began with a message from DeLuna to Dante, outlining Dante's current assignment. In the United States, these monologues were removed.

In the second season, the show was restructured. Percy Montana emerges from hyperspace, unaged — although fifteen years have passed in the outside universe. No other characters remain in the show from the first season except for DeLuna. He attempts to reassert his ownership of "Tulip", but since he had collected the insurance on the ship, as it was presumed lost, the insurance company now legally owned her. However, it was now out of business, so Percy claims ownership by salvage. Travis Montana, Dante's son and Percy's cousin, joins the crew together with his sidekick, Marcus Fagen. DeLuna also joined, bringing along Callista Larkadia, another bounty hunter. Percy describes the four as the "pretend cousin, big fat weasel, little buddy [and] mystery slut."

The show was cancelled after the second season, leaving the story at a cliffhanger: In the season finale, "Tulip" is trapped in hyperspace. As the countdown to implement the crew's desperate measure to return to the normal universe reaches zero, the show cuts to black and the credits roll.

Creators and producers Philip Jackson and Daniel D'or left the series mid-second season over business differences within the executive team of the parent company Greystone Studios International Inc. and went on the develop the science fiction television series and video game "Ice Planet" which will be released in spring 2008.

Cast

First season

*Michael Paré: Dante Montana
*Tanya Allen: Percy Montana
*Claudette Roche: Lucretia Scott
*Murray Melvin: Caravaggio
*Stephen Marcus: Rudolpho deLuna

econd season

*Clive Robertson: Travis Montana
*Tanya Allen: Percy Montana
*Dawn Stern: Callista (Callie) Larkadia
*Paul Fox: Marcus Fagen
*Stephen Marcus: Rudolpho deLuna
*Graham Harley: Caravaggio

Episodes

eason 1 (2000–2001)

eason 2 (2003–2004)

Additional Information

*Season two's theme song, "Darker Star", was performed by Peter Gabriel. It is the instrumental version of the song "Darkness" from the 2002 album "Up"

* Through 2006 and 2007, Starhunter 2300 aired on A-Channel (a Canadian television network) from 3:30-4:40 AM every weeknight.

* Starhunter is available on Joost for viewers outside Canada. [http://joost.com/search?q=Starhunter]

* The Original season is considered far superior, due to story and character development. The second season is different in many ways and was not as widely accepted by the public.

*Starhunter is available on DVD for home viewing.

External links

* [http://www.starhunteronline.co.nr/ Starhunter Online] - An active online Starhunter community with message boards and a chat room.
* [http://www.geocities.com/trans_utopian/ Trans_Utopian] - A comprehensive Starhunter fansite with information on the show, pictures, media, etc.