The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne

infobox television
show_name = The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne


caption =
format = Horror/Sci-Fi/Adventure
runtime = 60 min.
creator = Gavin Scott
starring = Michael Praed
Francesca Hunt
Michel Courtemanche
Chris Demetral
country = UK
CAN
executive_producer = Nicolas Clermont
Pierre de Lespinois
Neil Dunn
Richard Jackson
Gavin Scott
network = Sci Fi
opentheme = "The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne Theme" by Nick Glennie-Smith
camera =
first_aired = June 18 2000
last_aired = December 16 2000
num_episodes = 22
num_seasons = 1
tv_com_id = 1903
imdb_id = 0178161
website =

"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.

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 theworld of adventure. The Aurora became Phileas' property after he "won" it in a poker game (which was rigged by the British government).

Episodes

External links

*imdb title|id=0178161|title=The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
* [http://www.sajv.net/ The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne Fan Network]
* [http://www.fanclub.sajv.net/ The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne Fan Club]