The Secret Saturdays

The Secret Saturdays
File:SecretSat logo.jpg The Secret Saturdays logo
Genre	Animated Action/Adventure
Created by	Jay Stephens
Starring	Phil Morris Nicole Sullivan Sam Lerner Diedrich Bader Fred Tatasciore Corey Burton
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	6 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer	Fred Schaefer Scott Jeralds
Running time	22 minutes approx.
Production company	Porchlight Entertainment
Original release
Network	Cartoon Network
Release	October 3, 2008 – present

The Secret Saturdays (originally called Cryptids) is an American animated television series created by Canadian cartoonist Jay Stephens (creator of the Emmy-winning cartoon, Tutenstein) for Cartoon Network. It debuted on October 3, 2008 in the United States. It premiered in Canada (on the channel Teletoon) on November 7, 2008. The series is about a family of cryptozoologists that work to keep the truth about cryptids from getting out, to protect both the human race and the creatures themselves. Traveling all over the world, the Saturdays family face off against twisted villains like the megalomaniac V.V. Argost. The series is influenced by the style of 60s Hanna-Barbara action series (such as Johnny Quest), and is combined with Jay Stephens own personal interest in cryptozoology.

History

When Stephens first pitched the show, it was called Cryptids, after the monsters undiscovered by science. It involved a crack team of globe trotting cryptozoologists that were uniquely qualified for the job because they were once cryptids themselves. Okapi, Komodo, and Megamouth, along with their nine-year-old human mascot, Francis, served as a sort of anti-detective team. They scooted across land, sea, and air in what is called Campercopter, and their goal is to preserve the mystery of the world’s strangest creatures before they are exposed by humans or destroyed by the Cryptids' nemesis, Monsieur Dodo. When this version got him nowhere with many networks—though they all did show interest for some time—he went "back to the drawing board".

File:Saturdays.jpg

Promotional image released for the series when it was first announced at the CN Upfront 2007.

Months later, the show was picked up by Cartoon Network, due to the network (at the time) wanting more action shows due to the success of Ben 10. Nine-year-old Francis became 11-year-old Zak Saturday, and many of the original characters were canned. For a time, the network wanted the show's name to be The Secret Adventures Of Zak Saturday, but it was later re-decided. Unlike most mystery shows, the goal of the heroes of 'The Secret Saturdays' is not to expose truth, but to keep it secret. The art style of the show was influenced by the artwork of Alex Toth and 1960s Hanna-Barbara action cartoons, such as Jonny Quest and The Herculoids.

In July 2008, Cartoon Network started a viral campaign for the show. Several commercials for a website called 'CryptidsAreReal.com' aired on Cartoon Network. Each commercial featured a pet of the Saturday family: One showed Fiskerton, another Komodo, and a final one showed Zon. One area of the program's website also held a "secret" document; while most of the words on it were blacked-out, the names of Drew and Doc (two of the main characters) were revealed. The website also showed a blueprint of the Saturdays family's airship. Another site was linked to CryptidsAreReal.com: the page for an orgnaization called Ten Hero Tusk, which states that its explorers are "B.Finster, D. Blackwell, and L. Van Rook", the latter being a character in in the show. During San Diego Comic-Con 2008, booklets about a show called Weirdworld (the show-within-a-show) were given out, with the website for it on the back of them. Unlike CryptidsAreReal.com, this one couldn't be traced back to Cartoon Network. Later, commercials for Weirdworld aired on Cartoon Network for a few weeks before a commercial for The Secret Saturdays itself was aired on August 14, 2008.

In July 2008, it was speculated that the "Montauk Monster" that washed ashore in Long Island could have been a viral campaign for The Secret Saturdays.

Plot

Zak Saturday and his parents, Doc and Drew, are a family of world-saving scientists called "The Secret Saturdays". Living in a hidden base, they are part of a secret organization of scientists known as The Secret Scientists who protect mankind against the hidden and terrifying things of the world. In this show, folktales aren’t just legends, but actual mysteries that the Saturday family must solve. Traveling all over the world, the Saturdays explore ancient temples and bottomless caves, and battle with villains which includes the evil V.V. Argost (who hides his evil plans under his TV show Weird World) and rival cryptozoologist Van Rook. Scouring the globe in search of cryptids, the Saturdays attempt to keep the existence of these unusual beasts secret, to protect both mankind and the creatures themselves. The Saturdays and their exotic cryptid pets are a loving bunch, trying to work through everyday family matters and squabbles.

Characters

Heroes

• Doc Saturday (Phil Morris) - Solomon "Doc" Saturday is the father and the "Indiana Jones"-like character who spent his whole life studying cryptids and builds many of the gadgets the family uses. A man who takes science very seriously, Doc is one of the world’s leading experts in the field of cryptozoology. A loving father, he often tries to teach his son Zak responsibility. Doc has incredible strength and is trained in 14 different forms of martial arts. He has one blue eye and one black eye; he is either heterochromic or blind in one eye. He has lightning bolt shaped scar above his blue eye and a white streak in the middle of his hair, though he didn't have these before Zak was born. His appearance is reminiscent of Doc Savage.
• Drew Saturday (Nicole Sullivan) - Drew Saturday is the mother and the one who "believes in the magic". Thus, she is willing to believe in something before the evidence is found. Being raised by gypsies, she is used to traveling around the world. Drew Saturday is always encouraging Zak to try new things like tribal dancing or sand painting, but when there's a risk of danger, Drew gets a little over-protective of her only son. She's a mystic who is well-versed in the world’s cultures and can blend in anywhere her travels may take her. Like Doc, she is a skilled fighter. Her preferred weapon is the Tibetan Fire Sword, which shoots fire on command, but only works in the presence of light.
• Zak Saturday (Sam Lerner) - Zak Saturday is the 11 year-old son of Doc and Drew Saturday who jumps right away into every adventure. Zak has an unorthodox upbringing that has taken him around the world and placed him in the face of danger since the day he was born. Zak has a special bond with cryptids, and may have the power to communicate with them. Tamer cryptids seem to trust him instinctively, and even fiercer ones can tell that Zak is different from other humans. Since Zak was born the same year the Kur Stone was found, he may hold the power to stop the cryptid Kur, if it is ever unleashed. Despite the fact that V.V. Argost is his enemy, he seems to be a fan of his show Weird World. Ancient artifacts (including "The Claw") seem to respond to Zak and allow him to amplify his ability, whether it may be for better control of it, or for taming stronger cryptids that will not respond without Zak's power being boosted. Zak may also have some of his father's incredible strength. In the episode "The Vengeance of Hibagon," Zak is seen carrying a grown man, the Japanese crimelord Shoji Fuzen, up a radio tower.
• Fiskerton (Diedrich Bader) - Fiskerton is an seven-foot-tall "gorilla-cat" with glowing red eyes. He is one of the last of a legendary race of cryptids called "Fiskerton Phantoms" that was adopted by the Saturday family when he lost his home in Nottinghamshire, England. Although he is the oldest and largest member of the family, Fiskerton is like an innocent kid brother to Zak. While he may be a fraidy-cat at times, when trouble is afoot, he is a great (and strong) ally to have, willing to risk his life for his new family. He mostly talks in grunts and mumbling, but is able to say some words.
• Komodo (Fred Tatasciore) - Komodo is a 250-pound, genetically-altered komodo dragon with a voracious appetite. Komodo’s few strands of mutated DNA make him unique, giving him the chameleon-like ability to blend in with his surroundings, something that comes in handy when Zak needs a partner for his stealth explorations. However, despite being as loyal as man's best friend, he would change his allegiance for a good meal.
• Zon (Fred Tatasciore) - Zon is a surviving member of a thought to-be-extinct Pterosaur species called Ornithocheirus that lives in a nest near the Saturday Headquarters, but isn't truly owned by them. She got caught in the sails of one of Doc’s flying machines over the Amazon River and tried to eat Doc's head. Soon after, she formed a friendship with Zak and now uses the cliffs where the Saturdays live as her new hunting grounds. Unafraid of humans, she allows Zak to comb her mane and ride her, but she absolutely resists the family’s domestication efforts and refuses to give up the great outdoors.

Allies

• Dr. Miranda Gray (Susan Blakeslee) - A fellow Secret Scientist, she was a holder of a Kur Stone piece, which was taken from her by Munya. She's an expert at quantum physics and, with her robot sidekick Deadbolt, works on particle acceleration in Antarctica.
• Dr. Henry Chiveyo (Diedrich Bader) - A fellow Secret Scientist, he was a holder of a Kur Stone piece. When V.V. Argost steals it, Argost uses a Cryptid Parasite on Chiveyo to learn the location of the third piece. He works at the Mesa Observatory in Arizona.
• Dr. Odele (Phil Morris) - A friend of the Saturdays who lives near Manause.
• Professor Talu Mizuki (Jerry Tondo) - A scientist whose mind-swapping device was targeted by crime lord Shoji Fuzen. His mind was swapped with that of a Hibagon when Fuzen's plan was revealed to him. He sought revenge against him but was convinced by Doc Saturday to let it go. He now lives in a cave lab alongside his earlier experiment (a white tiger with the mind of a dog) working on a way to reverse the process and continue his research.
• Dr. Paul Cheechoo (Danny Cooksey) - A Secret Scientist that specializes in cold-climate research, he and a team of experts travel the world studying strange geological anomalies. He's currently stationed at Ellef Ringnes.
• Dr. Arthur Beeman (Jeff Bennett) - A Secret Scientist who studies aliens and UFOs. He used the expression "Sweet Galvan Prime!" in "Guess Who's Going To Be Dinner?", a reference to the animated series Ben 10. He also said "Welcome back, boys," a later in the episode what could imply that he either knows some aliens or is one himself. He saved the world a few years ago.
• Ulraj (Adam Wylie) - He is the prince of Kumari Kandam who father was killed in an assault orchestrated by V.V. Argost. He allied with Zak to reclaim his kingdom from V.V. Argost. With help from the Saturdays, Ulraj reclaimed his kingdom, but V.V. Argost and Munya escaped with an ancient and powerful Sumerian medallion which Ulraj stated to be to dangerous to wield.

Villains

• V.V. Argost (Corey Burton) - The series' main villain, main archenemy of the Saturdays, and host of the popular show V.V. Argost's Weirdworld. His show has made him "the modern master of the bizarre" of the world. His museum of cryptid relics and trinkets is really an arsenal of magical objects he plans to use to get his hands on the most powerful cryptid of all, Kur, whom he believes is a source of unlimited power and everlasting life for whoever can find and capture it. Argost peppers his speech with French words and phrases, and his most common greeting to others is "Greetings and bienvenue."
  • Munya (Fred Tatasciore) - V.V. Argost's silent yet mysterious manservant. He is injected with the DNA of a Papuan Giant Spider to transform into a half-human/half-spider monster in battles.
• Leonidas Van Rook (Corey Burton) - A rival cryptozoologist and ally of V.V. Argost. Leondias Van Rook is solely interested in proving the existence of cryptids for money. Similar to Doc Saturday, he is an inventor and has many high-tech gadgets. It's implied that he and Drew had a relationship in a past event.
  • Doyle (Will Friedle) - Van Rook's sidekick and apprentice. Doc made a casual comment about what he did to Van Rooks' last apprentice, insinuating Doyle is not the first to work under the villain's wing. During the Amarok incident, he has shown some respect to Zak. For some reason, Doyle is seen in the background of the promotional poster (without his helmet) alongside the Saturdays family (see above in History). He also was seen on a commercial for the Nov. 14th episode, hinting that Drew Saturday knows who he is, once his helmet is removed.
• Shoji Fuzen (James Sie) - A Japanese crime lord who was posing as a philanthropist. He used Professor Mizuki and a mind-swapping headgear for his evil, but didn't expect Professor Mizuki to use his invention to swap his mind with a Hibagon. This caused Shoji to pursue Mizuki in his Hibagon form and reclaim him and his knowledge of his invention. Shoji ended up a target of the professor's vengeance. After a pep talk from Doc, Professor Mizuki spared him and Shoji was handed over to the police.
• Pietro "Piecemeal" Maltese (Jess Harnell) - He is a rare cryptid-eating cryptid who disgusing criminally insane Italian chef with surgically enhanced jaws that are known to rip through anything. He has also shown to have superhuman toughness and endurance as he was attacked numerous times with apparently no lasting effect. He has been known to eat exotic creatures, according to his criminal records, and even has a checklist of cryptids. Pietro infiltrated the Saturdays home to eat Zak's cryptid companions, namely Fiskerton, while Doc and Drew are away celebrating their anniversary. However, Zak and his pets managed to repel him by doing a powerful attack that sent him off the cliff into the ocean yet he survived.

Episodes

Main article: List of The Secret Saturdays episodes

Creator Jay Stephens has stated that the first 26 episodes will have a story arc, most likely based on the Kur Stone first mentioned in the pilot.

External links

• Jay Stephens' Blog
• Advanced Review of "The Secret Saturdays" Review of the series at AnimationInsider.net
• The Secret Saturdays Wiki
• "The Secret Saturdays": An Uncertain Finding Review of the series at ToonZone.net
• The Secret Saturdays Coming To Cartoon Network Review of the series at ComicVine.com
• CN Upfront (Go to "New Shows", then click show's logo)
• Cryptids Are Real!, viral marketing website
• Weirdworld Show, fake website for the show within a show: Weirdworld