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Cybergirl

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"Cybergirl" redirects here. For a model who has posed in Playboy's Cyber Club, see Playboy#Online.

Cybergirl
DVD cover
Genre
Created byJonathan M. Shiff
Directed by
Starring
Composers
  • Garry McDonald
  • Lawrence Stone
Country of origin
  • Australia
  • France
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes26 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Jonathan M. Shiff
  • Kay Ben M'Rad
Producers
  • Daniel Scharf
  • Jonathan M. Shiff
Production locationBrisbane, Australia
CinematographyIan 'Thistle' Thorburn
Editors
  • Angie Higgins
  • Andrew Macneil
Running time25 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNetwork Ten
Release21 July 2001 (2001-07-21)[1][2] –
11 January 2002 (2002-01-11)

Cybergirl is an Australian-French children's television series that was first broadcast on Network Ten in Australia. The 26-episode series was created by Jonathan M. Shiff, whose previous series include Ocean Girl.[3][1][2] It stars Ania Stepien in the title role.[4][5][6]

Plot

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Cybergirl is a Blue superheroine Human Prototype 6000 living under the secret identity of ordinary teenage girl Ashley Campbell. In reality, she is a "Human Prototype 6000" from a distant planet.[citation needed]

Her powers include super-human strength, super-human speed, and the ability to interface directly with electronic devices and computers; she is also able to physically change her appearance between that of the blue-haired, ethereal-looking Cybergirl and the less conspicuous, mousy-haired Ashley, and can alter her clothing at will.[citation needed]

She was originally known as the Cyber Replicant Human Prototype 6000, the only one of her model to be built. Not only are her powers far and above that of earlier models, she has a much wider emotional scope than her predecessors. She ran away from her planet of origin in order to explore the beings she was modeled after, namely humans.[citation needed]

Two other Evil Red Replicants called Isaac and Xanda are sent after her and their sole mission is to destroy her. She lands on Earth in the fictional city of River City, Australia which is modeled on and filmed in Brisbane; nevertheless, "River City" is another popular nickname for Brisbane. She meets Jackson and Hugh Campbell, who take her in, and she adopts the name Cybergirl as her superheroine identity. Jackson calls her "Cy" and she later uses her powers to make herself look more human; this identity is called Ashley, in which she poses as Jackson's cousin and Hugh's niece. The only other person besides Hugh and Jackson to know her identity is Kat, her friend and neighbour.[citation needed]

She is pursued not only by Xanda and Isaac but also by a powerful software mogul named Rhyss. She is well loved by the populace of River City, however, and she enjoys the approval of Mayor Buxton, whose twin daughters Emerald and Sapphire are big fans of the superheroine. Ironically they snub her, as Ashley, at school.[citation needed]

Cast

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Main

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  • Ania Stepien as Ashley Campbell / Cybergirl
  • Craig Horner as Jackson Campbell
  • Mark Owen-Taylor as Hugh Campbell
  • Jennifer Congram as Xanda
  • Ric Anderson as Isaac
  • Septimus Caton as Rhyss
  • Winston Cooper as Giorgio
  • Peter Mochrie as Rick Fontaine
  • Jovita Shaw as Kat Fontaine

Recurring

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Guest

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Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Episode 1"Mark DefriestDavid Phillips31 July 2001 (2001-07-31)
2"Episode 2"Mark DefriestDavid Phillips7 August 2001 (2001-08-07)
3"Episode 3"Mark DefriestBarbara Bishop14 August 2001 (2001-08-14)
4"Episode 4"Mark DefriestBarbara Bishop21 August 2001 (2001-08-21)
5"Episode 5"Mark DefriestHelen MacWhirter28 August 2001 (2001-08-28)
6"Episode 6"Mark DefriestHelen MacWhirter4 September 2001 (2001-09-04)
7"Episode 7"Mark DefriestEverett Deroche11 September 2001 (2001-09-11)
8"Episode 8"Mark DefriestEverett Deroche18 September 2001 (2001-09-18)
9"Episode 9"Michael CarsonAnnie Fox25 September 2001 (2001-09-25)
10"Episode 10"Michael CarsonAnnie Fox2 October 2001 (2001-10-02)
11"Episode 11"Michael CarsonPeter Kinloch9 October 2001 (2001-10-09)
12"Episode 12"Michael CarsonPeter Kinloch16 October 2001 (2001-10-16)
13"Episode 13"Michael CarsonBarbara Bishop23 October 2001 (2001-10-23)
14"Episode 14"Michael CarsonBarbara Bishop30 October 2001 (2001-10-30)
15"Episode 15"Michael CarsonAnnie Fox6 November 2001 (2001-11-06)
16"Episode 16"Michael CarsonHelen MacWhirter13 November 2001 (2001-11-13)
17"Episode 17"Michael CarsonCharlie Strachan20 November 2001 (2001-11-20)
18"Episode 18"Michael CarsonEverett Deroche27 November 2001 (2001-11-27)
19"Episode 19"Mark DefriestEverett Deroche4 December 2001 (2001-12-04)
20"Episode 20"Mark DefriestAnnie Fox11 December 2001 (2001-12-11)
21"Episode 21"Mark DefriestPeter Kinloch18 December 2001 (2001-12-18)
22"Episode 22"Mark DefriestPeter Kinloch25 December 2001 (2001-12-25)
23"Episode 23"Mark DefriestBarbara Bishop1 January 2002 (2002-01-01)
24"Episode 24"Mark DefriestBarbara Bishop8 January 2002 (2002-01-08)
25"Episode 25"Mark DefriestDavid Phillips11 January 2002 (2002-01-11)
26"Episode 26"Mark DefriestDavid Phillips11 January 2002 (2002-01-11)

Home media

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Cybergirl was released on DVD on 4 December 2006 as CyberGirl: The Superhero for a New Generation – The Complete Series. The set includes all 26 episodes on 4 DVDs and is Region 0. The release includes making of/behind-the-scenes featurettes created from a period Electronic Press Kit and the packaging makes frequent references to the fact that the series features "before they were famous" appearances by The Veronicas.

Reception

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The first episode won the 2001 AFI Award for Best Children's Television Series[7] and was nominated for the 2002 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Children's Program.[8]

In a negative review, Vicki Englund of The Courier-Mail wrote, "After a disappointingly slow debut episode, this Brisbane-based children's series seems to be gathering momentum, although some quickening of the pace would still be advisable to keep the young'uns from channel-surfing."[9] The Courier-Mail's Amelia Oberhardt praised the show, stating, "Cybergirl is, surprisingly, an entertaining way to spend 30 minutes. ... We can only assume Cybergirl is a spoof and is therefore more than a bit of fun. Ania Stephen, who plays Cybergirl, is either one of the most wooden actors of all time or a genius at playing spoofs."[10] Leanne Younes of the Canberra Times gave it a rating of "Fast action, great make-up and cool music."[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b Carbone, Suzanne (19 July 2001). "New teen hero takes on megabytes of action". The Age. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b Burnstock, Tammy. "Cybergirl – Series 1 Episode 1 (2000)". Australian Screen. National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.
  3. ^ "Keen teens chase Cybergirl fame". The Courier-Mail. 18 June 2000. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  4. ^ Hood, Danielle (12 August 2001), "Girl power saves day", Herald Sun
  5. ^ Nankervis, David (22 July 2001), "Cybergirl powers in", Sunday Mail
  6. ^ Brygel, Jackie (25 July 2001), "My mate the alien", Herald Sun
  7. ^ "AFI winners", Herald Sun, 17 November 2001
  8. ^ Juddery, Mark (25 April 2002), "Lighten up for TV's critical cringe", The Australian
  9. ^ Englund, Vicki (11 August 2001). "Life". The Courier-Mail. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  10. ^ Oberhardt, Amelia (17 July 2001). "E-Mail". The Courier-Mail. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  11. ^ Younes, Leanne (27 August 2001), "Cyber adventures for young sci-fi fans", The Canberra Times
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