The Odyssey (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Odyssey |
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Main Title Card
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| Starring | Illya Woloshyn Ashleigh Aston Moore Tony Sampson Ryan Reynolds |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 39 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 min. |
| Production company(s) | CBC Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBC Television |
| Original release | March 9, 1992 – December 26, 1994 |
The Odyssey is an exciting adventure and fantasy TV show made in Canada. It was created for kids and aired for half an hour per episode. The show was first broadcast on CBC Television from 1992 to 1994.
Contents
The Story
The show starts with 11-year-old Jay. He really wants to join a cool tree-fort club. The leader of the club is a tough kid named Keith. Jay brings a special telescope to join the club. This telescope belonged to his father, who has been missing for years.
But Keith tricks Jay and takes the telescope without letting him join. Jay tries to get it back with his friend Donna. Donna uses a crutch and leg brace to walk. While trying to get the telescope, Jay falls from the tree-fort. He hits his head on a rock and falls into a coma.
Jay's Adventure in Downworld
While in his coma, Jay finds himself in a strange fantasy world. This world is called Downworld. In Downworld, no one ever turns 16 years old. The children there have created their own society. They form groups called Clubs, like the Pool Club or the Library Club.
The biggest and strongest club is called the Tower. It's a strict place ruled by the oldest kids. Brad, who is 15, is the absolute ruler. He thinks he knows everything. Jay doesn't remember how he got to Downworld. He gets help from two friends, Alpha and Flash. They look just like Donna and Keith from the real world.
Jay starts a journey to find his way home. But he can't remember what home is like. His journey soon turns into a quest to find his father. Jay's father is also named Brad. He disappeared during a fishing trip with Jay.
Back in the Real World
Meanwhile, in the real world, Jay's mother and a special therapist are trying to wake him up. Jay's friends also try to help him regain consciousness.
A big moment happens when Jay's father appears to him as he starts to wake up. Jay has to keep this a secret from his mother. As Jay slowly gets used to being awake again, he finds things have changed. He also realizes he's still dealing with problems from his time in Downworld.
Main Characters
- Illya Woloshyn as Jay Ziegler
- Ashley Rogers as Donna/Alpha
- Tony Sampson as Keith/Flash
- Andrea Nemeth as Medea/Sierra Jones
- Mark Hildreth as Finger/Mic
- Ryan Reynolds as Macro
- Janet Hodgkinson as Val Ziegler, Jay's mother
- Dwight Koss as Dr. Max Oswald
How the Show Was Made
The show was created by Paul Vitols and Warren Easton. It was produced in Vancouver, Canada, by Water Street Pictures. Over three years, a total of 39 episodes were made for The Odyssey.
Episode Guide
Season 1 (1992–93)
- The Fall
- No Fair
- Out of the Woods
- By the Book
- Checkpoint Eagle
- The Believers
- A Place Called Nowhere
- Wanted
- Galileo & the Gypsies
- In the Dark
- The Brad Exchange
- Welcome to the Tower
- The One Called Brad
Season 2 (1994)
- Lands End
- To the Lighthouse
- Some Place Like Home
- Whispers Like Thunder
- The Hall of Darkness
- The Prophecy
- The Greatest Show on Earth
- But Where is Here?
- The Big Picture
- Tick Tock
- Run for Your Life
- Who Do You Believe?
- You Decide
Season 3 (1994)
- No Way Out
- Dart to the Heart
- Learning Curve
- Night Life
- Cry Justice
- King for a Day
- The Cauldron
- Styx and Stones
- Tug of War
- Tangled Web
- No Holds Barred
- The Plague
- Time Bomb
Where to Watch
TV Broadcasts
The first episode, called The Jellybean Odyssey, aired in Canada on March 9, 1992. The show was also shown in many other countries. It aired in Ireland on Network 2 and in the U.S. on the Sci-Fi Channel. Kids in the UK could watch it on Nickelodeon and Channel 4. It was also broadcast in France and Hong Kong.
Online and DVDs
A special DVD set of all the episodes was made. You can also buy the show digitally online. From 2018 to 2019, all 39 episodes were uploaded for free. You can find them on the Encore+ YouTube channel. This channel is part of the Canada Media Fund.
Awards and Recognition
The Odyssey won several awards. It was named a Top Ten World Program at the Cologne Conference. It also won a Canadian Gemini Award for Best Youth Program.
Future Plans
In June 2016, two companies, Marblemedia and Omnifilm Entertainment, announced exciting news. They said they were working together to create a new version of The Odyssey. This new show would be a reboot, meaning it would update the original story.
