M.I.High
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| M.I.High | |
|---|---|
 M.I.High logo |
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| Genre | Adventure series |
| Starring | Bel Powley Moustafa Chousein-Oglou Rachel Petladwala Danny John-Jules |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | CBBC, BBC One |
| Original run | 8 January 2007 – |
M.I.High is a CBBC children's adventure series following the exploits of a group of inner-city high school kids, Blane, Daisy and Rose, who work as undercover spies. The series is shown on Mondays at 5pm on BBC One with the next episode shown straight after on the CBBC Channel. The previous two episodes are shown every Sunday at 4pm on the CBBC Channel.
The spies are led by M.I.9 agent Lenny Bicknall (Danny John-Jules), who also poses as the school caretaker. All other spies' covers have been rumbled and the only spies left undercover are school children still being trained.
Lenny summons his spy taskforce by means of a small flashing light at the top of the kids' pencils, which is disguised to look like an eraser. Blane, Daisy and Rose go to the caretaker's storeroom and then descend by means of a high-speed elevator to a deep underground spy headquarters where they learn about their latest mission from Lenny.
M.I.High is produced for the BBC by the independent production company Kudos, who also produced the hit BBC spy drama Spooks. It follows in the success of Young Bond and the book/film Stormbreaker. M.I.High was recorded in high definition.
The programme was filmed at Eastbury Comprehensive School's old site (Dawson Road site).
Contents |
[edit] Character Profiles (Who's Who in M.I.High)
Lenny Bicknall (Saint Hope's/M.I.High - Caretaker/Supervising Agent) is an M.I.9 agent deep undercover posing as Saint Hope's School's caretaker. He has been at M.I.9 for years and has lots of old secret mission stories. His storeroom is the secret entrance to the M.I.High underground headquarters. He trained Carla Terrini to be a top secret agent.
- Played by Danny John-Jules Current Status: ACTIVE
Blane Whittaker (Saint Hope's/M.I.High - Student/Spy) is a karate black belt. His hand-eye coordination is second to none and he is also the UK long jump Champion record holder. In his spare time he loves watching Martial Arts films. He has been friends with Stewart since he was six years old. He has a crush on Daisy.
- Played by: Moustafa Chousein-Oglou. Current Status: ACTIVE
Daisy Millar (Saint Hope's/M.I.High - Student/Spy) is an only child, her parents are married and both of them work abroad. In "The Power Thief", we learn that her dad is the chairman of a museum trustee board and he is very famous. She has met the Queen because of her dad's position and lives in a big country estate, although she tells no-one at school about her family or where she lives. Only Blane finds out the truth in "The Power Thief". She is an undercover expert with extraordinary chameleonic abilities (she is an expert in the art of disguise), building allegiance to get closer to the enemy. She falls for CIA agent Chad Turner and thinks Rose seriously needs a makeover. She has a crush on Blane.
- Played by: Bel Powley. Current Status: ACTIVE
Rose Gupta (Saint Hope's/M.I.High - Student/Spy) is the eldest of three and her parents own the local DVD rental store. Rose has an IQ that is off the chart! She is the spy team's scientific, technical and analytical expert. She also has a musical side and played the tuba in "Eyes on Their Stars" before switching to clarinet at the end of the episode; she also has a hidden talent for singing, shown when she sang with Crush. She has a crush on Stewart Critchley.
- Played by: Rachel Petladwala. Current Status: ACTIVE
The Grand Master (S.K.U.L. - Super Villain) is the Leader of S.K.U.L., the Secret Kriminal Underground League, the whereabouts of which remain unknown. He operates an undefined quantity of enemy cells called S.K.U.L. Riding high after M.I.9's adult mission to locate him was foiled. Numerous failed missions to stop the Grand Master have led to his and his S.K.U.L. associates' increased capacity to threaten national security. He owns a white rabbit which he refers to as General Flopsy. The Grand Master's face is never seen on-screen; his features always being concealed in shadows. He has grey hair and is possibly in his late fifties/early sixties, but beyond that very little can be determined. (As a matter of interest, and something to look out for, the closest-ever look at the Grand Master occurs in "The Fugitive", when his permanently-shadowed features are briefly seen in profile when he puts down the telephone after speaking to Agent Zero for the first time.) On deciding to retreat to his hidden bunker on the floor of the Indian Ocean towards the end of "The Fugitive", the Grand Master turns down Agent Zero's offer to carry on the running of S.K.U.L. – preferring to leave the job in the capable hands (or should that be paws?) of General Flopsy instead! As witnessed in "The Big Freeze", he is a big fan of the Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq.
- Played by: Kerry Shale (voice). Current Status: ACTIVE S.K.U.L.
Stewart Critchley (Saint Hope's - Student) is Blane's best friend and side-kick, he believes in UFOs and the supernatural. His favourite TV programme is Star Trek and he also runs the school radio club. Stewart knows nothing about Blane being a spy but Blane has been close to telling him a few times; Stewart gets suspicious how Blane keeps disappearing all the time. Stewart has a thing for Daisy! Stewart has earned his Green Blue Peter Badge and can be seen wearing it on his coat and school uniform.
- Played by: Scott Gibbins. Current Status: OK
Mr. Flatley (Saint Hope's - Headteacher) is the school headmaster, who is easy going but has a determined streak and an obsession for getting things right. He really believes in Saint Hope's School and its pupils. He has great patience and works long hours without complaining. Though there has been no improvement in school results, morale or truancy levels, Mr. Flatley's optimism remains undented. He likes to boss Lenny the school caretaker about all the time, but deep down he wishes he was more like him.
- Played by: Chris Stanton. Current Status: OK
Miss Helen Templeman (Saint Hope's - Teacher) is a teacher at M.I.High and Blane, Rose and Daisy's form teacher. Luckily for the school, but unluckily for the spy team, their form teacher is a young, sensitive, ambitious teacher. She secretly fancies Lenny but is too shy to tell him. Mechanics is one of her hobbies.
- Played by: Jane Cameron. Current Status: OK
Fifty Pence (Saint Hope's - Student), or Julian Hamley (to give him his real name), is the school bully at M.I.High. He always gets bad grades at school and thinks he is a great rapper. He has won a brave kid award. He secretly wants to be a ballet dancer and his mum calls him Twinkle Toes.
- Played by: Sam Ardley. Current Status: OK
Kaleigh (Saint Hope's - Student) is the tough ring-leader of the class gang, and has a 'couldn't care less' attitude. She is friends with Daisy and Zara, and only cares about her hair and her nails.
- Played by: Leonie Boyd. Current Status: OK
Zara (Saint Hope's - Student) is friends with Daisy and Kaleigh, the popular girls in School. She is constantly confused but she doesn't mind, as long as her clothes are in season and she is looking fabulous and fashionable.
- Played by: Bethany Denville. Current Status: OK
The Guinea Pig (S.K.U.L. - Evil Scientist), or Professor Sally Moreau (to give her her real name), is renowned for her discredited experiments. Self-experimentation has caused her to mutate into a half-human, half-guinea pig hybrid. She works for the Grand Master and is sponsored by S.K.U.L. She tried to take over the world using a cyber clone of the Prime Minister until the M.I.High spies discovered her plans.
- Played by: Moya Brady. Current Status: INCARCERATED
The Prime Minister (World Leader - United Kingdom) is the leader of the UK and was kidnapped and cloned by the Guinea Pig in an attempt to start a war with Europe. He was also talking to the Space Centre Director and Lenny Bicknall on the telephone in "Nerd Alert".
- Played by: Robert Llewellyn. Current Status: OK
Tony Frisco (S.K.U.L. - Crush's Manager) is a has-been, a one-hit wonder. He is a bossy Manager and doesn't really care about Crush. He works for the Grand Master.
- Played by: Steve Furst Current Status: INCARCERATED
Crush (Musicians - Pop Stars) were managed by S.K.U.L. associate, Tony Frisco. They wanted to sing their own lyrics but weren't allowed; Tony Frisco made them sing a song which hypnotised the crowds to buy their single. Blane and Rose helped set them free from Frisco's clutches in "Eyes on Their Stars" with an 'antidote' song to reverse the hypnosis. Daisy is their 'biggest fan' and thinks they are gorgeous, but Blane disagrees and says that they are talentless. Their single has been downloaded over 40 million times. Crush member Arran hasn't spoken in public since May 12th 2001.
- Played by: Julian Gregory, Ryan Gregory, Eliot Gregory. Current Status: ACTIVE
Mr. Gupta (Parent - Rose's Dad) is Rose's pushy dad. He has high hopes for her and if she gets anything below an 'A' grade he is not happy. He wants to send her to posh school Montsignor Academy until Lenny convinces him that Saint Hope's is as hi-tech as it gets. Little does he know...!
- Played by: Quill Roberts. Current Status: OK
Sonya Frost (S.K.U.L. - Secretary and ex-TV Weather Girl) is a secretary for the Weather Bureau. She is also a former weather girl, she was sacked from this job after one of her predictions was dramatically out of proportion. Her 'secretary' post was actually a cover; she had invented a weather machine that Roger Powel was going to present as his own. Little knowing, Sonya had sold her idea to the Grand Master and S.K.U.L. She studied physics at Oxford University.
- Played by: Siobhan Hewlett. Current Status: INCARCERATED
Roger Powel (Weather Bureau - Head of Research) Head of Research at the Weather Bureau. Attempted to pass Sonya Frost's weather machine as his own. He has no idea of the existence of S.K.U.L. He only had one A-level and he came clean by telling the public that Sonya invented the Weather Machine.
- Played by: Simon Kunz. Current Status: OK
Konnie Huq (BBC - TV Presenter) is a real-life Blue Peter presenter. She knows about climate change and global warming. The Grand Master is her biggest fan.
- Played by: Herself. Current Status: OK
Brent Gilbert (S.K.U.L. - Retired Tour Guide) is a criminal with no experience, but is an expert on the Dark Stones. He attempted to send the world back into the Dark Ages. He was funded by S.K.U.L. and he was a tour guide at Serinturk.
- Played by: Angus Barnett. Current Status: INCARCERATED
The Worm (S.K.U.L. - Hacker) is an unnamed immature child who likes to get free access into top secret sites. He has a big ego and is a mummy's boy. He was funded by S.K.U.L. and attempted to crash SPARTA, the UK Defence Satellite.
- Played by: Steven Meiklejohn. Current Status: RE-EDUCATED
Kyle Whittaker (British Army - Soldier) is Blane's twelve-year senior brother, who is a commando in the British Army. Kyle was almost called into a Special Forces raid on The Worm's house which could have ended in disaster.
- Played by: Henry Lloyd-Hughes. Current Status: OK
Chad Turner (S.K.U.L. - CIA Double Agent) is an arrogant CIA agent. He was a popular kid at Saint Hope's. He was working for the Grand Master in an attempt to sell the MT3000 for a lot of money. He made Blane jealous, but fortunately was later arrested by M.I.9.
- Played by: Toby Regbo. Current Status: INCARCERATED
Silas Fenton (Aspiring S.K.U.L. Agent - Inventor) is an inventor who seriously wants to be in S.K.U.L. – even though the Grand Master has serious doubts about this! He used several animals, including the Grand Master's own General Flopsy, to spy on the Saint Hope's staff. He used truth darts and spy cams. He attempted to suck out Daisy's brain using flies. His brain was sucked out, leaving him a completely mindless fool.
- Played by: Jeremy Swift. Current Status: RE-EDUCATION
Head of M.I.9 (M.I.9 - Spy Master) is the spy in charge of M.I.9. She is talking to Lenny in "The Big Freeze" saying that she has had to cancel her barbeque. She later appears in "Spy Animals" being at M.I.9 in the bugged meeting room. In "Forever Young" she talks to Lenny saying they need results.
- Played by: Victoria Wicks. Current Status: ACTIVE
Vanessa Zietgeist (S.K.U.L. - Beautician) is a beautician working for the Grand Master (or as she calls him, "G.M."). She is around 60. She was on a quest to stay young, having won a beauty pageant at six years old but ended up on the beauty scrapheap at twenty-one. She contaminated the drinking water at N.O.S.E. with a regression formula which made top scientists the mental age of three; the whole of Saint Hope's – both teachers and children – were also regressed when a sample of the formula was poured into the custard being prepared for school lunch by the affected Dr. Grabworst. At the end of the episode, she accepted her true age and betrayed the Grand Master.
- Played by: Rula Lenska. Current Status: ABANDONED S.K.U.L.
Dr. Simon Grabworst (N.O.S.E. - Scientist) is the Chief Scientist at the National Organisation for Scientific Exploration – N.O.S.E. for short. He was affected by the water contaminated by Vanessa Zietgeist's regression formula, and attempted to tell the M.I.9 agents about how to solve the antidote by doing drawings. An antidote developed by Rose restored both him and the whole of the affected Saint Hope's to normal.
- Played by: Michael Webber. Current Status: OK
Dylan Towser (British Army - Genius) is a very rich and intelligent boy genius who uses a wheelchair. He is working for the British Army to develop a Missile Disarmer. His Head of Security was General Ryan Scarp. He was kidnapped by Scarp who wanted to start a war with the missiles provided for the launch. His first Missile Disarmer was destroyed by Scarp, but he managed to build another just in time to stop the real missiles with which Scarp planned to start a Third World War.
- Played by: Louis Marlow. Current Status: OK
General Ryan Scarp (S.K.U.L. British Army - General) is the British Army officer responsible for the security of Dylan Towser. Believing that there would be no place for the Army once world peace was achieved, he went insane and attempted to start a Third World War using real missiles substituted for the dummy weapons provided for the launch to demonstrate the neutralising power of the Missile Disarmer. He destroyed the first Missile Disarmer, but was later overcome and arrested.
- Played by: Alex Ferns. Current Status: INCARCERATED
Sergeant Rayner (British Army - Sergeant) is a British Army sergeant and subordinate of General Ryan Scarp. She does not tolerate incompetence, whingers or weaknesses of any other sort. But although she might be loud and scary, deep down, she has a good heart.
- Played by: Tameka Empson. Current Status: OK
Carla Terrini (M.I.9, S.K.U.L. - Air One Agent) has won five Young Agent of the Year awards. She was trained by Lenny and owes everything she knows to him, but now works for a special M.I.9 force called Air One. But although she is a dedicated agent, she seems to have forgotten her right from wrong. She stormed off in a huff when Air One's authority over M.I.9 was invalidated.
- Played by: Rebecca Palmer. Current Status: OK
Lu (M.I.9 - Human Robot) appears to be an ordinary-looking Chinese boy, but he is actually a human robot; the product of a eugenics program. To enable him to test-pilot a probe for M.I.9, his body has been specially designed to withstand the g-forces involved in air flight. An expert in science, Lu finds a friend in Rose.
- Played by: Tai-Li Lee. Current Status: OK
Agent Zero (The Grand Master's Nephew) is the brainless and rather boring nephew of the Grand Master. Unlike his devious and evil "Grand Uncle" (as he refers to his relative), Agent Zero has no interest in taking over the world and/or working for S.K.U.L.; he'd rather tuck into a delicious Pot Noodle or some tasty sandwiches instead! However, bearing in mind that he has befriended Stewart, what could this mean for the future of M.I.High?
- Played by: Mark Bagnell. Current Status: OK
[edit] Recurring Characters
The following is a list of recurring characters in M.I.High:
Most episodes:
- Mr. Flatley
- Miss Templeman
- Fifty Pence
- Stewart
- Kayleigh
- Zara
- The Grand Master
Some Episodes:
- Konnie Huq
- The Prime Minister
- Mr. Gupta
[edit] ACTIVE M.I.9 MEMBERS
- Lenny Bicknall
- Blane Whittaker
- Daisy Millar
- Rose Gupta
- Head of M.I.9
- Possibly Carla Terrini
[edit] ACTIVE S.K.U.L. MEMBERS
- The Grand Master
- General Flopsy
- Possibly Brent Gilbert
- Possibly The Worm
- Possibly Silas Fenton
- Possibly Vanessa Zietgeist
- Possibly Carla Terrini
[edit] ACTIVE AIR ONE MEMBERS
- Possibly Carla Terrini
[edit] Episode Guide
Episode 1- "The Sinister Prime Minister" - The spies investigate the British Prime Minister, who is about to declare war on the rest of Europe. But is the leader of the UK all he appears?
- Villains: The Guinea Pig, The Grand Master
Episode 2- "Eyes On Their Stars" - A pop band, Crush, are hypnotising fans with the lyrics in their songs.
- Villains: Tony Frisco, The Grand Master
Episode 3- "The Big Freeze" - A secret plan to plunge the world into a new ice age with the use of a machine that can control the weather itself unfolds.
- Villains: Sonya Frost, The Grand Master
Episode 4- "The Power Thief" - A madman named Brent Gilbert is planning to start the new Dark Age by using the three dark stones unless the government give him £250,000. Quote: "...£200,000 - no, 250 - no, £350,000... No, actually £250,000 will be fine."
- Villains: Brent Gilbert, The Grand Master
Episode 5- "Nerd Alert" - A shuttle launch is about to be sabotaged unless Stewart can defeat a computer geek named The Worm.
- Villains: The Worm, The Grand Master
Episode 6- "Super Blane" - Daisy falls for teenage CIA officer Chad Turner. Blane puts on one of the MT 3000, that Chad has brought for Rose to fix, because he is jealous of his popularity. Or is it something else?
- Villains: Chad Turner, The Grand Master
Episode 7- "Spy Animals" - In a bid to apply for membership of S.K.U.L., inventor Silas Fenton sends animals to spy on the teachers (who he thinks are the spies), but a truth serum dart hits Daisy. Oh no! What will she reveal?
- Villains: Silas Fenton, The Grand Master
Episode 8- "Forever Young" - Ageing beautician Vanessa Zeitgeist poisons scientists with a formula to turn them into toddlers. The whole school except the spies and Lenny are acting like 3-year olds, and with Rose's dad coming to look around the school she might have to leave!
- Villains: Vanessa Zeitgeist, The Grand Master
Episode 9- "Red Button Rampage" - Rich kid millionare Dylan Towser invents the Missile Disarmer, a device which neutralises attacking missiles and will thus create world peace. But his Security Chief, General Ryan Scarp, believes that the army will become redundant as a result, and makes insane plans to start a Third World War...
- Villains: General Ryan Scarp
Note: The Grand Master does not appear in this episode.
Episode 10- "The Fugitive" - When what appears to be a flying saucer from outer space crashlands in the local park, the spies ignore orders from Lenny stating that Air One have priority over M.I.9 in the case. Led by one of Lenny's best spies, Carla Terrini, Air One are determined to capture the pilot of the strange craft. But has the pilot really come from another world and is he friend or foe?
- Villains: The Grand Master
[edit] Spy Gadgets
During the series, Blane, Daisy and Rose make use of a variety of spy gadgets, all of which – with the exception of the handheld weather machine – were specially created by M.I.9. (One suspects that the MI5 agents in Spooks would probably love to be able to use these fantastic devices in their own missions!) These are as follows:
High-speed Elevator Hidden within the caretaker's storeroom at Saint Hope's School, and used in all episodes by Blane, Daisy and Rose to descend to M.I.9's underground headquarters. It is accessed by means of an entry-coder hidden behind a dummy light switch outside the door. Once inside, a previously hidden lever like that in a railway signal box is pulled, a green arrow pointing downwards illuminates on a fake paint tin, and the elevator begins its speedy descent. The elevator also seems to have a quick-change device (although this is never explained in detail on-screen), as during the journey the spies' clothing can be seen to change from their school uniforms to casual black outfits – as well as apparently swapping Rose's spectacles (which she wears in civilian life) for contact lenses. Bearing in mind that the elevator appears to be the only access from the caretaker's storeroom to M.I.9 headquarters and back, presumably the aforementioned quick-change facility can be negated when Blane, Daisy and Rose set off on their missions – otherwise they'd only end up back in school uniform again!
Weather Machine The Weather Machine, as developed by Sonya Frost, controlled the weather by means of transmitters located in different national landmarks around the world. A smaller handheld device had a smaller range. Both machines can produce all manners of weather. The handheld version was used by Blane and Roger Powel and the large scale device by the Grand Master in "The Big Freeze".
Code Breaker A green calculator-like device with wires connected to suckers. When the suckers are attached to any encoded or locked device, the code breaker works out the correct combination or code. Used by Rose in "The Big Freeze".
Laser Lipstick A laser contained in a lipstick tube-style casing. Used by Daisy in "The Sinister Prime Minister".
Pencils Standard pencils at first glance, but when missions are received the small eraser on the end flashes. The pencils also work as walkie-talkies. Used by all agents in most episodes.
False Nail Cameras Five fake nails containing miniature cameras. Used by Daisy in "Eyes on Their Stars".
Sonic Detonators Three button badges with harmless looking motifs on them, like a PEACE slogan and a smiley face, but which are actually sonic detonators. Used by Blane, Daisy and Rose in "Spy Animals".
Forcefield Pods At first glance, these appear to be ordinary traffic warning cones, but can actually generate an invisible forcefield around the required area – in this case, the crashlanded 'flying saucer's' landing zone – which can be activated/deactivated as needed by remote control. Used by Daisy and Rose in "The Fugitive".
