ReGenesis

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ReGenesis
Creator(s) Christina Jennings
Starring Peter Outerbridge
Country of origin Canada
Language(s) English
No. of episodes 26
Broadcast
Original channel The Movie Network
Movie Central
Original run October 24, 2004 –
Links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

ReGenesis is a Canadian television program produced by The Movie Network and Movie Central in conjunction with Shaftesbury Films. The series revolves around the scientists of NorBAC (The North American Biotechnology Advisory Commision), a fictional organisation with a lab based in Toronto. The organisation deals with problems throughout Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

The series is primarily about NorBAC's director, David Sandström (played by Peter Outerbridge), and his work with the other scientists.

ReGenesis has been an international pioneer in integrating interactive media elements into the series. The first successfully deployed Alternate Reality Game paired with a major television broadcast is called the ReGenesis Extended Reality. It has already won the Canadian New Media Award for Best Cross-Platform project of 2004 and an FITC Design & Technology Award for Excellence in Convergence. In 2006 the alternate reality game won the Banff World Television Festival Award for Interactive Television and a Gemini Award for Best Cross-Platform. An exploratory game, the ReGenesis Extended Reality draws viewers into a conspiracy and mystery that weaves in and out of the TV series, using the internet, email and other media to immerse the viewer, blurring the line between fiction and reality. ReGenesis Extended Reality harnesses the power of enthusiastic fans that seed the site with discussion content and collaborative investigations. Extensive knowledge of various chemistry and biotechnology issues is required to find out why the plot in many episodes can't be true (if it can't).

Other interactive elements include ReGenesis:ReMixed, a series of podcasts featuring the music of ReGenesis, as well as exclusive interviews with some of the people involved in putting the show together.

The series is broadcast on Global, Sci-fi (UK), The Movie Network, Movie Central, Arte (France and Germany) and Calle 13 (Spain). The first Season of the series was also available on The Movie Network's on demand service, available on Cogeco Cable and Rogers Cable. In September 2007 they will start airing in syndication in the United States via Sony-distributed Programming Partners.

The third season of ReGenesis is scheduled to begin on April 1st, 2007.

Contents

[edit] Episode List

[edit] Season 1

Episode Title Overview Original Airdate
1 "Baby Bomb" It's a race against time to identify the cause of a deadly virus, spreading rapidly and headed straight for the city. It's up to NorBAC to identify patient zero and contain the outbreak. As if a deadly virus wasn't enough, NorBAC's Chief Scientist, David Sandström must deal with the unexpected arrival of his belligerent teenage daughter, Lilith, and arguments with NorBAC's Executive Director Caroline Morrison over the security clearance of the one member of his team he'll need the most, his top virologist. October 24, 2004
2 "Spare Parts" Lilith befriends Mick, who is dying and desperate for David to help him discover if he really is a clone and possibly save his life. Meanwhile, NorBAC has managed to locate patient zero and must proceed with the interrogations at "Hazmat City". Was this an act of bioterrorism? Caroline is determined to find out who's responsible as more die and one more is exposed. David must now face his fate. October 24, 2004
3 "The Face of God" Mick turns to Lilith, who helps him steal evidence from the scientist who cloned him, his own father. Meanwhile, Caroline suggests that Hira has possible terrorist links and shuts her out of NorBAC. David must bring Hira back. But when he does he's confronted with a rally outside NorBAC, lead by a fanatical reverend who claims that Christ can be genetically resurrected with a nail from the True Cross. The reverend wants him to prove it, but David isn't interested in playing God. In the frenzy, shots are fired and someone is hit. October 31, 2004
4 "Prions" NorBAC investigates an outbreak of prion disease (mad cow) in humans. The victims are spread out across North America. How are the cases connected? In the aftermath of Hiras's death, David is determined to expose the fraudulent reverend from episode 3. David suspects his old friend Danny, a hockey player, is using a dangerous performance-enhancing steroid. November 7, 2004
5 "The Oldest Virus" As the search continues for the source of the deadly prions, NorBAC zeros in on a large agribusiness they suspect of selling infected chickens. David tries to convince Danny to stop gene therapy. Caroline insists that David interview Jill Langston for the vacated virologist position at NorBAC. His reluctance turns to lust when he meets her. November 14, 2004
6 "The Trials" NorBAC reviews an experimental treatment being used on children with leukemia. Just as they are about to declare the cancer therapy safe, another child dies. David disregards the proper channels and goes to Nunavut to get a sample of what he believes is the Spanish flu virus from a frozen corpse. Mick and Lilith go whale-watching in Quebec, but Lilith begins to realize just how sick he is. November 21, 2004
7 "Faint Hope" Carlos Serrano, the Senior Researcher at NorBAC wants to help a friend dying of AIDS participate in cutting edge research. He convinces David to help supply a Houston lab with contraband stem cells in order for his friend to be the first guinea pig for this radical gene therapy. When another child dies, David is determined to find out why the cancer treatment isn't working. November 28, 2004
8 "Blackout" A major power blackout on the Eastern Seaboard leads to fears of terrorist activity. NorBAC determines that a plastic eating bacterium caused the blackout and they must stop it before more blackouts occur. David and Lilith's mother (Julie Stewart), rekindle old animosities when she comes to town to help Lilith deal with Mick's death. Caroline is worried about the possibility of having breast cancer. Bob tells David he has been approached with another job offer. December 12, 2004
9 "The Secret War" Mayko Tran, NorBAC's bioinformatics researcher, notifies the team at NorBAC about a case of privately contracted civilians who have all returned from Iraq exhibiting a wide range of mysterious illnesses. Meanwhile, Carlos asks NorBAC to investigate multiple cases of hemophilia in a small community in Mexico, where a large multi-national laboratory is working on GMOs. Jill must defend her reputation as a top virologist when a research paper she published is refuted. December 19, 2004
10 "The Source" In the continued investigation of the "Iraq War Syndrome", David checks out a theory that the water purification system has malfunctioned. In Mexico, Jill and Carlos make a connection between a hybrid plant designed to detect land mines and the hemophilia epidemic. When that theory fails, David joins them in Mexico and explores the possibility that mosquitoes bred to eliminate malaria might be responsible. Bob quits NorBAC to pursue his love of perfume creation. Caroline receives the diagnosis she's been waiting for. January 2, 2005
11 "The Promise" NorBAC has been taken over by a joint command to deal with a catastrophic smallpox scenario. Bob tries to find a cure for his dog that is suffering from histiocytosis. Jill comes clean with David about taking medication for her panic attacks. David discovers that the earlier "Miranda Virus" outbreak might be linked to the U.S. government's secret bio-chemical lab and that whoever manufactured the "Miranda Virus" may possess another, even more lethal, biological weapon. January 9, 2005
12 "Resurrection" David and Jill make a trip to Colorado where a rampant SARS-like outbreak is occurring. David is in shock when he discovers that the outbreak is Spanish flu, the virus he dug up in Nunavut. Racked with guilt, he walks into the path of a car and is sent to hospital in a coma before he tells anybody his fears. Mayko heads to Colorado to try to find Patient Zero. January 16, 2005
13 "The Longest Night" Jill goes to Canada to see if the Spanish flu body is still in the ground. David recovers from his coma and limps back to the office. Daisy recognises the person who created the Miranda virus and infected her baby. David identifes the vector for the Spanish flu epidemic and tracks it with GPS. January 23, 2005

[edit] Season 2

Episode Title Overview Original Airdate
1 "China" After a self-imposed exile to China, David Sandström is kidnapped by the People's Liberation Army and ordered to secretly investigate a deadly outbreak that has killed 19 people in a small village. With the help of three Chinese scientists, David discovers the outbreak has been caused by an ancient bacterium that has seeped into the village's water system. David is horrified when he learns that one of the scientists has decided to test the antidote on her self in order to expedite a cure. While David makes his way back to Canada, Caroline and Carlos are witness to a horrific attack at the site of the International AIDS Conference. March 19, 2006
2 "Escape Mutant" David Sandström searches for a drug cocktail to save Audrey Graves, a pregnant woman who has been infected with a new strain of HIV from Africa . In an effort to save her baby, Audrey is induced at just 26 weeks; but it is too late, she has progressed to full blown AIDS and her baby has been exposed to the virus. Carlos attempts to trace the new strain of HIV back to Patient Zero and he encounters many painful memories of his own time in Africa . Meanwhile, Mayko recruits Simon Jessup (Darren Boyd), a British neuroscientist, to help her investigate a possible link between IQ spikes and Mad Cow disease. Mayko and Simon begin to develop a personal relationship. March 26, 2006
3 "The Cocktail" David has less than two days to discover a drug cocktail that will prevent a premature baby from becoming HIV positive. After he discovers a mixture that will save the baby, he encounters a number of bureaucratic roadblocks because the drug has not been approved. Carlos continues to research the new super strain of HIV with former colleagues in Africa, and realizes that his place is at NorBAC. Mayko and Simon's investigation of dramatic IQ spikes in children who have been exposed to prion-laced chicken takes them to the United States . They make a brilliant finding but the results are devastating. Meanwhile, Mayko is troubled by some news she discovers about Simon. April 2, 2006
4 "Dim & Dimmer" While attending a conference in New York, David chases a petty thief named Owen (Michael Seater) into the city's abandoned subway tunnels where he finds an underground community of homeless people. David discovers that some of the inhabitants share symptoms of a mysterious illness and he begins to investigate. Back at NorBAC, Jill believes that she has discovered a cure for juvenile diabetes from an unsanctioned line of Korean stem cells. Caroline's nephew Glenn who has been lying in a coma is beginning to show some signs of response. April 9, 2006
5 "Massive Changes" Jill's potential cure for juvenile diabetes is compromised, causing protesters to demonstrate outside NorBAC. To further complicate matters, Jill discovers that the stem cells she used may be infected with a retrovirus; the implications of which would be felt the world over. Carlos and Mayko continue to test two critically-ill, homeless people David found living in New York 's subway tunnels. Their symptoms can't be linked to any known disorder; however, they may be connected to a marijuana-growing operation run by the homeless community. Meanwhile, NorBAC is briefed on a strike by the U.S. Government on Cuban labs that may be responsible for the devastation of 1500 acres of orange groves in Florida and David gets devastating news from his father in Vancouver. April 16, 2006
6 "Our Men in Havana" While dealing with his mother's recent death in British Columbia , David is asked to travel to Florida and Cuba with Carlos. NorBAC has been asked to investigate the claim of exiled Cuban millionaire Salvador Charringa, that his Florida orange groves have been destroyed by a biologically engineered bacterium known as x fastidiosa. When it starts to look like every major institute in Cuba is clean, David speculates that Charringa and the White House are trying to start a conspiracy to justify the invasion of Cuba . Just as tensions between the U.S. and Cuba are about to come to a head, David and Carlos, with the help of Cuban scientist Eva Ramone, discover exactly what the White House and Charringa have been looking for. Believing that Glenn is beginning to emerge from his coma, Bob enlists the help of neuroscientist Simon Jessup to determine a prognosis. April 23, 2006
7 "Talk To Him" While in Cuba investigating the cause of decimated orange groves in Florida , David and Carlos uncover information that points to a possible bio-terrorist plot on the part of the Cubans. The American President jumps the gun and immediately blames Cuba for the damaged crops. In her search for a cure for Juvenile Diabetes, Jill confirms that the Korean stem cell line is contaminated with a virus. Before her ground-breaking results can move forward, she must prove that the virus is harmless. Back in Toronto , Caroline's nephew Glenn fails to respond to his surgery, but does manage to utter one last devastating, message. April 30, 2006
8 "Haze" Bob's attention turns to the escalating danger in the skies over Mexico City where a massive brown cloud has begun to combine with toxic emissions from a nearby volcano. The new mixture could rain sulfuric acid down on the city and Bob must try to convince the Mexican officials of the gravity of the situation before all of Mexico City is destroyed. Homeland Security is monitoring two scientists in Chicago who they believe are a threat to the U.S. president. After testing samples taken from their lab, David feels the investigation is unwarranted. Caroline, however, can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. Ultimately, there's not enough evidence to detain the brothers and they are set free – but at what cost? Owen shows up at David's office looking for a place to stay. May 7, 2006
9 "Gene In A Bottle" NorBAC's investigation into a cluster of suicides occurring in the southern United States uncovers an unnatural enzyme in the brains of the victims. They are receiving something from their environment, and it's causing sudden and severe depression, but where is the enzyme coming from? Meanwhile, the wife of a longtime scientist-friend of David who was killed in a car accident asks David to decipher the secret project her husband had been working on. With the help of Bob and Carlos, David discovers that his friend was genetically engineering mice. They soon deduce that he had discovered the gene that causes homosexuality and had initiated a patent for a drug that would suppress the gene! Bob scrambles to neutralize the Asian Brown Cloud before it dumps a deadly shower of sulfuric acid on Mexico City; and Owen shows up at David's apartment stoned on crystal meth but David decides to give him one more chance to clean up his act. May 14, 2006
10 "The Wild and Innocent" Autopsies on two dead deer lead NorBAC to suspect that worms from parasitic eggs are responsible for a recent spike in depression-related suicides in the Southern U.S. What they can't figure out is if the parasites are coming from the deer, humans or a third source. While working on a retrovirus, Jill becomes contaminated and is forced into quarantine. Owen is charged with criminal negligence when a young girl dies after overdosing on crystal meth. David comes to his defense, arguing that Owen is predisposed to being an addict. The defense sparks a fascinating legal, scientific, and ethical argument. May 21, 2006
11 "Fishy" NorBAC must unravel a genetic mystery when fish bred in an East Coast fish farm start exhibiting unexpected and dangerous mutations. Furthermore, a number of kids in an East Coast village are becoming ill; could deadly radiation be leaking into the Ocean? The team continues to work on a promising anti-parasitic drug after a spike in Arkansas ' suicide rates is traced to worms brought into the state on the winds of hurricane Katrina. Caroline is in Washington being briefed about a new looming crisis – an entire National Guard unit has fallen unconscious and can't be woken up. The illness resembles encephalitis lethargica, but the patients aren't responding to usual treatments. The U.S. military suspects the illness is the work of a radical Muslim group. Meanwhile, Jill is released from quarantine and quickly sent home to rest. May 28, 2006
12 "Lethargica" NorBAC uses innovative scientific methods to track the source of mutating radiation that is affecting fish on the East Coast of Canada to radioactive fuel rods that were dumped into the Ocean in the 1950's. The environmental fall out could be catastrophic. Jill is rushed to the hospital, where doctors struggle to save her life. Meanwhile, National Guardsmen in the U.S. continue to deteriorate. To David's surprise, Jill's symptoms match those of the soldiers. How could the retrovirus Jill found in her stem cells have also infected the soldiers? The U.S. military may have the answer in an untested antidote, but refuse to release it in time to save Jill's life. Once again David is forced to ignore protocol by administering Jill with the untested antidote. David contemplates a radical experiment on his father who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. June 4, 2006
13 "The End" Jill and the U.S. National Guardsmen begin to recover after receiving the lethargica antidote; but shortly thereafter, the Guardsmen begin to fall ill again with a secondary more deadly infection. Some Guardsmen begin to die and everyone fears for Jill's life. Caroline believes that her superiors aren't telling her everything about the lethargica outbreak and suspects that Wes, her executive assistant might also be in on it. Out of nowhere, the Manford brothers show up at David's apartment and shed some light onto the recent epidemic. As Caroline continues to dig, she gets dangerously close to unearthing a conspiracy that could go deep into the White House. June 11, 2006

Episode synopses adapted from regenesistv.com

[edit] Cast of Characters

[edit] Main Characters

  • Carlos Serrano (Conrad Pla)
  • Mayko Tran (Mayko Nguyen)
    • Bioinformatics Researcher.
    • Has slept with David on at least one occasion. It was along time ago and they are very good friends now.
  • Weston Field (Greg Bryk)
    • Executive Assistant of NorBAC's Executive Director.
    • HIV positive.

[edit] Recurring Characters

  • Owen (Michael Seater)
    • A homeless 15 year old living in the subway who shows David Sandström that a sickness is going around down there, after stealing his bag.
    • Lives with David Sandström for awhile, but leaves after he gets arrested for drugs and criminal negligence. David defends him in court, however.
  • Hira Khan (Mishu Vellani)
    • Formerly the Lead Virologist at NorBAC.
    • Suspected of being a spy for a terrorist organization in Pakistan
    • deceased
  • Mick Sloane (Mark Rendall)
    • A young man who believed he was a clone and went to David Sandström for help.
    • Became friends with Lilith.
    • deceased
  • Daisy Markovic (Kristin Booth)
    • Mother to 'Miranda', the first host to the Miranda Virus.

[edit] Music

The main title theme song for ReGenesis is "Anywhere But Here" by the Montreal band Behavior. Behavior is an alias for producer / composer Michael McCann, who under the same alias, composed the soundtrack for the XBox 360 game, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent. The show's score is primarily composed by Tom Third with numerous contributions throughout by film/TV composer Rob Carli.

A comprehensive list of all the music played in the first two seasons can be found at the ReGenesis:ReMixed site.

[edit] Trivia

Aled Edwards, ReGenesis' Scientific Consultant, is a noted Canadian structural biologist, and the director of the Structural Genomics Consortium. Sandström is a Swedish name (sand+stream). "Ö" pronounce like "i" in the British English "thirsty".

[edit] External links

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