Relic Hunter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Relic Hunter | |
|---|---|
 Nigel shows an artifact to Sydney |
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| Genre | Mystery/Fantasy/Action/Adventure |
| Starring | Tia Carrere Christien Anholt |
| Country of origin | United StatesCanadaFrance |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of episodes | 66 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Simon MacCorkindale |
| Executive producer(s) | Simon MacCorkindale |
| Running time | 45 mins |
| Broadcast | |
| Original run | 25 September 1999 – 20 May 2002 |
| Links | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
Relic Hunter is an American/Canadian/French television series, starring Tia Carrere and Christien Anholt. Actress Lindy Booth also starred for the first two seasons, and Tanja Reichert replaced her for the third. It ran for three seasons in the U.S. between 1999 and 2002. In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, it is aired on Sky One and subsidiary channels, while in Canada, it is aired on both Citytv and Space: The Imagination Station.
Contents |
[edit] Overview and Themes
Relic Hunter follows the globe-trotting adventures of unorthodox American archaeologist Sydney Fox (Carrere) and her more reserved British assistant Nigel Bailey (Anholt). They are assisted at their 'home base,' a generic American university identified only as Trinity College, by ditzy student secretary Claudia (Booth), the spoiled and fashion-conscious daughter of one of the college's major donors. The character of Claudia was replaced in the third season by Karen Petrushky (Reichert), who is closer to the standard 'sexy secretary' stereotype but with an impressive facility for predicaments of a bureaucratic nature. Some fans have interpreted this as a network attempt to enhance the sex appeal of the series which instead contributed to its ultimate cancellation at the close of the third season.
At the start of each episode, we see a short flashback in which a relic or artifact is used or abused in its original time before being lost, stolen, or hidden. We then cut to Trinity College in the present day, where Sydney and Nigel are asked to find the relic by some person or agency such as a museum, private collector, or government. Most episodes feature the duo travelling around the globe, hunting for clues in order to find the artifact. Complications abound, often with rival relic hunters getting involved, generally giving Sydney a chance to show off her martial arts prowess. It is then up to Sydney and Nigel to seize the relic and ensure it ends up in the proper hands (such as the rightful owners or a suitable museum). Each episode ends with a scene at Trinity College explaining what has happened to the relic.
The plots in Relic Hunter usually take a grain of historical information and are dramatised in order to fit in with the story. However, the show portrays historical work in a refreshing way. Instead of being stuffy and confined to an office, Sydney and Nigel are street-savvy scholars who travel the globe on dangerous missions. Many episodes feature comic moments interlaced with the action. Sydney also knows how to hold her own in a fight, and Carrere is often involved in many fights and stunts in the show. The shows also exploits the sexual tension between Sydney and Nigel, and Carrere is often seen in skimpy clothing. However, this is not a major aspect of the show
Relic Hunter has many obvious similarities to the Tomb Raider franchise, not least the title, which is virtually a synonym of the latter. Critics frequently compared the series to the Indiana Jones franchise, to which it has greater actual similarities than to Tomb Raider property.
[edit] Recurring Characters
- Avery Ko: Ho "Oyster" Show - A mercenary, terrorist and rival relic hunter.
- Cate Hemphill: Nancy Anne Sakovich - An Interpol agent and occasional romantic interest of Nigel.
- Dallas Carter: John Schneider - An ex-partner of Sydney and now rival relic hunter.
- Kurt Reiner: Thomas Kretschmann - Another ex-partner of Sydney turned rival
- Stewie Harper: Tony Rosato - Relic Hunter who has a love-hate relationship with Sydney.
- Derek Lloyd: Louis Mandylor - A CIA agent who requires Sydney's help...more than once.
- Allan: Peter O'Brien - Sydney's "soul mate" and relic hunter.
- Andres De Viega: George Calil - Sydney's enemy who has been a hiccup in several hunts.
- Preston Bailey: Crispin Bonham-Carter - Nigel's brother and worst enemy.
- Bruce Farrow: Kevin Jubinville - Sydney's relic hunter friend who is framed for robbery in Egypt for "stealing" Thutmose III's diamond.
[edit] Relics featured in the series
The following table lists the relics featured in each episode, together with the time and location of the flashback sequence and any other locations used in the episode.
| Episode title | Relic | Flashback details | Other locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buddha's Bowl | Buddha's alms bowl | Nepal 523 B.C. | |
| Smoking Gun | Al Capone's diamond-encrusted gun | Chicago 1930 | |
| The Headless Nun | Remains of Sister Evangeline | Nova Scotia 1600s | |
| Flag Day | Pioneer's Bear Flag of California | California 1846 | |
| Thank You Very Much | Lost guitar of Elvis Presley | Germany 1960 | |
| Diamond in the Rough | Magical Glove of former baseball great Jimmy Jonesboro | Fenway Park, Boston 1946 | |
| Transformation | Paracelsus scrolls | Salzburg, Austria 1946 | Peru |
| Etched in Stone | Treasure of legendary Viking Jann the Bold | Northumbrian Coast 935 A.D. | Sweden |
| The Book of Love | Casanova's Book of Love | Casanova's Hideaway, Italy 1749 | |
| The Myth of the Maze | Minotaur's Maze | Athens 3000 B.C. | |
| Irish Crown Affair | Lost crown of the last King of Ireland | Ireland 1000 A.D. | |
| The Emperor's Bride | Coffin of the bride of a Chinese Emperor | Huang River, China 1000 B.C. | Alaska |
| Afterlife and Death | Diamond of Thutmose III | Egypt 1425 B.C. | Amsterdam |
| Nine Lives | Statue of the cat goddess Mafdet | Egypt 1895 | New York |
| Affaire de Coeur | Rings that belonged to lovers, Callum and Elena | Scotland 1430 | |
| A Vanishing Art | Jewel-encrusted staff that belonged to the Hungarian royal family | Budapest 1897 | Atlantic City |
| A Good Year | Crown jewels of France | Paris 1792 | |
| The Last Knight | Templar Grand Master's sword | Paris, circa 1300 | |
| Love Letter | Records proving a secret marriage on the eve of the French Revolution | Village South of Paris 1789 | |
| Possessed | Zeus' sacred sundial | Libya 1300s | Brussels |
| Memories of Montmartre | A tiara known as the Heart of Europe | Paris Moulin Rouge 1930s | |
| Nothing but the Truth | Ruby Chalice of Truth | The Barbary Coast 1534 | Paris |
| The Put Back | Idol from the Temple of Woot | Kuba, Africa 100 AD | |
| Dagger of Death | Dagger of Kali | Temple of Kali, India 500 AD | |
| Last of the Mochicas | Vessel believed to contain the Great Warrior Spirit of the Mochicas | South America 662 AD | |
| The Legend of the Lost | The Kai Nomata (lost tribe) | Vanuatu Islands 4800 B.C. | New Guinea |
| Fertile Ground | Idol of Lono | Hawaii 1779 | Madagascar |
| Gypsy Jigsaw | Crown of the Roma people | Romania 1830 | |
| Three Rivers to Cross | Jade Empress | Three Rivers, China 1245 AD | |
| Roman Holiday | Caesar's breastplate | Rome 44 BC | |
| Cross of Voodoo | Haitian Cross of Utu | Haiti, late 18th Century | |
| Lost Contact | Sacrificial bowl | Burma 1824 | |
| The Real Thing | Relics of Egyptian Pharaoh Amun II | Egypt 1516 BC | England |
| M.I.A. | Faberge egg | St. Petersburg, Russia 1886 | clip show |
| Out of the Past | Cleopatra's necklace | Egypt 30 B.C. | |
| Eyes of Toklamanee | Eyes of Toklamanee | Mississippi Valley 1605 | St Louis |
| Run Sydney Run | Sword of Ateas | Ural Steppes, Russia 339 B.C. | |
| French Connection | Prophecy of Nostradamus | Church Of Cordiers Salon, France | |
| Don't Go Into the Woods | Golden Falcon of Maribor | Carpathian Mountains 1711 A.D. | |
| Midnight Flight | Ruby-encrusted scepter of Gunther the Brave | Germania Circa 400 A.D. | Luxembourg and Paris |
| The Executioner's Mask | Executioner's Mask | Bourg, France 1789 | |
| The Royal Ring | Ring of Henry VIII | Tower of London 1536 | |
| Set in Stone | Magical sword of St. Gabriel | Balaton, Hungary 1595 | |
| Deadline | First Christian Tau cross | Jerusalem 1099 A.D. | Paris |
| Wages of Sydney | Chinese dragon's egg | Quan Shu Fortress, Manchuria 1359 | |
| Mr. Right | Bowl of Parvati | Bali, Indonesia 1459 A.D. | |
| Sydney at Ten | Egyptian necklace | St. Beatrice's School 20 years ago | Turkey |
| The Light of Truth | Light of Truth | Arabia 843 A.D. | |
| Treasure Island | The treasure of Treasure Island | The Spanish Main 1790 | |
| Star of Nadir | Star of Nadir | Palace of the Talibs, Endostan 1423 | |
| Vampire's Kiss | Vampire Chalice | Czechoslovakia 1720 A.D. | |
| Devil Doll | Cursed Aztec Devil Doll | Central America 1488 A.D. | |
| Incognito | Lancet which causes anyone cut with it to gain incredible strength | New Guinea 1522 A.D. | |
| All Choked Up | Statue of Athena | Greece 800 B.C. | |
| Warlock of Nu Theta Phi | Wicca amulet | New England Colonies 1692 A.D. | |
| Women Want to Know | Statue of Ganesha | Southeast Asia 1075 A.D. | |
| Fire in the Sky | Extraterrestrial artifact | Pacific Northwest 1398 A.D. | |
| Hunting with the Enemy | Ashes of Confucius | Cambodia 1952 | |
| Antianeiral | Belt of Hippolyte | Asia Minor 1200 B.C. | Istanbul |
| Under the Ice | Anasazi mummy | Arctic Circle 1355 A.D. | |
| Arthur's Cross | Cross of King Arthur | England 455 A.D. | |
| Faux Fox | Crown jewels of Charles IV of Spain | Royal Palace, Madrid 1808 | |
| Pandora's Box | Pandora's Box | An-Najaf, Persia 422 A.D. | |
| The Warlord | Kahina's Saddle | Bekkastan, 1401 A.D. | |
| Fountain of Youth | Water from the Fountain of Youth | Pascus Florida, West Indies 1521 | Spain and England |
| So Shall it Be | Keys to Stonehenge | Stonehenge, England 121 A.D. |
[edit] DVD Releases
The series has been released in various incarnations in Region 1, 2 & 4.
Region 1
A best-of collection entitled Relic Hunter - the best of Seasons 1 & 2 was released in North America on November 11, 2003.
Region 2
In Europe, Season 2 is available
Region 4
In Australia the complete first and second seasons have been released.
[edit] Trivia
The "Trinity College" campus scenes were filmed at the St. George campus at the University of Toronto in Canada. Campus landmarks prominently featured throughout the series include Victoria College and the Soldier's Tower (directly adjacent to the Hart House).
Sydney Fox, like the actress who portrayed her, was born and raised in Hawaii. She was portrayed as Asian on her mother's side. Her mother died when the character was eleven, as mentioned in the episode "So Shall It Be". Her father appeared in one episode, played by football player-turned-actor Fred Dryer.
Relic Hunter in other languages and TV channels
- Spain "Cazatesoros" (Telecinco)
- Brazil "Caçadora de Reliquias" (Rede Record)
- Germany "Relic Hunter - Die Schatzjägerin" (Pro7)(AXN)
- Austria "Relic Hunter - Die Schatzjägerin" (ATV+)
- Italy "Relic Hunter" (Italia1)
- France "Sydney Fox l'aventurière" (M6)
- Slovak "Lovkyňa Tajomstiev" (Markíza)(Joj)
- Hungary "Az elveszett ereklyék fosztogatói" (means: The Hunters Of The Lost Relics) (TV2 and now AXN)
- Sweden "Kultjägarna" (Kanal 5)
- Finland "Aarteenmetsästäjä" (Nelonen)
- Czech Republic "Lovci pokladů" (Nova)
- Turkey "Gizem Avcısı" (tv8)
- Bulgaria "Търсач на реликви" (AXN)
- Serbia "Ловац на благо" (FOX)
- Romania "Vanatorii de comori "(AXN , TVR 2)
- Norway "Skattejegerne" (The treasure hunters) (TV Norge)
[edit] External links
- Relic Hunter on the IMDB
- Episode guide (TV.com)
