Animorphs (TV series)

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For the book series, see Animorphs.
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Animorphs (also known under the promotional title AniTV and the working title The Changelings) is a 26-episode adaptation made by Nickelodeon of the Scholastic book series of the same name. The series was broadcast from September 1998 to March 2000 in the United States and Canada. The episodes lasted about 30 minutes (including commercials), had stereo sound, and closed captions.

Like the other popular children's book series of the 1990s, Goosebumps, Animorphs also became a television series. Unlike Goosebumps, which aired on the FOX Network in the United States, Animorphs was aired on the cable network, Nickelodeon.

Contents

[edit] Cast

Frequent regulars on the show included:

[edit] Shawn Ashmore

At the time, a relatively unknown Shawn Ashmore stepped into the shoes of the Animorphs' reluctant leader, Jake Berenson. Since Animorphs, Ashmore has starred in the Disney Channel series In a Heartbeat alongside Animorphs co-star Christopher Ralph, as well as the sci-fi miniseries Legend of Earthsea, the feature film Underclassman with Nick Cannon and Roselyn Sanchez, and the three X-Men films alongside Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, and Anna Paquin.

[edit] Boris Cabrera

Before landing the role of the sarcastic and analytical Marco, Boris Cabrera had a recurring role on Walker, Texas Ranger, which starred Chuck Norris. He also had a small role in the movie August Fires, which starred Billy Zane. Cabrera appeared as himself in several episodes of the Nickelodeon game show Figure It Out during Animorphs' three-year run on the network. Since Animorphs, he has starred in the TV movie She's No Angel alongside Tracey Gold, and in the independent film, East L.A. King. However, after this movie, Cabrera quit show business and became a fitness trainer for the Executive Service Group Professional Club.

[edit] Nadia Nascimento

Nadia-Leigh Nascimento, as she is sometimes credited, guest-starred on The Outer Limits and other shows before landing the role of the sensitive and pacifistic Cassie. During the run of Animorphs, Nascimento guest-starred on an episode of the popular Disney Channel series So Weird in 1999. After Animorphs ended, she landed more adult roles in movies such as Hill Street Blues, which stars Allen Payne. Nascimento also starred in the TV movie Seventeen Again alongside Tia and Tamera Mowry, Tahj Mowry, and Maia Campbell.

[edit] Brooke Nevin

Before landing the role of the fiery and reckless Rachel on Animorphs, Brooke Nevin had already guest-starred on the popular kids' TV shows Goosebumps, Real Kids, Real Adventures, and Are You Afraid of the Dark?. During the show's run, she also guest-starred on the popular Disney Channel series The Famous Jett Jackson. After Animorphs ended, Nevin guest-starred on an episode of the Disney Channel's In a Heartbeat and reunited with her former Animorphs co-stars, Shawn Ashmore and Christopher Ralph. Since then, she has landed guest-starring roles in popular TV series such as Charmed, Everwood, Smallville, Supernatural, and My Boys, as well as a recurring role in the USA television series The 4400.

[edit] Christopher Ralph

The thoughtful loner, Tobias, on Animorphs was Christopher Ralph's first-ever television role, and since the show ended, he has starred alongside Animorphs co-star Shawn Ashmore in the Disney Channel series In a Heartbeat. He also starred in the movie The Skulls II alongside Robin Dunne, Lindy Booth, and Shawn Ashmore's twin brother, Aaron Ashmore. Ralph also guest-starred in series such as Queer as Folk, Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, and Instant Star. He also had a recurring role on 1-800-Missing alongside series star Caterina Scorsone.

[edit] Episodes

[edit] Season 1

1998 - YTV/Nickelodeon

No. Episode title Original Canada airdate Original U.S. airdate Collected on
1-1 "My Name is Jake, Part 1" September 15, 1998 September 4, 1998 The Invasion Begins
1-2 "My Name is Jake, Part 2" September 15, 1998 September 11, 1998 The Invasion Begins
1-3 "The Underground" September 22, 1998 September 18, 1998 The Invasion Begins
1-4 "On the Run" September 29, 1998 September 25, 1998
1-5 "Between Friends" October 6, 1998 October 2, 1998 Nowhere to Run
1-6 "The Message" October 13, 1998 October 9, 1998 Nowhere to Run
1-7 "The Escape" October 20, 1998 October 16, 1998
1-8 "The Alien" October 27, 1998 October 23, 1998
1-9 "The Reaction" November 17, 1998 November 6, 1998 Nowhere to Run
1-10 "The Stranger" November 24, 1998 November 13, 1998 The Enemy Among Us
1-11 "The Forgotten" December 1, 1998 November 20, 1998
1-12 "The Capture, Part 1" November 3, 1998 January 10, 1999 The Legacy Survives
1-13 "The Capture, Part 2" November 10, 1998 January 10, 1999 The Legacy Survives
1-14 "Tobias" January 19, 1999 January 17, 1999
1-15 "Not My Problem" January 26, 1999 January 24, 1999 The Legacy Survives
1-16 "The Leader, Part 1" January 5, 1999 February 7, 1999 The Enemy Among Us
1-17 "The Leader, Part 2" January 12, 1999 February 14, 1999 The Enemy Among Us
1-18 "The Release" February 2, 1999 February 21, 1999
1-19 "Face Off, Part 1" February 9, 1999 February 28, 1999
1-20 "Face Off, Part 2" February 16, 1999 March 7, 1999  

[edit] Season 2

1999 - Global

No. Episode title Original Canada airdate Original U.S. airdate
2-1 "Face Off, Part 3" September 3, 1999 February 20, 2000
2-2 "My Name is Erek" September 10, 1999 February 20, 2000
2-3 "Changes, Part 1" September 17, 1999 April 9, 2000
2-4 "Changes, Part 2" September 24, 1999 April 16, 2000
2-5 "Changes, Part 3" October 1, 1999 April 23, 2000
2-6 "The Front" October 8, 1999 —  

[edit] Videos

As of 2003, Nickelodeon has released four videos, collecting episodes from the series:

  • The Invasion Begins
  • Nowhere to Run
  • The Enemy Among Us
  • The Legacy Survives

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • One episode required two Jakes, one of which was the real Jake and the other of which was someone morphed into Jake. This part was played by Shawn Ashmore's (who plays Jake) identical twin brother, Aaron Ashmore.
  • In the very first episode, the main characters are seen playing a Beast Wars video game. Beast Wars was a television series, toy line, and video game about robots who could transform into animals, and an extension of the Transformers series. When the Animorphs action figures would be released, they would be a sub-line under the Transformers series. No attempt was made to tie the Animorphs into the Transformers fiction, however.
  • Unlike in the book series, where any normal clothing the Animorphs wore during morph was either destroyed or left behind, the TV series showed the Animorphs capable of morphing their clothing whenever they transformed; no explanation was given for this, beyond simple dramatic license.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
K. A. Applegate's Animorphs series
Main series:
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49–50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54
Megamorphs:
Chronicles:
Alternamorphs:
Animorphs:
Jake • Rachel • Cassie • Marco • Tobias • Ax • David • Auxiliary Animorphs
Secondary characters:
Aldrea • Alloran • Arbron • Crayak • Drode • Elfangor • Ellimist • Erek King • Toby Hamee • Visser One • Visser Three
Minor characters:
Species:
Andalite • Arn • Capasin • Chee • Gedd • Helmacron • Hork-Bajir • Howler • Iskoort • Ketran • Leeran • Mercora • Nartec • Nesk • Pemalite • Skrit Na • Taxxon • Veleek • Yeerk •Yoort Other species