Galidor
Galidor: Defenders of the Outer Dimension, also known simply as Galidor, is a show that ran on Fox Kids in 2002 with a total of 26 half-hour episodes. The series was created by Thomas W. Lynch, the creator of The Secret World of Alex Mack and The Journey of Allen Strange. It was the final series to launch on Fox Kids, as the block folded only 7 months after its debut.
Plot
The show is centered around the journey of Nicholas Bluetooth, a 15 year old whose life is turned upside-down after receiving a strange floating alien map over his bed on the eve of his 15th birthday. The map leads Nicholas and his best (and only) friend, Allegra Zane, to a hidden Dimensional Transport Vehicle nicknamed the Egg. Nicholas unknowingly activates the egg and sends himself and Allegra into the Outer Dimension, where they find themselves as part of an intrepid group attempting to save Galidor, which is being targeted by the sinister Gorm. The kingdom of Galidor is protected by an immense door that could only open by an egg-shaped key, which was split in pieces across the Outer Dimension to prevent Gorm from entering Galidor. If Nicholas and company don't find the pieces before Gorm does, then the entire Outer Dimension will fall under his rule.
Characters
- Nick Bluetooth: A boy of 15 years in age. He has a special power called "glinching" which enables him to transform his body's matter into different kinds of matter; usually he turns his limbs into limbs of other species or specialized machines. A brash and foolish hero, he will usually act first and think later, often getting himself into more trouble than necessary. At times can be self-centered and obnoxious, certain he is the leader and knows what's best. Despite his failings, he has a pure heart and desires feverishly to do the right thing when up against any odds. Nicholas spends a good deal of the first season not realizing that he is descended from the Stranger (Sam Bluetooth) and Queen Riana.
- Allegra Zane: 14 year old alleged computer genius (though only once do we see her use a computer). Nicholas's only friend, a karate expert. She is dragged into the Outer Dimension against her will and desires only to go home, until an encounter in Dreejal-Vin in episode 6 ("Belonging") with tunnel-dwellers makes her realize what is at stake. She is Nicholas's calm voice; where he is brash and foolish, she is calm and sedate.
- Jens: The Chief Scientist of the Royal Court of Galidor. Originally a Wexar (a plant-like creature), Jens' body was burned by Gorm and he downloaded his mind into a robot body in order to complete his mission and recover "The Warrior" not realizing at first that it is Nick. Jens was also not fond of Allegra when the series began whining that she is a complainer and "not supposed to be here." Usually acts nervous and panicky and speaks with an odd high-pitched voice. Halfway through the show, his "claw hands" are replaced with more articulate gloves.
- Euripides: Scholar of the Royal Court of Galidor. He is an Amphibib (a large anthropomorphic frog). He is from the Realm of Arbo and the last of his kind due to the fact that the Amphibibs were wiped out by Gorm. Philosopher and Nicholas's spiritual advisor. He carries a staff and has psychic powers which include telekinesis and limited heat generation.
- Nepol: A Siktari warrior from the frozen realm of Elta Siktar, Originally a tall Siktari warrior and leader of Galidor's army, He was compacted by Gorm into a small Siktari. Visually impaired, he needs glasses. He wields a luka (an icy-looking spear), runs extremely fast and can project freezing blasts.
- Lind: A mysterious character who shows up in a few episodes at the end. She is a native Galidorian who can dissolve into a purple gel. Like Nick, she is certain she knows what's best and clashes with Nick and company at every opportunity. She and Nicholas begin to connect after rescuing Euripides from Earth she was trained by gorm to take his place as chief councel to the Outer Dimension and seemed to have a relationship with gorm.
- Sam Bluetooth: Also known as The Stranger, Sam is an adventurer and scientist who met Queen Rhiana (Nicholas's mother), presumably 16 years back (?, left for Galidor in mid-1985)). Sam Bluetooth constructed the Egg (most likely in the Outer Dimension, having used his house to go there in the first place). Sam had many adventures in the Outer Dimension, eventually gaining a seat on Galidor's council before marrying Rhiana. He's also Nick's father. In the beginning of the series, he is seen falling into a chasm during a fight, but is shown as Gorm's captive in the episode that ended the series in a cliffhanger.
- Queen Rhiana: The Queen of Galidor. Appears in the series mostly as a mental hologram that only Nicholas can see, offering cryptic advice and warnings. She's also Nick's mother.
- Gorm: The primary antagonist of the series. Once the chief advisor of the Royal Court of Galidor, Gorm has become a menace throughout the Outer Dimension. He conquered many realms, wiped out some species (like the Amphibibs), and made a virus in the Maps. As such he is known as the Conqueror of a Thousand Worlds. He has Sam Bluetooth in his clutches and plans to conquer Galidor. He has the ability to glinch at a much weaker level than Nick (he stole a small part of Nick's power when Nick was a baby) but amplifies it to a great degree through a device on his chest. Among Gorm's other skills are his immense strength, telekinesis, and his extremely cunning intellect.
- Tager: One of Gorm's main minions, Tager is the master of Mind Control and interrogated Allegra in the second season. He was the one who encouraged Gorm into starting his reign of terror in the first place.
- Bala: A bounty hunter working for Gorm. He attacks with an energy bolt that turns into a claw upon impact.
- Caliphonic: Leader of the Aquarts, Caliphonic is a minion of Gorm.
The Egg
The Egg (or more appropriately, the Trans-Dimensional Navigation Module, TDN) is a blue egg-shaped vehicle that stands on four legs and is capable of flight. On the outside, it is barely bigger than a trailer, but on the inside comprises several stories, many of which are unexplored. The four seen in the run of the show were
- The Pilot House - Essentially the cockpit. Contains pilot and copilot controls. The front windscreen has a blast screen that can be closed.
- The Main Level - contains a circular table in the center with a port for the map to plug in. The map doubles as the Egg's navigational computer, and is incapable of functioning without it (in Episode 7 "A Crack In The Map", Nepol attempts to fly the egg without the map with erratic results).
- The Reactor Room - It houses the powerhouse of the egg.
- The Garbage Chute - A long compactor room that decimates garbage and fires it off into the Viniculum. Not a place one wants to fall into accidentally.
Nicholas and Allegra both mention lockers, meaning that there is a locker room somewhere on the Egg. The Sandwich Simulator, which apparently does not work very well, is presumably on this level as well.
The Egg has eventually been showed to be sentient explaining how it found Nicholas in the first place.
Outer Dimension Realms
Here are the known realms in the Outer Dimension:
- Arbo - Formerly a forest realm until Gorm set large sectors of it ablaze. There are some forest havens in this realm (inhabited by dangerous creatures), but the inhospitable desert dominates (the Aquarts reside in the caverns underneath). This is also the home-realm of the Arbonians.
- Dreejal-Vin - A crowded city realm and home-realm to the Vinics. A Gorm-created computer virus destroyed their maps and cut them off from the rest of the Outer Dimension. Gorm also lied to the inhabitants there stating that the Stranger infected the maps with viruses until his involvement in the map viruses was exposed.
- Elta-Siktar - A frozen realm roaming with Eltaans, Siktaris, and Shimels (transportation pack creatures which are only referred to in passing by Nepal).
- Kek - Formerly a prison realm and now Gorm's stronghold. His powers of illusion are strongest there which means he is in total control of the environment and those in it, making the illusions as real as reality. The realm was seemingly destroyed when Nick destroyed the central controls holding it together.
- Wex - The home-realm of the Wexers. Not seen in the series.
- Galidor - Capital Realm in the Outer Dimension. Seen only briefly in one episode, resembling a city of sculptures found in a fishbowl or snowglobe (appropriate for a realm that spent the entirety of the series in containment). It is hidden within one of the hills in Arbo.
Key Props
- The Map: A circular gray device with two large grips on the sides with finger-shaped grooves and an old TV-set-shaped monitor in the middle that is capable of presenting a three-dimensional globe (acting as the equator) or a radar-like short range tracker. The map is also capable of floating by itself and is capable of plugging into the center console and acting as the guidance system for the egg, as well as showing data for both Earth as well as the Outer Dimension.
- The Communicator Watch: Self-explantory. Nicholas wears the watch with the face on the inside of his wrist, a character trait provided by actor Ewald.
- The Journal: The stranger's journal, which was hidden in the Monument of Knowledge on Dreejal-Vin. It contains schematics, diagrams, and diary entries of the Stranger's journey through the Outer Dimension. Nick continues writing in the journal when he receives it. While the book appears to be a regular leather and paper book, it is in fact made out of hyperglinch energy (like the Keyfrags) meaning it can be reconstituted if destroyed, and may also mean it has an inexhaustible supply of paper (not confirmed).
- The Pack: A three-strapped backpack that Nicholas finds in Arbo. Originally belonged to the Stranger, and was found full of notes, pens, and other "junk."
- Keyfrags: Parts of the key to Galidor, shards of metal that can be combined into the shape of an egg. They are usually found in a plastic container with fingerprint identifiers to keep them safe. The key is capable of putting itself together (presumably some sort of magnetism) to make sure that it is put together properly.
Episode list
Season one
- 1. 1-1 101 Feb 9, 02 : "Identity"
- 2. 1-2 102 Feb 16, 02 : "Euripides, Please"
- 3. 1-3 103 Feb 23, 02 : "All For One, One For Nepol"
- 4. 1-4 104 Mar 2, 02 : "Bouncing Off The Walls"
- 5. 1-5 105 Mar 9, 02 : "Dust Til Dawn"
- 6. 1-6 106 Mar 16, 02 : "Belonging"
- 7. 1-7 107 Mar 23, 02 : "A Crack In The Map"
- 8. 1-8 108 Mar 30, 02 : "Seeing Is Just Seeing"
- 9. 1-9 109 Apr 6, 02 : "Truth, Lies and Videotape"
- 10. 1-10 110 Apr 27, 02 : "Just Because You're Paranoid"
- 11. 1-11 111 May 4, 02 : "Frozen Feud"
- 12. 1-12 112 May 11, 02 : "Relativity"
- 13. 1-13 113 May 18, 02 : "It's Déjà Vu All Over Again"
- 14. 2-1 201 May 25, 02 : "The Road To Kek"
- 15. 2-2 202 Jun 1, 02 : "A Room With No View -- Part One"
- 16. 2-3 203 Jun 8, 02 : "Escape From Kek -- Part Two"
Season two
- 17. 2-4 204 Jun 22, 02 : "Pieces Of Nick"
- 18. 2-5 205 Jun 29, 02 : "A Tale Of Two Nicks"
- 19. 2-6 206 Jul 6, 02 : "Go For The Bronze"
- 20. 2-7 207 Jul 13, 02 : "State Of The Art"
- 21. 2-8 208 Jul 20, 02 : "The Great Glinch Switch"
- 22. 2-9 209 Jul 27, 02 : "Mr. Tager Goes To Earth"
- 23. 2-10 210 Aug 3, 02 : "Area 51 -- A.k.a. : Area Delta"
- 24. 2-11 211 Aug 10, 02 : "Recalling The Past -- A.k.a. : Remember"
- 25. 2-12 212 Aug 17, 02 : "The Gates Of Galidor -- Part One : The Gauntlet"
- 26. 2-13 213 Aug 24, 02 : "The Gates Of Galidor -- Part Two"
Cast List
- Matthew Ewald : Nicholas "Nick" Bluetooth
- Marie-Marguerite Sabongui : Allegra Zane
- Sam Magdi : Jens
- Michael O'Reilly : Jens (Voice)
- Jeff Hall : Euripides
- Georges Morris : Euripides (Voice)
- Claude Girous : Nepol
- Walter Massey : Nepol (Voice)
- Derrick Damon Reeve / Steven P. Park : Gorm
- Ian Finlay : Gorm (Voice)
- Karen Cliche : Lind
- Tara Leigh : Queen Riana
- Randy Thomas : Samual "The Stranger" Bluetooth
Notes
- The show was completely filmed digitally, reducing the time required in compositing the computer-generated imagery. The series was also shot in 16x9/1.85:1 but was never released in that format (previews for the show, however, were presented in the "letterbox" format).
- Allegra Zane leaves her backpack and camera behind in the sewer in the first episode. Additionally, the hooded sweatshirts the characters wear never reappear in later episodes.
- In the same vein, Nicholas and Allegra have hoodies in the first episode, bring them with them into the Outer Dimension, but never wear them again. Even when they are in the frozen realm of Elka Siktar.
- The legs on the Egg are the same as Jens'. The ones on the toys are interchangeable, but Jens' fit loosely in the Egg and the Egg's legs don't fit on Jens.
- The Egg's wings on the toys are the same as those of Deluxe Nicolas, but with different joints.
- Jens originally had claw hands, but switched to gloves so he could hold props and tools.
- Nicholas was originally named Christian, and is referred to such in Tom Lynch's original story. The name was changed at the last minute, and is rumored to have been accidentally included in a few pages of the pilot script.
- Nicholas' last name, Bluetooth, is not named after the computer technology. Bluetooth is Danish royalty. The technology was just taking off when the show premiered. And the heart of the Bluetooth brand identity is the name, which refers to the Danish king Harald "Bluetooth" Blaatand. He unified Denmark and Norway. In the beginning of the Bluetooth wireless technology era, Bluetooth was aimed at unifying the telecom and computing industries.
- There is an article on the wall in Sam Bluetooth's lab that mentions a part of his house disappearing. The article originally appeared on the Galidor web page before the series began as a teaser.
- CGI seat belts were designed for the Egg's chairs, but were never used in the series.
- Allegra glinches in Episode 21 "The Great Glinch Switch," and it appears as a red flash rather than blue.
- The show had an extensive product tie-in with Lego (which helped fund the series). Despite high ratings and fan enthusiasm from the United States and outside (the show is broadcast in Europe on the SciFi Channel), disputes over funding and copyright ownership prevented a planned third season from being produced which would've involved Nick finding out that his father is in Gorm's clutches.
- Because of armor, wire rigging, and most likely the required absence of noticeable brand clothing, the human costumes were all made custom for the actors.
- In "Mr. Tager Goes To Earth," the name of the principal of Nick and Allegra's school is Ms Boudrais, a reference to series producer Mychele Boudrais.
- In a Fall 2008 featured interview with "Spacesuits and Sixguns" magazine, author and actor Matthew Ewald (Nicholas "Nick" Bluetooth) had said that "Galidor: Defenders of the Outer Dimension" has "always meant something very special to me." Matthew commented that he is still very passionate about the series and all that it was and also stated that he has "gone to great lengths to try to get it going again, up to and including offering to fund it myself."
- In a fan made Galidor: Defenders of the Outer Dimension forum (located at: http://galidor.proboards.com/index.cgi), Matthew Ewald addressed the forum members with this personal message below, written on March 13, 2009:
First of all, I'd like to say what a true and great honor, as well as unfathomable joy, it is for me to find that a forum like this exists for "Galidor: Defenders of the Outer Dimension."
"Galidor" was and IS one of the greatest dreams of my life. It is every wish worth wishing, every dream worth dreaming, and it is, for me, the reason I've never been afraid to "chase my stars."
For over seven years (since the series ended) I have fought to give "Galidor," it's characters, and the stories and tales told which I love so completely, a "rebirth" or "finality." For over seven years I have done everything in my power to bring "Galidor" back to life... to end it the right and true way. And although I have been unsuccessful (so far) in receiving the permission to do so, well... my promise to not only myself, but anyone who has ever lost themselves in the Quest and adventure "Galidor" was... my promise to you all is:
I'm not finished yet.
Regardless of what the future holds, I want to thank Katrina and "EVERYONE" here in the forum (from the bottom of my heart) for keeping "Galidor" alive. You all, regardless of location, regardless of age or time, regardless of passion and love or enjoyment and entertainment, have done something incredibly extraordinary. You have all refused to forget what "Galidor" was and could one day, again, become. I am deeply humbled by your unfaltering dedication and thank you with every breath I take for sharing this adventure with not only myself, but the entire cast & crew of "Galidor."
I once wrote Tom Lynch, creator of the series and a man that I not only deeply respect and admire, but also call "friend," that he had "only taken a whisper out of his own life, to change mine forever..."
The same can be said to all of you. Thank you for keeping this project which I love so deeply alive. And thank you for reminding me (even if I've never forgotten) that any dream worth dreaming, is worth fighting for... in every way.
-- Matthew Ewald --
(Nicholas Bluetooth)
- The opening scene of 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'(2008) bears much similarity to the opening scene from the Pilot episode; the father of the main character running for his life, only to come to a chasm and fall in and the main character wakes up.
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