Ocean Girl
Encyclopedia
Ocean Girl is an Australian
science fiction
TV series aimed for family audiences and starring Marzena Godecki
as the lead character. The show is set in the near future, and focuses on an unusual girl named Neri who lives alone on an island, and the friendships she develops with the inhabitants of an underwater research facility called ORCA (Oceanic Research Centre of Australia). The show is an example of deep ecology
science fiction.
Ocean Girl inspired an animated series, The New Adventures of Ocean Girl, which ran from 2000 to 2001, and has since been released on DVD. The animated series is unrelated to the original live-action show.
. At the beginning of the series, they move to ORCA in order for their mother, Dr. Dianne Bates, to study whale song
. A significant portion of the series takes place on ORCA itself, and looks at the activities of its inhabitants, many of whom are school-aged children, just as Jason and Brett.
As the series progresses, it is explained that Neri came to Earth
on a spaceship with her father when she was young, though his death soon after leaves Neri to fend for herself. Prior to meeting Jason and Brett, Neri's only friend was a humpback whale
(called jali in Neri's native tongue), whom she names "Charley", and with whom she can communicate. Later in the series, Neri's curiosity leads her to explore ORCA, while Dr. Bates' study of Charley's whale song helps her identify Neri as the intended recipient of that song. Eventually, Dr. Bates and her assistant, Dr. Winston Seth, become embroiled in Jason and Brett's effort to keep Neri a secret, while also performing numerous tests on Neri to understand how she's able to communicate with whales.
At the same time that the Bates learn about Neri, a rival research organization, the UBRI Corporation, are introduced. Headed by Dr. Hellegren, UBRI have learned that a spacecraft landed somewhere in the vicinity of ORCA, and begin their own search for any personnel that may have survived. Simultaneously, they work on other projects which threaten the natural ecology of the ocean around ORCA. Eventually, they put in play an effort to build the so-called "ORCA City", an elaborate underwater construction that will likely eradicate much of the natural life on the sea floor. In response, Dr. Bates' mission changes over the course of the series from cetologist to environmental protection
ist. This role becomes more prominent beginning with the third season, when UBRI representatives establish themselves onboard ORCA. Accordingly, the series shifts to a more serious tone in its later seasons.
As Neri gradually discovers more of her island and ORCA, she also begins to understand her greater purpose. This self-awakening is particularly enhanced by encounters with others of her kind. In the second season, she discovers her sister, Mera, and the two are given the opportunity to return to their home planet. Mera avails herself of this option, but Neri stays, feeling that she must discover what her father was trying to do on Earth. In the third season, she gains entry into the downed spacecraft that originally brought her to Earth. There, she finds another of her people in suspended animation
. The new character, Kal, proves to be the son of the pilot of the vessel, and helps her tap into the ship's memory core. She finds the ship's log, which explains that her father was trying to find a substance that would revitalize Earth's oceans. She then dedicates her life to her father's cause, giving her a genuine sense of purpose that she had perhaps lacked earlier in the series.
While the primary cast gets new motivations by UBRI's move to ORCA and Kal's appearance on the island, the secondary cast radically changes at the outset of the third season. All of the original kids are replaced by a new crew, and more adults are added to the ORCA staff.
As Neri begins her father's mission, she is drawn farther and father away from her island. Beginning in the middle of the third season, some episodes are primarily based on land. By the fourth season, some episodes are set in Egypt
, and her father's quest eventually leads her back to the "Ocean World", her home planet. Most of the plots involving the secondary kids on ORCA are reduced in the final season, in order to allow for greater exploration of Neri's homeworld. Several new characters of Neri's species are introduced. Likewise, the threat of UBRI fades, to be replaced by a new organization, PRAXIS (Preventative Response And eXtraterritorial Intelligence Service) and by rebels in the Ocean Planet. This group is dedicated to protecting against any threats posed by extraterrestrial life
, and its agents comes to believe Neri and her people are a problem for Earth. They thus chased Neri and the Bates boys around the world. When a mysterious underwater pyramid is discovered in the ocean, Neri and the Bates boys enter it and discover more about the Ocean Planet, and Neri's mission on Earth.
When the rebellion in the Ocean World is growing, Mera escapes to Earth and is reunited with Neri. But PRAXIS sees this pyramid as a danger to the Earth. Much of the final season is thus concerned with PRAXIS' attempt to attack the pyramid, as well as with a "Red Virus" which is spreading in the oceans of Neri's homeworld, the Ocean Plenet. Eventually, in the series finale, Jason, Brett and Neri are able to repulse PRAXIS' efforts and the rebellion, The Earth is saved, and Neri enters into a new life as princess of the Ocean World.
The Bates, Winston, Neri, Charley and the ORCA computer (H.E.L.E.N.) are the only constant characters for the show's entire run — although the actor playing Dr. Bates is recast after the second season and H.E.L.E.N. is "upgraded" in the fourth season.
It is important to note that while Ocean Girl featured the ensemble cast listed above, there were several characters who appeared for one season each, with four children appearing in two seasons each (three in seasons 1 and 2, one in seasons 3 and 4), as well as one adult who was not part of the main cast appearing in two seasons, albeit with a changed role. Most of the cast changes were explained by their "friends" transferring back to shore, with the exception of Season 4 where it was not noted at all.
between 1994 and 1998. Internationally, it was broadcast by the Disney Channel
in the United States, Discovery Kids
in the United Kingdom, YTV in Canada, TSI
in the Italian part of Switzerland, ZDF
and KI.KA
in Germany, on RTÉ Two
in Ireland,on RTL4 in the Netherlands, on (TV2) in Denmark, on NRK in Norway, on Fox Kids
in Argentina and Brazil, on TV4 (Sweden) in Sweden and on Canal Panda
in Portugal. The Disney Channel only aired the first three seasons, the last was not broadcast. Discovery Kids regularly broadcast all four seasons in continuous loops, up until 2003. The first two series were also broadcast in South Africa by the SABC at the same time as in Australia.
In the UK, the show was broadcast under the title Ocean Odyssey on BBC Two
. It was aired in 1996, with a subsequent airing in 2002, though this airing halted before season 4 was complete. In 2004, the entire series was re-aired in full.
In Vietnam, it was aired on VTV3
twice times from 1998 to 1999 and had totally 81 episodes (instead of 78).
The show has recently been repeated on the ABC
in Australia, as part of their ABC Kids
afternoon block of children's programs.
Now it broadcasting in Sri Lanka.
The Complete series is now airing on Perth's West TV
- Sundays at 5.30pm and encore screenings the following Saturday at 11.30am
The Series is now airing (2011) on the NSW ABC3
The DVD sets are in the PAL format, and will only play on set-top DVD players that support this playback mode. (This limitation does not apply to DVD players in computers.) The discs from all four seasons were released supporting DVD region code
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 - which effectively allows the discs to be played in any region.
Australian television
Television in Australia began experimentally as early as 1929 in Melbourne with stations 3DB and 3UZ using the Radiovision system by Gilbert Miles and Donal McDonald, and later from other locations, such as Brisbane in 1934....
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
TV series aimed for family audiences and starring Marzena Godecki
Marzena Godecki
Marzena Godecki is a Polish-born Australian actress. She is best known for her starring role as Neri in Ocean Girl.-Early life:...
as the lead character. The show is set in the near future, and focuses on an unusual girl named Neri who lives alone on an island, and the friendships she develops with the inhabitants of an underwater research facility called ORCA (Oceanic Research Centre of Australia). The show is an example of deep ecology
Deep ecology
Deep ecology is a contemporary ecological philosophy that recognizes an inherent worth of all living beings, regardless of their instrumental utility to human needs. The philosophy emphasizes the interdependence of organisms within ecosystems and that of ecosystems with each other within the...
science fiction.
Ocean Girl inspired an animated series, The New Adventures of Ocean Girl, which ran from 2000 to 2001, and has since been released on DVD. The animated series is unrelated to the original live-action show.
Plot
Neri — the title character — is a young girl with an affinity for water, super-human strength, the ability to swim long distances, and super-human lung capacity. She lives alone on an otherwise deserted island. Early in the first season, Neri befriends two Australian boys: Jason and Brett Bates. This friendship is at first a highly-guarded secret due to Neri's fear of other humans. The Bates brothers live in an elaborate underwater research and environmental protection facility called ORCA, located near Port Douglas, QueenslandPort Douglas, Queensland
Port Douglas is a town in Far North Queensland, Australia, approximately north of Cairns. Its permanent population was 948 residents in 2006. The town's population can often double, however, with the influx of tourists during the peak tourism season May–September. The town is named in honour of...
. At the beginning of the series, they move to ORCA in order for their mother, Dr. Dianne Bates, to study whale song
Whale song
Whale sounds are the sounds made by whales and which are used for different kinds of communication.The word "song" is used to describe the pattern of regular and predictable sounds made by some species of whales, notably the Humpback Whale...
. A significant portion of the series takes place on ORCA itself, and looks at the activities of its inhabitants, many of whom are school-aged children, just as Jason and Brett.
As the series progresses, it is explained that Neri came to Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
on a spaceship with her father when she was young, though his death soon after leaves Neri to fend for herself. Prior to meeting Jason and Brett, Neri's only friend was a humpback whale
Humpback Whale
The humpback whale is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from and weigh approximately . The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the...
(called jali in Neri's native tongue), whom she names "Charley", and with whom she can communicate. Later in the series, Neri's curiosity leads her to explore ORCA, while Dr. Bates' study of Charley's whale song helps her identify Neri as the intended recipient of that song. Eventually, Dr. Bates and her assistant, Dr. Winston Seth, become embroiled in Jason and Brett's effort to keep Neri a secret, while also performing numerous tests on Neri to understand how she's able to communicate with whales.
At the same time that the Bates learn about Neri, a rival research organization, the UBRI Corporation, are introduced. Headed by Dr. Hellegren, UBRI have learned that a spacecraft landed somewhere in the vicinity of ORCA, and begin their own search for any personnel that may have survived. Simultaneously, they work on other projects which threaten the natural ecology of the ocean around ORCA. Eventually, they put in play an effort to build the so-called "ORCA City", an elaborate underwater construction that will likely eradicate much of the natural life on the sea floor. In response, Dr. Bates' mission changes over the course of the series from cetologist to environmental protection
Environmental protection
Environmental protection is a practice of protecting the environment, on individual, organizational or governmental level, for the benefit of the natural environment and humans. Due to the pressures of population and our technology the biophysical environment is being degraded, sometimes permanently...
ist. This role becomes more prominent beginning with the third season, when UBRI representatives establish themselves onboard ORCA. Accordingly, the series shifts to a more serious tone in its later seasons.
As Neri gradually discovers more of her island and ORCA, she also begins to understand her greater purpose. This self-awakening is particularly enhanced by encounters with others of her kind. In the second season, she discovers her sister, Mera, and the two are given the opportunity to return to their home planet. Mera avails herself of this option, but Neri stays, feeling that she must discover what her father was trying to do on Earth. In the third season, she gains entry into the downed spacecraft that originally brought her to Earth. There, she finds another of her people in suspended animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
. The new character, Kal, proves to be the son of the pilot of the vessel, and helps her tap into the ship's memory core. She finds the ship's log, which explains that her father was trying to find a substance that would revitalize Earth's oceans. She then dedicates her life to her father's cause, giving her a genuine sense of purpose that she had perhaps lacked earlier in the series.
While the primary cast gets new motivations by UBRI's move to ORCA and Kal's appearance on the island, the secondary cast radically changes at the outset of the third season. All of the original kids are replaced by a new crew, and more adults are added to the ORCA staff.
As Neri begins her father's mission, she is drawn farther and father away from her island. Beginning in the middle of the third season, some episodes are primarily based on land. By the fourth season, some episodes are set in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and her father's quest eventually leads her back to the "Ocean World", her home planet. Most of the plots involving the secondary kids on ORCA are reduced in the final season, in order to allow for greater exploration of Neri's homeworld. Several new characters of Neri's species are introduced. Likewise, the threat of UBRI fades, to be replaced by a new organization, PRAXIS (Preventative Response And eXtraterritorial Intelligence Service) and by rebels in the Ocean Planet. This group is dedicated to protecting against any threats posed by extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
, and its agents comes to believe Neri and her people are a problem for Earth. They thus chased Neri and the Bates boys around the world. When a mysterious underwater pyramid is discovered in the ocean, Neri and the Bates boys enter it and discover more about the Ocean Planet, and Neri's mission on Earth.
When the rebellion in the Ocean World is growing, Mera escapes to Earth and is reunited with Neri. But PRAXIS sees this pyramid as a danger to the Earth. Much of the final season is thus concerned with PRAXIS' attempt to attack the pyramid, as well as with a "Red Virus" which is spreading in the oceans of Neri's homeworld, the Ocean Plenet. Eventually, in the series finale, Jason, Brett and Neri are able to repulse PRAXIS' efforts and the rebellion, The Earth is saved, and Neri enters into a new life as princess of the Ocean World.
The Bates, Winston, Neri, Charley and the ORCA computer (H.E.L.E.N.) are the only constant characters for the show's entire run — although the actor playing Dr. Bates is recast after the second season and H.E.L.E.N. is "upgraded" in the fourth season.
Main cast
- Marzena GodeckiMarzena GodeckiMarzena Godecki is a Polish-born Australian actress. She is best known for her starring role as Neri in Ocean Girl.-Early life:...
as Neri - David HoflinDavid HoflinDavid Hoflin is a Swedish-born Australian actor. He is most famous for playing Jason Bates in Ocean Girl between 1994 and 1998, and Oliver Barnes in Neighbours between 2007 and 2008.-Career:...
as Jason Bates - Jeffrey WalkerJeffrey Walker (actor)Jeffrey Walker was an Australian child actor best known for his appearances in Ocean Girl and Round the Twist. He is currently a director of Australia's soaps Neighbours and Home and Away, and H2O: Just Add Water.-Career:Walker's first acting credit was a small role in The Flying Doctors in 1989...
as Brett Bates - Kerry ArmstrongKerry ArmstrongKerry Michelle Armstrong is an Australian actress on film, television, and stage. She is one of only two actresses to win two Australian Film Institute Awards in the same year...
as Dr. Dianne Bates (Seasons 1 and 2) - Liz BurchLiz BurchLiz Burch is an actress.-Biography:Her most high profile roles are in the television series The Flying Doctors as Dr. Chris Randall, and Liz Cameron in Cop Shop. Ms. Burch is also known for her role in the Disney TV series Five Mile Creek...
as Dr. Dianne Bates (Seasons 3 and 4) - Alex Pinder as Dr. Winston Seth
- Nicholas BellNicholas BellNicholas Bell is a British actor who has worked in Australia for more than 20 years. He is a regular actor in Melbourne Theatre Company productions as well as work with all the major broadcasters in Australia, most notably the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.-Film and television:Film credits...
as Dr. Hellegren (Seasons 1, 2 and 3) - Lauren HewettLauren HewettLauren Hewett is an Australian actress best known for her role in Ocean Girl as Mera, and also for her role as Lara Ritchie in Echo of Thunder...
as Mera (Seasons 2, 3 and 4) - Gregory Ross as Paul Bates (Season 4)
It is important to note that while Ocean Girl featured the ensemble cast listed above, there were several characters who appeared for one season each, with four children appearing in two seasons each (three in seasons 1 and 2, one in seasons 3 and 4), as well as one adult who was not part of the main cast appearing in two seasons, albeit with a changed role. Most of the cast changes were explained by their "friends" transferring back to shore, with the exception of Season 4 where it was not noted at all.
Broadcast history
The original Ocean Girl series ran on Australia's Network TenNetwork Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
between 1994 and 1998. Internationally, it was broadcast by the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
in the United States, Discovery Kids
Discovery Kids
Discovery Kids is an American website owned by Discovery Communications, Inc. created for children. Until October 10, 2010, it was an American digital cable specialty channel, owned by Discovery Communications with television programming for education of children. It was launched in October 1996...
in the United Kingdom, YTV in Canada, TSI
TSI
-Science, technology and engineering:*Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin*Time-Slot Interchange, a technique used to switch networks*Total Solar Irradiance, the total energy output of the sun*Trophic state index...
in the Italian part of Switzerland, ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
and KI.KA
KI.KA
KI.KA is a public non-commercial free television channel based in Erfurt, Germany. It is a joint venture of national public television channels ARD, and ARD's constituent broadcasting institutions – BR, HR, MDR, NDR, Radio Bremen, RBB, Saarländischer Rundfunk, SWR, WDR and ZDF, and is targeted at...
in Germany, on RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
in Ireland,on RTL4 in the Netherlands, on (TV2) in Denmark, on NRK in Norway, on Fox Kids
Fox Kids
Fox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
in Argentina and Brazil, on TV4 (Sweden) in Sweden and on Canal Panda
Canal Panda
Canal Panda is the first Portuguese cable television channel dedicated to children's programming, mostly animated series. The channel was founded in 1996 as Panda Club in Spain and Portugal, but the name was changed to Canal Panda in 1997. In 2000, the channel left Spain, thus concentrating...
in Portugal. The Disney Channel only aired the first three seasons, the last was not broadcast. Discovery Kids regularly broadcast all four seasons in continuous loops, up until 2003. The first two series were also broadcast in South Africa by the SABC at the same time as in Australia.
In the UK, the show was broadcast under the title Ocean Odyssey on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. It was aired in 1996, with a subsequent airing in 2002, though this airing halted before season 4 was complete. In 2004, the entire series was re-aired in full.
In Vietnam, it was aired on VTV3
Vietnam Television
Vietnam Television, or VTV, is the national television broadcaster for Vietnam. Like all media of Vietnam, its programming is directly controlled by the government.-History:...
twice times from 1998 to 1999 and had totally 81 episodes (instead of 78).
The show has recently been repeated on the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in Australia, as part of their ABC Kids
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
afternoon block of children's programs.
Now it broadcasting in Sri Lanka.
The Complete series is now airing on Perth's West TV
West TV
West TV or WTV, previously New Visions 31, is a free-to-air community television station that began broadcasting in standard definition digital format on logical channel 44 in Perth on 10 April 2010 at 10 am.-History:...
- Sundays at 5.30pm and encore screenings the following Saturday at 11.30am
The Series is now airing (2011) on the NSW ABC3
ABC3
-Future shows:Programming confirmed for future broadcast will include:* After School Care * Bindi's Boot Camp * Bushwacked! * Dance Academy * Dancing Down Under...
DVD release
Umbrella Entertainment began releasing the series, starting with Season 1, on 7 November 2005 and Season 2 on 3 March 2007. Season 3 was released on 30 June 2008. Season 4 has been released on 27 June 2009.The DVD sets are in the PAL format, and will only play on set-top DVD players that support this playback mode. (This limitation does not apply to DVD players in computers.) The discs from all four seasons were released supporting DVD region code
DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 - which effectively allows the discs to be played in any region.