I just re-watched my off-air copies of this series and I absolutely loved it, just like the first time I saw it. Unlike a lot of Science Fiction, because the series is set in 1861 it doesn't look dated watching it now. And it's great fun, well-produced, with exciting, well-told stories, and some great acting.
In this, Jules Verne is a struggling want to be author, with a few plays to his credit but years before he would become the Father of SF. (Yes, they are off in their dating, but oh well).
Jules also has visions of the future, visions he records in his stories and drawings -- which brings him to the attention of the sinister League of Darkness, and their horribly deformed leader, Count Gregory (a wonderful Steampunk villian more machine than man). But Jules also meets a small group of people destined to be his friends: the gentleman gambler and ex-secret service agent Phileas Fogg, and his cousin Rebecca Fogg (Now a current secret service agent). In the pilot, Phileas acquires the Aurora, a dirigible airship, and Passepartout the Aurora's pilot and his new valet.
But the characters all have their quirks, that make them fascinating to watch: Phileas, having just lost his brother, Erasmus on a deadly secret service mission gone wrong, has quit the service and is wracked by guilt and horrible depression (to the point of not caring if he lives or dies) -- meeting Verne changes his life, bringing him out of his melancholy. Passepartout is not your average valet -- he's an engineer capable of making many of his own inventions as well as creating items Verne sees in his visions. Rebecca is a 19th century Emma Peel -- secret service agent, complete with gadgets and disguises. Verne, himself, is portrayed as an enthusiastic, idealistic dreamer, not so confident in his ability to become a real writer.
The plots borrow from the novels of both Jules Verne and HG Wells -- featuring time travel, other dimensions, rocket-power vampires, giant mole machines, ghosts, and golems. In short, 19th century gothic fantasy and SF fun.
Please bring this series out on professional DVD. And please use the longer Canadian versions as masters, not the horribly cut-up version (missing 5 or more minutes) from the US SF channel.
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