AustLit logo
person or book cover
Screen cap from opening titles
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Ocean Girl follows the adventures of Jason and Brett Bates, who move with their mother (a reasearch scientist studying whale song) to an underwater research station near Port Douglas. There, they accidentally meet Neri, a young girl with super-human strength, the ability to breathe underwater, and an affinity for communicating with whales. As the series progresses through four seasons, the Bateses (and the audience) learn more about Neri's arrival on Earth, her home planet, and the ecosystem of their own home planet.

Ocean Girl, one of the earliest productions to come out of Jonathan M. Shiff Productions, is creator Jonathan Shiff's first science-fiction program; his name has subsequently become synonymous with children's science-fiction and fantasy television programs, through such shows as Cybergirl and H2O.

Ocean Girl is ecological science fiction, in that it uses the genre of science fiction to explore the consequences of exploiting Earth's resources. For example, as the program progresses, Dr Dianne Bates (mother of protagonists Jason and Brett) shifts from her early role as cetologist to a more active role as environmental protectionist, in response to the increasing threat of building large underwater constructions in the delicate ecosystem around ORCA. Similarly, season four shows the devastating effects of a 'Red Virus' on the oceans of Neri's home world.

Exhibitions

12323339
8967475
12332717
11075359
15866441
15826549

Notes

  • Award-winning and individually published episodes in this series are included on AustLit.

Includes

4.21
form y separately published work icon Ocean Girl [Series 4, Episode 21] Annie Fox , Australia : Jonathan M. Shiff Productions , 1997 6045742 1997 single work film/TV

'Paul and Brett Bates are given an audience with the President of the Global Union to voice their opposition to Praxis' adversarial stand against the aliens and are granted an immediate suspension of all attack preparations. Malakat tells Shersheba and Mera that he was responsible for the creation and release of the Red Virus on the Ocean Planet. Hauser discovers that Ilona is a spy from the Ocean Planet when she walks in on her making a report back to Malakat. Realising its potential for good, Neri retrieves the ankh back to her island. Hauser tells Cass and Winston about Ilona and asks for their help in 'understanding' the aliens. Mera locates a hidden passage in her cell inside the pyramid which gives her access to a source of water. Shersheba rebukes Malakat for his arrogance and controlling behavior reminding him that she will be the one in power when Earth is conquered, Malakat in response stops advising her on what actions to take. Feeling the need to do something, Shersheba takes a vial of the red virus and released it into the ocean.'

Source: Australian Television Information Archive. (Sighted: 12/6/2013)

Australia : Jonathan M. Shiff Productions , 1997

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Settings:
  • Port Douglas, Mossman - Port Douglas area, Port Douglas - Cooktown area, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland,
Newspapers:
    Powered by Trove
    X