The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne

This is a show I really wanted to succeed. I've been a fan of shows like The Wild Wild West, The Avengers and Doctor Who all my life. And since this show is, in essence, an amalgam of all three, I eagerly looked forward to seeing it. I really wanted it to work.

And most of it does.

The production design, photography and visual effects are very good, especially for a rather modestly budgeted production. And although Chris Demetral is a little wan as Jules Verne, the rest of the cast is top-notch, particularly Francesca Hunt as British secret agent Rebecca Fogg. Hunt's is one of the best-realized performances I have ever seen, an absolutely perfect match of actor and role. As good as they are, though, it's hard for them to get past the cliché-ridden, haphazardly plotted, predictable scripting (particularly by series creator Gavin Scott, who was, as I understand it, deposed halfway through the series' 22 episode run).

This is a show that would probably benefit from getting a few more episodes under its belt. But I wouldn't hold my breath. Despite initially getting a great timeslot on the Sci-Fi channel (right after their most popular show, Farscape) the show failed to garner much of an audience and is now banished to the middle of the night graveyard shift , where no one will see it.