The Secret Saturdays

The Secret Saturdays
File:SecretSat logo.jpg The Secret Saturdays logo
Genre	Animated Action/Adventure
Created by	Jay Stephens
Starring	Phil Morris Nicole Sullivan Sam Lerner Diedrich Bader Fred Tatasciore Corey Burton
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	26
Production
Producer	Fred Schaefer Scott Jeralds
Running time	22 minutes approx.
Production company	Porchlight Entertainment
Original release
Network	Cartoon Network
Release	October 3, 2008 – present

The Secret Saturdays (originally called Cryptids) is an American animated television series created by Canadian cartoonist Jay Stephens (creator of the Emmy-winning cartoon, Tutenstein) for Cartoon Network. It debuted on October 3, 2008. The series is about a family of cryptozoologists that work to keep the truth about cryptids from getting out, to protect both the human race and the creatures themselves. Traveling all over the world, the Saturdays family face off against twisted villains like the megalomaniac V.V. Argost. The series is influenced by the style of 60s Hanna-Barbara action series (such as Johnny Quest), and is combined with Jay Stephens own personal interest in cryptozoology.

History

When Stephens first pitched the show, it was called Cryptids, after the monsters undiscovered by science. It involved a crack team of globe trotting cryptozoologists that were uniquely qualified for the job because they were once cryptids themselves. Okapi, Komodo, and Megamouth, along with their nine-year-old human mascot, Francis, served as a sort of anti-detective team. They scooted across land, sea, and air in what is called Campercopter, and their goal is to preserve the mystery of the world’s strangest creatures before they are exposed by humans or destroyed by the Cryptids' nemesis, Monsieur Dodo. When this version got him nowhere with many networks—though they all did show interest for some time—he went "back to the drawing board".

File:Saturdays.jpg

Promotional image released for the series when it was first announced at the CN Upfront 2007.

Months later, the show was picked up by Cartoon Network, due to the network (at the time) wanting more action shows due to the success of Ben 10. Nine-year-old Francis became 11-year-old Zak Saturday, and many of the original characters were canned. For a time, the network wanted the show's name to be The Secret Adventures Of Zak Saturday, but it was later re-decided. Unlike other mystery shows, the goal of 'The Secret Saturdays' aren't to expose the truth about cryptids, but to keep them secret. The art style of the show was influenced by the artwork of Alex Toth and 60s Hanna-Barbara action cartoons, such as Jonny Quest and The Herculoids.

In July 2008, Cartoon Network started a viral campaign for the show. Several commercials for a website called 'Cryptids Are Real' aired on Cartoon Network. Each commercial featured a pet of the Saturday family: One showed Fiskerton, another Komodo, and a final one showed Zon. On one area of the website held a 'secret' document. While most of the words were blacked-out, the names of Drew and Doc (two of the main characters) were revealed. The website also showed a blueprint of the Saturdays family's airship. During San Diego Comic-Con 2008, booklets about a show called Weirdworld (the show-within-a-show) were given out, with the website for it on the back of them. Unlike the previous website, this one couldn't be traced back to Cartoon Network. Later, commercials for Weirdworld aired on Cartoon Network for a few weeks before a commercial for The Secret Saturdays itself was aired on August 14, 2008.

In July 2008, it was speculated that the "Montauk Monster" that washed ashore in Long Island could have been a viral campaign for The Secret Saturdays.

Plot

Doc, Drew and Zak Saturday are a family of world-saving scientists called "The Secret Saturdays". Living in a hidden base, they are part of a secret organization of cryptozoologists known as The Secret Scientists who protect mankind against all the hidden and terrifying things in the world. In this show, folktales aren’t just legends, but actual mysteries and adventures that the Saturdays family must solve. Traveling all over the world, the Saturdays explore ancient temples and bottomless caves, and battle with twisted villains like the madman V.V. Argost (who hides his evil plans under his TV show Weird World) and rival cryptozoologist Van Rook. Scouring the globe in search of cryptids, the Saturdays attempt to keep the existence of these unusual beasts secret, to protect mankind and the creatures themselves. But at the end of the day, the Saturdays and their exotic cryptid pets are a loving bunch, trying to work through everyday family matters and squabbles.

Characters

Heroes

• Doc Saturday (Phil Morris): Solomon "Doc" Saturday is the father and the "Indiana Jones"-like character who spent his whole life studying cryptids and builds many of the gadgets the family uses. A person who takes science very seriously, Doc is one of the world’s leading experts in the field of cryptozoology. A loving father who is very paternal, he often tries to teach his son Zak responsibility. Doc has incredible strength and is trained in 14 different forms of martial arts.
• Drew Saturday (Nicole Sullivan): Drew Saturday is the mother and the one who "believes in the magic". Thus, she is willing to believe in something before the evidence is found. Being raised by gypsies, she is used to traveling around the world. Drew Saturday is always encouraging Zak to try a new things like tribal dancing or sand painting. But when there's a risk of danger, Drew gets a little over-protective of her only son. She's a mystic who is well-versed in the world’s cultures and can blend in anywhere her travels may take her.
• Zak Saturday (Sam Lerner): Zak Saturday is the 11-year-old son of Doc and Drew Saturday who jumps right away into every adventure. Zak has an unorthodox upbringing that has taken him around the world and placed him in the face of danger since the day he was born. Zak has a special bond with cryptids, and may have the power to communicate with them. Tamer cryptids seem to trust him instinctively, and fiercer ones can tell that Zak is different from other humans. Since Zak was born the same year the Kur Stone was found, he may hold the power to stop the cryptid, Kur, if it is ever unleashed. Dispite the fact that V.V. Argost is his enemy, he seems to be a fan of his show weird world.
• Fiskerton (Diedrich Bader): Fiskerton is an seven-foot-tall "gorilla-cat" with glowing red eyes. He is one of the last of a legendary race of cryptids called "Fiskerton Phantoms" that was adopted by the Saturday family when he lost his home in Nottinghamshire, England. Although he is the oldest (and largest) member of the family, Fiskerton is like an innocent kid brother to Zak. While he may be a fraidy-cat at times, when trouble is afoot, he is great (and strong) ally to have.
• Komodo (Fred Tatasciore): Komodo is a 250-pound, genetically-altered komodo dragon owned by the Saturday family that has a voracious appetite. Komodo’s few strands of mutated DNA make him unique, giving him the chameleon-like ability to blend in with his surroundings, something that comes in handy when Zak needs a partner for his stealth explorations. However, despite being as loyal as man's best friend, he would change his allegiance for a good meal.
• Zon (Fred Tatasciore): Zon is a surviving member of a thought to-be-extinct Pterosaur species called Ornithocheirus who lives in a nest near the Saturday Headquarters, but aren't truly owned by them. She was when she got caught in the sails of one of Doc’s flying machines over the Amazon River and tried to eat Doc's head. Soon after, she formed a friendship with Zak and now uses the cliffs where the Saturdays live as her new hunting grounds. Unafraid of humans, she allows Zak to comb her mane and ride her. But she absolutely resists the family’s domestication efforts and refuses to give up the great outdoors. She likes chewing Doc's head.

Allies

• Dr. Miranda Gray (Susanne Blakeslee) - A fellow Secret Scientist.
• Dr. Henry Chiveyo (Diedrich Bader) - A fellow Secret Scientist.
• Professor Mizuki - A scientist who's body was swapped with that of a Hibagon while working for Fuzen. He formerly sought revenge against him but was convinced by Doc to let go. He now lives in a cave lab working on a way to turn back to normal.

Villains

• V.V. Argost (Corey Burton): The series' main villain and host of the popular show Weirdworld. His show has made him "the modern master of the bizarre" of the world. His museum of cryptid relics and trinkets is really an arsenal of magical objects the plans to use to get his hands on the most powerful cryptid of all, Kur. According to an ancient tablet, Kur is a source of unlimited power and everlasting life for whoever can find and capture it. Argost peppers his speech with French words and phrases, and his most common greeting to others is "Greetings and bienvenue."
  • Munya (Fred Tatasciore): V.V. Argost's manservant. He can inject himself with the DNA of a Papuan Giant Spider to transform into a half-human/half-spider monster in battles. It is not yet clear if he can only do this with the Papuan Giant Spider or if he can take the DNA of other cryptids and use them to similar effect.
• Leondias Van Rook (Corey Burton): A rival cryptozoologist and ally of V.V. Argost. Leondias Van Rook is solely interested in proving the existence of cryptids for money. Similar to Doc Saturday, he is an inventor and has many high-tech gadgets.
  • Doyle (Will Friedle): Van Rook's sidekick/apprentice. Doc made a casual comment about what he did to Van Rooks' last apprentice, insinuating Doyle is not the first to work under the villain's wing.
• Shoji Fuzen (James Sie) - A Japanese crimelord posing as a philanthropist. He used Professor Mizuki and a mind-swapping headgear for his evil, but didn't expect Professor Mizuki to use his invention to swap his mind with a Hibagon. This caused Shoji to pursue the Mizuki/Hibagon and reclaim him and his knowledge of his invention. Shoji ended up a target of the professor's vengeance. After a pep talk from Doc, Professor Mizuki spared him and Shoji was handed over to the police.

Episodes

Creator Jay Stephens has stated that the first 26 episodes will have a huge story arc, most likely based on the Kur Stone first mentioned in the pilot.

External links

• Jay Stephens' Blog
• Advanced Review of "The Secret Saturdays" Review of the series at AnimationInsider.net
• "The Secret Saturdays": An Uncertain Finding Review of the series at ToonZone.net
• The Secret Saturdays Coming To Cartoon Network Review of the series at ComicVine.com
• CN Upfront (Go to "New Shows", then click show's logo)
• Cryptids Are Real!, viral marketing website
• Weirdworld Show, fake website for the show within a show: Weirdworld

#	Title	Writer(s)	Director(s)	Airdate
1	"The Kur Stone: Part One"	Scott Jeralds	Brandon Sawyer	October 3, 2008
V.V. Argost returns looking for the Kur Stone that was taken from him by The Secret Scientists a decade ago. He manages to steal two of the pieces from Dr. Gray and Dr. Chiveyo. Returning from Africa and discovering his plan, the Saturdays go to see Chiveyo. Discovering that Argost used a Cryptid Parasite on Chiveyo, and that they revealed the location of the last piece to him, they must get to Brazil. That is, if they can survive the Firecracker Beetle trap Argost made for them.
2	"The Kur Stone: Part Two"	Scott Jeralds	Brandon Sawyer	October 3, 2008
The Saturdays, Fiskerton, and Komodo head to Manaus, Brazil to prevent V.V. Argost from getting to the last piece of the Kur Stone. They are attacked and captured by Argost and Munya as soon as they dig up the third piece of the stone. Despite being able to escape, and putting up a good fight against Argost, he manages to get away with the third piece of the stone. An Ornithocheirus joins the family and is christened 'Zon' by Zak. The episode ends with Argost at his home, with the glowing Kur Stone hidden behind a curtain.
3	"The Vengeance of Hibagon"	Unknown	Unknown	October 10, 2008
When the Saturdays family travels to Tokyo, Japan to check out the attacking Hibagon who is actually a professor trapped in a cryptid's body seeking revenge on Japanese crimelord Shoji Fuzen.
4	""Ice Caverns of Ellef Ringes""	Unknown	Unknown	October 17, 2008
When checking out some ice caverns in the Arctic, the Saturdays get captured by Van Rook, Doyle, and some wolf-like cryptids.