By the Bel: Blasts from the Past — Part 6

I would like to introduce you to a series that was shot from 1994 right through until 1997.

Ocean Girl

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScsPLZRIExQ&feature=related

brought environmental concerns to the forefront of our minds. It was directed by Mark Defriest, Colin Budds, Brendan Maher, Judith John-Story. The writing credits go to Peter Hepworth, Niel Luxmoore, David Phillips, Michael Joshua, Judith Colquhoun, Alison Nisselle, Jenny Sharp, Lois Booton, Helen MacWhirter, Graham Hartley, Everett De Roche, Colin Budds and Jonathan M. Shiff, and it was shot in both North Queensland and Victoria.

IMDB usually has a synopsis on the  program, but I guess because the series went for so long it is a little hard to pin down to a 10-line summary. I’ll try.

Neri, (a girl who can talk to whales and lives alone in paradise) is discovered by the teenage son of a marine scientist, Jason, and his little brother, Brett. They become fast friends and together they overcome many issues surrounding conservation, pollution, illegal whaling, and keeping Neri secret.

Casting was brilliant for this program. Jeffrey Walker who you may know better as Bronson from Round the Twist, and Kerry Armstrong from SeaChange, as well as Lauren Hewett from the second season of Spellbinder, combined to create a solid foundation for the new ecologically aware series.

The mid-nineties had us concerned with saving the earth. Reduce, reuse, recycle was becoming the catchcry of the under 20’s and Ocean Girl came in at the perfect time. The twist in the tail that made this series a little more sci fi was the hinting that Neri wasn’t quite ‘human’; but you’ll have to find that out for yourself.

I’ll continue on with my nostalgia in future instalments. Hope you don’t mind.