australian television information archive

Into The Light

Episode 3.18 (70)
UK: Monday, April 12, 2010
Aus: Fri, April 27, 2012
Written by Sam Carroll
Directed by Colin Budds

The fracture between the girls deepens as Rikki continues to spend more time hiding out on her own at Mako Island. When she finds Ryan conducting tests on Mako Island to try to locate the source of the unusual rock, she returns to Cleo and Bella to seek their aid to stop him. They're doubtful of her claim about Ryan and are hurt from the secret she chose to hide from them.

Rikki finds herself on her own and when she discovers Sophie's having secret sponsorship meetings with Zane she's pushed to the edge. But Rikki's proven right about Ryan and Will is forced to stop her going too far using her new powers to defend the Moon Pool from him. Ryan flees, unsure of the source of the strange phenomenon he encountered in the cavern. The incident awakens Rikki to realise she's gone too far and she reconciles with Will and the girls.

With: Burgess Abernathy as Zane, Taryn Marler as Sophie, Cleo Massey as Kim, Penni Gray as Sam, Andrew Lees as Ryan, Alan David Lee as Don Sertori

Breakaway

Episode 3.19 (71)
UK: Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Aus: Fri, May 04, 2012
Written by Anthony Morris
Directed by Colin Budds

It's the day of the Gold Coast Free Diving Championship and Will's attempt at setting a new record. Sophie's excited but Will is unfazed. It's very apparent that Sophie's ambitions for Will's success are the main force driving him. Bella quietly encourages Will to find his own reason and to rediscover his attraction to free-diving for the event. But after breaking the record and winning the competition, Will chooses to shrug off his sister's influence in his life and not pursue any further competitions.

Finding being around Zane awkward, Rikki reluctantly goes to the Marine Park with Cleo for a change of air. A simple job to assist her brings Rikki to interact with Ronnie the dolphin and brightens her outlook. The girls discretely attend the championship as mermaids to cheer Will on, but when Rikki sees Sophie kissing Zane in the celebrations she breaks off her relationship with Zane permanently.

With: Burgess Abernathy as Zane, Jamie Timony as Nate, Taryn Marler as Sophie, Alan David Lee as Don Sertori

Queen For A Day

Episode 3.20 (72)
UK: Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Aus: Fri, May 11, 2012
Written by Samantha Strauss
Directed by Colin Budds

With Rikki departed from the café, Zane hires Sophie to replace her as manager and she immediately asserts her new authority — changing staff as well as the decor of the café. Kim gets a job in the new regime which she relishes and begins to mimic her mentor, Sophie, at work and home, driving Cleo mad. Sophie's changes coincide with an allergic reaction in Bella that sets her mermaid powers off involuntarily and inhibits her singing in the band. Will and Rikki attempt to solve the mysterious cause of Bella's unusual ailment while Sophie threatens to replace the band in the café if Bella can't perform.

Meanwhile, Cleo's encouraged to step in for Bella as lead singer under Nate's keen tutorage. Rikki finds the surprise solution to Bella's problem and confronts the uneasy situation with Zane and Sophie — reclaiming her freedom to attend the café and return for the band's big gig.

With: Burgess Abernathy as Zane, Jamie Timony as Nate, Taryn Marler as Sophie, Cleo Massey as Kim, Penni Gray as Sam, Mouche Phillips as Ms Taylor, Ben Timony as Jason, Jarreau La Castra as Lead Guitarist, Hamish Orr as Bass Player, Gemma Forsythe as Suzie, Alan David Lee as Don Sertori

Notes: the only H2O episode written by Samantha Strauss who goes on to co-create and write the award-winning series Dance Academy in which Cariba Heine appears in a reoccurring role. Guest actor Gemma Forsythe (the fired waitress, pic #2) will have a regular role in the H2O spin-off Mako Mermaids.

The Jewel Thief

Episode 3.21 (73)
UK: Wed, April 14, 2010
Aus: Fri, May 18, 2012
Written by Simon Butters
Directed by Colin Budds

Will presents Rikki with her own necklace made from the crystal they discovered in the Mako rock. The entire group make a startling discovery when Cleo notices an attraction between Rikki and Bella's crystals. Experimenting further the girls find when they touch them together an immense energy is released which creates a power surge in Cleo's home and disrupts an important program for Don on the TV!
Will notes the girls' reactions to the surge and it appears they retain energy from the full moon. Inspired, Cleo successfully leads the girls to find another crystal in the wall of the Moon Pool. In an effort to regain Rikki's attention, Zane steals the new necklace. Rikki confronts Zane who's desperate to retain their relationship. When Rikki isn't interested and Zane becomes unreasonable, Cleo and Bella are forced to use the power of the crystals to recover Rikki's necklace. In the process, Sophie comes perilously close to recognising the crystals' magic.

With: Burgess Abernathy as Zane, Taryn Marler as Sophie, Cleo Massey as Kim, Penni Gray as Sam, Andrew Lees as Ryan, Alan David Lee as Don Sertori

Mako Masters

Episode 3.22 (74)
UK: Wed, April 14, 2010
Aus: Fri, May 25, 2012
Written by Philip Dalkin
Directed by Colin Budds

Rikki, Cleo and Bella sit their final exams, which happen to coincide with the full moon. While Cleo's aware of the full moon effect, she is intent on excelling in her subjects. She's thrown in a spin when the girls realise the moon will rise early and they're all astonished when this time water attacks them in public in the exam room! Will helps the girls conceal and escape the water attack and in the commotion the exam is suspended.

Rikki convinces Cleo and Bella they should trust the water force at Mako Island and face it directly. They do — and when the moon reaches its zenith over the cupola in the Moon Pool they are presented with a message that appears to relate to them the formation of their special island from a comet. Zane and Will arrive — Zane eager to atone after the trouble he caused on the last full moon — but both are rebuked by the girls when they interrupt the precious message. The next day the girls complete their exam and excel. But Cleo is still uncertain if the message they saw was complete…

With: Burgess Abernathy as Zane, Taryn Marler as Sophie, Mouche Phillips as Ms Taylor, Alan David Lee as Don Sertori

Beach Party

Episode 3.23 (75)
UK: Thu, April 15, 2010
Aus: Fri, June 01, 2012
Written by Anthony Morris
Directed by Colin Budds

Bella's hoping Will will invite her to the end of year party but when he turns to Rikki for advice as to how to approach Bella, Bella comes to the conclusion he's interested in Rikki instead. Out of annoyance and desperation she asks Nate to the dance. Will feels he's missed his chance and he and Rikki decide to go as friends.

Zane too gets the wrong impression when he asks to accompany Rikki to the party — to mend their rift. He jumps to the conclusion she's got another date. Sophie does her best to inflame the situation so Zane will recognise her own interest in him. At the party, tempers flare as everyone continues to leap to the wrong assumptions about their dates. Zane arrives and is incensed to see Rikki with Will and picks a fight with him. In the confrontation, fists fly, drinks are spilled and Bella rushes out. Will finally admits his feelings for Bella and in the twilight shadows away from the main party, they finally kiss.

With: Burgess Abernathy as Zane, Jamie Timony as Nate, Cleo Massey as Kim, Taryn Marler as Sophie, Andrew Lees as Ryan, Ben Timony as Jason, Jarreau La Castra as Lead Guitarist, Hamish Orr as Bass Player, Alan David Lee as Don Sertori

Too Close For Comfort

Episode 3.24 (76)
UK: Thu, April 15, 2010
Aus: Fri, June 08, 2012
Written by Max Dann
Directed by Colin Budds

Wanting to take his family on a vacation, Don begins a second job at the Marine Park where he rapidly gains a fan-following with the children as "Cap'n Don" on the pirate ship attraction. Cleo attempts to curb Cap'n Don's enthusiasm but gets into trouble when she's thrown overboard during his show and only narrowly escapes being seen as a mermaid.

Don chooses to step back when he realises his popularity is threatening Cleo's dolphin show and her job. Cleo's touched and he leaves her with a suggestion to vamp up her own show! Now an item, Bella and Will look to involve themselves further in each others' interests. But in their efforts, Will's musical comments get him banned from band rehearsals, while Bella accidentally breaks Will's best fossil! They have their first argument and recognise perhaps they aren't very compatible — until they realise the best connection they share is with the sea.

With: Burgess Abernathy as Zane, Jamie Timony as Nate, Cleo Massey as Kim, Taryn Marler as Sophie, Penni Gray as Sam, Matthew Okine as Laurie, Ben Timony as Jason, Jarreau La Castra as Lead Guitarist, Hamish Orr as Bass Player, Zane Allabadlah as Horatio, Bradd Buckley as Pirate #1, Stephen Harman as Pirate #2, Renee Bowen as Cleo Stunt Double, Alan David Lee as Don Sertori

A Date With Destiny

Episode 3.25 (77)
UK: Friday, April 16, 2010
Aus: Fri, June 15, 2012
Written by Chris Roache
Directed by Colin Budds

The mermaids discover fish have fled the waters around Mako Island and the water in their Moon Pool appears to be warming up. The unusual changes lead Cleo to reinvestigate the cavern and Rikki senses an unsettling energy in the cave. Meanwhile, Sophie meets Ryan whose interest in Mako Island is reawakened after he's sent there by Sam to investigate the changes in the environment and he notices the unique crystals in the necklaces the girls wear. The pair connect, Ryan feeling an important scientific discovery is near and Sophie recognising the potential to profit from the valuable crystals.

Sophie uses Ryan to convince Zane to use the last of his money to help them locate the source of the crystals. At home, Cleo's stunned to learn from Sam that the absence of fish in the waters may be due to a passing comet. The girls regroup in the Moon Pool and using the power of their own crystals, restart the message they saw on the last full moon to discover its full purpose as a warning of a collision by the comet.

With: Burgess Abernathy as Zane, Taryn Marler as Sophie, Penni Gray as Sam, Andrew Lees as Ryan, Ben Timony as Jason, Jarreau La Castra as Lead Guitarist, Hamish Orr as Bass Player, Alan David Lee as Don Sertori

Graduation

Episode 3.26 (78)
UK: Friday, April 16, 2010
Aus: Fri, June 22, 2012
Written by Joss King
Directed by Colin Budds

While the world celebrates the spectacle of the rare comet, Cleo, Rikki and Bella know it's destined to strike earth and set out to stop it. Bella locates an ancient tale from when the comet last passed about how a tower of light shot from the earth, touched the comet and saved them from cataclysm. On hearing that a young girl named Eva was responsible for the light, the girls realise the tentacle's potential.

Meanwhile, in an effort to recover more unique crystals, Sophie and Ryan damage the Moon Pool's ability to create the magical energy the mermaids need. The girls combine their powers to create their own tower of light and risk everything in an attempt to direct it toward the comet. They succeed and prevent a collision, saving everybody and fulfilling their destiny as mermaids. Later, Rikki, Cleo and Bella graduate from school to enter a new phase of their lives, forever bound by the sea and their shared secret.

With: Burgess Abernathy as Zane, Jamie Timony as Nate, Cleo Massey as Kim, Taryn Marler as Sophie, Penni Gray as Sam, Andrew Lees as Ryan, Mouche Phillips as Ms Taylor, Ben Timony as Jason, Jarreau La Castra as Lead Guitarist, Hamish Orr as Bass Player, Alan David Lee as Don Sertori, Angus McLaren as Lewis

Note: Lucy Fry makes a cameo appearance at the graduation ceremony where she is called out by name. She will star in Jonathan M Shiff's next series Lightning Point and the H2O spin-off Mako Mermaids

Notes: After the conclusion of H2O, Angus McLaren continued to star in Packed to the Rafters, Cariba Heine had a reoccuring role on Dance Academy, Indiana Evans starred in the 2011 ABC drama Crownies (and it's spin-off Janet King), Phoebe Tonkin landed a starring role in the CW series The Secret Circle. Claire Holt also found success in the USA in 2011 appearing in Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries.

2011 Update: a new 26 episode series called Mako - Island of Secrets has been officially announced that will tell the story of "a 15 year old boy, Zac, who goes camping on Mako Island and is monitored by mermaids Sirena, Nixie and Lyla. After an encounter on a full moon he gains fin-like feet and the ability to control water, causing trouble to the mermaids."

2016 Update: Cariba Heine reprises her role of RIkki in the third and final series of Mako Mermaids.