Nowhere Boys: episode guide

Series 1 | Series 2 | Movie | Series 3 | Series 4

Episode 1.01

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Thu, Nov 07, 2013 (6:30)
Written by Roger Monk
Directed by Daina Reid

Four Year 10 students — Andy, Felix, Jake and Sam — are forced to buddy up for an orienteering exercise in the rugged Bremin Ranges, on the outskirts of their hometown, Bremin. The boys are from very different friendship groups and do not really get along, so when they are expected to collaborate they are not happy. Halfway through the orienteering course, they decide to take a shortcut that very quickly gets them lost.

Andy, Felix, Jake and Sam must put aside their differences and work out how best to survive the night. As a freak lightning storm takes hold, the boys' fertile imaginations run amok. But there is really something out there. A ferocious, snarling thing stalks the boys from the undergrowth.

For Andy, a diehard nerd stifled by his family's over-protectiveness, getting lost is an opportunity to prove himself as a man of action and follow in the footsteps of his hero, Bear Grylls. Being an outsider is nothing new to Goth Felix, who is more than willing to embrace the weirdness of the situation. Alpha jock Jake uses a bullying demeanour to cover his vulnerability, while golden boy Sam — for whom nothing ever goes wrong — doesn't see the seriousness in their predicament.

The boys finally manage to make it out of the forest — alive and triumphant — with help from eccentric bushman Roland. Upon their return to Bremin, the boys discover that no one seems fazed by their disappearance. Where are their anxiously waiting families? Where are the TV crews? Something has changed.

Felix is shocked and delighted to discover that his younger brother, Oscar, is no longer wheelchair-bound, but Oscar doesn't seem to know who Felix is. The others also return to their homes and families to find that things are not as they were. Has something happened to Bremin while the boys were lost in the forest? Or has something happened to the boys?

Starring: Dougie Baldwin as Felix, Joel Lok as Andy, Rahart Sadiqzai as Sam, Matthew Testro as Jake

With: Michala Banas as Phoebe, Nicholas Coghlan as Mr. Bates, Jim Russell as Roland, Darci McDonald as Ellen, Tamala Shelton as Mia, Sean Rees-Wemyss as Oscar, Ben Anderson as Ken, Heidi Arena as Kathy, Nicole Nabout as Dee, Libby Tanner as Sarah, Pearl Tam as Nicole, Cecilia Tan as Lily, Anthony Brandon Wong as Michael, Dom Phelan as Phil, Zelman Cressey Gladwin as Dylan, Daniel Di Giovanni as Vince, Lester Ellis as Pete, Michelle Gerster as Viv, Logan Phillips as Trent, Sam Sharwood as Mike

Note: Michaela Banas and Dougie Baldwin also appear together in the ABC comedy Upper Middle Bogan on which they play mother and son

Episode 1.02

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Thu, November 14, 2013
Written by Rhys Graham
Directed by Daina Reid

After their heroic survival, Andy, Jake and Sam return to their Bremin lives, but are shocked that their families and friends no longer recognise them or miss them.

Andy's scientific senses are in overdrive as he forms a hypothesis that their loved ones have experienced a collective amnesia as a result of the trauma of the boys going missing. But Andy's high-concept theory isn't able to explain other strange goings-on. His goody two-shoes older sister, Viv, is now a rock chick who has desecrated Andy's bedroom with girly paraphernalia.

Once the wonder-child and most popular boy at school, Sam has to come to terms with his relative invisibility. His family and parents don't know him and his school friends have forgotten all about him.

Despite Felix's initial delight that his younger brother is no longer confined to a wheelchair, he must come to terms with being a true outsider when his best friend, Ellen — who has now apparently de-Gothed herself — pays him out as a freak.

But it is Jake who is hit the hardest. Before he got lost, he was the man of the house for single mother Sarah, who worked dead-end jobs to support the two of them without any help from Jake's good-for-nothing dad, Gary. Sarah is now a successful real estate agent married to Jake's science teacher, Mr Bates.

With: Darci McDonald as Ellen, Sean Rees-Wemyss as Oscar, Jesse Williams as Sammy, Cecilia Tan as Lily, Nicholas Coghlan as Mr. Bates, Michelle Gerster as Viv, Libby Tanner as Sarah, Lester Ellis as Pete, Daniel Di Giovanni as Vince, Samuel O'Connor as Telly, Nicole Nabout as Dee, Heidi Arena as Kathy, Dom Phelan as Phil, Damien Richardson as Gary, Syd Brisbane as Jim, Simon Mallory as Roberts, Peter Stefanou as Tom, Darren Cox as Personal Trainer, Jerry Barolli as Rocco, Bill Staley as Sam Skating Double

Episode 1.03

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Thu, November 21, 2013
Written by Craig Irvin
Directed by Daina Reid

The boys' survival instincts kick into gear as they scavenge for food and set up a home in the derelict shack. What proves more difficult is coming to terms with their loss of identity. It's one thing to be forgotten, but it's starting to look like they never existed.

Andy, Felix and Jake break into Bremin High searching for proof of themselves in the school records. All they find is the dismaying confirmation that no evidence exists of them ever being students there. Then the upside dawns: nonexistence means absolute freedom. To celebrate this realisation, the boys run riot in the gym, unaware of a security camera filming their destructive fun.

Meanwhile, Sam finds a romantic carving made by himself and his girlfriend, Mia, only a month before. Buoyed by what he considers to be tangible proof that he exists, Sam searches for Mia to confirm his identity. His hopes are crushed when Mia doesn't recognise him. Nevertheless, the presence of the carving gives the other boys hope that there is still some semblance of them in the world. Perhaps the effects of their 'erasure', if that's what it is, can be reversed? Jake convinces Sam to show Mia the proof in the hope that it will jog her memory.

Sam returns to Mia and shows her a photograph of the carving. When Mia reveals that she made it with her boyfriend, Sammy, Sam is stunned to find himself facing off against a smarmy younger version of himself. A desperate Sam confronts his mother, Dee, but like everyone else, she still doesn't recognise Sam at all and, worse still, suffers a violent physical reaction to him. Gutted, Sam returns to their hideout to join his new, mismatched family.

If these setbacks aren't enough, the 'thing' that stalked the boys in the forest makes a scary return.

With: Darci McDonald as Ellen, Tamala Shelton as Mia, Jesse Williams as Sammy, Ben Anderson as Ken, Nicole Nabout as Dee, Daniel Di Giovanni as Vince, Lester Ellis as Pete, Terry Carter as Delivery Driver, Clare Dea as Cloaked Figure

Episode 1.04

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Thu, November 28, 2013
Written by Rhys Graham
Directed by Daina Reid

Huddled inside the hideout, the boys find themselves held captive by a freak storm. It is a terrifying night.

When the boys emerge the next morning, they discover strange configurations of debris scattered around their hideout. Andy's search for a scientific explanation and Felix's belief that magic is at play causes conflict and the group part ways: Andy and Jake head to Lily Lau's restaurant to obtain bait to trap the panther which Andy believes has caused the markings; Felix and Sam head to Arcane Lane in search of more mystical answers.

Using Sam to distract Phoebe, Arcane Lane's mysterious proprietor, Felix discovers an old tome that identifies the hideout configurations as a demonic centrifuge. Disturbed, he buys an amulet for protection — but will it work?

Andy's ninja aspirations fall flat when he is sprung and entrapped by his hostile family while trying to pilfer the bait. Despite his best efforts, Andy fails to convince his father, that he really is his son from another dimension, brought here via a wormhole. His Grandma Lily declares Andy to be the ghost of her unborn grandson. Jake helps Andy make a hasty escape before the police are called.

Andy desperately continues to search for other possible answers, only to convince himself that he and the other boys are actually in a state of unconsciousness. Driven to test his new theory, Andy sets out in search of a stimulus powerful enough to jolt them all back into a state of consciousness. Andy decides to throw himself in front of the local school bus in an effort to "wake up". The other boys race to stop him in time.

With: Michala Banas as Phoebe, Darci McDonald as Ellen, Tamala Shelton as Mia, Jesse Williams as Sammy, Cecilia Tan as Lily, Pearl Tan as Nicole, Anthony Brandon Wong as Michael, Michelle Gerster as Viv, Samuel O'Connor as Telly, Roy Edmunds as Fred (Bus Driver), Logan Phillips as Trent, Zelman Cressey Gladwin as Dylan, Sam Sharwood as Mike, Victoria Thaine as Alice, Clare Dea as Cloaked Figure, Jade Amantea as Andy Stunt Double, Zoe Wilson as Ellen Stunt Double

Episode 1.05

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Thu, December 05, 2013
Written by Craig Irvin
Directed by Peter Carstairs

Felix goes to hang out with his brother Oscar, only for them both to be attacked by a swarm of malevolent bees. Escaping to the relative safety of Arcane Lane, Felix searches for a spell to combat the swarm but his ability to interpret magic only makes Phoebe more suspicious of him.

Andy, Jake and Sam head into Bremin. They need food and so Sam tries his luck at skate busking. A jealous Sammy dares Sam to prove just how talented he is. Sam does just that but his triumph is short-lived when Sergeant Gary Riles confiscates his beloved skateboard. Skateboarding on the footpath is not permitted in Bremin.

Jake is shocked to realise that Sergeant Riles is actually the new world incarnation of his formerly deadbeat dad. He is forced to face the fact that both of his parents seem better off in this world where he doesn't exist, especially after Andy makes an insensitive comment saying as much. Interpersonal dealings aren't exactly Andy's strong suit and this is particularly evident when he finds himself struggling to comprehend the attention of a secret admirer.

Felix's first spell fails to stop the swarm, but his second attempt proves successful. Gathering traces of the elements that the other boys unwittingly possess and combining these with the power of the talisman that Phoebe has gifted to him, Felix's spell defeats the attacking bees. While the other boys remain none the wiser about Felix's actions, his magic wins the admiration and friendship of Oscar.

With: Michala Banas as Phoebe, Darci McDonald as Ellen, Sean Rees-Wemyss as Oscar, Ben Anderson as Ken, Heidi Arena as Kathy, Libby Tanner as Sarah, Damien Richardson as Gary, Jesse Williams as Sammy, Samuel O'Connor as Telly, Dom Phelan as Phil, Zelman Cressey Gladwin as Dylan, Logan Phillips as Trent, Bill Staley as Sam Skateboard Double

Episode 1.06

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Thu, December 12, 2013
Written by Elise McCredie
Directed by Peter Carstairs

The boys salvage junk for their makeshift abode as the demonic force regains its strength — this time as a murder of crows. True to form, Sam doesn't pull his weight; preferring to stuff his face with food bought with money that should have been shared between all of them.

Jake and Andy decide to go shopping or rather shop lifting at the local milk bar. Jake seems to know what he is doing but Andy is criminally inept. The arrival of a love-struck Ellen only makes Andy even more awkward. When Sergeant Riles arrives, a chase ensues. Jake selflessly sacrifices himself to help Andy escape.

At the police station, Sergeant Riles questions Jake over his background. Tension builds as Jake is confronted with this respectable alternative to his real-world dad. Getting nowhere with Jake despite his desire to do the right thing, Sergeant Riles has no option but to call child welfare.

While Andy has escaped the law, eluding a murder of demonic crows proves more challenging. Reuniting with Sam, they head to the hideout. The boys are under siege but without Jake to complete the elemental foursome, Felix is powerless to act.

Back at the police station, Gary identifies his first suspect in his hunt for the bandits behind the school break-in, when the security footage reveals Andy. Phoebe, who has been following Felix, hears of Jake's predicament and offers to help. Still under attack by crows, they head for the police station to try and get Jake back. To everyone's surprise, Phoebe claims that the boys are cousins and she is their aunt.

Sergeant Gary replays the security tape to Phoebe and the boys to prove he has caught his culprits.

Science and magic combine to save the boys as Andy uses a magnet he salvaged earlier to erase the tape and Felix works his magic with the talisman. Gary is incredulous but without evidence he has no choice but to release the boys into the care of 'Aunt Phoebe'.

Jake is impressed with Andy's efforts to save him and back at the hideout, the boys are a picture of camaraderie; their rudimentary shelter is finally becoming a home.

With: Michala Banas as Phoebe, Darci McDonald as Ellen, Damien Richardson as Gary, Ben Anderson as Ken, Libby Tanner as Sarah, Elise McCredie as Janet

Episode 1.07

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Thu, December 19, 2013
Written by Polly Staniford
Directed by Peter Carstairs

In an effort to allay the growing suspicions of the Bremin community, the boys return to school. Sam is least fazed by the arduous task of assimilation that awaits the boys, anticipating an effortless return to his former Golden Boy status. His expectations are quickly dashed when he discovers that Andy is the centre of everybody's attention, especially Ellen's.

While Jake re-establishes himself with his old friends and Felix continues to bond with Oscar, Sam struggles with real loneliness for the first time in his life. A desperate Sam acts out in a bid to win back Mia, but another painful rejection forces him to accept that he must change his selfish ways in order to be accepted. Meanwhile, Andy is faced with the terrifying prospect of a first kiss, when Ellen reveals that she was the author of the love letter he received days earlier.

Adopting a less selfish approach, Sam starts to make real headway with Mia but their chemistry is ruined by the arrival of a vicious canine. Sam summons all of his courage to protect Mia, as the possessed dogs descend upon the school and all hell breaks loose.

The boys find each other and attempt to flee for their lives. Cornered by the hellhounds they don't get far. Felix openly uses his magic in front of the other boys, turning the ravenous beasts back into the pet dogs of Bremin.

With: Michala Banas as Phoebe, Nicholas Coghlan as Mr. Bates, Darci McDonald as Ellen, Sean Rees-Wemyss as Oscar, Tamala Shelton as Mia, Jesse Williams as Sammy, Libby Tanner as Sarah, Daniel Di Giovanni as Vince, Logan Phillips as Trent, Zelman Cressey Gladwin as Dylan, Sam Sharwood as Mike, Tayla Duyal as Suzy, Stella Silagy as Raquel, Bill Staley as Sam Skating Double, Jade Amantea as Sammy's Mate

Episodes 1.08 - 1.13