australian television information archive

The Game

Episode 1
USA: March 08, 2003 (11:30a, Fox Box)
Germany: May 16, 2003 (KI.KA)
Australia: May 26, 2003 (Ten)
Written by Annie Fox
Directed by Richard Jasek

When 14-year old Kate Redding sneaks a test drive of her father’s prototype computer game, she and her siblings are inadvertently zapped into the ultimate digital escapade. Landing in Pirate Islands, Kate’s computer game mastery is put to the test when she faces off with Captain Blackheart and his crew of pirates who will do everything in their power to eliminate Kate and her cheeky siblings.

Starring: Brooke Harman as Kate, Eliza Taylor-Cotter as Sarah, Nicholas Donaldson as Nicholas, Oliver Ackland as Mars, Colin Moody as Blackheart

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Donser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow, Derrick Murphy as Spanish Pete

Sanctuary

Episode 2
Written by Annie Fox
Directed by Richard Jasek

Chased by the cruel Captain Blackheart, Kate must find a safe haven for her family to survive.

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Donser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Close Call

Episode 3
Written by Peter Kinloch
Directed by Richard Jasek

Kate is in trouble when her attempts to steal the scanner off the Pirate Ship go horribly wrong.

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Donser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Blackmail

Episode 4
Written by Peter Kinloch
Directed by Richard Jasek

Having stolen Blackheart's treasure map, Kate must devise a plan to save her brother, Nicholas, from walking the plank after Carmen trades him to the pirates to protect the Castaways' village.

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Donser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

The Great Escape

Episode 5
Written by Kris Mrksa
Directed by Richard Jasek

Kate must rescue Nicholas from the pirate ship while Blackheart and the pirates are distracted searching the island for the treasure. With the scanner back in their possession, the kids hope of returning home are dashed when they discover its batteries are dead.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Donser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Haunted Island

Episode 6
Written by Stephen Davis & Kier Shorey
Directed by Richard Jasek

Desperate to find some batteries to power the scanner so she and her siblings can get home, Kate travels to a haunted island in pursuit of Perry, a young Castaway, who has claimed Kate's battery-powered stereo as his own. Kate travels to Haunted Island and encounters the ghost of Captain Quade. She comes away with his logbook, the key to finding the treasure of the Golden Idol.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Donser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow, John Stanton as The Ghost of Captain Quade

Talking Plants

Episode 7
Written by Kris Mrksa
Directed by Richard Jasek

Blackheart and the pirates go ashore hoping to retrieve Quade's treasure. To escape the pirates, Sarah uses a new icon which transports her to Plant Island. When Mars is poisoned by Blackheart's dagger, Kate must plead with Carmen to give her the antidote.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Donser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Perry the Kid

Episode 8
Written by Stephen Davis & Kier Shorey
Directed by Grant Brown

Nicholas tries to lure Perry out of hiding so eh can get Kate's stereo back. Perry saves Nicholas from being captured by Cutthroat Jack. Carmen banishes Perry from the Castaway's village when he refuses to turn over Kate's stereo. Captured when he sneaks onto the pirates' ship in search of food, Perry offers to become one of the crew but must first pass a test by stealing Mars' spyglass. Backheart finds Kate's stereo. A feast is held at the Castaways' village to welcome Kate and her siblings. To welcome Perry back into the fold, Mars appoints him "keep of the spyglass".©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Donser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

The Second Power-Up

Episode 09
Written by Joanne Watson
Directed by Grant Brown

Discovering the pirates have her stereo, Kate goes to their ship to make Blackheart an offer he can't refuse — her "music box" in exchange for Captain Quade's logbook. Both sides try to double-cross the other leading to Kate being captured, Mars escaping with the stereo, and Blackheart left holding a logbook of empty pages. Meanwhile, Nicholas finds a jet-pack in the treehouse and uses it to rescue Kate but the stereo, and its valuable batteries, is again lost to Blackheart.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Nightmare

Episode 10
Written by David Phillips
Directed by Grant Brown

Carmen is taken to the pirate ship and forced to use her medical skills to cure Blackheart's nightmares. While Kate distracts the pirates by leading them on a chase across the island, Mars attempts to rescue Carmen.

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow, John Stanton as The Ghost of Captain Quade

Plantspeak

Episode 11
Written by Annie Fox
Directed by Grant Brown

Blackheart sets a trap, determined to eliminate Kate from Pirate Islands. Kate is skeptical about Perry's story about Blackheart wanting to trade her stereo for the logbook pages. Sarah learns to communicate with Belle who rescues the others when they are captured by Blackheart.

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Ghost Attack

Episode 12
Written by Annie Fox
Directed by Grant Brown

Perry thinks Carmen is making a mistake by trading with the pirates but Kate sees an opportunity to frighten Blackheart and his pirate crew with help from the Ghost of Captain Quade. Mars is captured by the pirates but is able to escape after first tossing Kate's stereo overboard inside a keg.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow, John Stanton as The Ghost of Captain Quade

The Showdown

Episode 13
USA: June 07, 2003
Written by Michael Joshua
Directed by Grant Brown

After Carmen finds the stereo washed up on shore, Kate offers her everything — the logbook pages and both power-ups, in exchange for the stereo and its all-important batteries. Blackheart and his men attack the village just as Kate and her siblings are about to exit Pirate Islands. The kids escape but instead of exiting the game, Kate goes back to save Mars from Blackheart only to watch as Nicholas and Sarah fall into Blackheart's clutches as well — along with the logbook pages. Kate confronts Blackheart and unleashes the scanner's power to save everyone but loses the scanner to Blackheart.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

The Riddle

Episode 14
Australia: June 12, 2003
UK: December 09, 2003
Written by Michael Joshua
Directed by Grant Brown

Blackheart cracks the code in Quade's logbook revealing a riddle showing the location of the treasure of the Golden Idol. Kate tries to convince Carmen to form an alliance to beat Blackheart to the treasure but Mars proves a surprising roadblock, staying loyal to Carmen. Kate forms a partnership with Cutthroat Jack to learn the riddle. She and Nicholas solve the riddle and unearth an Iron Key only to have Blackheart arrive and take it from them. Seemingly defeated, Kate steels herself to defeat Blackheart and get her family home.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Kate Finds a Sword

Episode 15
UK: December 16, 2003
Written by David Phillips
Directed by Grant Brown

Kate reluctantly approaches Mars to teach her how to fight for when she next encounters Blackheart. He agrees — so long as she can find a sword. Kate sets her sights on retrieving the best sword on Pirate Islands — Blackheart's. Kate challenges Blackheart to a dual. It doesn't go as planned but Kate comes away with his sword. Now Mars has to teach her to use it.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow, John Stanton as The Ghost of Captain Quade

Training

Episode 16
UK: January 08, 2004
Written by David Phillips
Directed by Grant Brown

Upset about the amount of time Mars is spending with Kate, Carmen asks the Castaways' governing council to vote Mars out of his position as leader and install her in his place. Meanwhile, Blackheart and the pirates return to the island in search of the door the Iron Key unlocks.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Mars Restored

Episode 17
UK: January 15, 2004
Written by Peter Kinloch
Directed by Grant Brown

Mars leaves the Castaways after Carmen demands he reveal where Kate's treehouse is. Concerned the Pirate Islands program has gone off the rails, Kate resumes training with Mars. Under Carmen's demanding leadership, the Castaways scour the forrest for Kate's treehouse hideout. Mars raids the pirate ship to steal the Iron Key. He loses the key at the last moment but does come away with the Castaways' football which proves useful in overthrowing Carmen.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

The White Room

Episode 18
UK: January 22, 2004
Written by Peter Kinloch
Directed by Grant Brown

Mars returns Kate's belongings that rained down on the island when she and her sibling first arrived. Mars and Kate promise to work together to steal the Iron Key from Blackheart and find the treasure. Solving the mystery of the Door with No Lock, Kate and Nicholas find themselves in a featureless white void. Carmen turns Mars against Kate for breaking her promise by going through the door without him. Kate and Nicholas escape the white room when the pirates storm the room. They leave with a wooden wheel which Carmen and Mars take. Darcy the Dandy frees Blackheart from the white room after negotiating a extra share of the treasure for himself.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Kate vs Mars

Episode 19
UK: January 29, 2004
Written by David Rapsey
Directed by Grant Brown

Caught trying to steal the wheel from Mars, Kate tells him he will not solve its mystery without her. Blackheart sends his men ashore to capture Kate and retrieve the wheel. Struggling to determine the purpose of the wheel, Mars and Carmen go to Quade for answers, returning his broken sword as a peace offering. Things go badly and Carmen is forced to ask for Kate's help to rescue Mars.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow, John Stanton as The Ghost of Captain Quade

Sarah Kidnapped

Episode 20
Written by David Rapsey
Directed by Grant Brown

Blackheart uses his parrot, Melvin, to lure Sarah in to a trap and capture her, demanding to know the location of the treehouse. To save her sister, Kate goes to Carmen and Mars for help but Carmen first wants the wheel — and the knowledge of how it works. Kate is willing to make the deal but has no idea what the wheel is used for. Sarah escapes the pirates, taking Melvin's bird cage, inside of which Blackheart has hidden the scanner. What Sarah doesn't know is that Blackheart let her escape and she is being followed back to the hideout.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

The Storm

Episode 21
Written by Meg Mappin
Directed by Richard Jasek

Desperate to get his hands on the wheel so the Castaways can find the treasure that will pay for their passage off the island, Mars tears apart the treehouse looking for the wheel. Blackheart meanwhile, facing a mutiny from his crew, unleashes the power of the scanner, demanding Kate hand over the wheel. When Mars interferes in the exchange, Blackheart ends up with both the scanner and the wheel which he triumphantly tells his crew will lead them to untold wealth.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Behind the Waterfall

Episode 22
Written by Joanne Watson
Directed by Richard Jasek

The pirates, Kate and Sarah, and Mars and the Castaways all converge at the waterfall. Blackheart uses the wheel to open a secret door but it is Kate and Mars who rush inside first. With Blackheart and his men close behind, Kate and Mars must set aside their differences and work together as they explore the perilous tunnels to locate the next clue — a golden egg.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Carmen's Betrayal

Episode 23
Written by Michael Joshua
Directed by Richard Jasek

Blackheart threatens to burn down the Castaways' village if Carmen doesn't tell him what Kate and Mars found behind the waterfall. Reluctant at first, Carmen becomes an eager partner with the pirate master after witnessing Kate and Mars' flirtatious behaviour. After struggling to solve the mystery of the Golden Egg, a desperate act by Kate reveals its secret. The pirates blackmail Carmen into spying for them.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Defeating Quade

Episode 24
Written by Michael Joshua
Directed by Richard Jasek

Kate lures the pirates ashore so she and Mars can raid their ship to examine Quade's logbook to find the clue to the diamond's purpose. Upon confronting Quade, Kate learns his tragic past and returns the diamond to him. With Kate having proven herself worthy of the treasure, Quade shows her the way to a Secret Island — the hiding place of the Golden Idol.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow, John Stanton as The Ghost of Captain Quade

Secret Island

Episode 25
Written by David Phillips
Directed by Richard Jasek

Mars, Kate, Nicholas and Sarah travel to Secret Island in search of the Golden Idol. Carmen strikes a deal with Blackheart to get the Castaways passage off the island in exchange for the treasure. After enduring deadly traps and a final puzzle, Kate and her friends are left in a precarious predicament by Blackheart.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow

Going Home

Episode 26
Australia: June 30, 2003
Written by David Phillips
Directed by Richard Jasek

Kate draws on all her gaming instincts to free herself and her friends. Kate confronts Blackheart one last time in the chamber of the Golden Idol where the greedy pirates are loading up all the treasure they can carry. Seeing their captain defeated, the pirates flee as Kate next faces down the Idol, turning its power against it. Escaping the island, Kate and the others watch as volcanic eruptions destroy Secret Island.

Back on the beach of Main Island, the Castaways have used the gold Mars escaped with to pay the pirates to transport them off the island. Carmen returns the scanner to Kate and the adversaries part as friends. Mars decides to stay behind — the islands are his home. Returning to the treehouse, Kate says goodbye to Mars, promising to return one day, then uses the scanner to send herself, Sarah and Nicholas back home. In a flash they are back in Kate's bedroom. It looks as if they never left. Perhaps they imagined it all? But Belle's trilling presence in Sarah's bag is proof that Pirate Islands was real.©tzuk

With: Lucia Smyrk as Carmen, Darcy Bonser as Perry, Madeleine Jay as Lizard, Jim Daly as Dugal, Andy McPhee as Cutthroat Jack, Jasper Bagg as Darcy the Dandy, Franklyn Ajaye as Five Spice, Ziggy Crowe as Giant, Russell Allan as Ugly Sam, Graham Jahne as Ned Crow