Escape from Jupiter
| Escape from Jupiter | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Science Fiction |
| Directed by |
Fumitaka Tamura Kate Woods |
| Starring |
Steve Bisley Arthur Dignam Justin Rosniak Daniel Taylor Anna Choy |
| Composer(s) | Ian Davidson |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Kagari Tajima Ron Saunders |
| Producer(s) | Terry Jennings |
| Editor(s) | Kerry Regan |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Film Australia |
| Release | |
| Original network |
ABC NHK |
| Original release | 10 April – 3 July 1994 |
Escape from Jupiter is an Australian children's science fiction drama which aired from 10 April 1994 to 3 July 1994 on ABC. Concerning a small group of children on Jupiter's moon Io, the series ran for 13 episodes.
When one of Io's volcanoes erupts, the surviving colonists must flee the moon and try to reach the safety of Earth. Finding a derelict station in orbit of Jupiter, they convert it into a rudimentary space craft and set off, having many adventures and forming close relationships along the way.
The series was followed by Return to Jupiter.
The main character is Michael Faraday, a boy in his teens who has lived in space his whole life. Having never been to Earth, he resides with his father on the moon Io. Despite being a mining colony habituated predominantly by adults, few have their families with them. Michael's best friend is Kingston, the son of the medical officer of the colony. In addition to this duo are Jarrod and Anna, both children of a fellow miner Carl. Jarrod and Michael always compete with each other, Jarrod being the brawn and Michael being the brains. Michael's father is the local space tug pilot who ferries passengers and equipment to and from the moon to the orbiting space craft.
The series is set in the not too distant future. The mine's administrator is a company man called Duffy who oversees and runs the colony. An older and often regarded as aloof expert, Professor Jacob Ingasole, has been studying the mining operations and the effects of the mining on the planet and to the colony. Although his predictions have been regarded as "harebrained", his previous prediction was that a comet would come and destroy the colony, his latest work regarding the mines and the lava flow have credit. Despite the imminent danger, the mining operations continue.
To this mix of people comes a group of scientists from the company. This is where we meet Kumiko and her parents. Kumiko is the typical spoilt daughter of her very successful father and mother who both specialise in seismology. She's rarely been away from Earth and getting "thrown into the deep end" presents us with a hostile young lady. Her pride and joy is her computer which she carries with her all the time.
The first time we meet this motley crew is in the mines on Io. Although forbidden from being in the mines, the older teens manage to sneak their way in despite elaborate security systems. The introduction to the show is through the experience of the kids as they meet the newest additions to the colony, a team of seismologists sent to examine the continuance of the highly profitable mining of resources on Io. Upon arrival, in an attempt to show-off, both Michael and Jarrod take Kumiko into the mines asking Kingston and Anna to "cover for them". Whilst in the mines, the automated mining operations system hits a lava pocket. The resulting explosion destroys the rig and causes widespread tunnel collapses. After finding their way into a disused miners shelter, the trio find themselves trapped. With access to the main shaft cut off with sulfur and lava being forced up the main shaft, they climb up a disused ventilation shaft. After being covered in debris in the Jupiter bar whilst playing a computer game, Kingston and Anna watch as the adults go over the maps to the tunnels and how to best get to the children. With the adults gone, Kingston works out that the trio would have gone away from the main shaft and through another subsidiary tunnel to get back. It isn't long before both groups meet up coming out of a ventilation shaft much to the relief of all parents.
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