Mysterious Ways (TV series)

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Mysterious Ways
Mysterious Ways (TV series) intertitle.png
Genre Science fiction
Created by Peter O'Fallon
Written by Peter O'Fallon
Carl Binder
Dawn Ritchie
Steven Barwin
Melissa Byer
Treena Hancock
Barbara Covington
Starring Adrian Pasdar
Rae Dawn Chong
Alisen Down
Country of originCanada
United States
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes44
Production
Production companiesCrescent Entertainment
Lions Gate Television
Paxson Entertainment
Original release
Network NBC
PAX TV
ReleaseJuly 24, 2000 (2000-07-24) 
May 14, 2002 (2002-05-14)

Mysterious Ways is a television science fiction drama series. It premiered on July 24, 2000 on NBC, before being aired intermittently on NBC through August 2001. The series also began airing on PAX TV in August 2000, ultimately moving to PAX TV after the series was dropped by NBC. It was produced in-house by Paxson Entertainment, in association with Lions Gate Television and CTV. It was cancelled in 2002 after two seasons.

Contents

Plot

The series focuses on the search for explanations of, and evidence for, seemingly miraculous phenomena. This search is carried out by the protagonist Declan Dunn (Adrian Pasdar). Declan is a professor of anthropology at the Northern University of Oregon and is often compared with Indiana Jones due to his energetic enthusiasm for solving a mystery. His passion for miraculous events has its roots in a self-experienced mischance of being caught in an avalanche and getting out alive. He considers this to be miraculous and attributes it as the turning point in his life. In several episodes he makes references to this event and the impact it had on his life.

Always ready to help out with the research, though sometimes they appear slightly reluctant, are Declan's close friends Dr. Peggy Fowler (Rae Dawn Chong), a psychiatrist at a nearby hospital, and Miranda Feigelstein (Alisen Down), a physics graduate student and Declan's research assistant. Peggy is the most levelheaded of the three and is generally the one presenting the mundane alternatives to Declan's theories. Her so-called "rational explanations" often provide no explanation whatsoever, e.g. "It was just a freak occurrence".

Often being assigned to carry out tests of various substances, or operating a range of instruments, is Miranda. She is the second skeptic besides Peggy, with a somber and introvert personality, sometimes with moments of joking banter or sarcastic comments. In the episodes "The Ties That Bind" (1.08) and "Free Spirit" (2.14) another, more open side of her is shown before her social peers, if only temporarily. Being the quiet personality, Miranda is sometimes somewhat of a mystery even to her best friends.

In many cases the episodes conclude with a rational explanation being seemingly validated, then disproven at the last minute; thus leaving the question of paranormal activity open once more.

Cast

The cast of Mysterious Ways Mysterious Ways.jpg
The cast of Mysterious Ways

Production

Mysterious Ways was created by Peter O'Fallon, who wanted a science-fiction drama that was family-friendly and allowed him to explore humanistic themes. [1] U2's song of the same name inspired the series' title. [1]

For O'Fallon, the series' move from NBC to PAX TV was a good development, since it allowed for total creative freedom. [1]

Episodes

Season 1 (2000–01)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release dateProd.
code
11"Amazing Grace"Carl BinderStory: Peter O'Fallon
Teleplay: Peter O'Fallon, Joel Fields, Carl Binder
July 24, 2000 (2000-07-24)101
22"The Gray Lady"Carl BinderPeter O'FallonJuly 31, 2000 (2000-07-31)102
33"The Midas Touch"Alan SimmondsTreena Hancock, Melissa R. ByerAugust 7, 2000 (2000-08-07)104
44"Camp Sanopi"Michael RobisonCarl BinderAugust 14, 2000 (2000-08-14)105
55"Spirit Junction"Steve AnkerDawn RitchieAugust 21, 2000 (2000-08-21)107
66"Twins" Anne Wheeler Barbara CovingtonAugust 28, 2000 (2000-08-28)103
77"Crazy"Alan SimmondsBarbara CovingtonSeptember 4, 2000 (2000-09-04)106
88"The Ties That Bind"Ken JubenvillTreena Hancock, Melissa R. ByerSeptember 11, 2000 (2000-09-11)108
99"Demons" Allan Kroeker Gabriel David Tick, Steven BarwinSeptember 12, 2000 (2000-09-12)109
1010"Crystal Clear" Brad Turner Philip GersonNovember 7, 2000 (2000-11-07)113
1111"Stranger in the Mirror"Ken Jubenvill Eric Tuchman November 14, 2000 (2000-11-14)111
1212"Handshake" Michael Rohl Carey Hayes, Chad Hayes November 21, 2000 (2000-11-21)116
1313"Intentions"Rick StevensonBarbara CovingtonNovember 28, 2000 (2000-11-28)110
1414"Reason to Cry"Brad TurnerBarbara CovingtonDecember 19, 2000 (2000-12-19)115
1515"The Greater Good" Charles Winkler Treena Hancock, Melissa R. ByerJanuary 1, 2001 (2001-01-01)117
1616"Yesterday"Michael RobisonCarl BinderJanuary 8, 2001 (2001-01-08)121
1717"19A"Alan SimmondsTreena Hancock, Melissa R. ByerJanuary 9, 2001 (2001-01-09)112
1818"Strike Two"Ken JubenvillDawn RitchieJanuary 15, 2001 (2001-01-15)114
1919"Dead Dog Walking"Peter O'FallonDawn RitchieJanuary 22, 2001 (2001-01-22)119
2020"Wonderful"Ken JubenvillEric TuchmanJanuary 29, 2001 (2001-01-29)122
2121"Do You See What I See?"Rick StevensonEric TuchmanFebruary 6, 2001 (2001-02-06)118
2222"John Doe #28"Scott WilliamsTreena Hancock, Melissa R. ByerMay 1, 2001 (2001-05-01)120

Season 2 (2001–02)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release dateProd.
code
231"Phoenix" Michael Robison Carl Binder July 13, 2001 (2001-07-13)201
242"One of Us"Michael RobisonMelissa R. Byer, Treena HancockJuly 20, 2001 (2001-07-20)205
253"Pure of Heart"Rick StevensonBarbara CovingtonJuly 27, 2001 (2001-07-27)204
264"Condemned"Michael RobisonDawn Ritchie, Carl BinderAugust 3, 2001 (2001-08-03)207
275"Lost Souls"Richard MartinMelissa R. Byer, Treena HancockSeptember 4, 2001 (2001-09-04)210
286"Spike"Rick StevensonEric TuchmanSeptember 18, 2001 (2001-09-18)202
297"Child of Wonder"Ken JubenvillEric TuchmanOctober 2, 2001 (2001-10-02)206
308"29"Ken JubenvillDeborah Starr SeibelOctober 9, 2001 (2001-10-09)208
319"Love's Divine"Scott WilliamsJohn MandelOctober 16, 2001 (2001-10-16)209
3210"The Big Picture"Ken JubenvillPhilip GersonNovember 6, 2001 (2001-11-06)211
3311"A Time to Every Purpose"Gil ShiltonBarbara CovingtonNovember 13, 2001 (2001-11-13)212
3412"Doctor in the House"Brad TurnerPhilip GersonNovember 27, 2001 (2001-11-27)203
3513"The Last Dance"Ken JubenvillDan D'AmelioDecember 11, 2001 (2001-12-11)213
3614"Free Spirit"Ken JubenvillEric TuchmanJanuary 15, 2002 (2002-01-15)214
3715"Spark of Life"Rick StevensonMelissa R. Byer, Treena HancockJanuary 22, 2002 (2002-01-22)220
3816"Face in the Crowd"M. RobisonBarbara CovingtonFebruary 5, 2002 (2002-02-05)222
3917"Logan Miller"Richard MartinBarbara CovingtonFebruary 26, 2002 (2002-02-26)217
4018"Friends in Need"Ken JubenvillEric TuchmanMarch 19, 2002 (2002-03-19)218
4119"A Man of God"Brad TurnerCarl BinderMarch 26, 2002 (2002-03-26)219
4220"MUTI"Michael RobisonTreena Hancock, Melissa R. ByerApril 30, 2002 (2002-04-30)215
4321"Listen"Scott WilliamsDeborah Starr SeibelMay 7, 2002 (2002-05-07)221
4422"Something Fishy"Scott WilliamsCarl BinderMay 14, 2002 (2002-05-14)216

Broadcast

The show's first eight episodes aired in the United States on NBC starting July 2000. The show returned in January 2001 and later on July of the same year, before being pulled in August due to poor ratings. Meanwhile, PAX TV, a channel NBC had a 32% interest in, began broadcasting the show in August 2000, airing through the summer months. PAX would become the show's home for the rest of its run, until September 2002. [1]

The series had seen success internationally, even after its cancellation. [1] It currently airs in syndication on VisionTV in Canada.[ citation needed ]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Garcia, Frank; Phillips, Mark (2009). Science Fiction Television Series, 1990–2004. McFarland & Company. ISBN   978-0-7864-2483-2.