The Nine Lives of Chloe King

Last updated

The Nine Lives of Chloe King
NineLivesIntertitle.png
Genre Action
Supernatural
Drama
Based onThe Nine Lives of Chloe King series
by Liz Braswell
Developed by Dan Berendsen
Starring Skyler Samuels
Amy Pietz
Grey Damon
Grace Phipps
Benjamin Stone
Alyssa Diaz
Ki Hong Lee
ComposerDoug DeAngelis
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producersDan Berendsen
John Ziffren
Leslie Morgenstein
Gina Girolamo
ProducersTimothy Marx
Chris Grismer
Dan Dugan
Andy Reaser
David Hartle
CinematographyMichael Goi
EditorsTimothy A. Good
Kristin Windell
David Crabtree
Harry Jierjian
Camera setup Film; Single-camera
Running time42 minutes
Production companiesDon't Borrow Trouble
Alloy Entertainment
Original release
Network ABC Family
ReleaseJune 14 (2011-06-14) 
August 16, 2011 (2011-08-16)

The Nine Lives of Chloe King is an American supernatural drama television series which premiered on ABC Family on June 14, 2011, and ended on August 16, 2011. [1] The one-hour drama is based on the book series of the same name by Liz Braswell. [2] The series follows Chloe King (Skyler Samuels), a girl who discovers that she is a descendant of an ancient race of Bastet offspring called the Mai, as she attempts to learn more about her cat-like powers with her friends and protectors, while also assuming the role of the "Uniter", a warrior that can stop the war between Mai and humans. Chloe is also bestowed with nine lives and must stay alive while dealing with her love life and the mysteries behind her missing father.

Contents

In September 2011, ABC Family announced its cancellation after one season. [3]

Premise

The protagonist, Chloe King, is a teenager who discovers on her sixteenth birthday that she has special cat-like powers, including nine lives, enhanced speed, strength, hearing, agility, night vision and the ability to extend her nails like cat claws, along with the ability to sense human emotions. [4]

When Chloe realizes a mysterious figure is shadowing her, she goes on to uncover that she is a descendant of an ancient race called the Mai. She discovers she has nine lives and is told by Jasmine and Alek that she alone can protect the race from human assassins, who have hunted them for thousands of years. [5]

Characters

Main

The main cast of The Nine Lives of Chloe King NineLivesCast.jpg
The main cast of The Nine Lives of Chloe King

Recurring characters

Mai

The Mai are an ancient race of supernatural beings, the mortal descendants of the ancient Egyptian cat goddess Bastet. Chloe learns she is a member of them on her sixteenth birthday.

History

The Mai once acted as defenders and companions of the human race, first as guardians for Egyptian pharaohs. Descendants of the Egyptian cat-goddess Bastet, the part-god, part-human Mai used their cat-like attributes to serve and advise humans. The Mai's role as protectors lasted until the 16th century BC when they were defeated by the Ramesses. [6] The daughter of Ramesses III fell in love with a Mai, but the pharaoh banned their nuptials, so they eloped. When the humans and Mai learned of the union, the Mai boy was apprehended and killed by the Egyptians, causing the divide between the two races to grow deeper. As the Third Intermediate Period of Egypt began, the Mai were shunned from society and an organization called The Order emerged. The Order, a group of human assassins, began hunting the half-god race until they were nearly extinct. [7] The fight between the Mai and the Order forced the Mai into hiding and is said to have been so violent, it is supposedly the cause of some of the world's most famous and bloodiest wars.

The Mai are also mortal enemies of the Jackals, a race descended from the Egyptian jackal-god Anubis. The Jackals are described as being filthy and savage, as well as the dregs of society. Ironically, the Mai display the same racist attitudes towards Jackals as The Order display towards the Mai themselves. According to Alek, every ancient god has offspring but only those two were introduced.

Present day

The Mai have now spread out worldwide, with Mai settlements in such places as New York City, Ukraine, San Francisco, São Paulo, Russia, and Hong Kong. Folklore predicts a "Uniter", a Mai born with nine lives, is the only one who will be able to end the Mai-Human war and restore balance between the two races. When Chloe is pushed from Coit Tower and is killed, but returns to life, her Mai peers Alek and Jasmine conclude she is the Uniter with eight remaining lives. [7]

Characteristics

Because of their cat-like abilities, the Mai were natural protectors of the Egyptians and possess several abilities and gifts, and also several weaknesses. [8] Traits include:

Any intimate actions between a Mai and a human is harmful to the human, resulting in the human's paralysis or death within a few hours. Only the Uniter can be resurrected, although each death will get more painful as time goes on. In addition to nine lives, the Uniter is also an Empath, able to detect and experience the emotions of humans. Chloe can feel other species' emotions, like the Jackals, but this does not work on the Mai. According to Valentina, all Mai once had this ability.

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Pilot" Wendey Stanzler Teleplay by: Dan Berendsen June 14, 2011 (2011-06-14)2.17 [9]
On Chloe's 16th birthday, she and her friends, Amy and Paul, go to a dance club. At the club, Chloe meets a boy named Xavier and dances with him. Before she leaves, they share her first kiss, something she has been longing to do. A mysterious man begins to stalk her. The next day, she makes a perfect shot with a basketball, having taken it from an obnoxious jock, Alek. Alek later tries to kiss her, but his cousin, Jasmine, stops him. At her job, Chloe meets a boy named Brian and goes on a date with him. After dinner with Amy that night, Chloe almost gets mugged by a homeless man, but defends herself. She is chased by the stalker up to the top of a tower, where he shoves her off to her death. After dying from the fall, Chloe recovers and walks away. Alek and Jasmine reveal she is a Mai, one of a race with cat-like powers, like them, and that she is "The Uniter", the one Mai with nine lives who will save their race from human assassins. She also learns the Mai cannot be intimate with humans – it results in death. Paul calls Chloe, revealing he was kidnapped by the same man Chloe was killed by. Amy and Chloe drive to an abandoned warehouse, where Chloe receives help from Jasmine and Alek. Jasmine is wounded protecting Chloe from losing one of her remaining eight lives. Chloe gets a email from her missing father, warning her not to trust anybody. Brian is revealed to be the son of one of the men attempting to kill Chloe.
2"Redemption" Chris Grismer Dan BerendsenJune 21, 2011 (2011-06-21)1.40 [10]
Chloe is feeling guilty over Xavier's death and goes to his funeral. She wants to make up for her part in it, although unknown to her, Brian's father and Chloe's assassin may have been involved in his death. Brian tells Chloe about his mother, who was murdered. Later, Chloe and Alek save Gabriel, Xavier's brother, from drug dealers. Alek warns Chloe that if she continues seeing Brian, one of them will get hurt. Chloe later decides to take her mother's advice about taking risks in life and talks to Brian on the phone. She hears a noise on her roof, dismissing it as Alek. Unknown to her, it is actually the assassin on her roof, waiting to catch Chloe at her weakest point.
3"Green Star" Joe Lazarov Andy ReaserJune 28, 2011 (2011-06-28)1.43 [11]
Chloe meets Valentina (Alicia Coppola), Jasmine's mother and the leader of the San Francisco Mai. Valentina suggests that Chloe go into hiding to remain safe. The killer begins stalking Chloe's loved ones. After a talk with Valentina, Chloe is informed that the Mai and humans coexist, but just do not mix. Scarface, as dubbed by Chloe and her friends, steals Chloe's mother's cell phone and calls Chloe on it. Chloe agrees to give herself up. When she arrives, Scarface traps Chloe and throws her into the river to drown. As Chloe struggles, Jasmine arrives and fights him until Chloe is free of her ropes. They fight him together, but are eventually cornered, only for Valentina to kill Scarface. Chloe returns home and shares a moment with her mother.
4"All Apologies" Ron Lagomarsino Mere Smith July 5, 2011 (2011-07-05)TBA
Chloe adjusts to having sonic hearing and is getting certain vibes from people. Valentina tells her all Mai were empathic, but only the Uniter is now. Chloe and Amy get into a fight but eventually reconcile. The Order needs to figure out a new plan and Chloe has to protect her manager, Lana, from her abusive ex-boyfriend. Valentina pays Brian's dad a visit and gives him a warning. Chloe begins to embrace who she is.
5"Girls Night Out" Norman Buckley Ron McGeeJuly 12, 2011 (2011-07-12)1.29 [12]
Chloe meets Nikki and Lilah, both members of the South American Mai. The two girls invite Chloe out for a night of dancing, which she accepts, but Jasmine is suspicious of their motives. Brian is upset that Whitley is forcing him to return to college. Chloe becomes frustrated with the casual way Nikki and Lilah view human life, potentially creating a divide between the different Mai prides.
6"Nothing Compares 2 U"Joe LazarovYolanda E. LawrenceJuly 19, 2011 (2011-07-19)1.26 [13]
Brian invites Chloe to the Rezza Art Gallery in hopes of taking things further. Alek takes his jealousy out by putting Chloe through aggressive training, and a new girl, Mimi, another Mai, moves into town, and is seen with Alek. Amy moves on from Paul, her ex-boyfriend, to a new student named Jonah, who turns out to be a gambler. It puts her into danger of being killed, and she calls Paul, who comes to the rescue with Chloe. Brian reveals to Chloe that he is falling in love with her. Chloe says that it isn't going to work out and runs away crying.
7"Dogs of War" Guy Bee William H. BrownJuly 26, 2011 (2011-07-26)1.19 [14]
Paul and Amy realize Alek has feelings for Chloe. Compassionate to the needs of others, Chloe is unable to turn her back on Kai (Colton Haynes), a grungy teen who asks Chloe for help in reuniting with his family. Although she eventually learns that Kai is a huge threat to the Mai's safety, Chloe insists on helping him. Accompanied by Alek, Jasmine, Paul and Amy, a determined Chloe begins the dangerous journey into Jackal territory. However, Chloe's mission takes a terrible turn and one Mai could be lost forever. Even though it has been ten years since Chloe's father vanished, Meredith still feels guilty about dating Frank. Meredith asks Chloe if she is okay with declaring her father dead, unaware that the two have been in contact. Alek tells Chloe that they belong together and the two kiss.
8"Heartbreaker" Marita Grabiak Andy ReaserAugust 2, 2011 (2011-08-02)0.96 [15]
Brian arrives just as Chloe and Alek kiss, and both boys leave angry. Chloe goes for a walk to clear her head and is brought home by the police after she interrupts what appears to be a robbery. Chloe and her mother go to the police station the next day to provide a description of the thieves, and Meredith learns that Chloe has been in contact with her father. Though their friendship is strained, Chloe provides Brian with information that may help him learn more about his mother. The thieves are in collusion with the detective on the case, and all three invade the King house. Chloe contacts Alek, and they put the criminals down. Meredith tries to contact Chloe's father herself.
9"Responsible"Joe LazarovMere SmithAugust 9, 2011 (2011-08-09)1.27 [16]
Frank and his daughter, Vanessa, come to the Kings' house for dinner. Vanessa is at first standoffish, but reveals to Chloe that she has a boyfriend, which her dad doesn't know about. Alek meets Jasmine's date, Zane, a visiting member of the New York pride. When Alek wants to show Chloe what she means to him, he instead finds himself having to deal with Brian, who is continuing to seek Chloe's help with learning about his mother. Vanessa runs away and Chloe tries to help locate her. They meet, and Vanessa says she is going on a long cruise. Paul suggests it is not a cruise, but human trafficking, and Chloe requests Alek's help. The two rescue Vanessa. Zane is revealed as a spy for the Order.
10"Beautiful Day"Chris GrismerRon McGeeAugust 16, 2011 (2011-08-16)1.08 [17]
After finding out his grandmother is alive, Brian and Chloe pay her a visit, where they learn more about Brian's father. After they leave, it is revealed that his grandmother really runs The Order and Simone works for her. Chloe gets a text, asking her to meet her father; Brian gives her a ride there and waits outside. Meredith has a big meeting with some investors; it turns out to be Brian's father, serving as a distraction so Chloe would be alone. The meeting is a trap, and Chloe has to fight for her life. After defeating three thugs, Simone blocks her way and shoots her. Brian finds her apparently dead and kisses her, declaring his love. Chloe returns to life but Brian's kiss has devastating consequences. Zane, who works for Simone, shoots Valentina with a slow-acting poison dart, which keeps her from dying until he can murder Jasmine in front of her. Alek returns to find both of them on the floor with Zane standing over them, who reveals he is Alek's brother. Paul and Amy find Chloe holding Brian, who is dead.

Production

The show is written by Daniel Berendsen and is based on Alloy Entertainment's series of three young-adult books by Elizabeth J. Braswell (originally published under the pen name Celia Thomson). Alloy produced the series. [18]

Promotion

In preparation for the premiere, ABCFamily.com rolled out "The Nine Paths to Chloe King", an online game encouraging users to uncover the secrets of the Mai and find The Uniter in order to unlock exclusive content and enter to win a chance to visit the set. [19] Bloggers, or members of the Circle of Strangers, shared additional clues for the game, and users were encouraged to follow their sites as well as their Twitter feeds with the term #NinePaths. [20]

Reception

Critical response

The series has received mostly positive reviews, gaining a score of 68 out of 100 on Metacritic. [21] Slate reviewer Troy Patterson praises the series, calling it "charming" while also observing that it covers familiar ground. [22] Daily News writer David Hinckley writes "ABC Family wins with mix of teen romance, supernatural powers". [23]

The pilot episode drew over 2 million viewers when it debuted in June 2011. The season, and ultimately the series finale had dropped about half of that initial audience, drawing just over 1 million viewers. [24]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
2011 Teen Choice Award Choice Breakout Show The Nine Lives of Chloe KingNominated
Choice Breakout Star Skyler Samuels Nominated
2012 Saturn Award Best Youth-Oriented Television ShowThe Nine Lives of Chloe KingNominated

Television film

On January 9, 2012, during the Winter TCA Press Tour, ABC Family's president Michael Riley announced that the network was "on the verge of putting a [television] movie into development". [25] On September 11, 2013, TV Guide revealed that the working title of the movie was The Nine Lives of Chloe King: Salvation, and that while it would not be filmed, Alloy Entertainment would release the script on September 13. [26] [27]

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References

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  12. Seidman, Robert (July 13, 2011). "Tuesday Cable Ratings: 'Teen Mom,' 'Tosh.0,' 'Deadliest Catch,' 'White Collar,' 'Covert Affairs,' 'Pretty Little Liars,' 'Hawthorne' & More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  13. Seidman, Robert (July 20, 2011). "Tuesday Cable Ratings: 'Teen Mom,' 'Tosh.0,' 'Deadliest Catch,' 'White Collar,' 'Covert Affairs,' 'Pretty Little Liars,' 'Hawthorne' & More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  14. Seidman, Robert (July 27, 2011). "Tuesday Cable Ratings: 'Teen Mom' Still on Top + 'Tosh.0,' 'Deadliest Catch,' 'White Collar,' 'Covert Affairs,' 'Pretty Little Liars,' 'Gene Simmons' & More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 13, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  15. Seidman, Robert (August 3, 2011). "Tuesday Cable Ratings: 'Teen Mom' Still on Top; 'White Collar,' 'Covert Affairs' Rise + 'Pretty Little Liars,' 'Billy the Exterminator' & More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
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