The Sparticle Mystery

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The Sparticle Mystery
Sparticle Mystery Title.png
Genre Science fiction
Drama
Teen drama
Adventure
Starring Abigail Hardingham
Karim Zeroual
Emily Sanderson
Grace Mandeville
Karene Peter (Series 2–3)
Abbie Hayes
Gerran Howell
Oliver Bell (Series 1–2)
Gia Lodge O'Meally (Series 3)
Adam Scotland (Series 3)
Stephanie Dale (Series 3)
Oliver Dillon
Composer Sheridan Tongue
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes36
Production
Executive producers Alison Hume
Stephen Smallwood
Running time28 minutes
Production companiesSparticles Productions
Ingenious Broadcasting
Original release
Network CBBC
BBC HD
Release14 February 2011 (2011-02-14) 
30 March 2015 (2015-03-30)

The Sparticle Mystery is a British science fiction television series written and created by Alison Hume and produced by Sparticles Productions [1] for CBBC. The series follows a group of ten children within modern Britain, where an experiment at a Large Hadron Collider-like facility, the Sparticle Project, goes wrong, sending anybody aged 15 and over into a parallel dimension at exactly 11:11 am. The children travel to the Sparticle Project in an attempt to bring back the adults and re-align the two dimensions.

Contents

The series, which had a budget of £3 million, [2] was filmed in and around Bristol, [3] with the final episode filmed at the ISIS neutron source particle accelerators, near Didcot. Series 2 was extremely popular, with over 2 million hits on BBC iPlayer. [4] Series 3 regularly topped the BARB top ten children's shows during transmission. [5] In general, the series has received mixed to positive reception, with a score of 7.3 on IMDb.

The programme, which stars Annette Badland as Doomsday Dora/Holodora, has similar themes to both the 1975 TV series The Changes and the Gone series, and has many similarities to The Tribe ; however, it is noted for its difference in that the children desire to bring back the adults. The second series of The Sparticle Mystery was filmed across Yorkshire in July- September 2012 and broadcast in 2013. [6] A third series was filmed in 2014 in and around Belfast, Northern Ireland with the support of Northern Ireland Screen, and the first episode was broadcast on 5 January 2015. The third and final series ended on 30 March 2015. Video-on-demand rights to The Sparticle Mystery were acquired by Amazon UK Prime in 2015 and Series 1 & 2 were available to watch until 2017. In the US, Seasons 1 and 2 are available from Netflix. Series 3 is available on the BBC Store.

From 2019, The Sparticle Mystery Series 1 was available to watch on BBC iPlayer in the UK, but as of 2023 it is not.

Synopsis

Series 1

The Sparticle Mystery follows a group of 11 children left to fend for themselves within modern-day Earth after a science experiment at 'The Sparticle Project' goes wrong, resulting in all those of age 15 and over disappearing into a parallel universe, at precisely 11:11 a.m.

Initially, the world becomes their exciting playground. With adults' rules, law and order all removed, the youngsters have great fun fulfilling many wishes, including raiding sweetshops etc. However, as the world's resources start to dwindle and daily survival gets harder, the youngsters resolve to bring the adults back by venturing to the top secret 'Sparticle Project'. They are aided in their quest by a number of clues left before the disappearance by a woman named 'Doomsday' Dora, a scientist who worked on the Sparticle Project. Along the way they have many adventures and learn important life skills.

Early in episode one we discover that in this 'post-disappearance' world, opportunistic gangs soon come to inhabit the streets. This prompts the lead male character Sadiq to usher his newly formed tribe to safety in the City Hotel. After discovering her Mum and older sister missing, a scientifically minded young girl called Kat takes charge of Liam, the small boy next door. They too try to gain entry to the City Hotel, but only Liam gets in, leaving Kat to initially fend for herself, before Sadiq caves in and allows her entry. One of the tribe, a young girl called Reese, soon starts to experience strange events, which eventually turn out to be the manifestation of her own latent psychic powers.

Kat and Reese quickly deduce that the Sparticle Project is behind the adults' disappearance. The 'Sparticles' tribe then split in two: the 'Ranchers', Tia and Jeffrey (who has cerebral palsy), who stay at City Hotel with the two younger kids, Liam and Frankie, and the 'Questers', (Sadiq, Kat, Jordan, Ami, Holly and Reese), who go in search of the Sparticle Project. Also featured is Callum, a tough streetwise young teen, whom at first appears to be the Sparticles' enemy, but later joins their side. When a girl living at The Sparticle Project interferes with the machine, Reese and Muna, another child with special powers trapped between dimensions, step in to try and fix the problem, but Kat chooses Reese over the adults and shuts down the machine permanently. Before she disappears, Doomsday Dora tells the Questers to travel to the Quantum Nexus and gives them a mysterious key.

Series 2

One year later, the team continue to attempt to bring back the adults by locating the Quantum Nexus after it is discovered that the key unlocks a further clue leading to specific treasures that will guide the children there. It quickly becomes a race between the Sparticles (except Kat, Ami, Jordan and Holly) and Fizzy's deputy Serena, who is joined by Holly. Along the way, the Sparticles discover more children have powers like Reese, and name them "Sensitives." After following clues relating to the "Artos" tribe, the Sparticles are joined by Serena, who was secretly a double agent, in stopping Fizzy, Ernesto and Holly from destroying the Quantum Nexus with Reese, who switches sides after receiving a warning from Muna. Reese interferes with the process of reuniting the children's and the adults’ dimension using her sensitive powers and the adults arrive in the children's dimension as teenagers.

Series 3

In the third season, the world becomes taken over by the newly arrived Queen Kylie, who locks up the remaining Sparticles (Sadiq, Reese, Serena, Holly and Frankie). Kylie's brother Erimon releases the Sparticles but is unable to recapture them, and the Sparticles (joined by the sensitive Aris, Holly's teen mother Kim and Ernesto) embark on a mission to rid the world of the Teen Parents and send them home to the 1980s. While travelling around the country in one of Queen Kylie's stolen tracker vans, Reese discovers "The Circle of Perpetual Time" which, when 7 sensitives are linked up with it, will be able to send the parents home using the power of an energy-boosting Comet. Holly becomes pregnant with Ernesto's child, who turns out to be the final sensitive. At the end, the Sparticles eventually bring the teen parents to their dimensions and bring back the parents.

Cast and crew

Top (left to right)-Holly, Ami, Liam, Bottom(left to right)-Reese, Kat, Sadiq, Tia, Frankie, Jordan, Jeffrey Sparticles-cast 425.jpg
Top (left to right)-Holly, Ami, Liam, Bottom(left to right)-Reese, Kat, Sadiq, Tia, Frankie, Jordan, Jeffrey

The main characters in The Sparticle Mystery are all children, of different ages and ethnic groups, many of whom were new to acting. Included in the main cast were: 16-year-old Megan Jones as Tia; 8-year-old Oliver Bell as Liam; Wesley Nelson (who has cerebral palsy) as Jeffrey; Karim Zeroual as Sadiq. Due to the age of the actors there were large changes in the cast between series. Given the premise of the show, the adult cast was minimal, but notable are Annette Badland as 'Doomsday' Dora, and Larissa Wilson as Anita.

ActorCharacterSeriesDurationFirst appearanceLast appearance
Abigail Hardingham Kat11x01-1x13The DisappearanceThe Sparticle Project
Zachary MiddletonAmi11x01-1x13The DisappearanceThe Sparticle Project
Iestyn DarmaninJordan11x01-1x13The DisappearanceThe Sparticle Project
Chris DraperHenry11x05The FunfairThe Funfair
Annette Badland Doomsday Dora11x03-1x13The MessageThe Sparticle Project
Larissa Wilson Anita11x03, 1x08The MessageThe Unsuitables
Megan JonesTia1–21x01-2x10The DisappearanceThe Quantum Nexus
Wesley NelsonJeffrey1–21x01-2x10The DisappearanceThe Quantum Nexus
Jerome Holder Callum1–21x01-1x02, 1x04, 1x08-2x10The DisappearanceThe Quantum Nexus
Oliver BellLiam1–21x01-2x10The DisappearanceThe Quantum Nexus
Lee WorswickRocky22x02-2x07The DecoderThe Traders
Connor RyanFury22x01-2x08The Stone HeadThe Stone of Artos
Maia TamrakarMuna1–21x05-1x13, 2x08-2x10The FunfairThe Quantum Nexus
Finton FlynnHuen22x04-2x06The Peace CityThe Sword and the Stone
Karim ZeroualSadiq1–31x01-3x13The DisappearanceThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Karene PeterSerena2–32x01-3x13The Stone HeadThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Emily SandersonReese1–31x01-3x13The DisappearanceThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Grace Mandeville Holly1–31x02-3x13The InvasionThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Abbie HayesFrankie1–31x01-3x13The DisappearanceThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Gerran Howell Ernesto1–31x08, 2x04, 2x08-3x13The UnsuitablesThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Adam ScotlandAris33x01-3x13The NeuroscramblerThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Stephanie DaleKim33x01-3x13The NeuroscramblerThe Circle of Perpetual time
Carrie LambeKylie33x01-3x13The NeuroscramblerThe Circle of Perpetual time
Ernest Kingsley JuniorOrion33x03-3x13The Trading PostThe Circle of Perpetual time
Jessica BellDora33x01-3x13The NeuroscramblerThe Circle of Perpetual time
Kit GarnerErimon33x01-3x13The NeuroscramblerThe Circle of Perpetual time
Oliver Dillon Fizzy1–31x11, 2x01- 3x13The Hot ZoneThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Ross McCormackBryan33x01-3x13The NeuroscramblerThe Circle of Perpetual time
Annette Badland HoloDora2–32×10, 3x04, 3x07-3x13The Quantum NexusThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Thady Graham Lucie33x06, 3x12-3x13The Wild ThingsThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Archie AaronJason33x07, 3x12-3x13The ZoneThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Thomas CopelandYanx33x10, 3x12-3x13The HauntingThe Circle of Perpetual Time
J. J. Murphy The Keeper33x12-3x13The KeeperThe Circle of Perpetual Time
Ciaran McCourtRat33x02-3x05The Bounty HuntersThe Teen Father
Niomi LiberanteJenna33x02-3x03The Bounty HuntersThe Trading Post

Series overview

SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 1314 February 20116 March 2011
2 1011 February 201322 February 2013
3 135 January 201530 March 2015

Episode list

Series 1 (2011)

  1. Sparticles Productions
  2. "NEW BLOG! ALISON HUME \ The Sparticle Mystery interview". script-consultant.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2014. We had the license fee plus a bit more from our distributor Cake – about three million pounds.
  3. "'The Sparticle Mystery, CBBC'". broadcastnow.co.uk. 17 February 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  4. "The Sparticle Mystery Series 2 Reaches 2 Million iPlayer Views". facebook.com. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  5. https://www.facebook.com/TheSparticleMystery?fref=ts [ user-generated source ]
  6. ScreenTerrier: CBBC returning series


EpisodeOriginal titleWritten ByOriginal airdate
1"The Disappearance" Alison Hume 14 February 2011 (2011-02-14)

When a group of children return to the surface after a day out trip to the caves that they won, every single person over 15 has disappeared. Meanwhile, Kat, her mum and her sister argue. She turns around and find out that they, too, are gone. The kids who'd been in the cave – Ami, Sadiq, Reese, Jordan and Callum – take a car to see what is going on but while going to the police station, Callum decides to leave. Sadiq calls for him and Callum almost hits Sadiq with a brick on purpose. They leave the car and enter a supermarket at Ami's request. Kat finds her next door neighbor, Liam, trapped in his room because his mother grounded him for 5 minutes. As his mother disappeared with the rest of the adults, she was unable to let him out. Kat gets him out and they find an ice cream van. After she gives Liam an ice cream, they head to the supermarket. Just before Sadiq puts his hand in the till, Kat appears and confronts him. The group (Sadiq, Jordan, Ami and Reese) then go to get Sadiq's stepsister, Frankie, and his neighbor, Tia, at his house and Jordan's brother, Jeffrey, who has cerebral palsy, at his school. The group then head to a hotel and lock out all of the other kids who are trying to get in, including Kat and Liam.

Note: First Appearance of Kat, Sadiq, Tia, Jeffrey, Jordan, Reece, Ami, Jordan, Frankie, Liam and Callum.
2"The Invasion"Alison Hume15 February 2011 (2011-02-15)

Callum's new gang intend to take over the City Hotel, using Kat to gain access. Meanwhile, Reese visits the library to learn more about the Sparticle Project, and sees 'ghosts' of the adults there. Later the two find out the adults are still there but in another dimension. The group meets a girl named Holly, who was staying in the hotel when the adults disappeared.

Note: First Appearance of Holly.