Penny on M.A.R.S.

Last updated
Penny on M.A.R.S.
Penny on M.A.R.S logo (vector graphic).svg
Genre
Created byBeatrice Valsecchi
Written by
  • Beatrice Valsecchi
  • Fabrizio Lucherini
  • Giacomo Berdini
  • Angelo Pastore
Directed byClaudio Norza
Starring
Theme music composerGiordano Cremona, Federico Mercuri, Marco Sissa and Colin Paul Buffet
Opening themeWe are the M.A.R.S
Country of originItaly
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes39 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersNadia Grippiolo, Lucio Wilson
ProducerPiero Crispino
Production locations Milan, Italy
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time22 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network Disney Channel (Italy)
Rai Gulp
Disney+ (Italy)
ReleaseMay 7, 2018 (2018-05-07) 
July 3, 2020 (2020-07-03)
Related
Alex & Co. (2015 - 2017)

Penny on M.A.R.S. is an Italian teen dramedy television series that premiered on Disney Channel in Italy on May 7, 2018. [1] The series is a spin-off of the Italian series Alex & Co. The series is commissioned by 3Zero2 in cooperation with The Walt Disney Company Italy. The series premiered on June 4, 2018, on Disney Channel in the United Kingdom. [2] In April 2018, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on 18 February 2019. [3] The show's third and final season premiered on 17 February 2020, also in the United Kingdom.

Contents

Plot

Penny passes the auditions to enter the M.A.R.S. high school, one of the most exclusive performing arts schools in the world. The M.A.R.S. has strict rules and is very competitive, and Penny and her schoolmates have to pass a daily test. Penny has enrolled with a fake name to hide her identity as the daughter of Bakìa, a popular singer of the time, to acquire esteem in her own right separate from her mother's. Bakìa had previously enrolled her daughter in a boarding school in Switzerland so that she could have a "normal" childhood and not hinder her career.

The only one at the M.A.R.S. who knows her real identity is Camilla, Penny's best friend. Sharing a sister-like relationship until they fall for the same boy, Penny will also have to solve the mystery of who her father is.

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedUK First airedUK Last aired
First airedLast aired
1 16May 7, 2018 (2018-05-07)May 25, 2018 (2018-05-25)June 4, 2018 (2018-06-04)June 28, 2018 (2018-06-28)
2 10April 8, 2019 (2019-04-08)April 19, 2019 (2019-04-19)February 18, 2019 (2019-02-18)March 5, 2019 (2019-03-05)
3 13July 3, 2020 (2020-07-03)July 3, 2020 (2020-07-03)February 17, 2020 (2020-02-17)March 9, 2020 (2020-03-09)

Cast

Main

CharacterActorSeasons
123
Penny Mendez Olivia-Mai Barrett Protagonist
Camilla YoungShannon GaskinMain Co-Protagonist
Sebastian StormFinlay MacMillanProtagonistCo-Protagonist
Sofia HuOlivia ChanCo-Protagonist
Nick WeberDamien WalshCo-ProtagonistRecurringDoes not appear
Mike Weber [n 1] Does not appearCo-ProtagonistDoes not appear
Luke WalshCo-ProtagonistDoes not appearCo-Protagonist
Aleksandr "Sasha" LukinRyan DeanCo-AntagonistCo-Protagonist
Lucy Carpenter Jessica Alexander AntagonistDoes not appear
Tom LauderJack ChristouDoes not appearCo-AntagonistCo-Protagonist
Pete SwansonGiacomo VigoDoes not appearCo-Protagonist
Rob WalkerKeenan Munn-FrancisDoes not appearProtagonist
Vicky BernhardKira MalouDoes not appearCo-Protagonist
Martha PatelAmani LiaDoes not appearAntagonist

Recurring

CharacterActorSeasons
123
Freddy WolfBen RichardsRecurring
BakìaMerissa PorterRecurring
Debbie CornishHanna HefnerRecurring
Raul StormJoseph RyeRecurringDoes not appear
Mitch StormCharlie GardnerRecurringDoes not appear
Bruce Gold Michael Rodgers Recurring
Roberto PiccoloWilliam KenningRecurring
Sean McDougalAlton Terry / Yonv Joseph [n 2] Recurring
Ella JohnsonNathalie Rapti GomezRecurring
Tosca BauerMelanie GrayRecurring
Arianna RossiArianna Di ClaudioGuest
Mrs. GradyGiorgia MassettiGuestDoes not appear
Lisa CunninghamKatie McGovernGuestDoes not appear
Andrew YoungDouglas DeanGuestDoes not appear
Mr. CarpenterAndrea ScarduzioGuestDoes not appear
Mrs. CarpenterCecilia GragnaniGuestDoes not appear
Head physicianMauro CiprianiDoes not appearGuestDoes not appear
Mr. MakiYoon Coon ComettiDoes not appearGuestDoes not appear
Dave MarshalLeonardo FerrariDoes not appearGuest
Adrian GlaserAndrea BeruattoDoes not appearGuest
Simo FerrariAsya RotellaDoes not appearGuest
Mr. RichterTimothy MartinDoes not appearGuest
  1. Mike Weber is played by Luke Walsh in Seasons 1 and 3, and by Damien Walsh in Season 2. Damien Walsh also plays Nick Weber in the first two seasons.
  2. Credited as Alton Terry in Season 1, Yonv Joseph in Seasons 2 and 3.

Production

In April 2017, it was announced that The Walt Disney Company Italy planned to produce an English language spin-off from the successful series Alex & Co. [4] The start of shooting for the 17-part first season was planned for Autumn 2017. Penny on M.A.R.S. was produced in English instead of Italian because it was believed that the series could be sold better internationally. The characters Penny, Camilla, Bakìa and Freddy Wolf from Penny on M.A.R.S. had performances in the special episodes (the last episodes) of Alex & Co., in which the spin-off series was introduced. On June 29, 2017, the spin-off series after the last episode of Alex & Co. was officially announced in a teaser, thereby also announcing the title Penny on M.A.R.S.. [5]

The first table read for the first season was on September 20, 2017. [6] Shooting for the first season began on September 28, 2017, and ended on December 15, 2017. [7] The shooting took place in Milan and the surrounding area. [8] The backdrop of the Music Arts Reiner School (short M.A.R.S.) is the building of the design department of the Bovisa's headquarters of the Polytechnic University of Milan.

Soundtrack

The first album from the series was released on May 4, 2016, in Italy. It contains the following list of songs: [9]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."We Are the M.A.R.S." (Olivia-Mai Barrett & Ryan Dean)
  • Giordano Cremona
  • Federico Mercuri
  • Marco Sissa
  • Colin Paul Buffet
3:00
2."Rain and Shine" (Olivia-Mai Barrett & Shannon Gaskin)
  • Federica Camba
  • Daniele Coro
  • Enrico Sibilla
3:14
3."Nobody's Perfect" (Merissa Porter)Gaetano Cappa3:16
4."Never Doubt I Love" (Olivia-Mai Barrett & Finlay MacMillan)
  • Abigail Hercules
  • David Roper
  • Richard Taylor
3:40
5."So Sure" (Olivia-Mai Barrett & Finlay MacMillan)
  • Steve Rushton
  • Tim Woodcock
3:24
6."Rain and Shine - Ci sarò, ci sarai" (Federica Carta & Olivia-Mai Barrett)
  • Federica Camba
  • Daniele Coro
  • Enrico Sibilla
3:14

Related Research Articles

<i>The Proud Family</i> American animated sitcom

The Proud Family is an American animated television series created by Bruce W. Smith that aired on Disney Channel for two seasons from September 15, 2001, to August 19, 2005. The series centers on the life of the titular family, including the show’s main protagonist, Penny Proud, a 14-year-old African American teenager who navigates her adolescence while dealing with her friends and family. Episodes deal with Penny discovering her boundaries and struggling with family relationships and peer pressure. Penny Proud has strong relationships with her entrepreneurial father Oscar Proud and her veterinarian mother Trudy Proud, as well as her best friends Dijonay Jones, LaCienega Boulevardez, Zoey Howzer, and Sticky Webb.

<i>Laverne & Shirley</i> American television sitcom (1976–1983)

Laverne & Shirley is an American sitcom television series that ran for eight seasons on ABC from January 27, 1976, to May 10, 1983. A spin-off of Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley starred Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams as Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney, two friends and roommates who work as bottle-cappers in the fictitious Shotz Brewery in late 1950s Milwaukee, Wisconsin. From the sixth season onwards, the series' setting changed to mid-1960s Burbank, California. Michael McKean and David Lander co-starred as their friends and neighbors Lenny Kosnowski and Andrew "Squiggy" Squiggman, respectively; along with Eddie Mekka as Carmine Ragusa, Phil Foster as Laverne's father Frank DeFazio, and Betty Garrett as the girls' landlady Edna Babish.

<i>Cory in the House</i> American television series

Cory in the House is an American television sitcom which aired on the Disney Channel from January 12, 2007, to September 12, 2008, and was a spin-off from the Disney Channel show That's So Raven. The show focuses on Cory Baxter, who moves from San Francisco, California to Washington, D.C., with his father, after Victor Baxter gets a new job as the White House Executive Chef. The series was the first Disney Channel spin-off series, as well as the final Disney Channel series overall, to be both shot and broadcast in standard definition for the entire run of the show. Reruns of the series have aired on Disney Channel and Disney XD, it also aired on the Family Channel in Canada. Raven-Symoné guest-starred in one episode, reprising her role as Raven Baxter.

<i>Wizards of Waverly Place</i> American fantasy teen sitcom (2007–2012)

Wizards of Waverly Place is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo, a teenage wizard living on the titular street in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, who undertakes training alongside her siblings, Justin and Max, who are also equipped with magical abilities. The siblings are trained knowing that one day they will compete to win sole custody of their family's powers. Episodes focus on Alex's challenges in keeping her secret powers hidden while she deals with the social and personal issues of her youth. She frequently uses magic in her everyday life, sometimes irresponsibly, and develops her supernatural abilities over the course of the series. The main themes depicted include family, friendship, and adolescence; the series also contains fantasy elements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassie Scerbo</span> American actress, singer and dancer

Cassandra Lynn Scerbo is an American actress, singer and dancer. She was one of the members of the all-girl pop band Slumber Party Girls in the CBS children's music variety series Dance Revolution. In acting, she starred as Brooke in the film Bring It On: In It to Win It (2007), as Lauren Tanner in the ABC Family comedy-drama series Make It or Break It (2009–2012), and as Nova Clarke in the Sharknado film series alongside Ian Ziering and Tara Reid (2013–2018).

<i>Crash Zone</i> Australian TV series or program

Crash Zone is an Australian children's science fiction television series which aired on the Seven Network from 13 February 1999 to 25 August 2001. It was produced by Australian Children's Television Foundation, in association with the Disney Channel, and ran for 26 episodes. The series stars five high school students, "high-tech whiz kids" of varied backgrounds, who are hired by the president of the Catalyst software company to save her failing business. The premise of the series was unique in that it was one of the first series to examine the early use of the internet as well as the video game industry and artificial intelligence.

<i>Austin & Ally</i> American comedy television series

Austin & Ally is an American comedy television series created by Kevin Kopelow and Heath Seifert that aired on Disney Channel from December 2, 2011 to January 10, 2016. The series stars Ross Lynch, Laura Marano, Raini Rodriguez, and Calum Worthy.

<i>Sofia the First</i> American animated television series

Sofia the First is an American animated fantasy children's television series created by Craig Gerber for Disney Television Animation. The series follows a young peasant girl named Sofia, voiced by Ariel Winter, who becomes a princess after her mother marries the king of Enchancia. Episodes focus on her adventures and bonds with others, including her animal friends, with whom she communicates through an amulet that blesses and curses her based upon the goodness of her actions. The series aimed to employ relatable situations in a fantasy world; according to Gerber, Sofia's position as a child of a single mother allowed the team to explore themes of adaptation and connect to modern children. The series pilot premiered on November 18, 2012, on Disney Channel. The series itself ran from January 11, 2013 to September 8, 2018 on Disney Junior, having aired four seasons in the span of 109 episodes.

<i>Violetta</i> (TV series) Argentine telenovela

Violetta is an Argentine telenovela filmed in Buenos Aires, Argentina and developed by Disney Channel Latin America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and production company Pol-ka, debuted in Argentina, Latin America and Italy on May 14, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clara Alonso (actress)</span> Argentine actress, singer and TV hostess

María Clara Pancha Alonso, known professionally as Clara Alonso, is an Argentine actress, singer, and television hostess. She debuted as an actress in the 2007 Argentine remake of High School Musical. Since 2007, she has acted in various Disney Channel programs in Latin America. Alonso is best known for her lead role as "Angie Carrara" in the Disney Channel Latin America Series, Violetta.

<i>Rabbids Invasion</i> French animated television series

Rabbids Invasion is a French computer-animated television series based on Ubisoft's Rabbids video game series. It is a co-production of Ubisoft Motion Pictures, TeamTO and France Télévisions. The show was developed by Jean-Louis Momus, and stars Damien Laquet as the voice of the Rabbids.

<i>Alex & Co.</i> Italian TV series

Alex & Co. is an Italian television series that first aired on Disney Channel Italy on May 11, 2015. It was created by Marina Efron Versiglia and stars Leonardo Cecchi, Eleonora Gaggero, Beatrice Vendramin, Saul Nanni, and Federico Russo, as well as English actress Olivia-Mai Barrett in the special season episodes.

This is a list of Italian television related events from 2015.

<i>Rapunzels Tangled Adventure</i> American animated television series

Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure is an American animated television series developed by Chris Sonnenburg and Shane Prigmore, and produced by Disney Television Animation. It premiered on Disney Channel as a Disney Channel Original Movie titled Tangled: Before Ever After on March 10, 2017. Its regular episodes premiered on March 24, 2017. The series is based on the 2010 film Tangled and features the returning voices of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, alongside Eden Espinosa, Clancy Brown, Julie Bowen, James Monroe Iglehart, Jeff Ross, Paul F. Tompkins, and Jeremy Jordan.

Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures is an American animated children's television series that was broadcast on Disney Junior. Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series is the successor to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Originally airing as Mickey and the Roadster Racers for its first two seasons, it debuted on its first two episodes consecutively on January 15, 2017.

<i>Ravens Home</i> American television series

Raven's Home is an American family sitcom television series developed by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas that premiered on Disney Channel on July 21, 2017. The series stars Raven-Symoné, Issac Ryan Brown, Navia Robinson, Jason Maybaum, Sky Katz, and Anneliese van der Pol for its first four seasons. Raven-Symoné and Issac Ryan Brown returned for the fifth season, alongside Mykal-Michelle Harris, Felix Avitia, Emmy Liu-Wang and Rondell Sheridan.

<i>The Owl House</i> American animated television series

The Owl House is an American animated fantasy television series created by Dana Terrace that aired on Disney Channel from January 10, 2020, to April 8, 2023. The series stars the voices of Sarah-Nicole Robles, Wendie Malick, Alex Hirsch, Tati Gabrielle, Issac Ryan Brown, Mae Whitman, Cissy Jones, Zeno Robinson, Matthew Rhys, Michaela Dietz, Elizabeth Grullon, and Fryda Wolff.

Bia is an Argentine televisión series original of Disney Channel Latin America produced by Pegsa and Non Stop and Disney Channel Latin America in collaboration with Disney Channel Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA). Bia is the third original production of Disney Channel Latin America after Violetta and Soy Luna. The series directed by Jorge Bechara and Daniel De Filippo, stars Isabela Souza along with Gabriella Di Grecco, Julio Peña Fernández,Fernando Dente, Agustina Palma, Giulia Guerrini, Andrea De Alba and Guido Messina, as well as Daniela Trujillo, Micaela Díaz, Julia Argüelles, Alan Madanes, Rhener Freitas, Esteban Velásquez, Rodrigo Rumi, Luis Giraldo, Valentina González and Jandino.

Defunctland is a YouTube web series that documents the history of discontinued amusement parks and amusement park attractions, created and hosted by Kevin Perjurer, a pseudonymous man living in Florida. The show presents the history and downfall of theme parks and attractions from around the world, most notably those of Disney, Universal, and Six Flags.

References

  1. "Disney Channel - Penny on M.A.R.S. - Una nuova serie". YouTube (in Italian). Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  2. "Penny on M.A.R.S. starts in the UK". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  3. "Penny on M.A.R.S. - la conferenza stampa della nuova serie Disney" (in Italian). 10 April 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  4. "Arriva Nella, principessa cavaliere che non aspetta il principe azzurro" (in Italian). 2017-04-08. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  5. "Penny on M.A.R.S. promo". YouTube . 2017-09-24. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  6. ""First Penny on MARS read through"". 2017-09-20. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  7. "Filming information by MotoreCinema". Facebook (in Italian). 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  8. "CASTING PER NUOVA SERIE TV DISNEY "PENNY ON MARS"" (in Italian). 2017-07-04. Archived from the original on 2017-10-14. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
  9. "Penny On M.A.R.S. (Musica dalla serie TV)". iTunes Store . 5 May 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.