The Secrets of Isis
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| The Secrets of Isis | |
|---|---|
 Joanna Cameron as Isis. |
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| Starring | JoAnna Cameron Brian Cutler Joanna Pang (Season 1) Ronalda Douglas (Season 2) |
| Theme music composer | Yvette Blais Jeff Michael |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 22 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Norm Prescott Lou Scheimer Dick Rosenbloom |
| Production company(s) | Filmation Associates |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | CBS |
| Original run | September 6, 1975 – September 3, 1977 |
The Secrets of Isis is a live action CBS television series produced by Filmation in the 1970s that appeared during the Saturday morning cartoon lineup. The show was also aired in various countries around the world. It is also known by the shorter title, Isis, which is in fact its on-screen title. As indicated on commentary in the 2007 DVD release of the series, and supported by examining broadcast premiere dates, Secrets of Isis was the first weekly American live-action television series starring a female superhero (predating the weekly debuts of both Wonder Woman and The Bionic Woman; the character Batgirl had been a regular on the 1960s series Batman, but was not the lead character).
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[edit] Opening Narration
"Oh my Queen", said the Royal Sorcerer to Hatshepsut. "With this amulet, you and your descendants are endowed by the Goddess Isis with powers of the animals and the elements. You will soar as the falcon soars, run with the speed of gazelles, and command the elements of sky and earth."
Three thousand years later, a young science teacher dug up this lost treasure and found she was heir to The Secrets of Isis.
And so, unknown even to her closest friends Rick Mason and Cindy Lee (later Renee Carroll), she became a dual person. Andrea Thomas, teacher . . .
OH MIGHTY ISIS!
. . . and Isis, dedicated foe of evil, defender of the weak, champion of truth and justice!
[edit] Premise
The Secrets of Isis (also called simply, "Isis") starred JoAnna Cameron as Andrea Thomas, a high school science teacher who found an ancient mystical amulet on an archeological dig in Egypt. The amulet belonged to Hatshepsut, an ancient Egyptian Queen and it gave the wearer the powers of Isis. Andrea, by virtue of being able to open the casing in which the amulet rested, was recognized as an heir to Isis's secrets. Whenever Isis was needed, Andrea would reveal the amulet and incite an incantation ("Oh Mighty Isis!") and she would be transformed into the goddess Isis.
As Isis she was given great strength, the ability to move inanimate objects, and the power to fly and run at super speed. To invoke her powers, she often intoned rhythmic rhyming chants, such as Oh zephyr winds which blow on high, lift me now so I can fly, which enabled her to fly. Isis used her powers for good by capturing criminals, righting wrongs, and helping anyone who was in danger. Unlike other superheroes who responded when people called their name, Isis often came to the rescue of people who didn't call for her, arriving in the nick of time and encouraging the wrongdoer to see the error of their ways through self-reflection. Even without the help of Isis, Andrea Thomas demonstrates high intellect (in the episode "The Sound of Silence", she invents a force field powered by a uranium pellet), and also has some abilities even when not in the guise of Isis, such as in "Sound of Silence" when she gives telepathic instructions to her pet mynah bird, Tut.
The show co-starred Brian Cutler as Rick Mason and Joanna Pang as Cindy Lee and Albert Reed. In Season 2, Ronalda Douglas joined as Renee Carroll, replacing Cindy. Guest stars on the show included Mike Lookinland, Debralee Scott, Leigh McCloskey, Phil Bruns, Mark Lambert, Steven Paul, Thomas Carter, Colleen Camp, Johnny Doran, William Engesser, Laurette Spang, Tommy Norden, Russ Marin and Christopher Norris.
A romantic attraction between Rick and Andrea (and between Rick and Isis herself) is suggested in numerous episodes; in his interview on the 2007 DVD release, Cutler likens his character to a male version of Superman's Lois Lane. Commentary on the DVD release also indicates that Cindy Lee's actual function at the high school was never defined, with episodes varyingly showing her as a student and a teacher's assistant, as well as sometimes a subordinate of Andrea's and in other episodes she is shown socializing with both Andrea and Rick. Renee, by contrast, is clearly defined as Andrea's assistant; in the episode "The Cheerleader", for example, she is shown preparing the answer key for an exam (however, she is also shown cavorting with students). The abbreviated second season saw some cosmetic changes to the character of Andrea Thomas/Isis, with an attempt to soften her look with increased make-up and a new hairstyle for Isis. Her performance as Isis is also somewhat more subdued than in the first season (as can be seen when comparing her reciting of the "zephyr winds" chant in both seasons).
Three episodes of the series featured crossover appearances by Captain Marvel of the show's companion series, Shazam! and Cameron likewise appeared as Isis in three episodes of the other series. (As of 2007, however, only a single episode of Shazam! has been released to DVD in North America).
Most storylines involved Isis coming to the rescue of high school students who find themselves endangered due to unwise choices. A notable exception was the two-part series finale "Now You See It..." and "And Now You Don't", which had an espionage-related plotline, revealing that Rick Mason has been working secretly for the government on a weather-making machine. This same two-parter introduced a trio of crime-fighting teens dubbed "The Super-Sleuths", and according to the DVD notes, was intended as a backdoor pilot for a Super-Sleuths series that never eventuated. It's not known whether this sudden change in direction from school-related plotlines to more traditional superhero adventures would have continued had production not been discontinued.
Secrets of Isis often broke the fourth wall with Isis/Andrea winking at the camera or otherwise acknowledging the audience at applicable moments. This is in addition to the "moral" segment at the end of each episode (see below).
[edit] History
Isis aired on CBS from September 6, 1975 to September 3, 1977 (15 episodes in first season, seven in the second, totaling 22 original episodes) as part of the Shazam/Isis Hour. The success of the show led to her own series the following year as The Secrets of Isis, but this was just reruns of the 22 previously-produced episodes (no additional new episodes were made). The character (played by the same actress) also appeared in three episodes of Shazam! Isis later appeared in animated form (voiced by Diane Pershing rather than Joanna Cameron) on Filmation's Tarzan and the Super 7 show in 1980, as part of a segment called The Freedom Force, as well as a guest appearance on the cartoon Hero High.
The series spun-off a comic book produced by DC Comics. Although Isis is often cited as a DC creation, the series is one of the very few Filmation originals (most of their creations were adaptations of previously existing material); the character was created specifically for the television series and was only later adapted for comics. The TV character later appeared in animated form on other series. A considerably reworked version of the character (though still connected with Captain Marvel and given the name Adrianna Tomaz in honor of the television character's secret identity) was introduced in the 2006 comic series 52 and its novelization by Greg Cox. Although this version of the character started as a hero, she was later turned into a villain following the events of 52.
In 2006, BCI, an American distributor of DVDs, announced it had acquired the rights to release the series on DVD in North America, which was released on July 24, 2007.[1] The episodes on the DVD release are presented in their "known original airdate order". Additionally, BCI was able to recover a number of segments from the original broadcasts in which Isis broke the fourth wall to deliver a moral relating to each episode; as noted on the DVD notes, these segments were removed from the prints for syndication and the original footage has been lost. It is stated in the DVD set that the quality may not be as high as the episode, these morals were sourced from slightly degraded videotape. Also because BCI was unable to recover all of the moral segments, they could not be properly shown at the end of the episodes, thus the ones that were recovered were included as a bonus feature instead. Conspicuous by her absence in the DVD commentaries and interviews is Joanna Cameron herself.
The DVD includes the first issue of The 'Legend of Isis, a comic book published by Bluewater Productions, that debuted in 2007. This version of the character was created by Bluewater's founder, Darren G. Davis, and previously appeared in Image Comics. In this version of the story, Isis is a warrior from Ancient Egypt who is transported through time to the 21st Century, where she befriends a police detective. Aside from similarities in costume, this version of Isis has little connection to the TV version.
Grammnet, the production company owned by Kelsey Grammer, has reportedly obtained the rights to produce a movie based on the character to be called The Legend of Isis.
[edit] Powers And Abilities
Upon invoking the powers of her mystic amulet by saying "Oh Mighty Isis", Isis becomes endowed with super-strength, super-speed, the ability to communicate telepathically with animals, manipulate objects telekinetically, and (in one instance) even make living creatures disappear and reappear at will. Her tiara holds a twin to the amulet she wears around her neck that allows her to locate people in trouble by concentrating on them. She may also use it to play back past events or project her thoughts and images to others if she chooses. She can summon even greater powers - such as the ability to fly - by commanding the elements to do her bidding. Often, she invokes these powers through a chant or incantation but at other times she simply commands the forces to comply with simple instructions or directions. Thus, Isis is able to control the elements of earth, wind, fire, and even time itself if need be. She can dispatch a forest fire with rain, use the wind to smoke out criminals, and stop the flow of time to prevent tragedy. If needed, she can create illusions, rearrange molecules, or even control the force of gravity. In fact, the exact limitations of her powers are rather vague and seem to rely on the situation at hand and whatever solution the story best calls for.
[edit] Incantations
[edit] Air & Sky
Oh zephyr winds which blow on high, lift me now so I can fly. [All episodes except Fool's Dare]
Oh Amon-Ra and your chariot swift, traverse the skies and the clouds do lift. [The Odd Couple (Shazam! Episode)]
Keeper of the winds swirling o'er, smoke those robbers out the door. [Finder's Keepers (Shazam! Episode)]
Oh mountain wind and northwest breeze, lift Mentor safe above the trees. [Finder's Keepers (Shazam! Episode)]
Sister goddess Rohalind, let me ride thy mighty wind. [The Odd Couple (Shazam! Episode)]
By powers of ore which are exceptionally strong, dishes fly in the box where they belong. [Rockhound's Roost]
Strike lightning and let thy aim be true. [The Sound of Silence]
Mighty wind now lift me high and bring the rope up to the sky. [Bigfoot]
Faster, zephyr winds. [The Hitchhikers]
Oh mighty wind that blows so far, now use your strength to push this car. [No Drums, No Trumpets]
Clouds descend and in your wake surround this truck so there's no escape. [No Drums, No Trumpets]
Oh mighty storm that roams so free, now hold back and calm the sea. [Funny Gal]
Wind that carries me afar, now be a cushion for this car. [Girl Driver]
Sister goddess of the wind, return to me the rope that failed. [Scuba Duba]
Tempest zephyr winds on high, lift him now through the sky. [Dreams of Flight]
Oh mighty clouds please send your rain, to quickly fall and quench the flame. [The Seeing-Eye Horse]
Swirling forces all surround, gently fly him to the ground. [Dreams of Flight]
Storm gods of electricity, send a lightning bolt to me. [The Hitchhikers]
Spirits of the water, hear me, help me fight thy enemy - fire. [The Odd Couple (Shazam! Episode)]
Oh powers over smoke and fume, direct thy winds and clear this room. [The Class Clown]
Oh wind put right this wayward joke, and form in stairs this acrid smoke. [The Class Clown]
Oh gentle wind, use your charm and hold this girl to keep from harm. [Year Of The Dragon]
Oh icy winds now do conspire, to freeze this car and quench the fire. [Now You See It . . .]
Oh sun that changes day from night, help me stop this man from flight. [The Lights of Mystery Mountain]
Oh sun on high, give me your fire to surround this creature harmlessly. [Rockhound's Roost]
Oh sun on high, hold back your burning fire and let this creature now retire. [Rockhound's Roost]
[edit] Earth
Trees of the forest, I need thy aid. Surround these men so they behave. In the front. On the right. Twice again. In the back. On the right. One more time. The front again. To the left. Now complete. [The Sound Of Silence]
Powers of the Earth, oh rocks obey, lose your hold and fall away. [Rockhound's Roost]
Oh great forces from time long past, help me hold this mountain fast. [The Showoff]
Oh Mother Earth, assist me now to block that road across your brow. [Girl Driver]
Force of gravity from this rock be still, let me roll it up the hill. [The Outsider]
Forces of gravity, come from afar. Double your strength and stop this car. [Now You See It . . .]
Oh branches that from trees do drop, help me now this horse to stop. [The Seeing-Eye Horse]
God of meadow, tree, and grass, lift this girl, let danger pass. Descend to Earth. [The Cheerleader]
[edit] Time
Oh time turn back and then hold fast, and let me see into the past. [Finders Keepers (Shazam! Episode)]
Oh mighty water, flowing fast, stop your motion now hold fast. [Lucky]
Time turn back and in your flight, let me see what is gone from sight. [To Find A Friend]
Time, the ruler of day, freeze this moment and make it stay. [To Find A Friend]
This second, this minute, this hour of day, continue now on your ceaseless way. [To Find A Friend]
Oh spirits of the past and gone from sight, arrest this man and stop his flight. [No Drums, No Trumpets]
Oh broken ladder with rungs too few, restore thyself as good as new. [Year Of The Dragon]
Strands of rope which were undone, come together now as one. [Scuba Duba]
Oh time turn back and thus restore, these broken beakers on the floor. [The Class Clown]
[edit] Misc
Ancient Sphinx, all knowing and wise, confront this man with his own lies. [The Lights Of Mystery Mountain]
Power of fire, at my command, disappear when I raise my hand. [Girl Driver]
Rope now climb and heed this charm, entwine that man and keep from harm. [Bigfoot]
Oh jungle animal, awesome sight, help my friends with all thy might. [The Showoff]
Molecules by which we're bound, separate. Let space be found. [The Hitchhikers]
Wheels and gears now heed my plea, stop your motion, set Julie free. [Year Of The Dragon]
[edit] Episode list
[edit] First Season
- The Lights of Mystery Mountain
- Spots of the Leopard
- Fool's Dare
- The Sound of Silence
- Rockhound's Roost
- Lucky
- Bigfoot
- How to Find a Friend
- The Show Off
- The Outsider
- Funny Gal
- Girl Driver
- Scuba Duba
- Dreams of Flight
- No Drums, No Trumpets
[edit] Second Season
- Seeing Eye Horse
- The Hitchhiker
- The Cheerleader
- The Class Clown
- Year of the Dragon
- Now You See It ...
- ... Now You Don't
[edit] DVD release
BCI Eclipse LLC (Under license from Entertainment Rights) released The Secrets of Isis: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 on July 24, 2007. The 3 disc set includes many special features.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Secrets of Isis: The Complete Series | 22 | July 24, 2007 |
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[edit] References
[edit] External links
- The Secret of Isis at the Internet Movie Database
- Secrets of Isis Unofficial webpage on the Secrets of Isis
- Toonopedia on Isis
- Unofficial Isis Appreciation Page Another unofficial webpage on the Secrets of Isis
- KingTutOne.com A history of Hatshepsut, the Egyptian queen that Andrea Thomas inherits the powers of Isis from.
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