Tower Prep

Tower Prep
Intertitle from the network promo.
Genre	Action-adventure, science fiction, superhero, teen drama
Created by	Paul Dini
Starring	Drew Van Acker Ryan Pinkston Elise Gatien Dyana Liu
Opening theme	"Unstoppable" by Foxy Shazam (used in network promos but not during the show)
Composers	Kristopher Carter Michael McCuistion Lolita Ritmanis
Country of origin	United States Canada
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	9 (aired) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Paul Dini Glen Morgan
Producer	Peter Lhotka
Camera setup	Film; Single-camera
Running time	45 minutes
Production company	Dolphin Entertainment
Original release
Network	Cartoon Network
Release	October 16, 2010 – present

Tower Prep is an American-Canadian television series that is currently airing on Cartoon Network. It debuted on October 16, 2010, after the world premiere of Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster. The series is created by Paul Dini, a former producer and writer of the DC animated universe.

Tower Prep is Cartoon Network's second one-hour live-action series after Unnatural History.

Premise

Ian Archer was recently suspended from his high school after getting into a fight to protect his friend. After school, that day, he sat down to play an online video game. One of the avatars he was battling was named 'Whisper 119'. After she logged off, Ian put on his headphones to listen to some music. He heard a mysterious buzzing noise, then fell asleep on his bed. He woke up in a strange preparatory high school that the students don't know much about. After trying to escape in the woods which is thwarted by creatures called "Gnomes," Ian meets a group of friends: Gabe, Suki and CJ. They all form a strong friendship bond which allows them to solve mysteries in each episode, hopefully leading to their escape from Tower Prep.

Cast and characters

The cast of Tower Prep (from left to right), Drew Van Acker as Ian Archer, Dyana Liu as Suki Sato, Ryan Pinkston as Gabe Forrest, and Elise Gatien as CJ Ward.

Main characters

• Ian Archer (Drew Van Acker) - Ian has the ability of seeing things before they happen and reacting. His power is known as Preflex. He's a rebel who, like his friends, wants to discover the secrets of Tower Prep and is trying to escape from the strange school. His ability allows him to be exceptional in martial arts and physical fights. He occasionally uses his skills to defend the students who can't protect themselves from other students like Cal Rice and Ray Snider at the school. It is hinted that he may be related to the founder of Tower Prep. He has a crush on CJ.

• Gabriel "Gabe" Forrest (Ryan Pinkston) - Gabe has the ability of Hypersuasion, allowing him to talk almost anyone into doing what he requests. He's the class clown, the guy with the sarcastic comment when the teacher isn't listening and the funny self-deprecating attitude when someone tries to pick on him. It is hinted that Gabe is a juvenile delinquent because he mentions his parole officer. He is also the school class president. He also, admits that he has a crush on Suki.

• CJ Ward (Elise Gatien) - CJ has the ability to read people's body language, called Perception. Unlike the others, CJ has no memory of her life before Tower Prep. To most of the students and faculty at Tower Prep, CJ is the textbook example of someone who follows "The Program." She is the perfect student, one of the more popular girls in school, and well-liked by everyone; that is exactly what she wants everyone to think as she secretly plots an escape from the school. CJ is a master at playing both sides and hiding her true intentions. In the episode "Whisper", she finds out that her abilities have increased allowing her to understand people from their handwriting. It is revealed in the episode "The Rooks" that she has a crush on Ian. In the episode "Phone Home" C.J and Ian kiss while trying to tap into the satellite system.

• Suki Sato (Dyana Liu) - Suki has the ability to imitate anything as long as she has heard the voice/sound at least once and can replicate others' handwritings with 100% accuracy. Her power is known as Mimicry. She's a quiet, introspective girl whose endearingly bubbly personality shines through just when everyone else's spirits are failing. She is referred to as being "as quiet as a mouse" but also considered a "hottie". Her father is the owner of Sato Systems (also known as SatoScientific), a well-known electronics company that makes various high-tech devices including the security cameras and student communication devices used at Tower Prep, as well as an earlier version of Whisper 120, Whisper 119 and Whisper 023.

Tower Prep staff

The teachers of the school do not have actual names (i.e. Mr. or Mrs. so-and-so). They are instead called by the subjects they teach. For example, if a teacher teaches math, they are simply called Math. The headmaster of the school is simply called Headmaster. Although, if a teacher is teaching two subjects, they are called by both names. For example, if a teacher teaches both history and physical education, they are called Coach History.

• Headmaster (Ted Whitall) - He is the headmaster of Tower Prep. Headmaster is a very round character that insists that Tower Prep's purpose is solely to refine the exceptional students' abilities for the better, but there are dialogue exchanges between him and the staff in the series that suggest that he has other plans in mind. He is possibly the actual leader of the Rooks, as Coach called him "Most Exalted One" in one of their talks.

• Coach (Dan Payne) - Coach is like the other teachers in such a way that little is known about him, but it is discovered that he was a former student of Tower Prep and that he was a test subject for Corvus H-40, a chemical substance presumed to be a "performance enhancer", although it is implied that the Corvus H-40's effects are much more than just that. Both he and Headmaster are Rooks members in spite of Headmaster actively speaking out against them. Coach wears a watch with the Rooks emblem on the face. It is possible that Coach no longer has his ability due to Corvus H-40 abuse.

• Coach History (Richard Steinmetz) - This coach is the red buffer coach and the school's history teacher. He once told Ian that if he beat the gold team (regular coach's team) that he would tell them all he knew about the school's history. In the process, it was discovered that the Gnomes are Tower Prep students, not him.

• Nurse (Karin Konoval) - She is the nurse of Tower Prep who was suspected to be the cause of the Chemica Desin epidemic. She revealed to Ian that the true suspect was Ross Aderson, who stole the Chemica Desin from the Nurse during her work there, and modified it. When Ross Anderson was at the Headmaster's Office, she didn't punish her, but instead asked how she modified the Chemica Desin.

Secondary characters

• Whisper 119 (voiced by Peggy Jo Jacobs) - Whisper 119 is the artificial intelligence that helps manage the school and also serves as a "recruitment officer" by contacting children who may have exceptional abilities in different ways. It is revealed that she also has emotions in episode "Whisper", when Ian realizes she is the one who sent him the printed handwritten note saying "I'm scared too" in which CJ analyzes as "caring, artistic, and motherly".

• Ray Snider (Richard Harmon) - Ray is a student at Tower Prep who is one of Ian's initial roommates. He continues to clash with Ian even after Ian moved out of their dorm and is the one who considers Suki a "hottie". His ability is enhanced strength and toughness.

• Cal Rice (Izaak Smith) - Cal is Ian's main antagonist. He is the captain of the gold Buffer team and is the so-called head jock of the school. He is always ready to push Ian around and seems threatened by him detecting that CJ has a crush on him. His ability is enhanced hearing. In the episode "Field Trip" he is captured and turned into a Gnome.

• Conner Owens (Andrew Dunbar) - Conner is a "new" student at Tower Prep. Headmaster whispered something in his ear. After learning about Cornelius Tower, it is revealed that he is a spy for the people trying to get back into the school.

• Cornelius Tower - As a former magician and jazz artist, Cornelius Tower is the founder of Tower Prep and loved his students. The school was taken over and he was betrayed. In an audio story of his life, he is cut off while saying 'they're turning my students into-'. Ian may be related or close to him, for a picture is found of them together in a garden. Cornelius Tower is probably dead, for Gabe found his eye in a paper weight. Cornelius wears a pirate eye patch.

Minor characters

• Howard Gilmore (Jarod Joseph) - Howard has the ability to see in the dark. Howard used his ability to steal from other students, including Gabe's sock monkey Señor Guapo, and frame Ian for the wrongdoings before being sent off to West Campus. In their search for proof to the real thief, Ian, Gabe, Suki, and CJ found Howard's hideout in the underground "labs" inhabited by Gnomes.

• Don Fincher (Calum Worthy) - One of Ian's initial roommates and is Ray Snider's best friend.

• Noelle (Christie Stainthorpe) - Noelle has the ability of perfect taste. She can drink or eat something and tell exactly what is in it. She helped Ian, Suki and CJ discover that the Corvis H-40 is part of the "Raven's Blood" drink the Rooks had.

• Fenton Capwell (Charlie Carrick) - Fenton is a student at Tower Prep who holds an interest in opera. In "Monitored," he takes Ian's place as Ray's and Don's roommate, and in "Election," he falls ill when running against Emily Wright in the class presidential election. His ability is unknown, but it may be associated with his voice.

• Emerson Poencet (Jeffrey Ballard) - Emerson is a student who first appears in "Whisper". His ability is microscope vision, which he uses to determine that the secret notes Ian gets are computer printouts, see Ian's individual blood cells, and accurately identify six different sets of fingerprints with a mere glance on a campaign button.

• Chelsea Sloan (Daesha D. Usman) - Chelsea is the student monitor assigned to watch Ian during the theft investigation in "Monitored". She takes her job seriously, but she never discovers that Ian has been escaping from his room through a secret passageway.

• Emily Wright (Jodi Balfour) - Emily is the former class president of Tower Prep who lost her bid for re-election to Gabe. She first appears in "Election", where she meets Ian through trying to find out what caused the illness of her original running opponent, Fenton. She is currently the vice-president of the school serving under Gabe.

• Ross Anderson (Kacey Rohl) - Ross is Emily's ruthless campaign manager. At the end of the first episode she appears in, "Election," it is discovered that she is the one who spread the Chemica Desin enzyme inhibitor to those who were threats to Emily's reelection, using knowledge from her biology class and Tower Prep equipment to do so. She is presumed to be sent to West Campus, but in reality, Headmaster and Nurse are actually very impressed with her achievement.

• Whisper 23 (voiced by Chelsea Morgan) - Whisper 23 is the inactive predecessor of Whisper 119, who Ian, Suki, Gabe, and CJ reactivate in the episode "Whisper." She locks them into the room and forces them to play a dangerous maze-like computer game, with electric shocks resulting from failures. Ian uses his Preflex ability to win the game and Whisper 23 declares that he is eligible for Tower Prep, suggesting that this is how students were once drafted into Tower Prep

• Whisper 120 (Voiced Unknown)- Whisper 120 is the replacement of Whisper 119 made by Sato systems and was introduced in the episode "Phone Home"

Episodes

Main article: List of Tower Prep episodes

Seasons		Episodes	Originally aired
			Season premiere	Season finale
	1	13	October 16, 2010 (2010-10-16)	December 28, 2010 (2010-12-28)

Tower Prep
Intertitle from the network promo.
Genre	Action-adventure, science fiction, superhero, teen drama
Created by	Paul Dini
Starring	Drew Van Acker Ryan Pinkston Elise Gatien Dyana Liu
Opening theme	"Unstoppable" by Foxy Shazam (used in network promos but not during the show)
Composers	Kristopher Carter Michael McCuistion Lolita Ritmanis
Country of origin	United States Canada
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	9 (aired) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Paul Dini Glen Morgan
Producer	Peter Lhotka
Camera setup	Film; Single-camera
Running time	45 minutes
Production company	Dolphin Entertainment
Original release
Network	Cartoon Network
Release	October 16, 2010 – present

Tower Prep is an American-Canadian television series that is currently airing on Cartoon Network. It debuted on October 16, 2010, after the world premiere of Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster. The series is created by Paul Dini, a former producer and writer of the DC animated universe.

Tower Prep is Cartoon Network's second one-hour live-action series after Unnatural History.

Premise

Ian Archer was recently suspended from his high school after getting into a fight to protect his friend. After school, that day, he sat down to play an online video game. One of the avatars he was battling was named 'Whisper 119'. After she logged off, Ian put on his headphones to listen to some music. He heard a mysterious buzzing noise, then fell asleep on his bed. He woke up in a strange preparatory high school that the students don't know much about. After trying to escape in the woods which is thwarted by creatures called "Gnomes," Ian meets a group of friends: Gabe, Suki and CJ. They all form a strong friendship bond which allows them to solve mysteries in each episode, hopefully leading to their escape from Tower Prep.

Cast and characters

The cast of Tower Prep (from left to right), Drew Van Acker as Ian Archer, Dyana Liu as Suki Sato, Ryan Pinkston as Gabe Forrest, and Elise Gatien as CJ Ward.

Main characters

• Ian Archer (Drew Van Acker) - Ian has the ability of seeing things before they happen and reacting. His power is known as Preflex. He's a rebel who, like his friends, wants to discover the secrets of Tower Prep and is trying to escape from the strange school. His ability allows him to be exceptional in martial arts and physical fights. He occasionally uses his skills to defend the students who can't protect themselves from other students like Cal Rice and Ray Snider at the school. It is hinted that he may be related to the founder of Tower Prep. He has a crush on CJ.

• Gabriel "Gabe" Forrest (Ryan Pinkston) - Gabe has the ability of Hypersuasion, allowing him to talk almost anyone into doing what he requests. He's the class clown, the guy with the sarcastic comment when the teacher isn't listening and the funny self-deprecating attitude when someone tries to pick on him. It is hinted that Gabe is a juvenile delinquent because he mentions his parole officer. He is also the school class president. He also, admits that he has a crush on Suki.

• CJ Ward (Elise Gatien) - CJ has the ability to read people's body language, called Perception. Unlike the others, CJ has no memory of her life before Tower Prep. To most of the students and faculty at Tower Prep, CJ is the textbook example of someone who follows "The Program." She is the perfect student, one of the more popular girls in school, and well-liked by everyone; that is exactly what she wants everyone to think as she secretly plots an escape from the school. CJ is a master at playing both sides and hiding her true intentions. In the episode "Whisper", she finds out that her abilities have increased allowing her to understand people from their handwriting. It is revealed in the episode "The Rooks" that she has a crush on Ian. In the episode "Phone Home" C.J and Ian kiss while trying to tap into the satellite system.

• Suki Sato (Dyana Liu) - Suki has the ability to imitate anything as long as she has heard the voice/sound at least once and can replicate others' handwritings with 100% accuracy. Her power is known as Mimicry. She's a quiet, introspective girl whose endearingly bubbly personality shines through just when everyone else's spirits are failing. She is referred to as being "as quiet as a mouse" but also considered a "hottie". Her father is the owner of Sato Systems (also known as SatoScientific), a well-known electronics company that makes various high-tech devices including the security cameras and student communication devices used at Tower Prep, as well as an earlier version of Whisper 120, Whisper 119 and Whisper 023.

Tower Prep staff

The teachers of the school do not have actual names (i.e. Mr. or Mrs. so-and-so). They are instead called by the subjects they teach. For example, if a teacher teaches math, they are simply called Math. The headmaster of the school is simply called Headmaster. Although, if a teacher is teaching two subjects, they are called by both names. For example, if a teacher teaches both history and physical education, they are called Coach History.

• Headmaster (Ted Whitall) - He is the headmaster of Tower Prep. Headmaster is a very round character that insists that Tower Prep's purpose is solely to refine the exceptional students' abilities for the better, but there are dialogue exchanges between him and the staff in the series that suggest that he has other plans in mind. He is possibly the actual leader of the Rooks, as Coach called him "Most Exalted One" in one of their talks.

• Coach (Dan Payne) - Coach is like the other teachers in such a way that little is known about him, but it is discovered that he was a former student of Tower Prep and that he was a test subject for Corvus H-40, a chemical substance presumed to be a "performance enhancer", although it is implied that the Corvus H-40's effects are much more than just that. Both he and Headmaster are Rooks members in spite of Headmaster actively speaking out against them. Coach wears a watch with the Rooks emblem on the face. It is possible that Coach no longer has his ability due to Corvus H-40 abuse.

• Coach History (Richard Steinmetz) - This coach is the red buffer coach and the school's history teacher. He once told Ian that if he beat the gold team (regular coach's team) that he would tell them all he knew about the school's history. In the process, it was discovered that the Gnomes are Tower Prep students, not him.

• Nurse (Karin Konoval) - She is the nurse of Tower Prep who was suspected to be the cause of the Chemica Desin epidemic. She revealed to Ian that the true suspect was Ross Aderson, who stole the Chemica Desin from the Nurse during her work there, and modified it. When Ross Anderson was at the Headmaster's Office, she didn't punish her, but instead asked how she modified the Chemica Desin.

Secondary characters

• Whisper 119 (voiced by Peggy Jo Jacobs) - Whisper 119 is the artificial intelligence that helps manage the school and also serves as a "recruitment officer" by contacting children who may have exceptional abilities in different ways. It is revealed that she also has emotions in episode "Whisper", when Ian realizes she is the one who sent him the printed handwritten note saying "I'm scared too" in which CJ analyzes as "caring, artistic, and motherly".

• Ray Snider (Richard Harmon) - Ray is a student at Tower Prep who is one of Ian's initial roommates. He continues to clash with Ian even after Ian moved out of their dorm and is the one who considers Suki a "hottie". His ability is enhanced strength and toughness.

• Cal Rice (Izaak Smith) - Cal is Ian's main antagonist. He is the captain of the gold Buffer team and is the so-called head jock of the school. He is always ready to push Ian around and seems threatened by him detecting that CJ has a crush on him. His ability is enhanced hearing. In the episode "Field Trip" he is captured and turned into a Gnome.

• Conner Owens (Andrew Dunbar) - Conner is a "new" student at Tower Prep. Headmaster whispered something in his ear. After learning about Cornelius Tower, it is revealed that he is a spy for the people trying to get back into the school.

• Cornelius Tower - As a former magician and jazz artist, Cornelius Tower is the founder of Tower Prep and loved his students. The school was taken over and he was betrayed. In an audio story of his life, he is cut off while saying 'they're turning my students into-'. Ian may be related or close to him, for a picture is found of them together in a garden. Cornelius Tower is probably dead, for Gabe found his eye in a paper weight. Cornelius wears a pirate eye patch.

Minor characters

• Howard Gilmore (Jarod Joseph) - Howard has the ability to see in the dark. Howard used his ability to steal from other students, including Gabe's sock monkey Señor Guapo, and frame Ian for the wrongdoings before being sent off to West Campus. In their search for proof to the real thief, Ian, Gabe, Suki, and CJ found Howard's hideout in the underground "labs" inhabited by Gnomes.

• Don Fincher (Calum Worthy) - One of Ian's initial roommates and is Ray Snider's best friend.

• Noelle (Christie Stainthorpe) - Noelle has the ability of perfect taste. She can drink or eat something and tell exactly what is in it. She helped Ian, Suki and CJ discover that the Corvis H-40 is part of the "Raven's Blood" drink the Rooks had.

• Fenton Capwell (Charlie Carrick) - Fenton is a student at Tower Prep who holds an interest in opera. In "Monitored," he takes Ian's place as Ray's and Don's roommate, and in "Election," he falls ill when running against Emily Wright in the class presidential election. His ability is unknown, but it may be associated with his voice.

• Emerson Poencet (Jeffrey Ballard) - Emerson is a student who first appears in "Whisper". His ability is microscope vision, which he uses to determine that the secret notes Ian gets are computer printouts, see Ian's individual blood cells, and accurately identify six different sets of fingerprints with a mere glance on a campaign button.

• Chelsea Sloan (Daesha D. Usman) - Chelsea is the student monitor assigned to watch Ian during the theft investigation in "Monitored". She takes her job seriously, but she never discovers that Ian has been escaping from his room through a secret passageway.

• Emily Wright (Jodi Balfour) - Emily is the former class president of Tower Prep who lost her bid for re-election to Gabe. She first appears in "Election", where she meets Ian through trying to find out what caused the illness of her original running opponent, Fenton. She is currently the vice-president of the school serving under Gabe.

• Ross Anderson (Kacey Rohl) - Ross is Emily's ruthless campaign manager. At the end of the first episode she appears in, "Election," it is discovered that she is the one who spread the Chemica Desin enzyme inhibitor to those who were threats to Emily's reelection, using knowledge from her biology class and Tower Prep equipment to do so. She is presumed to be sent to West Campus, but in reality, Headmaster and Nurse are actually very impressed with her achievement.

• Whisper 23 (voiced by Chelsea Morgan) - Whisper 23 is the inactive predecessor of Whisper 119, who Ian, Suki, Gabe, and CJ reactivate in the episode "Whisper." She locks them into the room and forces them to play a dangerous maze-like computer game, with electric shocks resulting from failures. Ian uses his Preflex ability to win the game and Whisper 23 declares that he is eligible for Tower Prep, suggesting that this is how students were once drafted into Tower Prep

• Whisper 120 (Voiced Unknown)- Whisper 120 is the replacement of Whisper 119 made by Sato systems and was introduced in the episode "Phone Home"

Episodes

Main article: List of Tower Prep episodes

Seasons		Episodes	Originally aired
			Season premiere	Season finale
	1	13	October 16, 2010 (2010-10-16)	December 28, 2010 (2010-12-28)

Reception

Critical reception

The premiere episode of Tower Prep received positive reviews. Brian Lowry of Variety said the show's mysteries might appeal to both kids and adults, calling it "a series that points the way toward a best-case scenario" for Cartoon Network's live-action programming. Robert Lloyd in his Los Angeles Times review praised the show's energy, casting, and writing in spite of its modest production values. Both reviewers noted the series shares elements with The Prisoner and other works such as Harry Potter, Lost and X-Men. Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club stated that while the pilot episode suffered from low production values and murky fight scenes, it benefited from a strong primary cast, Dini's use of superpowers, and potentially intriguing moments. Further, he specifically pointed to the involvement of creator Paul Dini and producers Glen Morgan and Darin Morgan as reasons he believed the show will grow into a compelling series.

External links

• Official website
• Tower Prep at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com show

Reception

Critical reception

The premiere episode of Tower Prep received positive reviews. Brian Lowry of Variety said the show's mysteries might appeal to both kids and adults, calling it "a series that points the way toward a best-case scenario" for Cartoon Network's live-action programming. Robert Lloyd in his Los Angeles Times review praised the show's energy, casting, and writing in spite of its modest production values. Both reviewers noted the series shares elements with The Prisoner and other works such as Harry Potter, Lost and X-Men. Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club stated that while the pilot episode suffered from low production values and murky fight scenes, it benefited from a strong primary cast, Dini's use of superpowers, and potentially intriguing moments. Further, he specifically pointed to the involvement of creator Paul Dini and producers Glen Morgan and Darin Morgan as reasons he believed the show will grow into a compelling series.

External links

• Official website
• Tower Prep at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com show