Totally Spies

Totally Spies! (also known as Totally Spies!: Undercover in seasons 3-5) is a French-Canadian animated television series created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel and is produced by the France-based production company Marathon Media and the Canadian company Image Entertainment Corporation. The show was made to resemble anime styles and was originally based on the concept of a girl band. It focuses on three teenage girls, Sam, Clover and Alex, who work as covert espionage agents for the World Organization of Human Protection (WOOHP), headed by their over-bearing and highly intelligent leader, Jerry.

Totally Spies! was first seen on November 3, 2001 on ABC Family in the United States.[1] It premiered on TF1 in France on April 3, 2002,[2] and on Teletoon in Canada on September 2, 2002.[3] Since the series' debut, 156 episodes have been broadcast, completing its sixth season to date. This includes several specials and a theatrical movie production, made and released between the fourth and fifth season. It has been broadcast in over 150 territories internationally. Several products tied to the series have been released, which include a series of comic books and video games.

In Canada, Season 6 is set to begin on September 7, 2014 on Teletoon, and on September 6 on Télétoon.[4]

Contents
[hide] *1 Development and production
 * 2 Series overview
 * 3 Characters
 * 3.1 Samantha "Sam" Simpson
 * 3.2 Clover
 * 3.3 Alex
 * 3.4 Jerry Lewis
 * 3.5 Other characters
 * 4 Cast
 * 5 Episodes
 * 6 Opening Sequences
 * 6.1 Seasons 1 & 2
 * 7 Broadcast
 * 8 Reception
 * 9 Media
 * 9.1 Home video and DVD
 * 9.2 Video games
 * 9.3 Spin-off/Cross-overs
 * 9.4 Comics
 * 10 References
 * 11 External links

Development and production[edit]
The show's conception came from the rise of girl band and female singers in the music industry. Wanting to capitalize on the niche, David Michel and Vincent Chalvon-Demersay put their idea into development, which later shifted into production within a year. According to Michel, the series' animation style was intended to incorporate anime influences.*[5] The production company, Marathon Media, intended on building on the series brand by forming a three-piece girl band, utilizing German talk show Arabella to create it. Using a panel of judges, 20 demo videos were selected and the winners were selected based on the strength of their performance and the show's viewers. The band was selected and released a single in the spring of 2002, through EMI. According to managing director Dirk Fabarius, "The plan is to eventually create an entire album and establish and promote Totally Spies as a real band."[6] While the idea did not materialize, the series was promoted through other merchandising. It was announced in the spring of 2001 that the series would air in the autumn on ABC Family, and would be distributed to the European countries in the following year.

Following the end of the fifth season, the series's movie, ''Totally Spies! The Movie'', was produced and released to theaters in France on July 22, 2009. The movie received a television release in the United States, on April 25 the following year, coinciding with the airing of the series fifth season there. In August 2011, Marathon Media confirmed that production for the sixth season was underway and set to premiere in 2013.[7] It was later confirmed that 26 episodes would be produced and that the show would be licensed in Spain and Latin America, with European territories following suit.[8] To coincide with the sixth season's premiere, Zodiak Kids CP Paris, in association with Château de Versailles Spectacles (CVS) and TF1, organized an event at the Palace of Versailles, taking place during the summer of 2013.[9] The event would be preceded with activities including a screening of a special featuring the spies on a mission in the palace gardens.[9]

Series overview[edit]
The series centers around the adventures of three teenage girls - Sam, Alex and Clover - who live a double life as spies working for the World Organization of Human Protection (WOOHP). The girls are recruited by the organization's leader, Jerry Lewis, to solve crises that arise around the world. Many of their missions involve dealing with disgruntled villains who have been wronged in some form during their past. Several have exacted revenge on the spies by invading their personal lives. The b-stories focus on the girls' daytime lives as high school students, dealing with relationships, school and school rivals (Mandy).

Characters[edit]
Main article: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Totally_Spies!_characters List of Totally Spies! characters ]===Samantha "Sam" Simpson[edit]=== Sam is the de-facto leader of the group. She is the most intelligent and logical of the group, usually using her vast knowledge to help the girls during their missions, as well as their daily lives.[10]

She is voiced by: Jennifer Hale

Clover[edit]
Clover is the girly girl of the group who enjoys shopping, fashion and boys. She is portrayed many times as vain and shallow, putting the most trivial issues above everything else. Despite this, her dexterity, her self-confidence and her knowledge of pop culture has proved useful in the girls' missions.[10]

She is voiced by Andrea Baker

Alex[edit]
Alex, being the most athletic of the girls, is very energetic and dexterous. However, she has a tendency to be clumsy and slow at times while being very caring, acting as the glue that holds the girls' friendship together.[10]

She is voiced by Katie Leigh (Seasons 1-2) and later by Katie Griffin (Seasons 3-6)

Jerry Lewis[edit]
The girls' leader, and the founder of the World Organization of Human Protection (WOOHP). He is very protective of the girls, often invading their privacy to ensure that they are safe. Despite having a sedentary role in WOOHP's affairs, Jerry has displayed mastery of martial arts when occasionally assisting in the girls' missions. He also creates useful gadgets that helps the spies in every mission.

He is voiced by: Jess Harnell (Season 1-2); Adrian Truss (Season 3-Present)

Other characters[edit]
Many of the series recurring characters are involved in Sam, Alex and Clover's personal lives as high school. Mandy, the school's queen bee, is the girls' main antagonist. She is very popular and self-centered, focusing on her appearance, accessories and boys. She is Clover's main rival in high school, later college, as they often compete for the same things. She is usually followed by a posse, which consisted of Caitlin and Dominique (high school), her Southern raised cousin Mindy (season five) who bears similarities to Mandy, and Trent (season six). David is an artsy student who the girls and Mandy are attracted to. He often remains oblivious to the girls affections for them, but remains good friends with them. Arnold is the school's stereotypical nerd who occasionally socializes with the girls and follows Mandy around from time to time. He sometimes acts as an obstacle in the girls' missions.

Several other recurring characters in the series are agents of WOOHP who assist the girls in their missions. Britney is introduced as a new recruit in the second season. She embodies the best traits of the three girls and is instantly liked by everyone except Alex, who warms up to her later in the series. Dean is a WOOHP agent who appears in the third season as the girls' trainer, and appears later as head of the organization's gadgets. He is the object of the girls' affection and stands as the only boy that can resist Clover's charm. In season three, WOOHP is revamped with new technology, including G.L.A.D.I.S (Gadget Lending And Distribution Interactive System), a computer system created to assist in gadget handling. She develops a mind of her own, and as a result tends to rebel against Jerry, much to his disdain. She is deactivated in the fifth season because of her attitude. Blaine is introduced in the fifth season as a student at Malibu University, later Clover's love interest, who turns out to be a freelance agent assigned to eliminate Clover. After learning about Clover's true nature, he decides to join WOOHP as an agent and continue his relationship with Clover.

Many of the series' villains have been one-offs, which a few occasionally recurring in another episode, an incidence which Michel has been openly receptive to.*[5] Season four, however, saw some previous villains playing a more substantial role in the series. Many of these villains include Helga Von Guggen, Tim Scam, Terrence Lewis, Myrna Beesbottom and Boogie Gus. Terrence, whose role was largely expanded in the fourth season, appeared in the last three episodes of the third season, the three part special "Evil Promotion Much". Having a rivalry with his brother Jerry stemming from their childhood, he was the leader of the League Aiming to Menace and Overthrow Spies (LAMOS), group formed by former villains to exact vengeance on the spies and Jerry. Von Guggen, a disgraced fashion designer whose plots revolve around taking over the world with her fashion, has recurred in two episodes before the fourth season. Scam, a petty thief, has recurred in several episodes during the first three seasons. Myrna, a former WOOHP agent and the spies former babysitter, appeared in two episodes of the third season.

Episodes[edit]
Main article: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Totally_Spies!_episodes List of Totally Spies! episodes ] ==Aqua vocalist Lene Nystrøm and  Girls Aloud Have Done Covers Of the Legendary Here We Go But Miranda Moonbaby Cooper Created the Original Version and Made in to the Legendary Theme Of Totally Spies ==

Seasons 1 & 2[edit]
When Totally Spies! aired in the USA on Cartoon Network, an opening was composed using footage from season 2, with a silver metallic logo and an instrumental version of Here We Go by Miranda Cooper aka Moonbaby.Who Invented that Song

Broadcast[edit]
Totally Spies! premiered on November 3, 2001 on ABC Family. It later premiered in Europe on channels such as Germany's ProSieben, France's TF1 and the United Kingdom's Channel 4 during the spring of 2002.[6] The show moved to Cartoon Network, where it attracted 1.6 million viewers (aged 4 – 10) daily[12] and continued airing until 2009.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-animation_13-0">[13] The show has attracted over one million viewers in France since its debut.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-marathon_zodiac_12-1">[12] It was re-licensed and its sixth season, along with ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totally_Spies!_The_Movie Totally Spies! The Movie ] and the show's spin off [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Spiez! The Amazing Spiez! ]''. The show aired its sixth season in France and is being broadcast around Europe.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-animation_13-1">[13] In Canada, Season 6 is set to begin on September 7, 2014 on Teletoon, and on September 6 on Télétoon.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14">[14] The show has been broadcast worldwide on various networks, such as TF1 in France, Teletoon in Canada, Cartoon Network in the USA and Latin America, Rede Globo in Brazil, Disney Channel and Nickelodeon in Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Reception[edit]
Joly Herman of Common Sense Media gave the series a mixed review, writing that "We think it's a decent show to catch once in a while, but anything more regular might give viewers the like, slightest headache."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15">[15] Joe Corey of Inside Pulse had a more positive review, calling the show "fun enough for small kids who want a Charlie's Angels undercover action show. The trio do their best to balance the fun of being in the espionage game without it being too risky."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16">[16] Matt Hinrichs of DVD Talk gave a positive review, calling the action in the first three seasons "decently written enough for adults to enjoy."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17">[17]

Home video and DVD[edit]
Goodtimes Entertainment released the first twelve episodes of the show's first season on VHS and DVD in 2004 in three volumes: Totally Spies Volume 1: First Secret Missions, Totally Spies Volume 2: The Getaway, and Totally Spies Volume 3: Spies Attack. Coinciding with the production and release of the show's sixth season, New Video Group/Flatiron Film Company acquired American DVD rights for the series as well as some digital rights for the first three seasons of the series. They've released the first and second seasons (in two volumes each), as well as a box set containing seasons one through three. The third season was finally released in two volumes on January 14, 2014.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-season_one_and_two_18-0">[18] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-season_three_19-0">[19]

Video games[edit]
The Totally Spies series was initially followed up with two video games titled ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totally_Spies!_(video_game) Totally Spies! ] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totally_Spies!_2:_Undercover Totally Spies! 2: Undercover ]''. Both were developed by Mistic Software and published by Atari for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance and/or Nintendo DS.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27">[27] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28">[28] IGN rated ''Totally Spies! 2: Undercover'' with a score of 4.0/10 citing poor overall game presentation. ''Totally Spies! 3: Secret Agents was released in Europe and Australia for the Nintendo DS.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-29">[29] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totally_Spies!_Totally_Party Totally Spies! Totally Party ]'' was released in North America, Europe and Australia for the PlayStation 2, Wii and PC.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30">[30] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31">[31]

Spin-off/Cross-overs[edit]
A spin-off series called ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Spiez! The Amazing Spiez! ]'' features new characters as spies, though Jerry and WOOHP are regular characters in the show. While the series focuses on four young teenage siblings, Lee, Megan, Marc and Tony Clark, Sam, Alex and Clover make occasional cameos.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32">[32] The show had its world premiere on March 15, 2009, on Disney Channel Asia; and its US premiere on April 26, 2010, on Cartoon Network. In Canada, the show premiered on September 2, 2010 on Teletoon. Only the first season and ten Season 2 episodes aired in the US.

Martin Mystery, a series that aired from 2003 to 2006, had a crossover with Totally Spies on one episode in Season 5.

Comics[edit]
A Totally Spies! comic book comes out 12 times a year in Sweden.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33">[33] Five books with about 90 pages came out in Brazil as well. Each book represents an episode from the series. There is another comic called Totally Spies Unleashed; this opens with "I Hate the 80s!", in which a bad guy, Boogie Gus, has invented a retro ray that de-ages people. The second story, "Attack of the 50 Ft. Tall Mandy", turns their nemesis into a giant in a plot that involves a beauty contest and an escaped evil scientist.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34">[34]

References[edit]

 * 1) Jump up ^ http://www.zodiak.fr/news_6_%C2%AB%3Cb%3E-totally-spies-%3Cb%3E%C2%BB-programme-le-plus-visionne-sur-abc-family-aux-usa
 * 2) Jump up ^ http://www.zodiak.fr/en/news_44_%3Cb%3Etotally-spies-%3Cb%3E-takes-off-on-line-and-on-tf1
 * 3) Jump up ^ "Fall 2002 Highlights: Teletoon". Channel Canada. 2002-08-28. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
 * 4) Jump up ^ http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/teletoon-sets-world-canadian-premieres-for-fall/
 * 5) ^ Jump up to: a b "Interview With David Michel". Geocities. October 22, 2003. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
 * 6) ^ Jump up to: a b Burgess, Amanda (April 1, 2002). "Marathon totally spies global music and merch potential in its tween girl toon". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications Ltd. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
 * 7) Jump up ^ Sudrot, Olivier (August 26, 2011). "La rentrée TV jeunesse : entre héros préférés et nouveautés". Toutelatele (in French). Retrieved 28 November 2013.
 * 8) Jump up ^ Dickson, Jeremy (January 23, 2012). "Zodiak lands sales in Spain, Latin America". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications Ltd. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
 * 9) ^ Jump up to: a b Zahed, Ramin (March 21, 2013). "Marathon to Host 'Totally Spies' Event in Versailles". Animation. Animation Magazine. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
 * 10) ^ Jump up to: a b c "Totally Spies". TÉLÉTOON. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
 * 11) Jump up ^ http://corusent.com/home/Corporate/PressReleases/tabid/1697/Default.aspx?Id=2785
 * 12) ^ Jump up to: a b "Total succès pour Totally Spies". Marathon Media (in French). Zodiak Media. April 9, 2005. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
 * 13) ^ Jump up to: a b Milligan, Mercedes (September 27, 2013). "New 'Totally Spies!' Hit North America Shelves". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
 * 14) Jump up ^ http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/teletoon-sets-world-canadian-premieres-for-fall/
 * 15) Jump up ^ Herman, Joly. "Totally Spies - Television Review". Common Sense Media. Common Sense Media Inc. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
 * 16) Jump up ^ Corey, Joe (October 1, 2013). "DVD Review: Totally Spies! (Season One – Wild Style & Top-Secret Missions)". Inside Pulse. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
 * 17) Jump up ^ Hinrichs, Matt (October 8, 2013). "Totally Spies! Collection Seasons 1-3". DVD Talk. DVDTalk.com. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
 * 18) Jump up ^ Lambert, David (June 14, 2013). "We've Totally Got an Update About the 1st Season's Titles, Box Covers". TV Shows on DVD. TV Guide Online. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
 * 19) Jump up ^ Lambert, David (October 21, 2013). "Date, Cost, Box for 'Season 3: Rank: Super Spies!' and 'Season 3: Mission Mania ' ". TV Shows on DVD. TV Guide Online. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
 * 20) Jump up ^ "Totally Spies Season One: Top-Secret Missions (2001)". Amazon.com. ASIN B00CBVWX1K.   Missing or empty |url= (help)
 * 21) Jump up ^ "Totally Spies: Wild Style (2001)". Amazon.com. ASIN B00CBVWWOI.   Missing or empty |url= (help)
 * 22) Jump up ^ "Totally Spies Season Two, Volume One (2002)". Amazon.com. ASIN B00DYEBLWU.   Missing or empty |url= (help)
 * 23) Jump up ^ "Totally Spies Season Two, Volume Two (2002)". Amazon.com. ASIN B00DYEBLS4.   Missing or empty |url= (help)
 * 24) Jump up ^ "Totally Spies Season 3: Rank: Super Spies!". Amazon.com. ASIN B00FGVS06Y.   Missing or empty |url= (help)
 * 25) Jump up ^ "Totally Spies Season 3: Mission Mania". Amazon.com. ASIN B00FGVS028.   Missing or empty |url= (help)
 * 26) Jump up ^ "Totally Spies Collection Seasons 1-3 DVD SET (2001)". Amazon.com. ASIN B00DYEBM0Q.   Missing or empty |url= (help)
 * 27) Jump up ^  Totally Spies  at GameSpot; retrieved October 20, 2007.
 * 28) Jump up ^ "Totally Spies! 2: Undercover Review (DS)". IGN. January 18, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2007.
 * 29) Jump up ^  Totally Spies! 3: Secret Agents  at IGN; retrieved January 12, 2008
 * 30) Jump up ^  Totally Spies! Totally Party  at IGN; retrieved January 12, 2008.
 * 31) Jump up ^ Minds, Brighter. "Totally Spies! Totally Party!: Video Games". Amazon.com. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
 * 32) Jump up ^ TV (September 22, 2008). "Marathon to Unveil Amazing Spiez at MIPCOM". Animationmagazine.net. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
 * 33) Jump up ^ "Totally Spies! Comic" (in Swedish). Retrieved August 23, 2009.
 * 34) Jump up ^ "Totally Spies! Book" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved August 23, 2009.

External links[edit]

 * Official website
 *  Totally Spies!  at the Internet Movie Database
 * Totally Spies on Whoop.org
 *  Totally Spies! Fashion Agents  on Facebook