ReGenesis

	ReGenesis
Created by	Christina Jennings
Starring	Peter Outerbridge; Conrad Pla; Ellen Page; Dmitry Chepovetsky; Wendy Crewson; Mayko Nguyen; Greg Bryk
Opening theme	Anywhere But Here
Country of origin	Canada
Language(s)	English
No. of series	4
No. of episodes	52 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Christina Jennings and Tom Chehak
Broadcast
Original channel	The Movie Network; Movie Central
Original run	October 24, 2004 – May 25, 2008
External links
	Official website

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ReGenesis was a Canadian television program produced by The Movie Network and Movie Central in conjunction with Shaftesbury Films. The series, which ran for four seasons, revolves around the scientists of NorBAC (The North American Biotechnology Advisory Commission), a fictional organization with a lab based in Toronto. The organization investigates problems of a scientific nature, such as bio-terrorism, mysterious diseases or radical changes in environment throughout Canada, the United States, and Mexico. NorBAC is headed by David Sandström (played by Peter Outerbridge), the chief scientist and molecular biologist. Through this character the show often addresses topical social, political and ethical issues related to the science at hand.

The series is broadcast on The Movie Network, Movie Central, Global, Sci-fi (UK), Arte (France and Germany), Sci-Fi and Canvas (Belgium), Jimmy (SKY) (Italy), Calle 13 (Spain) and Sic Radical (Portugal). Seasons 1, 2 and 3 were also available on The Movie Network's On Demand service, available on Cogeco Cable and Rogers Cable. In September 2007 they started airing in syndication in the United States via Program Partners with ad-sales by Sony Pictures Television. Seasons 1 through 3 are available to view at Hulu.com. In Fall 2007 WOWOW began airing ReGenesis in Japan. The show will soon begin airing on the Movie Smart channel in Turkey. International Distribution is handled by Oasis International.

Aled Edwards, scientific consultant for the series, is a noted Canadian molecular biologist, and the director of the Structural Genomics Consortium.

[edit] Interactive and other media

ReGenesis has been an international pioneer in integrating interactive media elements into the series. The first successfully deployed alternate reality game paired with a major television broadcast is called the ReGenesis Extended Reality and was created by Xenophile Media in association with Shaftesbury Films. It won the Canadian New Media Award for Best Cross-Platform project of 2004 and an FITC Design & Technology Award for Excellence in Convergence. In 2006 the alternate reality game won the Banff World Television Festival [1] Award for Interactive Television and a Gemini Award for Best Cross-Platform. An exploratory game, the ReGenesis Extended Reality draws viewers into a conspiracy and mystery that weaves in and out of the TV series, using the internet, email and other media to immerse the viewer, blurring the line between fiction and reality. ReGenesis Extended Reality harnesses the power of enthusiastic fans that seed the site with discussion content and collaborative investigations. Extensive knowledge of various chemistry and biotechnology issues is required to find out why the plot in many episodes can't be true (if it can't).

Other interactive elements include ReGenesis:ReMixed, a series of podcasts featuring the music of ReGenesis, as well as exclusive interviews with some of the people involved in putting the show together.

However, neither of these were continued for the third or fourth season of the series.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main characters

David Sandström (Peter Outerbridge) - Chief Scientist and Molecular biologist. Canadian.

Carlos Serrano (Conrad Pla) - Geneticist and Medical Doctor. Mexican.

Caroline Morrison (Maxim Roy) (season 1-2)
- NorBAC Executive Director (deceased). American.
- Speaks at least four languages: English, French, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

Jill Langston (Sarah Strange) (season 1-2)
- Lead Virologist (left NorBAC at end of season 2). American.

Bob Melnikov (Dmitry Chepovetsky) - Biochemist and a former student of David's. Canadian. Diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.

Rachel Woods (Wendy Crewson) (season 3-4) - Lead Virologist, and estranged wife of Carleton Riddlemeyer. American.
- Killed by terrorists midway through season 4.

Mayko Tran (Mayko Nguyen) - Bioinformatics Researcher. NorBAC's Executive Director following Weston Field's departure. Canadian.

Weston Field (Greg Bryk) - Caroline Morrison's assistant and later NorBAC's Executive Director following her death. Leaves NorBAC temporarily in season 4 to be treated for his hepatitis and HIV infections. American.

Carleton Riddlemeyer (Geraint Wyn Davies) (season 3-4) - Science Advisor to the White House, and estranged husband of Rachel Woods. American.

Enuka Okimba (season 4) - Lead Virologist. American

[edit] Recurring characters

Owen (Michael Seater) (Seasons 2 and 3)
- A homeless 17 year old living in the subway of New York City.
- Leads David Sandström to subway home after stealing David's bag, shows David sickness existing in subway.
- Lives with David Sandström for a while, but leaves after he gets arrested for criminal negligence after a woman he was involved with dies of a drug overdose. David defends him in court during his bail hearing, but Owen is incarcerated for detention. Until he is tried for criminal negligence.
- Having a hard time in jail, tries to hang himself. Then he agrees to a treatment that should alter his brain chemistry in order to overcome his addiction and possibly get him free. However, on his last appearance we see him suffer the side effects of the experimental treatment, leaving him in a state barely able to walk.

Lilith Sandström (Ellen Page) (Season 1)
- David's daughter.

Mick (Mark Rendall) (Season 1)
- A boy Lilith's age who believed he was cloned (in actuality he was born using early in vitro fertilization techniques).
- Died as a result of the faulty techniques used before his birth.

Dr. Gordon Petras (Jim Allodi)
- Therapist whom the NorBAC team goes to after any traumatic events that occurs to them.

Dr. Simon Jessup (Darren Boyd)
- British Neuroscientist visiting NorBAC.
- Assists Mayko with a case in Texas involving Mad Cow Disease and IQ Spikes.
- Later assists Caroline and Bob with Caroline's Nephew Glenn.

[edit] Music

The main title theme song for ReGenesis is "Anywhere But Here" by the Montreal band Behavior. Behavior is an alias for producer / composer Michael McCann. The show's score is primarily composed by Tom Third with numerous contributions throughout by film/TV composer Rob Carli.

A comprehensive list of all the music played in the first two seasons can be found at the ReGenesis:ReMixed site.

[edit] Episode list

List of ReGenesis episodes

[edit] DVD releases

Cover of Season 1 DVD. From left to right: Conrad Pla as Carlos Serrano, Mayko Nguyen as Mayko Tran, Peter Outerbridge as David Sandström, Maxim Roy as Caroline Morrison, Dmitry Chepovetsky as Bob Melnikov, and Sarah Strange as Jill Langston

On November 11, 2008, Season 1 was released in North America on DVD by Koch Vision. The four-disc set includes all 13 first season episodes presented in a letterboxed format. Special features include a making of, photo gallery, and "The Facts Behind the Fiction" (the white papers published by the Ontario Genomics Institute). Shaftesbury Films has confirmed that Seasons 2, 3, and 4 will follow through-out 2009 and 2010.

The first season has also been released in the UK through Universal Studios UK. The second season was later released to European countries by Buena Vista Home Entertainement, though it was presented in a Pan and Scan format.

[edit] International broadcasts

Country	TV Network(s)
Canada	The Movie Network, Movie Central (first run) Global (second run), Showcase
France	Arte, Scifi (France)
Mexico	FX Latin America
Brazil	FX Latin America
Germany	Arte
Spain	Calle 13
Portugal	SIC Radical
United Kingdom	SciFi (UK) (first run) and FX (UK) (second run, premiering 22:00 on Wednesday, 22nd October 2008).
Belgium	Canvas (Flanders), RTL TVi (Wallonia)
Japan	WOWOW
United States of America	Syndication
Poland	AXN / AXN Sci-Fi
Italy	Mediaset Premium 1
Bulgaria	Fox Crime
Hungary	AXN
Romania	AXN / AXN Sci-Fi
Serbia	Fox Crime
Finland	YLE FST5
Philippines	Maxxx, Studio 23
South Africa	Mnet Action