''Maddigan's Quest'' is a fantasy-based

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

set in a post-apocalyptic future. It was based on an original concept by

Margaret Mahy Margaret Mahy (21 March 1936 – 23 July 2012) was a New Zealand author of children's and young adult books. Many of her story plots have strong supernatural elements but her writing concentrates on the themes of human relationships and growi ...

and was developed for television by

Rachel Lang Rachel Lang is a New Zealand television screenwriter, executive producer and actor. She co-created the television series '' Outrageous Fortune, Go Girls, This Is Not My Life, Mercy Peak, Nothing Trivial, The Blue Rose'', and ''Filthy Rich''. Sh ...

and Gavin Strawhan. The show originally screened on

BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

in the UK, and was also aired on TV3 in New Zealand and the Nine Network in Australia in early 2006.

Storyline

Early in the 22nd century, the world underwent a vast and rapid change. The

tectonic plates Plate tectonics (from the la, label=Late Latin, tectonicus, from the grc, τεκτονικός, lit=pertaining to building) is the generally accepted scientific theory that considers the Earth's lithosphere to comprise a number of large ...

of the

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

began to shift and rapidly changed the face of the planet. Since then, the events of this time have grown to be known as the time of the ''Great Shift'' or the ''Great Chaos''- and have become myth and legend. As a result of these events, the population of Earth severely dropped and little remained of the old ways. While some forms of old technology exist, the ways of man have receded. Slavery is not uncommon, bandits roam the highways. ''Maddigan's Quest'' follows the circus troupe 'Maddigan's Fantasia', who come from the city of Solis, a beacon of freedom and peace for the desolate world. Each year, the Fantasia leave Solis to perform and earn a living, but this year is different: they have been set the task of obtaining a new Solar Converter to replace the existing converter–the only power source in Solis–which is failing. At the centre of this quest is 14-year-old Garland, the last member of the Maddigan family line. Near the beginning of the Fantasia's journey, just after Ferdy Maddigan, the group's leader and Garland's father, is killed, two boys and their baby sister appear from the future. But while the younger brother, Eden, seems to be a blessing to the performers with his illusionary skills, his older brother Timon is hiding a dark secret which threatens the Fantasia, their mission, and the future of Solis itself.

Cast and characters

Main

Rose McIver Frances Rose McIver (born 10 October 1988) is a New Zealand actress. She starred as Olivia "Liv" Moore in The CW supernatural comedy-drama series ''iZombie'' (2015–2019) and played Summer Landsdown the Yellow Ranger in ''Power Rangers RPM'' ( ...

as Garland * Jordan Metcalfe as Timon * Zac Fox as Eden * Olivia Tennet as Lilith * Rawiri Pene as Boomer *

Danielle Cormack Danielle Cormack (born 26 December 1970) is a New Zealand stage and screen actress. She was one of the original cast members of the long-running soap opera '' Shortland Street'', though she is also known for her role as the Amazon Ephiny in th ...

as Maddie, Garland's mother *

Tim Balme Timothy Guy Balme (born 18 January 1967) is a New Zealand actor and screenwriter. He's most well known for his roles on the long-running soap opera ''Shortland Street'' and '' Mercy Peak'', as well as lead roles in the cult favourites '' Braind ...

as Yves * Rachel House as Goneril *

Hori Ahipene Hori Ahipene is an actor and director in theatre, film and television in New Zealand. He's also an award-winning playwright with the Māori play ''Hide 'n Seek'' co-written with Hone Kouka. He became a well known face in New Zealand for his drama ...

as Tane * Mark Nua as Bannister * Peter Daube as Ozul *

Michael Hurst Michael Eric Hurst ONZM (born 20 September 1957) is a British-born New Zealand actor, director and writer. He is known internationally for acting in the television programs '' Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'' and companion series '' Xena: ...

as Maska * Ben Cooper as Nye * Bronwyn Baker as Byrna * Grace Brannigan as Jewel

Recurring

* Fleur Saville as Silver Girl * Jack Campbell as Ferdy Maddigan, Garland's father * Ross Duncan as The Nennog

Guest

* Geraldine Brophy as Ida *

Tandi Wright Tandi Wright (born 4 May 1966) is a New Zealand actress. She first gained recognition for portraying Nurse Caroline Buxton on the long running New Zealand soap opera ''Shortland Street''. She is best known for her roles as Fenn Partington on ''S ...

as Timon's mother *

Shane Cortese Shane Cortese (born 13 August 1968) is a New Zealand actor and singer. He is perhaps best known for his role of Mac on Nothing Trivial, Loki on the Almighty Johnsons and Hayden Peters on hit show '' Outrageous Fortune''. He was also a runner-up ...

as Timon's father * Patrick Wilson as Mayor of Gramth *

Alison Bruce Alison Bruce (born 1962) is a New Zealand television and film actress, who starred in the 1999 feature ''Magik and Rose''. She also appeared in the teen series ''Being Eve'', '' Xena: Warrior Princess'' and had a recurring role as Simula in '' ...

as Witch finder * Milo Cawthorne as Bolek *

Sara Wiseman Sara Wiseman is a New Zealand actress, best known for her roles in the television series ''Mercy Peak'' as Dr. Nicky Somerville, '’ A Place to Call Home'' as Carolyn Bligh and ''The Cult'' as Annabelle Willis. Beginning her career with low-pr ...

as Morag * Ilona Rodgers as Gabrielle * John Leigh as Harold * Reuben de Jong as Edgar *

Tom Hern Thomas Hern (born 10 December 1984) is a New Zealand actor and independent film producer. He is known for producing NZ feature films ''The Dark Horse'', '' Everything We Loved'', and ''Pork Pie'' (a reboot of Kiwi classic ''Goodbye Pork Pie ...

as Birdboy leader

Episodes

Home releases

Awards and nominations

Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand

Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand

Book

''Maddigan's Fantasia'', later re-released under the title ''Maddigan's Quest'', is a novel written by

as a tie-in for the TV series (based on her concept). The circus troupe ''Maddigan's Fantasia'' are on a mission to get a new solar converter from Newton for their hometown Solis. But on the way there, the Fantasia meet two strange boys, Timon and Eden. They are from the future and have come to help the Fantasia change history: in their timeline, when the Fantasia did not get back to Solis in time, the council gave up on them and took a new path, a radiation path. Timon and Eden's parents were killed because an evil monster called the Nennog rules Solis in the future and their parents tried to work out a way to change the past. They created a time slider, but they were killed for it, so Timon and Eden did the job for them and then they saved the Fantasia and Solis was saved.

References

External links

* at

South Pacific Pictures South Pacific Pictures is a New Zealand television production company. The company produces drama series, mini-series, telemovies and feature films for the domestic market and international market. SPP's largest property is ''Shortland Street'' ...

* at Burberry Productions * * {{IMDb title, id=0456104 2000s British children's television series 2006 Australian television series debuts 2006 Australian television series endings 2006 British television series debuts 2006 British television series endings 2006 New Zealand television series debuts 2006 New Zealand television series endings Australian children's fantasy television series BBC children's television shows English-language television shows New Zealand children's television series New Zealand fantasy television series Post-apocalyptic television series Television shows funded by NZ on Air Television series by South Pacific Pictures Three (TV channel) original programming Television series by All3Media