Mystic (TV series)
Teen drama about saving a peninsula from development.
Mystic is a teen drama from New Zealand with an environmental focus, produced by Libertine Pictures and Slim film+television for CBBC, TVNZ, and the Seven Network. The show was created by Amy Shindler, drawing inspiration from Stacy Gregg's pony novel series, which starts with *Mystic and the Midnight Ride* (2007). It follows Issie Brown, played by Macey Chipping, as she moves from London to the fictional Kauri Point peninsula, where she forms friendships with local teen horse riders and works to protect the area from industrial development. The series first aired on CBBC and BBC iPlayer in the UK on 14 July 2020, and ran for two seasons, with the second launching in November 2021.
The cast includes Laura Patch as Issie’s mother, Amanda Brown, and Cathy Downes as her grandmother, Mitch. Other characters are played by Kirk Torrance, Jonny Brugh, Antonia Robinson, Max Crean, Jacqueline Joe, Joshua Tan, Harriet Walton, Romy Mukerjee, Milo Cawthorne, Katlyn Wong, Anais Shand, Kelson Henderson, Carrie Green, Alison Bruce, Xander Manktelow, Madeleine Adams, Annise Boothroyd, and Ari Boyland.
Production began with NZ on Air funding 13 episodes of 28 minutes each for up to $1,000,000 on 2 October 2018. Casting directors were Gilly Poole, Suzanne Crowley, and Tina Cleary. Filming was scheduled to start in New Zealand in January 2020, and by 10 March 2020, it was announced that Macey Chipping and Laura Patch would lead the cast, alongside a New Zealand ensemble including Jacqueline Joe, Kirk Torrance, Cathy Downes, Jonny Brugh, Antonia Robinson, Max Crean, Josh Tan, and Harriet Walton. Filming began in Auckland, but halted when New Zealand entered lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 5 April 2020, the BBC reported that Chipping had temporarily returned to the UK. Eight episodes of the first season were completed before the pandemic, with the remaining five finished during it. After the first season aired, the show was renewed for a second season. In February 2022, Up TV announced that the series would premiere on its streaming service Up Faith & Family in April, followed by a linear debut on June 2, 2022, airing after *Heartland*.
Season one won Best Children’s Programme at the Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2022.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Thriller / Drama / Ecofiction / Fantasy / Teen drama
- Based On
- Pony Club Secrets · Stacy Gregg
- Creator
- Amy Shindler and Beth Chalmers
- Starring
- Macey Chipping / Laura Patch / Cathy Downes / Phil Brown / Kirk Torrance / Jonny Brugh / Antonia Robinson / Max Crean / Joshua Tan / Harriet Walton
- Composer
- David Long / Stephen Gallagher
- Cinematography
- Dave Cameron / Drew Sturge
- Editor
- Jochen Fitzherbert / Gary Hunt / Margot Francis
- Director
- Peter Salmon / Aidee Walker / Michael Hurst
- Country
- New Zealand
- Language
- English
- Num Series
- 3
- Num Episodes
- 29
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Set on the fictional peninsula of Kauri Point, New Zealand, Mystic follows Issie Brown, played by Macey Chipping, who moves from London and struggles to make friends until a chance encounter with wild ponies Blaze and Mystic convinces her to stay. The story centers on Issie's new friendships with the town's teen horse riders and their efforts to save Kauri Point from an industrial development that threatens it. The cast includes Laura Patch as Amanda Brown, Cathy Downes as Mitch, and Max Crean as Sam Tucker, among others.
Reader's Guide
Mystic was produced by Libertine Pictures and Slim film+television, with funding of up to $1,000,000 announced by NZ on Air on 2 October 2018 for 13 28-minute episodes. Filming began in Auckland in January 2020 but halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic; eight episodes were completed pre-lockdown, with the remaining five finished during the pandemic. The series was renewed for second and third seasons after the first aired. Season two won Best Children's Programme at the Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2022, and season three won the same award at the NZTV awards in 2023. In February 2022, Up TV announced the show would premiere on its streaming service Up Faith & Family in April 2022, followed by a linear debut on June 2, 2022, airing after Heartland.
Did You Know?
- Mystic is based on Stacy Gregg's pony novel series Pony Club Secrets, the first of which is Mystic and the Midnight Ride (2007).
- Filming halted when New Zealand went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and lead actress Macey Chipping temporarily returned to the UK.
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