Prisoner Zero (TV series)
An Australian animated series about freeing the cosmos from the Imperium.
Prisoner Zero is an Australian animated sci-fi action-adventure series for children, produced by Planet 55 Studios (part of the Big Finish group). The story centres on two teenagers, Tag and Gem, and their mysterious friend Prisoner Zero, who together fight to liberate those enslaved across the universe by the Imperium, a regime led by General Vykar.
The Imperium controls humanity through a digital system called the Bioweve. Tag, Gem, and Zero aim to free the population and stop Vykar. Tag is a 14-year-old boy from a prominent Imperium family; he initially resists joining the crew of the ship *Rogue* and can act spoiled, but his hacking skills prove vital. Gem, also 14, is feisty and stole the *Rogue* from a man named Cav Anaton; her parents died young, and she considers Del and Bowi her fathers. Del Rev is a reckless rebel and close ally of Bowi, voiced by John Schwab. Prisoner Zero, voiced by Alexander Vlahos, has had his memory erased by the Imperium—possibly multiple times. Other characters include the Guardian, an android (not a robot) programmed to protect Tag, later integrated with the *Rogue*'s AI; the Librarian, a mysterious alien being living in the ship's depths, who befriends Zero but harbours secrets; and General Rakshiff Vykar, the main villain who seeks absolute power.
The series blends traditional Western influences like *Avatar: The Last Airbender* and *Doctor Who*, while the animation style draws from Japanese anime. Gary Russell served as executive producer and lead writer, with Josh Campbell as series producer and director. No second series has been announced, but the finale and Campbell’s comments suggest one was planned.
Three Region 4 DVD releases came from ABC in Australia: *Rogue* (2 November 2016), *History* (1 February 2017), and *The Codec* (7 June 2017).
- Field
- Animated television series
- Nationality
- Australian
- Known for
- Influenced by Avatar: The Last Airbender and Doctor Who
- Production company
- Planet 55 Studios (part of Big Finish)
- Executive producer
- Gary Russell
- Series producer and director
- Josh Campbell
Lore & Background
The series blends traditional Western storytelling influences like Avatar: The Last Airbender and Doctor Who, with an animation style influenced by Japanese anime. Gary Russell served as the executive producer and lead writer, with Josh Campbell as series producer and director.
The main characters include Prisoner Zero, a mysterious man whose memory has been wiped by the Imperium, possibly multiple times, voiced by Alexander Vlahos. Tag Anaton is a 14-year-old boy from a prominent Imperium family who acts like a spoiled brat but is a hacking genius. Gem Coll is a feisty 14-year-old girl who stole the ship Rogue from Cav Anaton. Del Rev is a slightly reckless rebel and close ally of Bowi, voiced by John Schwab. The crew also includes Guardian, an android programmed to protect Tag, and Librarian, a mysterious alien being with secrets of his own. The main villain is General Rakshiff Vykar, who seeks absolute power.
Reader's Guide
Prisoner Zero holds significance as the first animated series to have its animation entirely produced in Australia, marking a milestone for the country's animation industry. The show blended influences from Western storytelling and Japanese anime, aiming to fill the timeslot vacated by Star Wars: The Clone Wars on the ABC. Although no information regarding a second series has been released, the series finale and comments by Campbell imply that one was at least planned. The series was released on DVD in three Region 4 single-disc volumes by ABC in Australia: 'Rogue' (2 November 2016), 'History' (1 February 2017), and 'The Codec' (7 June 2017). Its legacy lies in its pioneering all-Australian animation production and its attempt to create a locally produced sci-fi adventure for children.
Did You Know?
- Prisoner Zero was first pitched to the ABC in 2012 as a replacement for Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
- The series was the first to have its animation entirely produced in Australia.
- In a previous incarnation, Robert Firth portrayed Del Rev in 4 episodes; he was unavailable for the reboot.
- The Librarian is an 8-foot-tall blue alien wizard voiced by Gary Martin.
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