# Animorphs (TV series)

Animorphs (also known under the promotional title AniTV) is a television adaptation made by Protocol Entertainment based on the Scholastic book series of the same name by K. A. Applegate. It was made for YTV and Nickelodeon for Season 1 and Global for Season 2 in Canada and Nickelodeon for the United States. The series was broadcast from September 4, 1998, to October 1, 1999, in the United States and Canada.

## Cast
### Main

* Shawn Ashmore as Jake
* Brooke Nevin as Rachel
* Boris Cabrera as Marco
* Nadia Nascimento as Cassie
* Christopher Ralph as Tobias

### Recurring

* Paulo Costanzo as Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill/Ax/"Max"
* Eugene Lipinski as Visser Three/"Victor Trent"
* Dov Tiefenbach as Erek King
* Allegra Fulton as Eva / Visser One
* Joshua Peace as Tom, Jake's older brother
* Terra Vanessa Kowalyk as Melissa Chapman
* Richard Sali as Principal Chapman
* Diego Matamoros as Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul
* Peter Messaline as the Ellimist
* Frank Pelligrino as Jeremy, Marco's father (Peter in the books)
* Cassandra Van Wyck as Sara, Rachel's younger sister
* Jonathan Whittaker as Greg, Jake's father (Steve in the books)
* Karen Waddell as Nikki, Jake's mother (Jean in the books)
* Melanie Nicholls-King as Aisha, Cassie's mother (Michelle in the books)

## Episodes
### Series overview

| Season | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| Season | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released |
| 1 | 20 | 20 | September 4, 1998 (1998-09-04) | February 16, 1999 (1999-02-16) |
| 2 | 6 | 6 | September 3, 1999 (1999-09-03) | October 1, 1999 (1999-10-01) |

### Season 1 (1998–1999)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Original US air date | Prod. code |
| 1 | 1 | "My Name is Jake, Part 1" | Timothy Bond | Neal Shusterman & Jeff Vlaming | September 4, 1998 (1998-09-04) | September 4, 1998 | 1X1 |
| Jake, Rachel, Tobias, Cassie and Marco, five teenagers who know each other only tangentially (Jake and Rachel are cousins, Marco and Cassie are their respective best friends, and Jake once rescued Tobias from bullies), chase after Jake's dog Homer into an abandoned construction site and wind up encountering an alien named Elfangor, an Andalite warrior prince who offers them the power to morph into animals to save the Earth from an insidious secret invasion by slug-like body-controlling aliens called Yeerks. Based on The Invasion. Narrated by Jake. ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | "My Name is Jake, Part 2" | Timothy Bond | Neal Shusterman, Dan Angel & Billy Brown | September 11, 1998 (1998-09-11) | September 11, 1998 | 1X2 |
| After witnessing Prince Elfangor's death at the hands of Yeerk leader Visser Three, Jake and his friends must decide how to make use of their newfound power to outsmart and fight back against the Yeerks, an alien race that have parasitically begun taking over humans. Based on The Invasion. Narrated by Jake. ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Underground" | Ron Oliver | Neal Shusterman & Jeff Vlaming | September 18, 1998 (1998-09-18) | September 18, 1998 | 1X6 |
| The group begin acquiring morphs from the zoo where Cassie's mother works in their first attempt to confront the Yeerks. Rachel acquires the lion morph and Jake acquires the white tiger morph. Meanwhile, Jake discovers his older brother Tom has become a Controller—a human who has become a host for a Yeerk, through a group known as The Sharing. Their assault is a failure; they don't free any humans and apparently lose both Tobias and the mysterious disc that Elfangor entrusted to him. Based on The Invasion. Narrated by Marco. ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | "On the Run" | Ron Oliver | Scott Peters | September 25, 1998 (1998-09-25) | September 25, 1998 | 1X3 |
| When the Yeerks offer to exchange the Andalite disc for an Andalite, Jake and Marco come up with a risky plan to get a Controller to capture an animal instead. Meanwhile, Cassie and Rachel attend a Sharing meeting to find out more about the Yeerks and what may have happened to Tobias. This episode is not based on any book in particular, but follows a few plot lines of The Invasion (investigating a Sharing meeting), The Visitor (finding out the original entrance to the pool is gone) and The Predator (Yeerks finding Animorphs by following a fake signal). Narrated by Jake. ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Between Friends" | Shawn Levy | Ron Oliver | October 2, 1998 (1998-10-02) | October 2, 1998 | 1X4 |
| Now that it's certain that Tobias is trapped in his hawk morph, Rachel attempts to rescue her friend, Melissa Chapman, from infestation. Melissa's father, Principal Chapman, is an important Controller and Rachel in her cat morph is captured and taken to Visser Three. The Animorphs must rescue her and avoid recklessly endangering themselves. Based on The Visitor and one plot line of The Invasion (an Animorph finding out at night that Tobias is stuck in his hawk morph). Narrated by Rachel. ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | "The Message" | William Fruet | Marc Scott Zicree & Neal Shusterman | October 9, 1998 (1998-10-09) | October 9, 1998 | 1X5 |
| Cassie and Tobias suspect another Andalite is on Earth when a distressed thought-speak voice is heard by them and Visser Three. It soon becomes a race between the Animorphs and the Yeerks to claim the Andalite, a teenage warrior cadet named Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (Ax) who is Elfangor's younger brother. Based on The Message. Narrated by Cassie. ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | "The Escape" | Ron Oliver | Jessica Scott & Mike Wollaeger | October 16, 1998 (1998-10-16) | October 16, 1998 | 1X9 |
| The Animorphs discover that a certain type of oatmeal is a stimulant to the Yeerks, and leaves them unable to control their hosts' actions. The usage of this "drug" also affects the hosts, but the Animorphs know they must use this advantage to inflict some serious damage upon the Yeerk pool. Based on The Underground. Narrated by Rachel. ||||||||
| 8 | 8 | "The Alien" | Don McCutcheon | Marc Scott Zicree | October 23, 1998 (1998-10-23) | October 23, 1998 | 1X10 |
| Ax, feeling foreign to his new surroundings, tries to fit in with his new friends in his human identity as "Max". After making the grave mistake of giving technology to humans, he must fix his error by Andalite law and defeat Visser Three — alone. Based on The Alien. Narrated by Ax. ||||||||
| 9 | 9 | "The Capture, Part 1" | William Fruet | Neal Shusterman | November 3, 1998 (1998-11-03) | November 3, 1998 | 1X7 |
| Jake discovers Victor Trent, his father's business partner in opening a new health clinic, is actually Visser Three. When the Animorphs go to destroy the Yeerk pool in the building, Jake falls into the pool and unknown to his friends, becomes a Controller. Based on The Capture. Narrated by Jake. ||||||||
| 10 | 10 | "The Capture, Part 2" | William Fruet | Neal Shusterman & Marc Scott Zicree | November 10, 1998 (1998-11-10) | November 10, 1999 | 1X8 |
| Ax realizes that after falling into the Yeerk pool they destroyed, Jake has become a Controller; the group must prevent Jake from using his morphing powers to escape and reveal the Animorphs to Visser Three. Jake and the Yeerk inside him struggle to maintain control of his body as the Animorphs attempt to kill the Yeerk by depriving it of the nourishing Kandrona rays it needs. Meanwhile Ax morphs into Jake so that his family and teachers won't realize he's missing and is coached on how to behave by Marco. Based on The Capture. Narrated by Ax. ||||||||
| 11 | 11 | "The Reaction" | Graeme Lynch | Carl Ellsworth | November 17, 1998 (1998-11-17) | November 17, 1998 | 1X11 |
| Cassie rescues a boy from a crocodile pit during a field trip at the zoo and develops an allergic reaction to the crocodile DNA she has acquired and cannot control her morphing abilities. When she is invited to a popular television show featuring star Jason Jon McCole as a guest, the Animorphs must find a way to stop him from encouraging millions of fans to join the Sharing. Based on The Reaction. Narrated by Cassie. ||||||||
| 12 | 12 | "The Stranger" | Don McCutcheon | Marc Scott Zicree | November 13, 1998 (1998-11-13) | November 13, 1998 | 1X12 |
| Rachel spends time with her father, struggling with whether she should move away with him or not. Meanwhile, Visser Three captures Ax and the rest of the Animorphs in a cunning trap until a mysterious figure with cosmic powers known as the Ellimist arrives and offers them a dangerous choice. Based on The Stranger. Narrated by Rachel. ||||||||
| 13 | 13 | "The Forgotten" | William Fruet | Scott Peters | November 20, 1998 (1998-11-20) | November 20, 1998 | 1X15 |
| Rachel suffers amnesia, which causes her to forget everything she knows, including everything about being an Animorph, and the battle against the Yeerks. When she unknowingly wanders into a human-Controller infested area and is about to be taken by the Yeerks, her friends must find a way to save her and restore her memory. Based on one plot line of Megamorphs: The Andalite's Gift (Rachel having amnesia). Narrated by Rachel. ||||||||
| 14 | 14 | "The Leader, Part 1" | Shawn Levy | Jessica Scott & Mike Wollaeger | January 5, 1999 (1999-01-05) | January 5, 1999 | 1X13 |
| Jake finds out Visser Three's superior Visser One will be at the EGS Tower, where the Yeerk Kandrona ray generator is located. When Jake and Marco are captured while spying on the Yeerks and brought on board their spaceship, their escape is hindered when they discover Visser One's host is Marco's presumed dead mother Eva. Based on The Stranger and The Predator. Narrated by Marco. ||||||||
| 15 | 15 | "The Leader, Part 2" | Shawn Levy | Jessica Scott & Mike Wollaeger | January 12, 1999 (1999-01-12) | January 12, 1999 | 1X14 |
| Now that Marco has found his mother again, he is reluctant to leave the Yeerk ship without her. Cassie and Rachel destroy the Kandrona ray generator while Ax must devise a way to bring Jake and Marco back to Earth. Meanwhile, their actions have revealed the existence of a new enemy. Based on The Stranger and The Predator. Narrated by Marco. ||||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Tobias" | Graeme Lynch | Carl Ellsworth | January 17, 1999 (1999-01-17) | January 17, 1999 | 1X16 |
| Ax creates a device that allows an individual to relive their most cherished memories, which Tobias and Ax use to relive their past days. Tobias relives his pre-Animorph life, remembering how he met Rachel, how he first acquired animal DNA, and how he decided to join the fight, while Ax remembers how awkward he was at first when he became human. Narrated by Tobias and Ax. ||||||||
| 17 | 17 | "Not My Problem" | Stacy Curtis | George Melrod | January 24, 1999 (1999-01-24) | January 24, 1999 | 1X17 |
| When Jake succumbs to the pressures of being the Animorphs' leader, the Ellimist appears and grants him the wish to be normal. However, in the alternate reality, everyone but Tobias is infested by the Yeerks and Tobias must carefully plot his next move to avoid the same fate. Shares similarities to Megamorphs: Back to Before, although the book came out after the episode. Narrated by Jake. ||||||||
| 18 | 18 | "The Release" | Robert K. Sprogis | Marc Scott Zicree & Carl Ellsworth | February 2, 1999 (1999-02-02) | February 2, 1999 | 1X18 |
| With too many Controllers and not enough Kandrona rays, Yeerks are dying and losing control of their hosts, including Tom, whom Jake and Marco try to rescue. Among the Controllers regaining their freedom include Jake's science teacher, Mr. Perkins, who has begun a crusade to free other Controllers. Based on one plot line of The Alien (Yeerks dying from lack of Kandrona rays). Narrated by Jake. ||||||||
| 19 | 19 | "Face Off, Part 1" | Graeme Lynch | Jessica Scott & Mike Wollaeger | February 9, 1999 (1999-02-09) | February 9, 1999 | 1X19 |
| At the basketball final, the Animorphs discover that all of their enemies will be in one place, giving them to opportunity to deal a blow to the Yeerks. However, a plan goes horribly wrong as Jake is trapped. The Animorphs must now split up to find the Andalite disc and free Jake. This episode is not based on any book in particular, but contains one plot line from The Change (Tobias regaining his human body as a morph with the hawk now his base form). Narrated by Jake. ||||||||
| 20 | 20 | "Face Off, Part 2" | Graeme Lynch | Mike Wollaeger & Jessica Scott | February 16, 1999 (1999-02-16) | February 16, 1999 | 1X20 |
| Separated and surrounded by enemies, the Animorphs struggle to avoid being captured. Rachel manages to save Tobias by morphing into a Yeerk, but Jake remains in Tom's clutches as everyone else becomes dangerously close to being infested. This episode is not based on any book in particular, but contains one plot line from The Sickness (one Animorph morphing a Yeerk), although the book came out after the episode. Narrated by Jake. ||||||||

### Season 2 (1999)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Original US air date | Prod. code |
| 21 | 1 | "Face Off, Part 3" | Don McCutcheon | Rhonda Olson | September 3, 1999 (1999-09-03) | September 3, 1999 | 2X1 |
| With everyone in a desperate situation, Marco manages to save the day when he destroys a number of special Yeerks and creates a sufficient distraction for everyone else to escape. Jake almost gets caught after morphing into Tom to escape from Visser Three. This episode is not based on any book in particular, but contains one plot line from The Encounter (an Animorph being stuck between morphs). Narrated by Jake. ||||||||
| 22 | 2 | "My Name is Erek" | Don McCutcheon | Jeff Schechter | September 10, 1999 (1999-09-10) | September 10, 1999 | 2X2 |
| Jake and Marco discover a bizarre child with superhuman strength, who they soon discover is Erek, a member of the android race known as the Chee. Erek and the Chee need the Animorphs' assistance to recover their hologram technology from the Yeerks. Based on The Android. Narrated by Marco. ||||||||
| 23 | 3 | "The Front" | Graeme Lynch | George Melrod | September 14, 1999 (1999-09-14) | September 14, 1999 | 2X3 |
| Ax lands a job at a new electronics store, where he is pressured to sell as many cell phones as possible. When Tom buys a cell phone for himself and his latest crush, Melissa Chapman, Jake and Marco become suspicious and investigate. However, they're horrified to discover what Ax is really selling. This episode is not based on any book in particular, but contains one plot line from The Decision (Ax asking for a job). Narrated by Ax. ||||||||
| 24 | 4 | "Changes, Part 1" | Ron Oliver | Ron Oliver | September 17, 1999 (1999-09-17) | September 17, 1999 | 2X4 |
| The Animorphs decide that they've earned a break and plan to go to the spring dance. Cassie tries to urge Jake to help her stop a cosmetics factory's experiments with animals, but it ends up being a disaster. After the remaining Animorphs come to the rescue, Marco is caught on tape demorphing. This episode is not based on any book in particular, but contains plot lines from The Unknown (Animorphs investigating an alien object that turns out to be a toilet) and The Journey (Animorphs being photographed demorphing), although the second book came out after the episode. Narrated by Tobias. ||||||||
| 25 | 5 | "Changes, Part 2" | Ron Oliver | Ron Oliver | September 24, 1999 (1999-09-24) | September 24, 1999 | 2X5 |
| The boy who taped Marco demorphing, Harold Nesbit, is about to reveal his finding for profit. Jake and Marco try to personally steal the tape, but are unsuccessful, so the group must find the tape and stop it from broadcasting. Meanwhile, Visser Three is using a TV executive morph to broadcast a new show that will make human infestation easier, and Ax is behaving strangely. This episode is not based on any book in particular, but contains one plot line from The Journey (Animorphs recovering a tape of them demorphing), although the book came out after the episode. Narrated by Tobias. ||||||||
| 26 | 6 | "Changes, Part 3" | Ron Oliver | Ron Oliver | October 1, 1999 (1999-10-01) | October 1, 1999 | 2X6 |
| Tobias follows the trail of hawk images being left around town, but is shocked by what he finds. Meanwhile, when Marco notices a suspicious-looking construction worker hanging around school, he investigates and discovers that friends and the rest of their classmates are in huge danger. Before he can tell anyone, however, Marco finds himself trapped, unbeknownst to his friends, who are now arriving at the dance. After the crisis of the moment is resolved, the cancelled series ends with the Animorphs and other high schoolers having an impromptu spring dance at the arcade center, where Tobias dances with Rachel, Jake with Cassie, and Ax with Marco. This episode is not based on any book in particular, but contains plot lines from The Pretender (Tobias finding out Elfangor was his father) and The Sickness (the Animorphs attending a dance and Ax being unfamiliar with human culture). Narrated by Tobias. ||||||||

## Production

The series is set in most of Toronto, Canada. Deborah A. Forte and Bill Siegler are the executive producers of the series. The animals used in this series were supplied by the Bowmanville Zoo, and Homer, the Golden Retriever who is Jake's dog was trained by Bryan Renfro. Due to budget issues, the morphs of the characters from the books were changed and the others were omitted, with Jake having the white tiger morph, Tobias' morph being a Harris's hawk rather than a red-tailed hawk, and Rachel having the lion morph rather than an elephant and grizzly bear. Also, instead of Cassie, Marco has the wolf morph, rather than a gorilla.

## Home releases

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (when they were known as Columbia TriStar Home Video) had released twelve episodes in four VHS volumes known as The Invasion Series, collecting episodes from the series. The first 12 episodes are only released on VHS and not re-released on DVD.
* Part 1: The Invasion Begins ("My Name is Jake" parts 1 and 2, and "Underground")
* Part 2: Nowhere to Run ("Between Friends", "The Message" and "The Reaction")
* Part 3: The Enemy Among Us ("The Stranger", "The Leader" parts 1 and 2)
* Part 4: The Legacy Survives ("The Capture" parts 1 and 2, and "Not My Problem")
Seven volumes spanning the first 20 episodes (only the first of which was identical to its U.S. counterpart) were released in Australia. The episodes were placed in chronological order. Each volume had three episodes apart from Volume 7, which had two ("Face Off", parts 1 and 2).
All 26 episodes are currently available on iTunes, Vudu and Amazon Video spread across three volumes. Also, all 26 episodes were previously available on Netflix, and are currently available on Tubi.