The Adventures of Sinbad

The Adventures of Sinbad is a Canadian action/adventure fantasy television series loosely based on the fictional Sinbad the Sailor from the One Thousand and One Nights. Created by Ed Naha, the show aired from 1996 to 1998, with two seasons and forty-four episodes. 
Like its contemporaries Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, the series was set in a fictional version of the Middle East and Mediterranean basin inhabited by gods, demons, monsters, and magicians from a wide range of cultures and traditions. 
Due to the show's generic title, it is frequently mistaken for unrelated Sinbad media, including Sinbad (2012 BBC Series), Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, and the anime Sinbad no Bokuen (Adventures of Sinbad). On the Archive of Our Own, fanworks for this series are tagged as The Adventures of Sinbad (Canada TV) to avoid confusion. 
In the years immediately following the series' run, it was popularly abbreviated as "AOS". This has also led to confusion with the later and unrelated Marvel TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which shares the same abbreviation.
==Canon==
===Synopsis===
Season one opens with the legendary Sinbad the sailor (Zen Gesner) returning to Baghdad after two years' away, remembering nothing of that time period after washing up on a beach after being lost at sea, wearing a mysterious rainbow bracelet. Sinbad is reunited with his older brother Doubar (George Buza) and quickly acquires a new ship, the Nomad, along with a new crew, including old friend and inventor Firouz (Tim Progosh), the African warrior Rongar (Oris Erhuero), and Maeve (Jacqueline Collen), apprentice magician to Sinbad's old mentor Dim-Dim (Wayne Robson), who shares a mysterious bond with her hawk, Dermott. When Dim-Dim is cast into another dimension by the machinations of the evil sorcerer Turok (Juan Chiorian), Sinbad and Maeve must work to overcome their differences to find their beloved teacher. In between their other adventures the crew must cope with the frequent machinations of Turok's daughter Rumina (Julianne Morris), who is attracted to Sinbad, yet seeks to destroy him. Scratch the Devil (Tony Caprari) is another recurring antagonist; he and Rumina join forces against the crew in the season finale. 
Following the abrupt departure of Jacqueline Collen after the conclusion of the first season, season two introduced a new female lead, Bryn (Mariah Shirley) after Maeve is washed overboard in a storm, and the plot moved away from previously established storylines. Like Sinbad, Bryn suffers from amnesia about her past connected to the mysterious rainbow bracelet she carries. Bryn has access to magical powers she does not fully understand, and quickly bonds with Dermott in Maeve's absence. 
===Comparison of the two seasons===
Most episodes in both seasons are linked but independent one-shots, with the crew exploring a new place and meeting new characters, only to sail away with relatively little changed by the end. Although the plot of many episodes was often based on preexisting mythology and legends, historical accuracy was rarely a concern in scenery, setting, or Firouz's many inventions. Over the course of the show's run, the crew encountered Vikings, samurai, aliens, zombies, and Greek gods, as well ghosts, harpies, and giant animals on a regular basis. Many recurring monsters, such as the rock colossus and the skeleton warriors, are a direct homage to the stop-motion special effects of Ray Harryhausen in The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad (1958) and Jason and the Argonauts (1963). 
However, the two seasons varied wildly in tone and content. In contrast to the lighter, more comedic tone of the first season, the second season was darker and edgier, with more violence and a drastically different look and attitude for Sinbad. In addition, many plot threads and other elements from the first season were dropped, including Dermott's origins, and the characters of Rumina or Turok. 
===The cancelled third season===
A third season was planned (see Beyond Outline), but never filmed due to misgivings from new studio executivesEd Naha's Corner. It was intended to occupy a middle ground between the first two seasons, incorporating both the intense action of the second season with the characters and humor of the first.. The series was officially cancelled by Pearson Entertainment on April 1, 1998.About the Campaign (Wayback archive from 16 Oct 2001).
Creator Ed Naha expressed his admiration for fan enthusiasm for the series, and encouraged them to continue dreaming big: 
==Popular Character Tropes and Fanon==
===Main Cast===
*Sinbad
*Doubar 
*Firouz
*Rongar
*Maeve
*Dermott
*Rumina
*Turok
*Dim-Dim
*Scratch
*Bryn
===Minor Characters===
*Prince Casib (Rob Dunne) of Baghdad is a spoiled royal who initially clashes with Sinbad upon his return to the city, having confiscated Sinbad's house and possessions and ordering Sinbad's execution. After his betrothed Princess Adeenah is kidnapped by Rumina and Turok in the pilot episode, Casib undergoes a change of heart and sails with Sinbad and his crew to rescue her. Thanks to Sinbad's efforts, the couple is reunited at the end of the second episode. Both Casib and Adeenah regularly appear in fanworks set in Baghdad, along with Casib's father, the elderly Caliph of Baghdad. 
*Tetsu (Von Flores) is a ronin, or masterless samurai from Nippon (Japan). Although he and Sinbad are originally set against one another in a duel to the death, Tetsu undergoes a change of heart after a private meeting with Sinbad, who is familiar with the customs of his homeland. Struck by Sinbad's empathy and the mysterious rainbow bracelet both carry, Tetsu fakes his own death to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a sailor. Tetsu is one of the few minor characters to appear in multiple episodes in the canon series, and frequently appears in fanworks as a Sixth Ranger]. 
*Eyolf (Bret Hart) is a Viking warrior. He and his companions attempt to sacrifice Maeve to a demon to appease him to release their ship. He becomes the leader of his band following their battle against the demon. Eyolf offers his hat to Maeve, and extends an invitation to the crew to come and visit them in the north. Although this offer was never followed up by the show, many fanworks used it. Although Maeve/Eyolf shippers existed, Eyolf primarily served as an opportunity for Maeve to make Sinbad jealous. 
*Caiprais a skilled practitioner of magic living in the city of Basra, which the show envisions as a haven for practitioners of the art. She is later revealed to be Dim-Dim's wife, in some sort of long-distance relationship. In fanworks, Caipra is often Maeve's teacher and mentor, offering advice and wisdom to the crew when they are befuddled by Rumina, Scratch, or other magical obstacles. 
*Omar of Basra is the leader of Basra, known as the "Savage Sultan" for his temper and fierceness in war. In canon, it is mentioned that he and the Caliph of Baghdad have feuded, which fanworks often elaborate on. When the crew is in Basra, they stay at his palace. 
*Talia, "the Black Rose of Oman," is a pirate queen and former lover of Sinbad's. Although Sinbad no longer returns her feelings, she is often used as foil for Maeve, and a source of jealous misunderstandings. 
*Sinbad's mother Mala died when Sinbad was a child, and continues protecting him against Scratch even after her death, unbeknownst to Sinbad. She frequently appears in fanworks, either alive in prequels and flashbacks, or as a ghost striving to protect Sinbad from Scratch's machinations. 
==Fan Reactions==
===Appeal of the show to fans===
The show's kitchen-sink approach and low-budget visuals were frequently cited as a feature, as in the tag line for the FYeahAdventuresOfSinbad Tumblr:
The sex appeal of the show's cast was a draw for many fans, with the actors playing Sinbad, Maeve, Rongar, and Bryn frequently cited as examples. 
However, much of the audience during its television run were children, who enjoyed the action-adventure aspects as well as the drama and romance. For young female fans, the character of Maeve was particularly inspirational:
Fan archivist Liz summed up the show's appeal for many in an introduction to her site:
===Save Our Sinbad Campaign===
Following the announcement there would be no third season, fans began a campaign to save the show, either through a two-hour movie or a renewed third season inspired by successful actions in the Star Trek fandom. Dubbed "Save Our Sinbad" (SOSinbad), it was primarily a letter-writing campaign aimed at the TV network executives advocating for a return of Sinbad. The campaign also advocated for a larger AOS presence at conventions, and more interactions within the fandom, and several petitionsAdventures of Sinbad ending petitionBring Back the Adventures of Sinbad! were circulated. 
Lady Wynter summed up many fans' feelings about the cancellation in a poignant essay:
Torra_K included this parody of "Message in a Bottle" by The Police on their SAve-Our-Sinbad website:
Despite fan efforts, the campaign was ultimately unsuccessful.
===Impact of canon shifts on fanworks===
The abrupt shift between season one and season two, as well as the series' ultimate cancellation, resulted in a large number of fanworks from disappointed fans in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Many fanfic authors chose to ignore the second season entirely, while others chose to incorporate some or all of its elements into their works. Maeve's absence and/or return was a popular subject, with many fanworks focusing on a romantic resolution between her and Sinbad, often with Sinbad's discovery of a child conceived before Maeve's disappearance. The mystery of the rainbow bracelets, Bryn's heritage, Maeve's tutelage under Dim-Dim's wife Caipra, the restoration of Dermott to human form, and the defeat of Rumina were also frequent story elements. 
Virtual seasons were also common, with many different collections posted on Internet fansites. As with shorter fanfics, there were varying responses to canon. Some, like The New Adventures of Sinbad Fan Fiction Season 2, ignored the events of the canon second season in favor of their own interpretations. Others, such as The Adventures of Sinbad Fan Fiction Seasons picked up where the series left off, incorporating many elements of Ed Naha's Beyond Outline for the third season. 
==AOS Fandom on the Internet==
AOS fandom activity primarily took place on the Internet. Many fansites were created using free hosts such as GeoCities, and were taken offline following the site's shutdown in 2009, and are now only visible through the Wayback Machine. Sites were frequently connected via webrings.
While AOS fanart was relatively uncommon, fanvids were popular. While many fanvids were "tributes" to certain characters or pairings (especially Maeve/Sinbad), others were more like fanfics, exploring post-canon storylines, such as Maeve and Sinbad's search for each other and subsequent reunion, alternate universes, or even plot lines from message board RPGs. AOS fanvids frequently incorporated clips from other shows, particularly episodes of Hercules and Conan featuring Jacqueline Collen. Heath Ledger from Roar was a popular fancast for human!Dermott. 
==Fan Discussion and Controversies==
===First vs. second season===
===Shipping===
Despite the small number of major female characters, the most popular pairings for the series were heterosexual, with slash rare or non-existent in most fanworks. Maeve/Sinbad was the most common romantic pairing, followed by Bryn/Sinbad and Rumina/Sinbad. Fanfics with both Maeve and Bryn usually paired Bryn with another member of the Nomad's crew--usually Doubar, but occasionally FirouzThe Secret Soulmates: Bryn and Firouz or even Dermott in human form THE BRYN/DERMOTT PARADISE.
Crack pairings for Sinbad were with various guest stars, especially the samurai warrior Tetsu , . 
While certain sites favored one pairing over others, true ship wars were rare. 
===Historical Accuracy===
===Whitewashing, Racism, and Stereotypes===
A common critique of the show was the large number of white actors for a show with ostensibly Middle Eastern characters. Many background characters are dressed in a manner evoking "Oriental" or "exotic" stereotypes, with many female background extras appearing scantily clad or with bared midriffs. 
The show's treatment of its one black character also raised eyebrows:
==External Links==
===Resources===
*Transcripts of the show
*Ed Naha's Beyond Outline for the unfilmed third season
===Meta===
*Adventures of Sinbad on TV Tropes
===Archives===
*AOS on Fanfiction.net
*AOS on the Archive Of Our Own
*The Sinbad Pack - host of The Great Library of Adventures of Sinbad Fan Fiction and The New Fan Fiction Adventures of Sinbad
*Great 2K's World of Adventures of Sinbad - archive for fanfiction and fanvids
*Liz and Jen's AOS Site - host of The New Adventures of Sinbad Fan Fiction Season 2
===Fanvids===
*AOS Fanvid Playlist on YouTube
*Maeve/Sinbad/Bryn - Drip Drop by WildYennifer
*Double Surprise by inbid
*Maeve || Cut by fallentree2040
*50 reasons to love our Sinbad by inbid
*Sinbad&Maeve-That don't impress me much by ForeverKahlan
*In Search of Maeve - Beyond the Invisible by WildYennifer
*Adventures of Sinbad - Tribute to Dermott by TiaKasu
===Forums and Message Boards===
*Distant Lands - Forum for AOS fans including several fan-run RPGs.
*2K's World of Adventure 
*AoS - Russian forum
*The Adventurers forum
*Sinbad and Bryn’s Ocean
*Forbidden Desire: The Sinbad/Rumina Forum
*Bryn’s worship message board
*Maeve and Eyolf: The true soulmates
*The Sinbad and Bryn Heaven
*Market Place
*M/S Utopia
*The Screaming Banshee
*AoS misc talk forum
*The Adventures of Sinbad fan forum
*Refuge
*The Secret Soulmates: The Bryn and Firouz forum
*Bryn and Dermott’s paradise
*Jaqueline Collen Official Fanclub Forum
*The Nomad Forum
*The Mariah Shirley Forum
*The Zen Gesner Forum
===Fansites===
*Ms. Rumina's Wonderful World of Sinbad
*Virus' Adventures of Sinbad Homepage
==References==
Category:The Adventures of Sinbad