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January 22 (2000-01-22) – December 2, 2000 (2000-12-02)
Jack of All Trades is a half-hour-long syndicatedaction comedy TV series which ran for two seasons in 2000.[1][2] With Cleopatra 2525, it formed the Back2Back Action Hour and both shows were notable for being the first American non-animated action series to be produced in the half-hour format since the 1970s[citation needed]. The show was canceled in the middle of its second season.
Plot
It is set at the turn of the 19th century (beginning in 1801) on the fictional French-controlled island of Pulau-Pulau[3] in the East Indies. Jack Stiles is an American secret agent sent there by President Jefferson. While there, he meets his British contact and love interest, English spy Emilia Rothschild. Together, the two work to stop Napoleon and various other threats to the United States. To the public, Jack is seen as Emilia's attaché (she sometimes serves as his), and in order to protect his identity as a secret agent, while acting against the enemies of America, Jack often adopts the identity of a legendary (though otherwise fictional) masked hero: "the Daring Dragoon".
The show contained many ongoing gags, such as historical inaccuracies (such as Canada being a French territory rather than part of the British Empire, and Benjamin Franklin being on the 100 dollar bill during his lifetime), Jack being responsible for many important historical events but not receiving credit, Emilia inventing a miraculous invention in an obvious deus ex machina, sexual puns and innuendos, and Jack and Emilia's ongoing romantic tension.
The tune and lyrics are based on numerous period songs, such as the "Marines' Hymn" and "Yankee Doodle". The theme song was nominated for the "Outstanding Main Theme Title Song" Emmy in 2000, but lost to The West Wing.[4]
Historical figures
Many episodes of Jack of All Trades involved parodies of historical figures. Furthering the show's inaccuracies, some of these figures died before the show's 1801 time period.
The following is a list of historical figures who appeared on the show:
The adventure begins when Jack Stiles is sent by Thomas Jefferson to a tiny island in the East Indies where he teams up with a beautiful British inventor and secret agent to take on Napoleon Bonaparte.
2
2
"Sex and the Single Spy"
Charlie Haskell
Story by : Eric Morris Teleplay by : Melissa Blake
January 29, 2000 (2000-01-29)
Jack tutors Emilia in the art of seduction, and she then tests her skills on an eminent French spy from whom she must retrieve a secret code.
Benjamin Franklin is kidnapped while journeying to France to build a weapon of mass destruction for Napoleon, and Jack and Emilia must come to his rescue.
Kentucky Sue, Jack's former partner and old flame, returns with guns blazing—literally—and proposing marriage.
5
5
"The People's Dragoon"
Josh Becker
Adam Armus & Nora Kay Foster
February 19, 2000 (2000-02-19)
Emilia and Jack, who is disguised as the Dragoon, work together to retrieve a shipment of American gold that has been intercepted by the corrupt Governor Croque.
6
6
"Raging Bully"
Charlie Haskell
Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci
February 26, 2000 (2000-02-26)
The stakes are high when Jack must beat Napoleon in a game of poker to win Louisiana back from the French—and save his own life.
7
7
"Daddy Dearest"
Chris Graves
Eric Morris
March 4, 2000 (2000-03-04)
It's all in the family when Emilia's father, who also happens to be Britain's most decorated spy, comes to Pulau Pulau to supervise a mission.
Jack is determined to save Emilia from saying "I do" after she agrees to marry Napoleon in an attempt to save England from a French invasion.
9
9
"Croque for a Day"
Wayne Rose
Geoff Martin & Josh Kravitz
April 15, 2000 (2000-04-15)
When Napoleon sends an inspector to evaluate Croque, Jack and Emilia scheme to keep the benign governor in office rather than have him replaced by someone who will bring real damage.
The famed explorers Lewis and Clark, two men who really should just ask for directions, think their deserted island is actually Oregon and can't fathom the idea that the Revolutionary War is over.
13
13
"X Marquis the Spot"
Eric Gruendemann
Timothy A. Jones
May 13, 2000 (2000-05-13)
It's a little bit of pleasure and a whole lot of pain when Jack and Emilia are sent to the Marquis de Sade's island of torture and participate in a leather-clad triathlon in order to retrieve King George's stolen crown.
14
14
"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Opera"
Chris Graves
Melissa Blake
May 20, 2000 (2000-05-20)
It's not over until the fat lady sings when Jack and Emilia are assigned to protect the unstable King George from a staged assassination attempt.
Season 2
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
15
1
"A Horse of a Different Color"
Charlie Haskell
Melissa Blake
October 7, 2000 (2000-10-07)
Someone's horsing around with the safety of the island when Katherine the Great threatens to destroy Pulau Pulau unless her champion horse is returned within 24 hours.
16
2
"Shark Bait"
Eric Gruendemann
David Ransil
October 14, 2000 (2000-10-14)
It's all hands on board when Jack and Emilia enlist the help of the legendary pirate Blackbeard to thwart Leonardo Da Vinci's great, great, great, great grandson from destroying the annual Founding Father/Son cruise.
17
3
"Monkey Business"
Chris Graves
Eric Morris
October 28, 2000 (2000-10-28)
A priceless silver monkey by the WallaWalla Bing Bang tribe has Emilia and Jack ape mad at each other when they're both ordered to send it to their respective countries.
There's a lot of bitter grapes going around when Jack and Emilia wake up in bed together after drinking the "special" wine that Napoleon plans to send to every world leader.
When the governor is jailed for a planned assassination attempt on Napoleon, it's a battle behind the bars as Jack gets himself sent to prison so he can protect Croque from every thug he's ever sentenced.
20
6
"One, Two, Three, Give Me Lady Liberty"
Michael Hurst
Stephanie C. Meyer & Christopher Beresh
November 18, 2000 (2000-11-18)
Napoleon seems to be turning over a new leaf when he has a special statue sculpted to give to America, but Emilia and Jack soon learn that behind the stone beauty lies a beast.
21
7
"Hamnesia"
Wayne Rose
Eric Morris
November 25, 2000 (2000-11-25)
Emilia goes hog wild when an accident erases her memory, including the location of a priceless land deed, and Jack convinces her that she's really an uninhibited party animal.
Emilia finds herself one woman among many when she is kidnapped and placed in a sultan's harem, but the longer she stays, the more she refuses to leave without the other "wives."
