It centers on Sydney Fox, a professor who is also a globe-trotting "relic hunter" who looks for ancient artifacts to return to museums and/or the descendants of the original owner. She is aided by her linguistic assistant Nigel and occasionally by her secretary Claudia (Seasons 1 and 2) or Karen (Season 3). She often ends up battling rival hunters seeking out artifacts for monetary gain. The series includes fantasy and science fiction elements, with many of the relics featured having supposed supernatural powers or being pieces of unusually advanced technology.
It ran for three seasons in the United States between 1999 and 2002, fulfilling its initial three-season, 66-episode contract, which was not renewed. In both Ireland and the United Kingdom, it aired on Sky1 and subsidiary channels, while in Canada, it aired on CityTV and Space, CTV's sister network A-Channel and Showcase. The series was shot in the Toronto area, and includes many familiar local landmarks among its locations. As of July 2023, the series airs on the Heroes and Icons cable network.
Overview
Relic Hunter follows the globe-trotting adventures of unorthodox American archaeologistSydney Fox (Tia Carrere), and her more reserved British assistant Nigel Bailey (Christien Anholt). They are assisted at their "home base", a generic American university identified only as Trinity College, by ditzy student secretary Claudia (Lindy Booth), the spoiled and fashion-conscious daughter of one of the college's major donors. The character of Claudia was replaced in the third season by Karen Petrusky (Tanja Reichert), who is more talented than Claudia at dealing with predicaments of a bureaucratic nature.
At the beginning of each episode, there is a short flashback in which a relic or artifact is used or abused in its original time before being lost, stolen or hidden. The show cuts to Trinity College in the present day, where Sydney and Nigel are asked to find the relic by some person or agency such as a museum, private collector (in disguise) or government. Most episodes feature the duo traveling around the globe, hunting for clues in order to find the artifact. Complications abound, often with rival relic hunters getting involved, generally giving Sydney a chance to show off her martial arts prowess. It is then up to Sydney and Nigel to seize the relic and ensure it ends up in the proper hands (such as the rightful owners or a suitable museum).[2] Each episode ends with a scene at Trinity College explaining what has happened to the relic.
Nigel shows an artifact to Sydney.
Cast and characters
Main
Tia Carrere as Sydney Fox: The main protagonist and titular relic hunter of the series, Sydney is a Professor of Ancient Studies at Trinity College, and on the rare occasions she actually teaches, has been seen lecturing on anthropology, archaeology, and history. She is skilled in martial arts and self-defense.[2] She has many contacts all over the world, in the archaeological fields and otherwise, and is very protective of both her assistants, as well as her students and colleagues.
Christien Anholt as Nigel Bailey: Sydney's more reserved British teaching assistant who accompanies her on her travels whilst searching for the relics. Nigel often finds himself in situations that are uncomfortable and needs Sydney's help to get out of them. The producers describe Nigel as a "younger Hugh Grant". Anholt describes his character as a complete role reversal with Sydney as the female Indiana Jones and his character as the English sidekick.[2]
Lindy Booth as Claudia (Also starring season 1; Starring season 2): Sydney's somewhat ditzy, fashion-forward and boy-crazy office assistant who helps out Sydney and Nigel from the campus back home whilst they are abroad. She is the daughter of one of the school's prominent donors.[3] She sometimes possesses a savant-like ability for organizing unorthodox and creative solutions to travel difficulties that Sydney and Nigel face, in one case arranging for them to sneak over the Angolan border disguised as Catholic missionaries. Claudia occasionally joins Sydney and Nigel in the field, most notably during their quests for Ariadne's ball of twine and Cleopatra's necklace.
Tanja Reichert as Karen Petrusky (Season 3): Claudia's replacement who is portrayed as being more serious but also wiling to use her attractiveness to get the job done.[4]
Recurring
Tony Rosato as Stewie Harper (Episodes 1, 8, 21): Relic hunter who has a love-hate relationship with Sydney.
Louis Mandylor as Derek Lloyd (Episodes 7, 26, 46): A CIA agent who requires Sydney's help on several occasions.
Nancy Anne Sakovich as Cate Hemphill (Episodes 25, 34, 53; mentioned in 47, 54, 59, 66): An Interpol agent and occasional romantic interest of Nigel.
Simon MacCorkindale as Fabrice De Viega (Episodes 47, 58, 66): Sydney's sworn enemy who killed her mentor Alistair Newell when she was ten. MacCorkindale was also the co-executive producer for the third season.[5][6]
Lori Gordon as Lynette (Episodes 8, 10), a temp who filed in for Claudia on two occasions.
The show and character was designed around Carrere, her skills and interests. It was intended to be a light-hearted adventure series. The episodes were filmed mainly in and around the Toronto area where there were lots of places that could stand in for locations around the world.[2] The final six episodes of the first season was filmed at various locations in France.[7]
Many of the relics were related to some tidbit of historical fact, and a story developed around how it was used, abused, and lost, and how Sydney and Nigel are able to recover it after going through adventures where they have to solve puzzles, evade traps and confront rival hunters and enemies. Carrere would often do her own martial arts stunts.[2]
The "Trinity College" campus scenes were filmed at the St. George campus at the University of Toronto in Canada. Campus landmarks prominently featured throughout the series include Victoria College and the Soldiers' Tower (directly adjacent to Hart House). The "Antianeirai" episode ship scenes were filmed aboard HMCS Haida, the last Tribal Class destroyer in the world, when she was berthed at Ontario Place, in Toronto, Canada. For instance, the scene where Sydney finds the belt was filmed in the forward mess deck. All onboard signage was covered with Russian words. Haida has a red maple leaf on one of her funnels and this was covered with a "bird" design. Anything that would show the ship to be of Canadian, or "western" origin, was removed for the film shoot.
All seasons were filmed in widescreen 16:9 but mainly shown in pan and scan 4/3 as are most of Fireworks Entertainment productions from 2000. The widescreen versions of all seasons are available for viewing at Netflix in Nordics as of 2012.
International distribution
Relic Hunter was broadcast in many countries around the world including:
In Region 4, Warner Home Video released season 1 on DVD in Australia in two volume sets in 2005. Madman Entertainment subsequently acquired the rights and released the second season on DVD in 2006 and the third season in 2010. A complete Season 1 box set was released by Madman on February 2, 2011.
^Gillard, David (8 June 2002). "Simon MacCorkindale, back on television as Casualty's new consultant, has been delivering foals rather than lines of late...". Radio Times.
