Blue Water High | |
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![]() Opening title card (season 1) | |
Written by | Shelly Birse Charlie Richardson Jennifer Mellet Kristen Dunphy Michael Miller John Armstrong Marissa Cooke Noel Price Chris Phillips David Ogilvy |
Directed by | Marcus Cole Ralph Strasser Ian Watson Chris Martin-Jones |
Starring | Series 1 Sophie Luck (series 1 & 2) Tahyna Tozzi Kate Bell (series 1 & 3) Mara Scherzinger Khan Chittenden Adam Saunders (Series 1 & 2) Christopher Foy Series 2 Gabrielle Scollay Lesley Anne Mitchell Taryn Marler James Sorensen Ryan Corr Trent Dalzell Martin Lynes Liz Burch Series 3 Cariba Heine Kain O'Keeffe Lachlan Buchanan Eka Darville Amy Beckwith Rebecca Breeds Craig Horner Don Halbert (series 1–3) Nell Mitchell |
Theme music composer | Liam Finn |
Opening theme | "Aiming for Your Head" by Betchadupa |
Ending theme | "Aiming for Your Head" |
Country of origin | Australia |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 3 |
No. of episodes | 78 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers | Noel Price Claire Henderson (series 1 & 2) Matt Bruce (series 1) Tim Brooke-Hunt (series 3) |
Producers | Dennis Kiely Noel Price |
Cinematography | Russell Bacon Brendan Lavelle |
Editors | Simon Martin Patrick Stewart Michael J. Hagan |
Running time | 25-26 minutes |
Production company | Southern Star Entertainment |
Original release | |
Network | ABC1 Nickelodeon |
Release | 11 May 2005 25 September 2008 | –
Blue Water High is an Australian television drama series, broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on ABC1 and on Austar/Foxtel Nickelodeon channel in Australia and on various channels in many other countries. Each season follows the lives of a young group of students at Solar Blue, a high-performance surf academy where several lucky 16-year-olds are selected for a 12-month-long surfing program at Bilgola Beach, Sydney.[1]
There are three series/seasons in Blue Water High. The first two series aired in 2005 and 2006 and the producers did not intend to create a third and final series. However, due to popular demand by fans, they relented and made one more series with only Kate Bell returning in a main role. Series three ended with the closure of Solar Blue because of a lack of funding, indicating that the show would most likely not continue.
Plot summary
Series one
The first series consisted of twenty-six episodes. It starred Adam Saunders as Heath, the relaxed joker who struggles with school; Tahyna Tozzi as Perri, resident glamour queen from the Gold Coast; Sophie Luck as Fly, the youngest; Kate Bell as Bec, the local; Khan Chittenden as Edge, the aggressive and competitive teenager; Chris Foy as Matt, the generic 'smart guy' and Mara Scherzinger as Anna, a famous German Kiteboarder. At the end of the year, two of them (one girl and one boy) get a wild card spot on the pro-circuit tour. The first series was released on DVD in 4 volumes, though fans are strongly urging for a complete re-release featuring the entire season in one package, as was later done with Series Two. Sophie Luck won the 2005 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Young Actor for her role in the series. The winners for series one were Fly and Edge.
Series two
Filming of a second series began in early January 2006 in Sydney, with a revised cast, which included Sophie Luck who was back as Fly, Adam Saunders as Heath, who leaves in episode six and Trent Dalzell as Corey, Ryan Corr as Eric, Lesley Anne Mitchell as Brooke, Taryn Marler as Rachel, Gabrielle Scollay as Amy, and James Sorensen as Mike. It premiered on 28 June 2006. Sophie Luck, Adam Saunders, Kate Bell, Chris Foy, Tahyna Tozzi, Nadine Garner and Khan Chittenden have all reappeared in the second series in various episodes. The winners of Series Two were Brooke and Eric.
The complete second series was released on DVD in Australia on 1 October 2007.[1][permanent dead link]
Series three
The third and final series began filming in October 2007. Kate Bell returns as Bec for series three and is joined by Craig Horner as Garry. The new Solar Blue pupils are Guy (Kain O'Keeffe), Charley (Lachlan Buchanan), Adam (Eka Darville), Bridget (Cariba Heine), Loren (Amy Beckwith) and Cassie (Rebecca Breeds). Series Three began screening on Rollercoaster on 3 April 2008.
The winners are Bridget and Adam, but Bridget decides to go to university instead of joining the Pro Circuit, so Loren gets the wild card after Cassie literally 'draws the short straw' (as they both have the same number of points in the final surf-off, so they decide who gets the wild card this way). In the last episode, Simmo makes a surprise return as one of the three judges in what is described as "one of the best finals Solar Blue has seen", saving the day as he pulls "not a rabbit out of a hat, but an elephant", ensuring that the winners of the final surf-off still get a wild card invitation.[2]
Cast
Series one
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/dd/BlueWaterHigh-Season1-Cast.jpg/250px-BlueWaterHigh-Season1-Cast.jpg)
- Kate Bell – Rebecca "Bec" Sanderson
- Khan Chittenden – Dean "Edge" Edgely
- Chris Foy – Matthew "Matt" Leyland
- Sophie Luck – Fiona "Fly" Watson
- Adam Saunders – Heath Carroll
- Mara Scherzinger – Anna Peterson
- Tahyna Tozzi – Perri Lawe
- Martin Lynes – Craig "Simmo" Simmonds
- Nadine Garner – Deborah "Deb" Callum
- Liz Burch – Jilly
- Matt Rudduck – Joe Sanderson
- Clae Whitelaw – Simon Heart
- Don Halbert – Mr. Savin
Series two
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/83/BlueWaterHigh-Season2-Cast.jpg/250px-BlueWaterHigh-Season2-Cast.jpg)
- Ryan Corr – Eric Tanner
- Gabrielle Scollay – Amy Reed
- James Sorensen – Michael "Mike" Kruze
- Lesley Anne Mitchell – Brooke Solomon
- Trent Dalzell – Corey Petrie
- Taryn Marler – Rachael Samuels
- Adam Saunders – Heath Carroll
- Sophie Luck – Fiona "Fly" Watson
- Kate Bell – Rebecca "Bec" Sanderson
- Martin Lynes – Craig "Simmo" Simmonds
- Joe Ireland – Dave Jones
- Liz Burch – Jilly
- Natasha Sitkowski – Greta
- Don Halbert – Mr. Savin
Series three
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e3/BlueWaterHigh-Season3-Cast.jpg/250px-BlueWaterHigh-Season3-Cast.jpg)
- Kain O'Keeffe – Guy Spender
- Lachlan Buchanan – Charley Prince
- Eka Darville – Adam Bridge
- Cariba Heine – Bridget Sanchez
- Amy Beckwith – Lauren "Loren" Power
- Rebecca Breeds – Cassandra "Cassie" Cometti
- Craig Horner – Garry Miller
- Kate Bell – Rebecca "Bec" Sanderson
- Tom Fisher – James Cassidy
- Erol Cimen – Michael De Santa
- Don Halbert – Mr. Savin
List of episodes
Series one (May–November 2005)
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Featured character | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "The Contenders" | Heath | TBA | |
6 teenagers have been selected for the 1 year long training at Solar Blue academy, Rebecca "Bec" Sanderson, Dean "Edge" Edgely, Matthew "Matt" Leyland, Fiona "Fly" Watson, Perri Lawe and Heath Carroll. The seventh and last is supposed to go to a male contender, but at the last minute Solar Blue decides to pick their own candidate who happens a German girl named Anna Peterson. Bec is upset because her brother, Joe, was supposed to compete for the last spot. | |||||
2 | 2 | "Winners and Losers" | Anna and Bec | TBA | |
Anna feels pressure as Bec continues to be upset at Solar Blue deciding to pick Anna. So much as that Anna decides to have in a surf competition with Joe to decide who get to stay at Solar Blue. | |||||
3 | 3 | "Trouble in Paradise" | Matt | TBA | |
The group has their first day in school where they find themselves in representing the School's surf team. When They found out that their competition happens at same time as a contract party organized by Solar Blue, they have to decide where their priorities lie. | |||||
4 | 4 | "Fly Takes a Dive" | Fly | TBA | |
Fly is feeling homesick and inadequate, being the youngest in her family and the contesters. | |||||
5 | 5 | "Anna Loses Her Way" | Anna | TBA | |
The teens discover where Simmo keeps the coaching files and that their weakness are written in them. They debate if they should there individual files to make their training easier. | |||||
6 | 6 | "Edge Wipes Out" | Edge | TBA | |
Edge has been losing competitions and gets in a dangerous situation after overestimating his abilities. | |||||
7 | 7 | "Friends in Need" | Heath | TBA | |
Heath copies Matt's homework project after falling behind in school, causing them to both lose points in school and in the surf competition. | |||||
8 | 8 | "Brothers and Sisters" | Bec | TBA | |
Bec is struggling with her relationship with Joe when he starts hanging out a group of people pestering the Solar Blue team. | |||||
9 | 9 | "Sharks in the Mind" | Matt | TBA | |
Matt's father wants Matt to join him in the crayfishing businesses. | |||||
10 | 10 | "Timing Is Everything" | Perri | TBA | |
Perri is low on money when she get offered a model contract. | |||||
11 | 11 | "Out of Control" | Matt and Edge | TBA | |
Matt and Edge's rivalry for the top of Academy scoreboard escalates when they accidentally put Bec's little brother, Ben, in danger. | |||||
12 | 12 | "Dreams and Dramas" | Fly | TBA | |
Fly is nervous as she realizes she has feelings for Heath. | |||||
13 | 13 | "Life on the Line" | Perri | TBA | |
Perri bonds with a surfer she saves from drowning | |||||
14 | 14 | "Bad Boy Heath" | Heath | TBA | |
Heath falls for a girl, making Fly jealous. | |||||
15 | 15 | "Joker's Wild" | Fly | TBA | |
16 | 16 | "It's Hard to Be Normal" | Anna | TBA | |
Anna decides to focus on having fun instead of constantly training. | |||||
17 | 17 | "Perri Lies Low" | Perri | TBA | |
Perri faints due to her diabetes, which she has been hiding to not get disqualified | |||||
18 | 18 | "Winning Isn't Everything" | Edge | TBA | |
Edge races in an endurance test alone. | |||||
19 | 19 | "Right Dance, Wrong Partner" | Matt | TBA | |
20 | 20 | "Big Wave Fears" | Bec | TBA | |
21 | 21 | "The Kiss" | Perri | TBA | |
22 | 22 | "Behind the Scenes" | Heath | TBA | |
23 | 23 | "Tough Choices" | Anna | TBA | |
24 | 24 | "The Band Plays On" | Bec | TBA | |
25 | 25 | "Suspicious Minds" | Heath | TBA | |
26 | 26 | "And the Winner Is..." | TBA | TBA |
Series two (June–December 2006)
Episodes of season 2 were not named but were numbered from 1 to 26.
No. overall | No. in season | Featured character | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|
27 | 1 | Fly | TBA |
28 | 2 | Amy | TBA |
29 | 3 | Amy | TBA |
30 | 4 | Corey | TBA |
31 | 5 | Eric | TBA |
32 | 6 | Fly | TBA |
33 | 7 | Rachael | TBA |
34 | 8 | Eric | TBA |
35 | 9 | Rachael and Corey | TBA |
36 | 10 | Brooke | TBA |
37 | 11 | Amy and Eric | TBA |
38 | 12 | Brooke | TBA |
39 | 13 | Eric | TBA |
40 | 14 | Amy | TBA |
41 | 15 | Amy | TBA |
42 | 16 | Amy | TBA |
43 | 17 | Edge | TBA |
44 | 18 | Brooke | TBA |
45 | 19 | Mike | TBA |
46 | 20 | Rachel | TBA |
47 | 21 | Eric | TBA |
48 | 22 | Brooke | TBA |
49 | 23 | Corey | TBA |
50 | 24 | Amy | TBA |
51 | 25 | Fly | TBA |
52 | 26 | TBA | TBA |
Series three (April–September 2008)
Episodes of season 3 were also not named, but were numbered from 1 to 26.
No. overall | No. in season | Featured character | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|
53 | 1 | Cassie | TBA | |
This episode focused on the beginning of the year in Solar Blue for the new 6 intakes for the year, introducing them all: Bridget and Charley (known as "The King") both very seriously intense and engaged to learn and train; Guy, a laid back "surfing machine" that is clumsy the second he steps out of the water; Loren, an extremely friendly yet overly anxious girl with low self-confidence; and Cassie and Adam, two "wildcards" that Simmo had found on offshore beaches that he thought has potential. Despite Cassie's excitement to being in Solar Blue for the year, the day didn't start off well. Solar Blue gets bought by a large corporation, which is mostly represented by "Mr. Lee". Mr. Simmonnds, the renowned coach, decides to leave Solar Blue, and Bec gets offered a job as an administrator for running Solar Blue due to her experience. Cassie and Adam arrive early at Solar Blue to find it wrapped up at the same time; hence finding themselves at the police station for the night after failing to contact those in charge at Solar Blue. The following day, the other 4 arrive and the two do so too, and after careful thinking, Bec decides to take the job in running the academy. | ||||
54 | 2 | Charley | TBA | |
In this episode, Charley openly talks about his generally cold manner towards the others due to his determined strive to do well. In choosing an appropriate surfing coach for the students, Bec decides to leave it to be chosen via voting by the students themselves at Solar Blue, causing heat and rivalry. They meet the two shortlisted candidates - Dave Stretin and Garry Miller; both ex-pros of the Pro Circuit of 10 and 4 years respectively. After the interviews, they find that Dave has a more fun-filled approach, talking about fun stories of his time in the Circuit whereas Garry is brief and almost curt about his past, encouraging good discipline and a boundary-set relationship between the coach and the students. Adam, Cassie, Loren, Guy, and Bridget all vote for Dave, but Charley researches and despite backlash, decides on Garry. In the end, after explaining his reasoning behind his choice, they all go for Garry, and his attitude opens up, and he attempts to be more friendlier to the other intakes. | ||||
55 | 3 | Loren | TBA | |
Despite the kickoff and thrill to be at Solar Blue, Loren begins to look around her at her competitors and is completely overwhelmed. Comparing herself with Bridget and Cassie, she finds herself out of place and realizes that she should drop out. After talking with Bec about it, she decides to wait until the competition that was coming the next day, but in her final heat, she rode a beautiful wave, wanting to finish off her time here and making the most of it. An inexperienced competitor, however, drops in on her wave, making her unable to perform at her level best, intent that she should leave Solar Blue. Just as she was about to give up, Bec gives her the score sheet of the judges' marks in the previous heats and she finds that she got a 9 before the final heat, higher than Bridget and Cassie both. This boosts her confidence and she decides to stay. | ||||
56 | 4 | Adam | TBA | |
In order to make sure the 6 surfers have what it takes, Bec and Garry decide to push the surfers to the hardest, trying to find whether they wanted to be here. Adam gets frustrated after being 2 weeks in at Garry's attitude as it got built up. On a hot day of 35 degrees Celsius, Garry decides to put them all on tracks carrying heavy dead weight for 4 hours, splitting them up in teams of 2 but offering training points in return. Adam lashes out and refuses to partake in the activity, but when Garry puts Cassie's training points on the line, too, he decides to do it anyway. That following evening, he complains loudly to Bec and Garry, and they admit to pushing them to their hardest right before the term started as a test, so Adam understands and decides to stay at Solar Blue. | ||||
57 | 5 | Bridget | TBA | |
Similar to Charley's episode (episode 2), this episode is where Bridget talks about her overcompetitiveness - not only in the water but from academic achievements to something as simple as dishwashing. |
International broadcasts
Country | Channel | Year |
---|---|---|
![]() | Nickelodeon (Italy), Italia 1 and Boing (Italy) | 2006–2010 |
![]() | Boomerang | 2005–2008 |
![]() | TV2 | 2007–2012 |
![]() | ABC TV | 2005–2010 |
Australia Network | 2014– | |
![]() | SVT1, Barnkanalen[3] | 2007–2011 |
![]() | ZigZap, TVP1 and Filmy+ | 2007–2010 |
![]() | KI.KA | 2007–2010 |
![]() | RTÉ Two | 2007–2010 |
![]() | La 2, Neox and Clan TVE | 2007–2010 |
![]() | Filles TV/June | 2007–2010 |
France Ô | 2012–2015 | |
![]() | TV2 Zebra | 2007–2011 |
![]() | SIC and SIC K | 2009–2019 |
![]() | RTL 8 | 2009–2013 |
![]() | Boomerang Brazil and TV Brasil | 2009–2014 |
![]() | Falkland Islands Television Service | 2009–2013 |
![]() | Go | 2009 |
Magic World 112 | 2010–2013 | |
![]() | Boomerang and Pop Girl | 2006–2012 |
![]() | Ketnet | 2010s |
![]() | Teen TV | 2011 |
![]() | Megamax | 2010s |
Africa
In South Africa, Blue Water High was aired twice a week on Go on the local satellite system, DSTV. After DSTV added more MNET channels, Blue Water High started airing every weekday at 19:30 on Magic World 112 from 1 July 2010.
Europe
In Germany, the series is called Blue Water High, die Surf-Akademie (which means "Blue Water High, the Surf Academy") and is broadcast on KI.KA (a children's channel). In Ireland Blue Water High was broadcast on RTÉ Two as part of The Den and, in Spain, the show was broadcast on La 2, Clan TVE and Neox. In France, it was broadcast on Filles TV as Blue Water High: Surf Academy in 2007 and France Ô has started re-airing the series on 12 November 2012. In Norway the show aired on TV 2 Zebra. In Portugal, SIC also bought the first season, and it aired in the country from Monday to Friday at 5pm in Summer 2009; the show was named Mar Azul ("Blue Sea"). It also started again on SIC K in December of that year, where it has, since, been airing, on and off. The series also began airing on RTL 8 in the Netherlands from 2009 onwards. In the United Kingdom, it was broadcast on Boomerang and later on Pop Girl.
North America
Blue Water High was broadcast online in USA through the former The WB Television Network, which was resurrected by the Warner Bros. television arm as a website in 2008.[4] Currently, the series is now streaming on Tubi.
Oceania
In Australia, the country of its origin, Blue Water High aired once every week on ABC3. In New Zealand, Blue Water High currently airs every Saturday afternoon on TV2
South America
In the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America, the show is titled Blue Water High, Escuela del Surf, which translates as "Blue Water High, Surf Academy", and is broadcast on Boomerang Latin America. In Brazil, it is broadcast by Boomerang Brazil and TV Brasil under the title Galera do Surfe (The Surf Crowd). In Falkland Islands, Blue Water High was aired on Falkland Islands Television Service Tuesdays to Friday at 15:00 and Saturday at 11:30.
Home media
DVD releases
Season 3 was not originally released on DVD, but in October 2020 a complete collection boxset was released, which included all three seasons.
Title | Format | Ep # | Discs | Region 4 (Australia) | Special Features | Distributors |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blue Water High: Season 1 | DVD | 26 | 04 | 9 February 2007 | None | Roadshow |
Blue Water High: Season 2 | DVD | 26 | 04 | 2007 | None | Roadshow |
Blue Water High: Seasons 1-3 | DVD | 78 | 12 | 7 October 2020 | N/A | Via Vision Entertainment/Madman Entertainment |
Online streaming
All Seasons of Blue Water High are currently streaming for release on 7plus.
Title | Format | Ep # | Release Date | Distributors |
---|---|---|---|---|
Blue Water High: Season 01 | Streaming | 26 | 2019 | 7plus |
Blue Water High: Season 02 | Streaming | 26 | 2019 | 7plus |
Blue Water High: Season 03 | Streaming | 26 | 2019 | 7plus |
References
- ^ Molitorisz, Sacha (11 May 2005). "Roller coasters". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "Gallery: Blue Water High". 10 March 2008.
- ^ "Svensk mediedatabas (SMDB)". smdb.kb.se. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
- ^ "Warner Bros". thewb.com.
External links
- Blue Water High Archived 8 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine at the Australian Television Information Archive
- Blue Water High at IMDb
- Blue Water High at the National Film and Sound Archive
- Blue Water High - "Winners and Losers" at Australian Screen Online