Alienators: Evolution Continues

{{about|the television show|the video game|Alienators: Evolution Continues (video game)}}

{{Infobox television

| image = Alienators- Evolution Continues (logo).png

| caption =

| alt_name = Evolution: The Animated Series

| genre = {{unbulleted list|Comic science fiction}}

| creator = Louis Gassin

| based_on = {{Based on|Evolution|Don Jakoby}}

| director = {{unbulleted list|Fabrice Beau|Pascal Gaugry|Camille Prinele}}

| voices = {{unbulleted list|Mark Acheson|Andrew Francis|Fiona Hogan|Cusse Mankuma|Akiko Morison|Kirby Morrow}}

| theme_music_composer = L.A. Piccirillo

| open_theme = "Evolution (Creepy Crawly)"

| end_theme = "Evolution (Creepy Crawly)" {{small|(Instrumental)}}

| composer = {{Plainlist|

L.A. Piccirillo
Jean-Michel Guirao

}}

| country = {{Plainlist|

United States
Japan
France

}}

| language = English

| channel = {{unbulleted list|Fox Kids (United States)
M6 (France){{Cite web|url=https://kidscreen.com/2001/04/01/30849-20010401/|title=Cool New Shows}}
Animax (Japan)}}

| executive_producer = {{unbulleted list|Andy Heyward|Michael Maliani|Tom Pollock|Ivan Reitman|Dan Goldberg|Joe Medjuck}}

| producer = {{unbulleted list|Michael Ryan}}

| company = {{unbulleted list|DIC Entertainment, L.P.|The Montecito Picture Company|DreamWorks Television|Columbia TriStar Television|Dentsu Inc.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2001/film/news/dic-teams-in-japan-1117852495/|title = DIC teams in Japan|date = 11 September 2001}}}}

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 26

| runtime = 22 minutes

| first_aired = {{Start date|2001|09|15}}

| last_aired = {{End date|2002|06|22}}

| related =

}}

Alienators: Evolution Continues (also known as Evolution: The Animated Series in some regions and the UK) is an animated comic science fiction television series. It is a continuation of the 2001 Ivan Reitman-directed science fiction comedy film Evolution.{{cite book |last1=Perlmutter |first1=David |title=The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows |date=2018 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1538103739 |page=21}}{{cite book |last1=Erickson |first1=Hal |title=Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 |date=2005 |edition=2nd |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=978-1476665993 |pages=72–73}} 26 episodes were produced.

Created by Louis Gassin, the series is produced by DIC Entertainment, L.P. in association with The Montecito Picture Company, DreamWorks Television, Columbia TriStar Television and Dentsu Inc., the latter of which handled distribution of the series in Asian territories. Although the Evolution intellectual property was owned by DreamWorks and is now the property of Paramount Pictures (which owns the studio's pre-2010 live-action back catalog), the series itself is now owned by WildBrain (formerly known as DHX Media).

The series was the basis for a Game Boy Advance game of same name that was developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Activision.

Premise

As with the film, the premise of the series is that a meteor carrying organisms that evolve at a very quick rate crashes into the Arizona desert; single-celled alien organisms on this meteor quickly evolve into monstrous creatures, dubbed the "Genus". A team of scientists, the Alienators, must eliminate all these creatures before they destroy all life on Earth. The characters, Ira Kane, Harry Block, Lucy Mai, and Wayne Green must study all these extraterrestrial lifeforms and find a way to defeat them all. The "Genus" is led by a "humanoid manifestation" named Scopes.

Characters

Ira Kane (voiced by Kirby Morrow) – A professor whose expertise, along with his passion for science, helps him lead the team in eliminating the Genus.
Harry Block (voiced by Cusse Mankuma) – A coach who always keeps up on game scores, etc., and loves coaching the women's team. His strategies help the team to victory.
Lucy Mai (voiced by Akiko Morrison) – A tough and aggressive but benevolent lieutenant trained by a Special Forces team called the Blue Berets.
Wayne Green (voiced by Andrew Francis) – A 17-year-old firefighter-in-training. After being infected with alien DNA, Wayne develops a "sympathetic mutation", causing him to mutate parallel to the Genus.
Allison Reed (voiced by Fiona Hogan) – A scientist and associate of the Alienators.
G.A.S.S.I.E. (Genetically Altered Symbiotic Stasis in Evolution) - An alien cell who was neutralized by Ira and evolved into a slime creature. It behaves like a dog and can track other Genus creatures.
Scopes (voiced by Mark Acheson) - The Genus's leader, who is highly intelligent, maniacal, arrogant, and intent on taking over the universe. He takes on many forms throughout the series, but is most commonly seen as a humanoid octopus.
General Granger - An arrogant and treacherous general who seeks to use the Genus to conquer Earth, eventually becoming Scopes' pawn.

Episodes

{{Episode table |background=#49B92F |overall=5 |title=22 |writer=18 |airdate=16 |episodes={{Episode list

|NumParts= 3

|EpisodeNumber_1=1

|EpisodeNumber_2=2

|EpisodeNumber_3=3

|Title=Survival

|WrittenBy=Michael Ryan

|OriginalAirDate_1={{Start date|2001|09|15}}

|OriginalAirDate_2={{Start date|2001|09|22}}

|OriginalAirDate_3={{Start date|2001|09|29}}

|ShortSummary= Doctor Kane, Wayne, Lieutenant Lucy, and Harry Block must band together when the Genus return under the leadership of the humanoid Genus Scopes.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=4

|Title=Don't Drink the Water

|WrittenBy=Ben Townsend

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|10|06}}

|ShortSummary= The Alienators take down a target at The Glen Canyon dam. However, this results in its DNA mixing with the water supply, causing the populace to mutate into human-Genus creatures.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=5

|Title=Slick

|WrittenBy=Michael Ryan

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|10|13}}

|ShortSummary= When an oil tanker laden with Genus infested petroleum runs aground near the Galapagos Islands, a disaster of epic proportions threatens humanity.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=6

|Title=Swarm

|WrittenBy=Ben Townsend

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|10|20}}

|ShortSummary= When a swarm of Genus wasps overruns a rural farm, Ira and the team are sent in to deal with it.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=7

|Title=Fire and Ice

|WrittenBy=Kurt Weldon

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|10|27}}

|ShortSummary= An outbreak in the French Alps leads to the discovery of a new kind of Genus - an ice Genus.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=8

|Title=Meltdown

|WrittenBy=Mark Seidenberg

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|11|03}}

|ShortSummary= The Alienators race against time when Scopes works to start a nuclear-meltdown to cause a widespread Genus-invasion.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=9

|Title=Junkyard Dogs

|WrittenBy=Dick Grunert

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|11|10}}

|ShortSummary=

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=10

|Title=French Underground

|WrittenBy=Nick Dubois and Lance Falk

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|11|17}}

|ShortSummary= Split from the other Alienators, General Woodnburn and Doctor Kane must work together to escape Scopes.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=11

|Title=Runaway Strain

|WrittenBy=Michael Ryan

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|12|01}}

|ShortSummary= The work of two rookie scientists to destroy Genus result on monstrous Genus plants and the team being locking up, racing against time to stop a nuclear bomb.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=12

|Title=Dead Wayne Cells

|WrittenBy=Ben Townsend

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|12|08}}

|ShortSummary= After battling a horde of rapidly-replicating Genus creatures, Wayne's sympathetic mutation system kicks in and he starts to multiply.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=13

|Title=Roman Holiday

|WrittenBy=Ben Townsend

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|02|09}}

|ShortSummary= The Alienators go to Rome where Scopes be leading an invasion of Genus who copied the genes of zoo animals.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=14

|Title=To Carthage Then I Came

|WrittenBy=Michael Ryan

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|02|16}}

|ShortSummary= A Genus outbreak in the deserts of Tunisia has Ira and his crew fighting Genus monsters that move through the sand as if it were water.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=15

|Title=Year of the Genus

|WrittenBy=Ben Townsend

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|02|23}}

|ShortSummary= When the Genus travels to Hong Kong in a crate of infected fireworks, the Alienators aren't far behind.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=16

|Title=Hot Java

|WrittenBy=Michael Ryan

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|03|02}}

|ShortSummary= The Alienators race against time to stop Scopes from using a volcano on the island of Java, Indonesia, to cause a global Genus invasion.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=17

|Title=Ira Knows Best

|WrittenBy=Ben Townsend

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|03|09}}

|ShortSummary= The Alienator's rest with Doctor Kane's parents goes wild when Scopes leads an army of Genus copying the local farm stock.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=18

|Title=Itching for the Genus

|WrittenBy=Michael Ryan

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|03|16}}

|ShortSummary= When the Genus doesn't show up, it looks like the heroes have managed to devolve themselves right out of a job.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=19

|Title=Genus in Your Tank

|WrittenBy=Kurt Weldon

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|03|23}}

|ShortSummary= When Genus infested gas makes its way into the cars of New York City, vehicular mayhem rocks the Big Apple.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=20

|Title=Cradle Will Fall

|WrittenBy=Ben Townsend

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|03|30}}

|ShortSummary= When Wayne goes to join the local firefighters, Doctor Kane's work to replace GASSIE backfires when Scopes pops up and forces Wayne back before things heat up.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=21

|Title=Head Case

|WrittenBy=Dick Grunert

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|05|04}}

|ShortSummary= A visit to Doctor Bradbury goes critical when Scopes works to use mind-control for conquest, using Doctor Kane as a guinea pig.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=22

|Title=End Game

|WrittenBy=Ben Townsend

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|05|11}}

|ShortSummary= Ira and the Alienators head off to merry ol' England to investigate a "purple worm" sighting in an old castle.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=23

|Title=General Disorder

|WrittenBy=Ben Townsend

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|05|18}}

|ShortSummary= On the Arctic, Scopes injects General Woodburn with venom to lure the Alienators to an ambush.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=24

|Title=REAPER 1: Countdown

|WrittenBy=Michael Ryan

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|06|08}}

|ShortSummary= The Alienators learn of Scopes and General Granger forming an alliance to conquer Earth.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=25

|Title=REAPER 2: The Ark

|WrittenBy=Ben Townsend

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|06|15}}

|ShortSummary= The Alienators board a space ark and clash some Genus as well as one of General Granger's robots.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=26

|Title=REAPER 3: Alpha Omega

|WrittenBy=Michael Ryan

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|06|22}}

|ShortSummary= The Alienators confront Scopes as he works to use General Granger to spread the Genus across the universe.

|LineColor=49B92F

}}

Production

In 2001, DIC picked up the animation rights to produce an animated series based on the film. Fox Kids acquired the North American broadcast rights and ordered 26 episodes to be produced for the Fall of 2001.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2001/tv/news/evolution-multiplies-as-fox-kids-toon-1117792204/|title = 'Evolution' multiplies as Fox Kids toon|date = 18 January 2001}}{{cite web |date=January 17, 2001 |author=Rick DeMott |title=DIC To Transform Live-Action Evolution Into Toon |url=https://www.awn.com/news/dic-transform-live-action-evolution-toon |website=Animation World Network |access-date=2021-01-01 }} The series premiered in September.{{Cite web|url=https://kidscreen.com/2001/03/01/30802-20010301/|title=Alien, pranster, secret agents and Olsen twins for Fox}}

The same year in June, Lions Gate Home Entertainment signed a home media distribution deal DIC Entertainment which included Alienators.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2001/film/news/distrib-kids-around-1117800997/|title=Distrib kids around|date=8 June 2001}}

In September, DIC signed an alliance agreement with Dentsu, the latter of which would invest, partner and co-produce the series with DIC in exchange for Asian and Japanese distribution rights excluding India.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dicentertainment.com/press_archive.html#sept401|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040417063227/http://www.dicentertainment.com/press_archive.html#sept401|archive-date = 2004-04-17|title = WildBrain}}

=Broadcast=

In September 2001, YTV acquired Canadian broadcast rights to the series under a deal with DIC Entertainment.{{Cite news|url=https://kidscreen.com/2001/09/01/canuck-20010901/|title=Diginets heat up the race to hook Canuck kid viewers}}

Home releases

In the United States, Lions Gate Home Entertainment and Trimark Home Video released Evolution: The Animated Movie on VHS and DVD on January 29, 2002. This release consisted of the 3-part episode "Survival" in a feature-length format. It was re-released by Sterling Entertainment on November 13, 2003 with the DVD version containing the fourth episode "Don't Drink the Water" as a bonus feature. The entire series is also available on Amazon Video.

In the United Kingdom, Anchor Bay UK released a single DVD/VHS set of the series on June 28, 2004 containing the first four episodes and later on released another DVD containing the next four. Avenue Entertainment would also release 2 DVDs containing 2 episodes each.

In Japan, six VHS/DVD releases, consisting of the entire series, was released in Japan by Happinet in January 2003. These sets were later released as part of two boxsets.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%A8%E3%83%9C%E3%83%AA%E3%83%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A7%E3%83%B3-The-Animated-Series-DVD-BOX1/dp/B00007K4R3/ref=sr_1_4?crid=13960GO88D7K6&keywords=Evolution:+The+Animated+Series&qid=1673470624&sprefix=evolution+the+animated+ser,aps,748&sr=8-4|title=エボリューション The Animated Series DVD-BOX1|date=25 January 2003 |via=Amazon}}