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2000 American comedy television series
Jack of All Trades
is a half-hour-long
syndicated
action 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
[
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]
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
attache
(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.
Cast
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Production
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]
Theme song
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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
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]
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:
Episodes
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Season 1
[
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]
Season 2
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]
References
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Notes
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- ^
a
b
co-executive producer
External links
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]