"So Weird" (1999) TV series 1999-2001

User Rating:

8.9/10   

Creator:

Tom J. Astle

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | unknown

Release Date:

18 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Adventure | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Life is SO Weird

Plot:

A preteen girl travels around the country continually stumbling over supernatural occurrences. Without anyone to believe her, she posts what she finds on her website entitled "So Weird".

Plot Keywords:

Actor Shares Last Name With Character | Dead Father | Paranormal | Clone | Weird

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Patrick Levis	...	Jack Phillips (63 episodes, 1999-2001)
Mackenzie Phillips	...	Molly Phillips (63 episodes, 1999-2001)
Eric Lively	...	Carey Bell / ... (48 episodes, 1999-2001)
Cara DeLizia	...	Fiona 'Fi' Phillips / ... (38 episodes, 1999-2001)
Alexz Johnson	...	Annie Thelen (26 episodes, 2000-2001)

Also Known As:

Too Weird (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

USA:TV-PG (some episodes) | USA:TV-Y7

Filming Locations:

Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

So Weird Productions

Quotes:

Molly Phillips: We can't just walk up to a stranger's house, and say, "Are you okay?"
Fi: Can if you're with me.

Soundtrack:

In the Darkness

A tale of two shows

So Weird is like a PG-version of "The X-Files". It explores paranormal phenomena but in a way that is still suitable for younger kids.

The first and second seasons were good and entertaining. They featured Cara DeLizia as Fi, a teenage girl curious about paranormal phenomena. She portrays her character well, including Fi's unfulfilled longing for her father who died when she was very young. Patrick Levis played Jack, Fi's brother, well; and the sibling rivalry between Jack and Fi is humorous and easy to relate to. Mackenzie Phillips portrays "Molly Phillips", a concerned mom and singer, very well (and has a very good voice as well). Erik von Detton, an experienced actor, portrays his character, a member of Molly's bad who gets reluctantly dragged into Fi's adventures, very well also. You can sense true chemistry between the cast members as you watch these episodes.

Then, for some reason ... Fi is replaced as the main character by Annie Thelen. Instead of Cara DeLizia as Fi, we see Alexz Johnson as Annie. The explanation is that Fi moved away to live life as a normal girl, while Annie, as an aspiring singer, has decided to join Molly on the tour. Coincidentally, Annie just happens to be interested in paranormal phenomena... just like Fi ... hmmmmm. The only difference is that Annie can sing.

So while Alexz Johnson is a talented singer and actress, the third season (unlike the first and second seasons) is just plain silly with ridiculous story lines and one-dimensional characters. Annie's fascination with an invisible panther that she believes protects her does not have nearly the depth of Fi's unfulfilled longing for her deceased father. Annie's ability to sing does not make up for Fi's intellectual curiosity. In addition, the sibling rivalry between Jack and Fi is absent.

While references to Fi are made several times in the third season and we see Molly hug Fi (probably not Cara DeLizia) from a distance in the Thanksgiving episode, this show's third season just isn't as good as the first or second seasons.

That is why I call So Weird "a tale of two shows."