Phantom 2040
Phantom 2040 is a French-American animated science fiction television series loosely based on the comic strip hero The Phantom, created by Lee Falk. The central character of the series is said to be the 24th Phantom. The unusual character designs are the work of Peter Chung, creator of Æon Flux. The show debuted in 1994 to rave reviews, though it survived only 35 episodes before it was relegated to weekend repeats in 1996. Along with action sequences, stories focused on intelligent plotting and character development, winning the series praise for its subtle teaching of such values as individuality, freedom, and the volatility of humanity. It also spawned comic books tie-ins and other merchandise. Featured voice actors included Scott Valentine, Margot Kidder, Ron Perlman, and Jeff Bennett, while Mark Hamill, Debbie Harry, Rob Paulsen, and Paul Williams had recurring roles.
Seasons
1. Generation Unto Generation (part one)
Air Date: 1994-09-18
The origin of the 24th Phantom, as he is called into service on his 18th birthday, unaware of his family's history.
2. Generation Unto Generation (part two)
Air Date: 1994-09-25
The origin of the 24th Phantom, as he is called into service on his 18th birthday, unaware of his family's history.
3. The Sum Of The Parts
Air Date: 1994-10-02
Maximum's new invention, the fractal (shape-changing) biot is part of a new plot to capture the Phantom. Meanwhile, Professor Archer finds out about Kit's dual identity.
4. Fire And ICE
Air Date: 1994-10-09
A new member joins the team - a superhacker kid named Sparks, and just in time to ""skate"" the Integrated Cyber Environment and meet the mysterious entity known only as Cairo.
5. Reflections of Glory
Air Date: 1994-10-16
The story behind the rock star, Vaingloria, is revealed during an adventure involving kidnapped teens.
6. Shadows From The Past
Air Date: 1994-10-23
An egyptian would-be queen wants revenge on the Phantom, who unified her continent many years ago. But when her venom-tipped darts affect Guran instead of Kit, we find out a little more about the night Kit's father vanished
7. The Good Mark
Air Date: 1994-10-30
The Phantom learns the meaning of his Good Mark and, in the course of a plot by Maximum to lure the Phantom into a trap, ends up marking Sagan with it.
8. Ghost In The Machine
Air Date: 1994-11-06
When Rebecca is partially successful in resurrecting her dead husband, more of the history of the Great Train Wreck of 2024 is revealed, as the Phantom squares off with Max Madison, Sr. at Grand Central Station... again.
9. Dark Orbit (1)
Air Date: 1994-11-13
With the aid of Australian crime boss Gorda, raids Maximum cargo ships to obtain chemicals needed for his Damocles Platform, a deadly orbital laser cannon he plans to use to force the Earth into recognizing the independence of the Orbital Colonies.
10. Dark Orbit (2)
Air Date: 1994-11-20
Sean 1 of the orbital platform is close to achieving his dream of acquiring enough power to enforce a declaration of independence. Will Graft and the Phantom team up to stop him from destroying Metropia and part of the world in his quest for a Free Orbital Nation?
11. The Biot In Red
Air Date: 1994-11-27
The further adventures of Heisenberg the fractal biot, as he explores the concept of ""feelings"", and Dr. Jak has to do without his biot assistant for a while.
12. The Gauntlet
Air Date: 1994-12-04
The mystery of Sparks' missing parents is finally solved, during an adventure with a new security system at Cyberville
13. Three Into One
Air Date: 1994-12-11
Maximum Inc's latest innovation is a virtual theme park featuring the rock star Vaingloria. But when three people seem to be taken over by a strange psychic force, their combined might may be too much for Metropia, so the police decide they need the Phantom's help - and offer him absolution if he solves the case. And the liason the police choose to work with the Phantom? Why, Sagan, of course
14. Life Lessons
Air Date: 1995-02-04
Heisenberg returns to warn the Phantom of a danger to both biots and humans deep inside Cyberville. But why would anyone care about the destruction of biots, even Heisenberg? After all, they're not alive... are they?
15. The Magician
Air Date: 1995-02-11
When Sagan digs into the mystery of the Phantom's identity, she uncovers an old associate of the Phantom from 20 years ago. Unfortunately, her search has been tailed - now, can that associate protect both himself and the Phantom from Graft's overeager crew?
16. Swifter, Higher, Faster
Air Date: 1995-02-18
Kit's investigation into the dissemination of a new drug leads him to the athletes at his own college, where his friends confront him about his strange behavior and evasive secrecy.
17. Lasers in the Jungle
Air Date: 1995-02-25
Graft leads an armed raid on the Ghost Jungle to find the Phantom's hidden lair, and is forced to bring Vaingloria along with him. When Kit's plan to divert Graft from the skull lair goes awry, the Phantom must improvise to save his friends from the wrath of Maximum's biot army.
18. Down The Line
Air Date: 1995-04-29
A message from the Phantom of 2157 sent back to the Phantom of 2040 leads Kit to some surprising clues and faces him with a difficult choice: whether to continue the Phantom's code against killing, even in the face of the inevitable destruction of the Earth.
19. Control Group
Air Date: 1995-04-29
Rebecca Madison decides to test a new brainwave transfer method on Graft, causing the Phantom to stumble upon some of Graft's old memories, of his time as a soldier in the Resource Wars and his defiance of Maximum. Now, the Phantom must help Graft remember that he was once a hero to stop Rebecca from turning Metropia's new war memorial into a lethal plasma cannon
20. A Boy and his Cat
Air Date: 1995-04-29
Maxwell Jr. ends up trapped in virtual reality after his leisurely stroll through Maximum's defences leaves Rebecca fuming, and the Phantom must get him out before he unknowingly destroys Metropia with his indestructible, virtually-controlled army of combat biots.
1. Rite Of Passage
Air Date: 1995-09-16
A ""retrospective"" show, bringing you up-to-date on the goings-on in season 1.
2. The World Is My Jungle
Air Date: 1995-09-23
A ""retrospective"" show, bringing you up-to-date on the goings-on in season 1
3. Sanctuary
Air Date: 1995-09-30
When the Egyptian Queen Nia returns to defeat the Phantom, she brings along ace marksman Gunnar to assist. However, while they hunt him in the Ghost Jungle, Gunnar cannot pass up the chance to hunt the rare, supposedly nonexistent Shadow Panther. Meanwhile, Max, Jr. remains blissfully trapped in VR - and Rebecca schemes to coax him out of his reverie by giving Baudelaire the boot...
4. The Ties That Bind
Air Date: 1995-10-07
Rebecca launches what may be the first physical attack in her bid to begin the Maximum Era by destroying Dykstra Platform, home of Sean 1. Meanwhile, Max finally is lured out of VR and Pavlova cannot take working for Dr. Jak anymore, exercising her free will to resign. Vaingloria joins the Maximum security force as Sagan is knocked into a coma.
5. The Woman In The Moon
Air Date: 1995-10-14
An intercepted shipment of cloned hands being sent to the orbital platform has the Phantom intrigued and sends him on a space-hunt as the orbital platforms vote on whether to form their Free Orbital Nation.
6. Matter Over Mind
Air Date: 1995-10-21
The truth behind the origins of Cairo and the contents of the train wreck that destroyed Sector Zero may destroy the Phantom and his friends -- one way, or another.
7. The Sins Of The Father (1)
Air Date: 1995-10-28
Many major plots reach a crescendo pitch as Sagan regains consciousness and her relationship with Kit is finally resolved, more truth behind the Sector Zero crash and many of its ramifications is revealed, and the Maximum Era counts down to launch.
8. The Sins Of The Father (2)
Air Date: 1995-11-04
Having been convinced by his friend Guran to go to Africa, his ancestral home, Kit finds deeper truth than even he imagined in the Phantom's fight for justice through the ages. Meanwhile, the truth behind Max Madison, Sr.'s original plan and the cause of the train wreck are revealed and lead to a shocking conclusion -- and the beginning of the Maximum Era.
9. The Sacrifice (1)
Air Date: 1995-11-11
Kit and his friends return to his lair and find the mysterious message left by Kit's father, as the Madisons scheme to escape the dome with the assistance of Gorda (who may or may not be helping...). However, when Kit has to choose between the life of a person he loves and the life of Metropia itself, how does he decide?
10. The Sacrifice (2)
Air Date: 1995-11-18
Kit's continuing search for a way to save his father leads to some interesting revelations about Max Madison Sr., Mr. Cairo, and the 23rd Phantom, and puts Cairo in the worst danger he's ever encountered. Meanwhile, the Madisons and Gorda continue wreaking havoc while Rebecca attempts to put a ""positive spin"" on their scheming.
11. Rogue
Air Date: 1995-11-25
Heisenberg is branded a rogue biot after Dr. Jak records a secret gathering of his fellow self-aware biots and claims that they are planning a revolt. The Enforcers ask Maxwell Jr. to assist them in hunting Heisenberg down, unaware that he intends to retake control of the biot for himself.
12. The Second Time Around
Air Date: 1996-02-11
When the Phantom stops a crime in progress, the criminal surprises the Phantom with an unexpected sigil, and leads Kit into the first-ever ""Virtual Reality"" excursion into the Phantom Chronicles, where he enters and interacts with and changes an action-filled story of the 20th Phantom.
13. The Furies
Air Date: 1996-02-18
Fissures in Gorda and Rebecca's ""partnership"" provide an exploitable weakness - but who is exploiting it, and why?
14. Moments Of Truth
Air Date: 1996-02-25
Gorda and Rebecca fight over Rebecca's smuggling of yellow roses. Why would the all-powerful head of Maximum, Inc smuggle in flowers that can be grown right here in Metropia? Meanwhile, Sparks' ignorance of geography leads Kit to enrolling him at the University.
15. The Whole Truth
Air Date: 1996-03-03
Once and for all we finally experience the whole truth about the night the train wreck ruined Grand Central Station and the Phantom and Max Madison Sr. were killed - from no less a source than Max Madison, Sr. himself.
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Rating
5.8/10
Release Date
1994-09-18
Episodes
35 (2 seasons)
Status
Ended
Cast
Production Companies
Hearst Entertainment Productions