Ultimate Book of Spells explained

Alt Name:UBOS
Genre:Animated children's television series
Developer:Sean Catherine Derek
Director:Chuck Patton
Voices:Michael Dobson
Ron Halder
Cathy Weseluck
Janyse Jaud
Jim Byrnes
Patricia Drake
Saffron Henderson
Kirby Morrow
Pauline Newstone
Nicole Oliver
Kathleen Barr
Theme Music Composer:Will Anderson
Jim West
Country:Germany
Language:English
German
Num Seasons:1
Num Episodes:26
Executive Producer:Allen Bohbot
Nadia Nardonnet
Stephanie Graziano
Runtime:20 mins
Company:BKN International
Channel:YTV (Canada)

Ultimate Book of Spells is a 2001–02 German children's animated television series produced by BKN International.[1] It ran for 26 episodes.

Inspired by the popular Harry Potter book and movie series, the show presents a trio of "wizards-in-training" at an enchanted private school run by Miss Crystalgazer. Cassy is a junior witch, Gus is a half-elf/half-human junior wizard, and Verne is a promising "mortie", i.e. a non-magical human. With the guidance of the talking Ultimate Book of Spells (aka UBOS), the three have to battle the evil wizard Zarlak, who's trying to steal all of the world's spells.[2]

Characters

Main characters

Other characters

Other voices

Crew

Episodes

-Ep. #Broadcast DateTitleWritten byDescription
align=center 1align=center 12 September 2001align=center Three Is A Charm (Pilot)align=center Sean Catherine DerekA mortie named Verne arrives at a magic school. He meets Gus, a half-elf second year junior wizard and Cassy, a third year junior witch. He also meets the evil twins, Lucretia and Borgia, and the headmistress Miss Crystalgazer. The talking book UBOS takes the three friends to the center of the Earth, where an evil wizard Zarlak is stealing magic from the outside world.
align=center 2align=center 19 September 2001align=center Man or Mortiealign=center Sean Catherine DerekCassy, Gus and Verne need to come up with an antidote to stop winged beings from crashing into turrets of the castle.
align=center 3align=center 26 September 2001align=center He Who Laughs Lastalign=center Sean RocheThe trio have to stop Zarlak's plan to take joy from the surface world.
align=center 4align=center 3 October 2001 align=center Rootopia of All Evilalign=center Jack &<br />Carole MendelsohnZarlak plans to steal all the flowers (and the happiness) for himself.
align=center 5align=center 10 October 2001align=center Time and Againalign=center Dennis Haley
Marcy Brown
The class goes back in time to Zarlak's trial, and Gus inadvertently takes a crystal that Cassy's great-grandfather needed for his battle with Zarlak.
align=center 6align=center 17 October 2001align=center Fire with Firealign=center Bob ForwardGus discovers that the elves are losing their powers, because a huge dragon has stolen the "Elfin Stone".
align=center 7align=center 24 October 2001align=center The New Librarianalign=center Douglas GayetonProfessor Beagleboyce becomes the new librarian, and absorbs the contents of all of the library's books.
align=center 8align=center 31 October 2001 align=center Shadow Landalign=center Sean RocheVerne has to fight a shadow creature, who's taken Cassy and Gus' shadows.
align=center 9align=center 7 November 2001 align=center Once in a Blue Moonalign=center Sean RocheZarlak kidnaps the Charmlings, little elf-like people who can grant any wish.
align=center 10align=center 14 November 2001align=center The Bind That Tiesalign=center Glenn LeopoldZarlak has captured all the bookbinder gnomes, which makes all the books unglued and devastates UBOS.
align=center 11align=center 21 November 2001align=center Coat of Armsalign=center Christy Marx
Randy Littlejohn
Cassy finds out that her great-grandaunt Cassandra VII teamed up with Zarlak many years ago.
align=center 12align=center 28 November 2001align=center Out of Shapealign=center Glenn LeopoldZarlak sends his dragon to steal the magic book, but kidnaps Verne and Gus instead. Cassy has to save the day, but she's having a hard time using her shape-changing powers.
align=center 13align=center 5 December 2001align=center The Riftalign=center Don GilliesScavenger imps use a portal to steal objects from the surface world, and two of the friends are in the hands of Zarlak.
align=center 14align=center 9 January 2002 align=center What a Cut-Up!align=center Julia LewaldThe three friends fight Zarlak, who has turned everything dull.
align=center 15align=center 16 January 2002 align=center Multiple Mayhemalign=center Sean Catherine DerekCassy creates a duplicate of herself to get to all her classes, but the duplicate starts acting out in unpredictable ways.
align=center 16align=center 23 January 2002 align=center The Tear of Moolanaalign=center Stevie SternGus and Cassy compete with Zarlack to obtain the Tear of Moolana, a gem that offers infinite power.
align=center 17align=center 30 January 2002align=center Magical Logicalalign=center Michael EdensEverything is losing its logic - video games, computers, wands and even Ubos - and the trio has to find a way to bring it back.
align=center 18align=center 10 February 2002align=center Veil of Illusionalign=center Glenn LeopoldThe "Veil of Illusion" disappears from the school, which is now visible to morties. The trio has to retrieve the veil from a great wizard.
align=center 19align=center 17 February 2002 align=center Dark Imagealign=center Bob ForwardA magical artifact turns Verne into a dark wizard, and Cassy a dark sorceress. Gus has to stop them from destroying the earth and each other.
align=center 20align=center 24 February 2002 align=center Sleeping Beauty Schoolalign=center Sean RocheCreatures from a land behind the grandfather clock came to Vonderland and cast a sleeping spell on everyone except the trio.
align=center 21align=center 3 March 2002align=center Eclipsedalign=center B.W. GlassAt the famous Festivus Solarus (the festival where all the witches and wizards at Vonderland get together to celebrate the time when the Moon eclipses the Sun), the Moon is frozen in front of the Sun and the temperature drops below zero.
align=center 22align=center 10 March 2002align=center Big Girls Don't Cryalign=center Nathan LongCassy's new roommate, a giant named Ilsa, is manipulated by Lucretia and gets kidnapped by Zarlak.
align=center 23align=center 17 March 2002align=center Lucky Gusalign=center Don GilliesGus' sudden luck and popularity make Cassy and Verne jealous - just as Zarlak planned.
align=center 24align=center 24 March 2002align=center Magic Questalign=center Bob ForwardSitting in Merlin's magic chair, Cassy and Vern start to transform into new creatures. Verne has to find the ingredients for a spell to turn them back.
align=center 25align=center 31 March 2002align=center The Lurealign=center Sean Catherine Derek
Lori Librarian
When Gus fails his midterms, he goes on the high seas - and gets everyone in trouble.
align=center 26align=center 7 April 2002align=center Solo Sorceressalign=center Dennis Haley
Marcy Brown
Sean Catherine Derek
Cassy sees Lucretia cheat during their scooter race contest, but nobody believes her.

In the U.S. DVD release of this series,[3] "Solo Sorceress" is not the final episode and occurs significantly earlier in the play order.

Production

On 19 April 2001, BKN pre-sold the series to CBBC in the United Kingdom.[4]

On 20 June 2002, Toon Disney purchased the North American broadcast rights for the series.[5]

In 2021, the show started airing on London Live in the United Kingdom.

Home Media

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Universal Pictures Video released two VHS volumes. The first - "Three is a Charm", was released in 2002, and the second: "Solo Sorceress" was released on 21 April 2003. A double-pack containing both tapes was also released.

"Three is a Charm" was later released on DVD by Universal on 10 May 2004.

United States

A VHS tape containing two episodes titled "The Mystic Gem" was released at an unknown date.

Budget distributor Digiview Entertainment released three DVDs each containing four episodes in 2007, titled "Three's a Charm", "Fire with Fire" and "Out of Shape".

Mill Creek Entertainment released a two-disc boxset containing all 26 episodes on 5 January 2010.

Cancelled Video Game

On 7 October 2001, TDK Mediactive announced they would produce a video game based on the series in 2002, although nothing was confirmed afterwards.[6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Perlmutter . David . The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows . 2018 . Rowman & Littlefield . 978-1538103739 . 668.
  2. Book: Erickson . Hal . Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 . 2005 . 2nd . McFarland & Co . 978-1476665993 . 878–879.
  3. Web site: U.B.O.S. - the Ultimate Book of Spells - the Complete Series, All 26 Episodes (Boxset) on DVD Movie.
  4. Web site: CBBC picks up BKN toon News C21Media.
  5. Web site: Eight new shows for Toon Disney News C21Media.
  6. Web site: BKN and TDK ink video game deal News C21Media.