Geek It! Animation Flashback: The Secret Show

From the production studio that brought Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto! and Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs, THE SECRET SHOW is a classic animated series that only a niche group of fans remember. And what makes The Secret Show so secretive? Well, let’s find out in this Animation Flashback!

Aired between September 2006 and November 2010, THE SECRET SHOW was shown across many channels including Disney, Nickelodeon, and BBC kids with a total of 52 episodes.

Following the adventures of two spies, Anita Knight and Victor Volt, they must save civilisation from the world’s greatest threat — ‘T.H.E.M’ (also known as The Horrible Evil Menace).

Led by the villainous ‘Doctor Doctor’ and his team of agents called ‘Expendables’, is there any chance of overthrowing them for once and all?

As a child, one of the most vivid memories about The Secret Show was remembering how we originally rejected the show for being a ~baby cartoon. When the programme rolled onto the screen, it began with the “Fluffy Bunny Show” featuring Grandma on her banjo and some fluffy bunnies.

But this was how they got us! Little did we know that Grandma’s on-air time was going to be hijacked by secret agents! At first, we couldn’t believe our eyes but this gag lived up to its name of ‘The Secret Show’. It’s unexpected and bloody brilliant — as expected from a British creation.

(And also, if you watch the show carefully, the bunnies frequently appear throughout the show in random places)

On a daily basis, both Anita and Victor report to their commanding agent at their secret organisation ‘U.Z.Z’ where they are given top-secret tasks. From ‘Mummy Dearest’ to ‘Cheeky Chops’, their commanding agent’s codename is changed on a daily basis for security reasons — another running gag that takes place every episode to many fans’ corny delight.

It is also here at their spy base where they sometimes see Professor Professor (whose inventions frequently save the day) and Special Agent Ray (who often runs missions from behind the scenes). With a team like theirs, what could possibly go wrong?

Growing up, we were very fond of this show. The endless banter of goofiness and on-point humour gave us life every time we watched it. With Professor Professor always yelling “VICTOR, ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?” and Anita being the badass woman she is by kicking ass and pulling Victor into line, it honestly inspired us to one day have a job that could be fun (and serious) with your colleagues.

Besides the shenanigans, we would like to acknowledge the show’s unique art direction. How does one describe the style? It’s sharply angular and filled with two-dimensional block colours — almost Picasso-like. The art style may not be everyone’s cup of tea but this style definitely made the show stand out from the crowd.

With two Children’s BAFTA Awards for Best Animated Show (2007) and one for its web site (in the Best Interactive category), it is clear that The Secret Show is unanimously appreciated by animation connoisseurs.

Do you remember The Secret Show? Let’s go down memory lane!

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