Poltergeist: The Legacy

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Poltergeist: The Legacy
File:Poltergeist the Legacy logo1.jpg
Logo from season two through season four.
Created by Richard Barton Lewis
Starring Derek de Lint
Helen Shaver
Martin Cummins
Robbi Chong
Alexandra Purvis
Country of origin United States
Canada
No. of seasons 4
No. of episodes 88
Production
Running time 42 minutes per episode
Release
Original network Showtime / Sci Fi Channel
Original release April 21, 1996 –
November 12, 1999
External links
[{{#property:P856}} Website]

Poltergeist: The Legacy is a Canadian horror television series which ran from 1996 to 1999. The series tells the story of the members of a secret society known as the Legacy and their efforts to protect humankind from occult dangers. Despite bearing the Poltergeist name, there is no real connection between the show and the Poltergeist trilogy aside from the title.

Poltergeist: The Legacy debuted on Showtime, and all first-run episodes of the first three seasons premiered on that network, though they were later syndicated. After the third season, Showtime cancelled the show, and the rights were purchased by Sci Fi Channel which continued the series for another season. This same pattern was followed by Stargate SG-1, which also debuted on Showtime, was also sold into syndication, and was rescued from cancellation by Sci Fi.

The fourth season of Poltergeist: The Legacy featured an episode starring WWE wrestler The Undertaker as a being from Hell who collected souls, a deliberate[original research?] crossover with RAW, which was also airing on the USA Network at the time and earning the network some of the highest ratings on cable TV. It was hoped that this cameo would help boost awareness of the new show, and thus generate a larger audience (just as USA had attempted to do by having Shawn Michaels appear on Pacific Blue).

As of October 2009, Poltergeist: The Legacy is airing on NBC Universal's horror and suspense-themed cable channel Chiller.

The Legacy

Founded in England (where the Ruling House resides in London) in the 6th century, the Legacy was established to collect dangerous and ancient knowledge and artifacts, solve paranormal problems, and protect humanity from supernatural evils. Over time, the membership expanded around the world. As the Legacy grew, it established branches in other cities and countries. Known as Legacy "Houses," these are staffed by small teams of specialist members.

Each House is ruled by a "Precept" who wears a signet ring engraved with a distinctive L (one of the original cast members[who?] notes that the whole team had rings and only when a founding team was dissolved or a member lost, the rings were taken off and worn only by the Precept thenceforth). Other Houses are mentioned and occasionally seen in the series, but most of the action centers on the San Francisco House.

Dr. Derek Rayne is the Precept of the San Francisco House, set in a castellated mansion on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay. The San Francisco House operates under the guise of the Luna Foundation, a philanthropic institution that collects artifacts and antiquities.

Characters

  • Dr. Derek Rayne (played by Derek de Lint) – The Precept of the San Francisco House. Derek is a brilliant scholar with a mysterious background and connections to many powerful people. He is Dutch, and holds doctorates in anthropology and theology. Derek follows in the footsteps of his father Winston, who was also a Legacy member. Winston was corrupted and killed by supernatural forces when Derek was a teenager; eventually, that same evil attempts to do the same to Derek himself. Derek also has the "Sight," a form of precognition that allows him to 'see' things happen before they become real; at times, this allows him to change what he sees. He had a son named Lucas who died in infancy along with Derek's former lover. Derek appeared to be killed off in the final episode of the series.
  • Nick Boyle (played by Martin Cummins) – A former Navy SEAL who resigned after his commander caused the deaths of the other men in his unit. His father was a member of the Legacy before him, and though he is still revered by the Precepts, Nick is still haunted by his father's abuse. Nick had a brash and impulsive nature which often caused him to clash with the methodical Derek, although Derek once referred to Nick's lack of respect for the powers of evil as his greatest strength. He is an expert in weapons and tactics as well as being a skilled investigator, and he becomes Precept at the end of the series.
  • Alexandra "Alex" Moreau (played by Robbi Chong) – An African-American woman with psychometric abilities. Alex serves the Legacy as a researcher and investigator. She comes from an old Creole family in New Orleans, and her sister also has ESP, though no one in her family has it as strongly as Alex does. Derek was her mentor in college, and it is hinted that they may also have been lovers at that time.
  • Father Philip Callaghan (played by Patrick Fitzgerald) – A Roman Catholic priest and linguist from Ireland. Philip is a compassionate man who believes that virtue and faith are the best weapons against evil, but he also struggles with sexual temptation and lapses in faith. His brother was killed in an IRA car-bombing, which destabilized his beliefs. He appeared only in the first two seasons of the series in a recurring role, but returned for a 2-part episode in the final season.
  • Dr. Rachel Corrigan (played by Helen Shaver) – A psychiatrist who is helped by the Legacy in the pilot episode. Impressed by her skills and strength of character, Derek invited Rachel to join his team. Rachel is a widow with an 8-year-old daughter named Kat, after her husband Patrick and son Connor are killed in a car accident. She is a skeptic to a fault, refusing to believe even when confronted with the many supernatural occurrences dealt with by the Legacy. Rachel also struggles with alcoholism.
  • Katherine "Kat" Corrigan (played by Alexandra Purvis) – Rachel's daughter, 8 years old at the beginning of the series. Though not a member of the Legacy, Kat often visits the mansion and is drawn into many of their adventures. She also has latent psychic powers, and it is hinted in several episodes that she will become a powerful force for either good or evil when she grows to adulthood.
  • Kristin Adams (played by Kristin Lehman) – A Harvard anthropologist on leave from the Legacy House in Boston. Kristin joins the cast in the third season, but was never a formal member of the San Francisco House. She was killed in the fourth season episode "Sacrifice."
  • William Sloan (played by Daniel J. Travanti) – The head of the Ruling House in London. Very little is revealed about him, except that he has a troubled history with Derek. Sloan was introduced in the second season, and his character recurred a few times before giving himself over to a demon in the episode "Trapped."
  • Julia Walker (played by Jordan Bayne) – An investigator who is killed in the pilot episode. Julia was Alex's best friend and Nick's girlfriend, and her death affects the characters up until the end of the series.

Production

The series was created by Richard Barton Lewis and produced by PMP Legacy Productions, Showtime Network Inc., and Trilogy Entertainment Group. Special effects were created by Canadian companies C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures, Gajdecki Visual Effects, Lindala Make-Up Effects Inc., Rainmaker Digital Pictures, and the American Pixel Envy and Velocity Visuals.

The series was filmed in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, and lasted four seasons of 22 episodes each running from 1996 to 1999.

Episodes

Season 1

1-2. The Fifth Sepulcher (pilot movie): Derek has a vision of young girl and of the fifth sepulcher he has sought.

3. Sins of the Father: An old friend of Derek's is accused of child abuse.

4. Town without Pity: Nick and Rachel become trapped in an 18th-century commune ruled over by a reverend with a dark secret....

5. The Tenement: After getting a slumlord placed under house arrest in his own tenement, Alex learns that an evil force inhabits the building.

6. Twelfth Cave: An old friend and ex-member returns for Derek's help in translating an ancient scroll. But soon Derek begins acting strangely...and it has to do with the scroll....

7. Man in the Mist: Rachael investigates a very peculiar "John Doe" case.

8. Ghost in the Road: Nick tries to help a woman escape the ghost of her abusive boyfriend.

9. Doppleganger: Kat makes a new imaginary friend that proves to be dangerous.

10. The Substitute: A trio of Catholic students unwittingly summon a vengeful spirit.

11. Do Not Go Gently: An old friend of Nick's calls in the team when hospital patients begin to die in their sleep.

12. Crystal Scarab: A desperate man gets hold a scarab that can cure his dying daughter...but at the cost of someone else's life.

13. The Bell of Gerardius: The Legacy is called into investigate the theft of a bell that can raise the dead.

14. Fox Spirit: A ghost begins to murder non-Asians after being released.

15. Thirteenth Generation: A witch's curse begins to target the descendants of the man who drowned her.

16. Dark Priest: Two brothers steal an medallion that belonged to their father. And now, father dearest is giving one of them a helping hand in show biz...

17. Revelations: Rachel returns to her old boarding school when a girl is attacked and accuses the school of evil. Unfortunately for her, the accusations might be true...

18. Bones of St. Anthony: The team investigates when church bells begin ringing after a geneticist dies.

19. Inheritance: Following her aunt's death, Rachel inherits her house. But nothing is as it seems....

20. The Signalman: A dream causes Alex to reunite with an old acquaintance.

21. The Reckoning: Sequel to "Inheritance". The spirit of Rachel's grandfather returns.

22. Traitor Among Us: Clip show episode. Derek is put on trial when a Legacy member accuses him of evil.

Season 2

23. The New Guard: When Derek pulls a gun on Alex and Nick, and is landed in the hospital, the two must work with visiting London head, William Sloan, to take up Derek's investigation.

24. Black Widow: A succubus goes on a killing spree.

25. Lights Out: Malevolent faeries plague the San Francisco House.

26. Spirit Thief: Alex's sister shows up with a shaman boyfriend, who asks Alex to come with him. But what's he really up to?

27. The Gift: The ghost of Kat's brother shows up for Christmas and brings trouble.

28. Transference: The ghost of a former patient of Rachel's begins stalking her.

29. Dark Angel: Suspicions abound when a mysterious young woman shows up at the House.

30. Lives in the Balance: A young man claiming to be Derek's son shows up.

31. Rough Beast: A patient of Rachel's is plagued by dreams of wolves.

32. Ransom

33. Finding Richter

34. Repentance

35. Devil's Lighthouse

36. Lullaby: A Ouija board experiment goes wrong when Kat and her friends summon a ghost that begins abducting them

37. Silent Partner

38. Shadow Fall

39. Mind's Eye

40. Fear

41. Someone to Watch Over Me

42. Let Sleeping Demons Lie

43. Trapped

44. The Choice

Season 3

45. Darkness Fall

46. Light of Day

47. Enlightened One

48. Stolen Hearts

49. Father to Son

50. Fallen Angel

51. Dream Lover

52. Debt of Honor

53. The Light

54. Hell Hath No Fury

55. Irish Jug

56. Metamorphosis

57. La Belle Dame Sans Merci

58. The Prodigy

59. The Human Vessel

60. The Covenant

61. The Internment

62. Seduction

63. Out of Sight

64. Last Good Knight

65. Armies of Night

66. Darkside

Season 4

67. Song of the Raven

68. Bird of Prey

69. Vendetta

70. The Painting

71. The Possession

72. The Traitor

73. Double Cross

74. Brother's Keeper

75. Initiation

76. Wishful Thinking

77. Still Waters

78. Unholy Congress

79. Sacrifice

80. She's Got the Devil in Her Heart

81. Body and Soul

82. Forget Me Not

83. The Portents

84. Gaslight

85. Sabbath's End

86. Mephisto Strain

87. Infernal Affairs

88. The Beast Within

DVD release

On February 7, 2006, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (under license from MGM) released the first season of Poltergeist: The Legacy on DVD in Region 1. Season two can be found on Amazon.com as DVD-R under license of MGM; it will be burned on request when ordered. It is unknown when the remaining 2 seasons will be released, as rights are now held by 20th Century Fox.

DVD Name Ep # Release Date
The Complete 1st Season 22 February 7, 2006
The Complete 2nd Season 22 March 3, 2010

On the 16th October 2013 Australia released Poltergeist The Legacy Complete Collection on 20 discs.

See also

References


External links

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