Spynet
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Spynet, a 13-minute long CBC-TV children's show features Sam, a spy operative for a fictional Canadian spy agency, the National Espionage Task-Force (NET).
The episodes, built to be educational with a plot, vary in their content-action ratio.
The show only has one visible regular, known under her code name of Sam. This twenty-something blonde works in a white, windowless van parked in an anonymous city, which she hops around, trying to stop crime. The van is filled with lots of high-tech spy gadgets and computer equipment. The show is mainly filmed in downtown Toronto, and makes great use of the CBC's extensive, private building, which many of the scenes are filmed in.
Each episode, Pendleton's voice is heard over a speaker, introducing the mission. She talks briefly on what she expects from the mission; this is to encourage students to evaluate and plan. The mission will then lead to Sam calling up a training video or NET file archive interview, relating to the topic that the mission indirectly deals with. Often she, shows another clip, to continue the preparation. She then heads off on her mission, in which is acted normally without interaction with the viewer; another clip will then be shown, and she will wrap up her espionage. Back in the van, she reflects on the mission in her web-cam video diary; this is to encourage students to reflect on work and stories, and identify their mistakes or weaknesses. She then talks directly to the viewer once more, continuing to reflect, and wraps up the episode, usually drawing conclusions on the subject that the show was themed to.
The short documentary-like videos help give background information to the viewers, without Sam divulging a lecture on the topic. The videos cover both espionage tactics and historical applications of the concept that it highlighted in the episode. Highlighted topics range from bugs, internal spies, codes, hidden cameras and stealth devices.
Sam's personal life also plays a role in some episodes. One mission, she is to break into an independent spy/theft's house, in order to prove or debunk the suspicion that his children are also becoming involved in the illegal trade. The family will be away for 48 hours, so she has perfect opportunity to break into their house. She finds that it is actually her uncle's abode, and finds a video in one of the children's closets in an envelope. It contains a message from her father who she hasn't seen in years. He to is a spy, and the video wishes her all the best, as he knows that this may be their last contact as he parts on a long-term mission. This then allows her to somewhat emotionally divulge her childhood loneliness, which sent her into the spy industry. The whole mission, she concludes, was staged by her boss Pendelton, to allow her the chance to receive such a sensitive VHS video tape.
One key element to this show is how Sam never uses weapons, à la MacGyver. The enemy spies and terrorists use weapons whenever appropriate, but she either lets them escape or quickly disarms them.
A curious addition to the saga is that Sam has an irritated, impatient look-a-like that occasionally poses as her, and other times the Sam herself poses as.