ReGenesis

Created by Christina Jennings, the Canadian sci-fi suspenser ReGenesis tackled the up-to-date subject of bioterrorism - specifically bioterrorism generated by the fantastic scientific advances made during the early 21st century. Peter Outerbridge starred as David Sandstrom, chief scientist and molecular biologist for the North American Biotechnology Advisory Commission. Popularly known as NorBAC, this commissioned had been created to investigate (and in some cases terminate) examples of questionable biotechnology. Though mankind had advanced to the point of being able to create "perfect" food, luxury items and even babies in the lab, not everyone was motivated by altruism,and there were plenty of madmen and terrorists with deep pockets who intended to use high-tech science for evil purposes. Though the series was essentially an action thriller, several hot-button ethical and political questions were raised in the course of events (though few were actually resolved). Other members of the multinational NorBAC team included Conrad Pla) as geneticist-medical doctor Carlos Serrano, Dmitry Chepovetsky as biochemist Bob Melnikov and Mayko Nguyen as bioinformatics researcher Mayko Tran. Sarah Strange was seen during the first season as NorBAC's lead viroligist (and David Sandstrom's erstwhile lover) Jill Langston; she was replaced beginning with the second season by Wendy Crewson as Rachel Woods. Similarly, Maxim Roy was originally cast as NorBAC's executive director Caroline Morrison, only to be killed off and subsequently replaced by Greg Byrk as Weston Field. Appearing occasionally was Geraint Wyn Davies as NobBAC's White House-based science advisor Carleton Riddlemeyer. Boasting the input of Canadian molecular biologist Alec Edwards as the series' chief scientic consultant, ReGenesis debuted simultaneously on Canada's Movie Central and The Movie Network cable services the week of October 24, 2004; it would be distributed to several other nations before finally entering US syndication in the fall of 2007. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi