In the world of Diane Castle's fanfic The Secret Return of Alex Mack, based on the TV show The Secret World of Alex Mack and numerous other fandoms, a global organization has a vested interest in keeping track of superheroes and their work, and profiting from their activities. That organization is the Lego Corporation. Vote on this The Secret World of Alex Mack poll: How many seasons of Alex Mac aired?
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The Secret World of Alex Mack was a live-action show which aired on Nickelodeon and told the story of Alex Mack (Larisa Oleynik), a young girl who lives with her parents and older sister in a planned community owned by a chemical plant, where her parents work. If you're a '90s kid, chances are you remember The Secret World of Alex Mack and were obsessed with it. After all, it was Nickelodeon‘s most watched show during the height of its popularity. The Secret World of Alex Mack. 26,400 likes 13 talking about this.
When it comes to rebooting beloved TV shows things can go awry easily, but sometimes the risk is worth it, especially if a reboot could bring the story to a whole new audience. In an age where female superheroes are finally coming into their own on the small screen, it is time for a The Secret World of Alex Mack reboot. No, I'm not talking about the further adventures of adult Alex, but, rather, a straight reboot of the series for pre-teen viewers and nostalgic adults.
This might raise alarm bells for people who grew up with the show. There is always the worry that a reboot just won't do the original justice, but right now is the perfect time to reintroduce Alex Mack to the world. The series was a cult classic when it was on, so its original fanbase is a small, but passionate group who I think would be happy to share a modern Alex's journey with a new generation.
In many ways, Alex Mack was ahead of its time. The layered, conspiracy theory storytelling, the strong female leads, and the use of metaphors to explain how transitioning from elementary to middle school can be a stressful, confusing time are all well-suited to savvy youngsters today. The world needs Alex Mack now more than ever, and here are 11 reasons why it is time for a reboot.
1. Alex Is A Complex Role Model
Alex was not perfect, and the importance of that aspect of her personality cannot be overstated. She had a good heart and was loyal to her friends, but she struggled with how to use her powers. She never became an actual superhero, although she was powerful after that infamous toxic spill, and having her discover her strengths and weaknesses as a person was some of the show's best material.
2. The Conspiracy Story Could Be Fleshed Out
The evil corporation that manufactured GC-161, the chemical that gave Alex her powers, deserves further exploration. Exploring their intentions for the chemical, as well as their pursuit of Alex could be done in a more in depth manner. The conspiracy was fun in the original, but it could become an even bigger part of a modern remake.
3. Annie Is The STEM Hero Girls Need
Alex's sister Annie is an amazing STEM role model. She is devoted to science, and approaches Alex's situation both as a sister and a scientist. She uses her skills to document Alex's reactions to GC-161 and performs experiments to make sure Alex is safe. She is the kind of cool, confident female scientist who could inspire young women to pursue STEM subjects just by being herself.
4. The Special Effects Would Be Seriously Upgraded
I swear, I am not a special effects snob, but can you imagine how cool Alex's powers would look now given how far technology has advanced? The morphing into a puddle move could be particularly spectacular.
5. The World Needs More Sci-Fi Shows Aimed At Young Women
There are precious few sci-fi shows aimed at kids these days, and even fewer with female leads. Alex Mack was an amazing sci-fi show that acted as the perfect gateway for young women to see how sci-fi storytelling could relate to their lives. Alex Mack could do for the next generation what she did for the lucky millennials who adored her story.
6. Larisa Oleynik Deserves To Make A Comeback
Your '90s queen and mine, Oleynik would have to have a role in the reboot. However, instead of playing Alex, wouldn't it be delicious to see Oleynik step into the role of CEO of the Paradise Valley Chemical Plant, Danielle Atron? Seeing Oleynik become the show's villain would be the ultimate treat for original fans.
7. Social Media Would Add A Whole New Layer To The Story
In the age of the Internet, Alex's plight to keep her secret would become so much harder, but, at the same time, the internet would be an invaluable resource for Annie and Alex as they documented Alex's powers and researched the chemical plant. Adding hacker to Annie's list of skills would only make her cooler.
8. Alex Challenges Gender Norms
In the '90s, Alex was simply considered a tomboy, but the character actually challenged gender norms in a way that would resonate with the more socially savvy youth of today. From Alex's choice of clothes and love of sports to her interest in boys, Alex proved there was no one way girls should be, and a message that powerful should be shared across generations.
9. Alex's Powers Could Lead To Amazing Character Growth
I respect the original show for not turning Alex into a cape wearing superhero, but I do think there's more story to be told about a young woman on the brink of becoming a teenager realizing she possesses an amazing amount of power. Watching Alex grow into her abilities and learning how to harness them would make for amazing TV.
10. Every Generation Deserves A Chance To Ship Alex/Ray
It's a rite of passage, guys.
The Secret World Of Alex Mack Dvd
11. Alex's Journey Still Resonates
Alex's journey from a confused kid to a super powered teen is one that will always be relevant. It's a coming of age story, and while the technology could use an update, Alex as a character is universal. A reboot would work because Alex is someone every kid would relate to, and every adult would remember relating to.
Alex Mack needs to make a comeback, ASAP. Someone tell Nickelodeon the world is ready for more Alex.
Image: Nickelodeon; Giphy (5); fyeahalexmack(4), captureyourimagination/Tumblr
Who said being doused in a mysterious chemical was bad? Not Alex Mack! The Secret World of Alex Mack was one of the longer running Nickelodeon shows, even if you don't remember it. With 78 episodes over four season, people tuned in to watch this 12-year-old-turned-science-experiment live a secret life and be the target of an evil chemical company.
Here are something things about The Secret World of Alex Mack that aren't covered in goo.
The Secret World Of Alex Mack Mystery Man
1. One of a Kind
Over 300 girls auditioned for the role of Alex Mack. Co-creator and producer, Thomas W. Lynch, says he didn't want a girl who 'looked like she worked too much in television, had the kinds of reactions you always see, the smile, the look, the acting with eyes and all that kind of thing.' That's why when Larisa Oleynik auditioned, he knew she was the one.
Larisa had such a great natural instinct,' he said. 'It was stunning. She made the character richer and more shaded.'
2. Replacing Clarissa
Clarissa Explains It All was one of Nick's most popular shows. It was the beginning of the classic Saturday night lineup on the network, followed by shows like All That and Are You Afraid Of The Dark? When that show ended, the network decided they needed to replace the slot with another female lead. That's when Alex Mack took over. Eventually, the show would get two new episodes on Nick per week.
3. Welcome, Jessica
Though she's known now as a movie star and successful business woman, Jessica Alba was a budding child star when she landed a role on The Secret World of Alex Mack. Alba had just made her film debut in Camp Nowhere and was hoping to make it big on the small screen. She only appeared in three episodes of the show, before she left to star in the television reboot of Flipper.
4. Naked Controversy
The Secret World Of Alex Mack Annie
The pilot of the show caused more controversy than I'm sure it intended. When Alex is reformed back into a human after being turned into goo, she's not wearing any clothing. The writers quickly realized it probably wasn't a great idea to have a 12-year-old girl be naked in every episode, both for the character and the actress, so they gave Alex the ability to keep her clothes on.
'I remember being mortified!' Larisa Oleynik said years later. 'I was just really embarrassed, being that I was 12 or 13 or whatever. I had this towel wrapped around me or something and was behind some boxes. I was so, so embarrassed. They did then end up changing that .. which was a good thing.'
5. Banned DVDs
In the United Kingdom, the first season DVD set was released in 2012. But the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) pushed to have an age requirement to purchase it. They said one of the episodes features a 'child character' hiding in a tumble dryer, but never addressed how dangerous this was. The BBFC suggested the scene be cut, but the distributor actually agreed to the rating. They said the DVDs were aimed for 'an adult nostalgia market' anyway, so there was really no risk of kids purchasing the DVDs.
6. No Chemistry
Lynch and fellow creator, Ken Lipman, wrote the pilot script for the show, but many people don't realize that the chemical name used in the show has a sad meaning behind it. GC-161 was named after his parents' divorce. The GC came from 'DNA research', while 161 is a reference to Lynch being 8 years old when his parents split (1 + 6 + 1 = 8)
7. Mrs. Belding?
The evil owner/CEO of the Paradise Valley Chemical Plant, Danielle Atron, which gave Alex her superpowers, may have seemed like a familiar face to some people. The actress who played Atron appeared in an episode of Saved By The Bell as Mr. Belding's wife, who gives birth in an elevator with the help of Zack Morris.
The Secret World Of Alex Mack
8. Book Smart
If you couldn't get enough of Alex Mack, you could also read the book. Between 1995 and 1998, 32 books were published with original stories. There were two other books that were published without original stories, which were novelizations of the first and last episodes. All the books were written by Diana G. Gallagher, who specializes in writing books based on TV shows.
9. Moving On
A lot of people assume Alex Mack was cancelled, but it was actually a little shady business from Oleynik that had it end. According to Lynch, the actress was offered 'a ton of money' to continue on for a fifth season, but she said she wanted to keep the character innocent. Plus, she was burnt out and wanted to finish high school. While these are valid reasons, it was a little sketchy when she joined on to the cast of 3rd Rock From The Sun not long after Alex Mack ended.
10. Big Names
Though the show was short-lived (in TV land), a lot of the staff moved on to big projects. Matt Dearborn, a writer, went on to create the series Even Stevens. Vance DeGeneres, Ellen's brother, was a writer on the show before becoming a corespondent on The Daily Show. Neena Beber went on to write for Daria and the Mandy Moore film How To Deal. Shawn Levy directed on Alex Mack before moving on to Steve Martin's version of The Pink Panther, The Internship, Date Night, and all three of the Night at the Museum films.
11. That Ending..
In the series finale of the show, Alex was given an antidote by her father (a scientist) that would rid her of all her powers. At the end, Alex pulls out the vial and smiles, but it's never revealed what she does. When asked what she thought, Oleynik was pretty blunt. Move files to mac.
'You know, I never .. and I don't know what acting teachers would say about this, 'cause you're always supposed to have a choice .. but I never made that choice for myself when we were doing it,' she confessed. 'Just because I wasn't sure how I wanted the show to end in my mind.'
However, Lynch cleared things up in a 2012 interview: Alex Mack keeps her powers.
What was your favorite part of the show?
