Michael Ryan Movies

In this downbeat drama, Cameron Colley (Jonny Lee Miller) is a journalist whose career has gone into a slump; he's working for a second-rate tabloid and is looking for a story that will help him move on to better things. Colley also has a secret: he's been having an affair with Yvonne (Keely Hawes), the wife of his close friend William (Jason Hetherington). Colley has been getting tip-offs by telephone from a man calling himself Mr. Archer, who claims to be a government intelligence agent and suggests Cameron look into a series of murders that have been occurring in London. Cameron's research suggests that the three victims were all involved in a scandal over the sale of British arms to the Middle East, but police inspector McDunn (Brian Cox) sees things a bit differently; he thinks there could be a link between the murders and a story Cameron wrote suggesting certain public figures who betray the trust of the people might be better off dead. As Cameron tries to prove he's not to blame for the killings, he wonders if someone he knows might be trying to set him up. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Telecast on American cable television as Sweet Revenge, this wickedly black comedy was produced for British TV under the title The Revengers' Comedies, which was also the name of the Alan Ayckbourn play collection upon which it was based. Late one night on London Bridge, two potential suicides meet. Henry Bell (Sam Neill) is a midlevel executive who has been unfairly fired by his office rival; Karen Knightly (Helena Bonham Carter) is a nutty heiress whose boyfriend has jilted her in favor of a bitchy American beauty. Forsaking their plans to kill themselves, Henry and Karen go the Strangers on a Train route by agreeing to "swap" revenges: Karen will dispose of Henry's enemy, Bruce Tick (Steve Coogan), while Henry will destroy Karen's bête noire, Imogen Saxton-Billing (Kristin Scott Thomas). A U.S./U.K./French co-production, Sweet Revenge made its official debut over America's Showtime network on September 24, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ezekial Rage has hatched another scheme to destroy the earth. This time, he plants a nuclear bomb in the center of the globe, intending to detonate the device within the next few minutes. To prevent this catastrophe, Jonny and Jessie are forced to travel back in time -- way, way, way back! Highlighted by some superb dinosaur animation, "The Edge of Yesterday" was first broadcast on March 17, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Apparently intended to be shown right after the 1996 Real Adventures of Jonny Quest episode "Bloodline," "The Bangladore Falcon" was held back from release until February 14, 1997. While touring Bangalore, India, the Quest team teenagers find a rare falcon, which may or may be not be able to lead the kids to the legendary city of Shambala. Also expressing an inordinate interest in the falcon are the beautiful but lethal twin daughters of the team's old nemesis Dr. Zin. Lucy Liu, here billed as Lucy Xavier Liu, provides the voice of Melana Zin.

~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In Venice, a group of scientists accidentally release a malevolent spirit in an old house. The Quest team is summoned to investigate the phenomenon and hopefully send the ghost back where it came from. Containing a bit more comic relief than usual (perhaps unintentionally), "More Than Zero" originally aired on April 16, 1997, as the final first-run episode of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While attending Mardi Gras in St. Louis, Hadji rescues a beautiful but strange young lady named Elise. The girl turns out to be a succubus, or evil "dream" spirit, who exerts a bizarre spell over Hadji and nearly spells disaster for the rest of the Quest team. Though Benton Quest and Race Bannon appear, their voices are not heard, explaining why John de Lancie and Robert Foxworth are not credited. "Eclipse" was first telecast on December 27, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji board the new Questor II and head off for adventure in Nova Scotia. The teenaged Quest team members get a lot more than they bargained for when they come upon a fog-enshrouded island and an ancient and bloody vendetta. Series regular Frank Welker delivers a virtuoso performance as a phantom cat. "Ghost Quest" made its American cable TV bow on December 25, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An oil expedition in Bermuda is terrorized by what seems to be band of phantom pirates. Sent to investigate, the Quest Team comes face to face with ghostly buccaneer Black Jack Lee, whose galleon, the Ivory Web, sank near the expedition site centuries before. As it turns out, however, Black Jack isn't quite as spooky as he seems. The first episode of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest to be telecast (though actually the fourth one filmed), "The Darkest Fathoms" got the new series off to a rousing start, with first-rate animation and character design. The program originally aired on August 26, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Estella Scheele asks the Quest team (minus Jessie) to locate her missing grandfather, a famed ornithologist. The heroes are unaware that Estella actually hopes to locate the legendary "city of gold" El Dorado, and she doesn't care who perishes in the attempt. A startling finale caps this beautifully rendered episode. Bandit, Jonny Quest's faithful bulldog, makes his first Real Adventures of Jonny Quest appearance in "In the Realm of the Condor," which made its American TV debut on August 28, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In Tanzania, Quest team members Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji receive a summons from "beyond" to protect a pachyderm named Ndovu as it makes its final journey to the elephant's graveyard. En route, our heroes run afoul of poachers who intend to rob the sacred burial site of its rich ivory deposits. Parent alert: There are several deaths in this episode, though the actual violence is held to a minimum. "Ndovu's Last Journey" was first telecast on August 30, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Benton Quest and Race Bannon are invited to attend a phenomenology conference in the Himalayas, little suspecting that the conference is a sham created by their old enemy Jeremiah Surd. With Quest Compound apparently unprotected by adults, Surd leads his henchmen on an assault of the Quest team's Maine headquarters -- and also enslaves the mind of Jonny's friend Hadji. With no other choice, Jonny and Jessie pretend to be their fathers, Benton and Race, in order to foil Surd's mad scheme. "Assault on Questworld" first aired on September 4, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Philosopher's Stone, which is said to have the power to turn base metals into gold, is located by Dr. Quest, only to be stolen by Quest's duplicitous partner. The villain then kidnaps Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji, intending to use their Purity of Heart to activate the precious Stone. Those celebrated conjurers Faust and Merlin make "cameo" appearances in "The Alchemist," which was first telecast in the United States on September 10, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide