1 9 9 6 – 1 9 9 8 (Canada)
42 x 60 minute episodes
In this over-the-top fantasy, loosely based on Arabian Nights, Sinbad (Zen Gesner) was an attractive youth who set out from Baghdad on sailing adventures throughout the known world.
Sinbad’s crew included Doubar (George Buza), his beefy much older brother, and Maeve (Jacqueline Collen) the sexy apprentice to Master Din Din, a magician friend of Sinbad’s. Maeve’s trained falcon, Dermott, served as an advance scout for the party.
Also sailing with them were the well-meaning but nerdy Firouz (Tim Progosh) and Rongar (Oris Erhuero), a silent Nubian.
They travelled the seas on their ship, the Nomad.
Amongst all the magic, monsters, sorcerers, witchcraft and spectacularly cheap special effects, there was some truly mythical dialogue (sneering villain to damsel in distress: “Come, my pretty”; Sinbad, battling a sea monster: “If we miss, we’re seafood”; Sinbad – who is about to be beheaded – to his cohort: “I’ll think of something”).
Maeve was washed overboard during a fierce storm (at the beginning of the second season’s premiere episode) and died. She was replaced by Bryn (Mariah Shirley), another sexy young sorceress, who rescued Sinbad from the beach where he washed up after his failed attempt to save Maeve.
The tone of the show subsequently became more serious, and Sinbad, who had looked incredibly boyish during the first season, began sporting a stubbly beard.
Sinbad
Zen Gesner
Doubar
George Buza
Firouz
Tim Progosh
Rongar
Oris Erhuero
Maeve
Jacqueline Collen
Bryn
Mariah Shirley