JACK OF ALL TRADES: THE FLOUNDERING FATHER

“Jack of All Trades” is an action - comedy television series which was produced in New Zealand in 2000 and ran for two seasons. The fictional series is set at the beginning of the 19th century on the East Indies island of Palau Palau where a pairing of an American and a British secret agent work to thwart the plans of Napoleon Bonaparte.

The series was notable for it’s broad humour, use of innuendo and readiness to poke fun at historical events and figures. It drew on many influences including adventure serials of the 1930’s and swashbuckling pirate movies. Many New Zealand actors and film personnel contributed to the series which was produced in the years following the production of Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and took advantage of the talent and infrastructure which those series had established.

In this episode Benjamin Franklin is kidnapped while journeying to France to build a weapon of mass destruction for Napoleon, and Jack and Emilia must come to his rescue