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Series · 2004 – 2005 · Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Shoebox Zoo

Believe.

★7.7 2004 – 2005 2 Seasons Brian Ward TV-MA

Shoebox Zoo is an urban fantasy TV series made in a collaboration between BBC Scotland and various Canadian television companies. It is mostly live-action, but with CGI used for the animal figurines. The show centers on the story of a young girl named Marnie McBride, who is given a shoebox containing four toy animals by a mysterious old man at a junk shop, as a gift for her 11th birthday. These magical toys have the power to come alive on Marnie’s command, and they’re on a quest to find an ancient book that once belonged to a great and powerful wizard.

Seasons & episodes

2 seasons · 26 episodes

The Magic Is Awakened

Episode 01

The Magic Is Awakened

Sep 21, 2004 · 25 min

On her 11th birthday, still grieving over her recently deceased mother and uncomfortable with being moved from Colorado to Scotland, Marnie discovers that she is able to make a group of four old toy animals come alive.

Friend or Foe?

Episode 02

Friend or Foe?

Sep 28, 2004 · 25 min

It's Marnie's first day of school at her new home in Scotland. She has an encounter with a bully but makes a new friend in Laura. Back home, she receives a package from America containing a necklace that belonged to her mother. She also discovers that her shoebox animal friends were once human, and that only a lost book can return them to their original form.

Echoes of the Past

Episode 03

Echoes of the Past

Oct 5, 2004 · 25 min

When a mysterious problem causes school to be cancelled for the day, Marnie and Laura visit the nearby St. Giles’ Cathedral in order to find clues about the shoebox animals, as John Roberts said he saw a depiction of them on a stained glass window there.

A Guide for the Perplexed

Episode 04

A Guide for the Perplexed

Oct 12, 2004 · 25 min

Marnie manages to get the red book she was looking for from the library, after which a familiar old man appears before her and says that she must make use of a peculiar looking map that’s within the contents of the book.

The Inner Sanctum

Episode 05

The Inner Sanctum

Oct 19, 2004 · 25 min

Since Marnie's suggestion to go to Tantallon Castle was agreed on by majority vote, her class goes there for a field trip. While exploring the castle, Marnie goes off the beaten path and finds herself face to face with the great wizard Michael Scot.

A Strange Birthday Party

Episode 06

A Strange Birthday Party

Oct 26, 2004 · 25 min

Marnie is reluctant to go to John Roberts' birthday party until she has a dream revealing that he was really the evil shapeshifter Toledo all along, and so she plans to confront him. However, things take a strange turn when Michael Scot appears at the party as a stage magician.

A Little Knowledge

Episode 07

A Little Knowledge

Nov 2, 2004 · 25 min

Marnie leaves school in the middle of the day to try to get in touch with Michael Scot, while Toledo tries to convince Marnie's father that she needs to be brought in for therapy, as he plans to manipulate her into giving him the Book of Forbidden Knowledge while masquerading as the school psychologist.

Mother’s Footsteps

Episode 08

Mother’s Footsteps

Nov 9, 2004 · 25 min

Marnie is on a class trip to visit a "stately home," and uses her new powers to defeat a bully, but the shoebox animals become separated from her and find themselves trapped in the basement.

Where the River Flows

Episode 09

Where the River Flows

Nov 16, 2004 · 25 min

Marnie hopes to find the archway shown on the clue she just received, and plans to do so while on a camping trip to the Eildon Hills with the help of Dougie and Laura, but things go awry when Toledo interferes.

The Sign of the Unicorn

Episode 10

The Sign of the Unicorn

Nov 23, 2004 · 25 min

The shoebox animals plead with Marnie to continue the quest, but she insists on trying to catch up on her schoolwork after largely neglecting it. Despite her efforts, she gets falsely accused of cheating during a test, leading to further drama with the school principal.

Where Four Elevens Meet

Episode 11

Where Four Elevens Meet

Nov 30, 2004 · 25 min

Marnie and Wolfgang confront Michael regarding the events that lead to the creation of the Shoebox Zoo. Meanwhile, the other animals decide that they must find the book on their own, without Marnie's help, and so they head to the University Library in an attempt to solve the next clue.

Los Contrarios

Episode 12

Los Contrarios

Dec 7, 2004 · 25 min

Toledo hypnotizes Edwin and orders him to open the Book of Forbidden Knowledge. The dark energy released from inside the book awakens the shapeshifter’s devious creations, which are shadowy dopplegangers of the Shoebox Zoo made to destroy them.

The Day of Reckoning

Episode 13

The Day of Reckoning

Dec 14, 2004 · 25 min

Marnie makes one last attempt to stop Toledo from taking the book, and comes out victorious after realizing that the book was a fake created to seal the evil shapeshifter’s magic all along. She then learns that the location of the real book is somewhere back home in Denver, and that she must return there in order to continue the Quest.

About the series

Shoebox Zoo poster
Audience score
★ 7.7 /10

based on 6 votes

Synopsis

Shoebox Zoo is an urban fantasy TV series made in a collaboration between BBC Scotland and various Canadian television companies. It is mostly live-action, but with CGI used for the animal figurines. The show centers on the story of a young girl named Marnie McBride, who is given a shoebox containing four toy animals by a mysterious old man at a junk shop, as a gift for her 11th birthday. These magical toys have the power to come alive on Marnie’s command, and they’re on a quest to find an ancient book that once belonged to a great and powerful wizard.

Sci-Fi & FantasyDramaAction & Adventure

Cast

8 principal cast

Vivien Endicott Douglas

Vivien Endicott Douglas

Marnie McBride

Simon Callow

Simon Callow

Wolfgang the Wolf (voice) / Hunter the Horse (voice)

Rik Mayall

Rik Mayall

Edwin the Eagle (voice)

Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming

Bruno the Bear (voice)

Siobhan Redmond

Siobhan Redmond

Ailsa the Adder (voice)

Jason Connery

Jason Connery

Ross McBride

Peter Mullan

Peter Mullan

Michael Scot

David McKay

David McKay

William McTaggart

Where to watch Shoebox Zoo

Shoebox Zoo is available to stream on Flicksy via 6 verified sources, aggregated from publicly available embed providers. The sci-fi & fantasy from Brian Ward, Justin Molotnikov has 2 seasons and 26 total episodes, rated 7.7/10 by 6 viewers.

Frequently asked

How many seasons does Shoebox Zoo have?

Shoebox Zoo has 2 seasons with 26 episodes in total.

Is Shoebox Zoo still on the air?

Shoebox Zoo has ended and is no longer in production.

What network airs Shoebox Zoo?

Shoebox Zoo airs on BBC One.

When did Shoebox Zoo first air?

Shoebox Zoo first aired on September 21, 2004.

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