Animated Lust (Rated PG!) - Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?

Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego? was the animated series based on the popular educational Carmen Sandiego software. Unlike its PBS counterparts, this series did not educate through a game show format. Instead, it weaved the educational facts in with the episodes' storylines.

The series blended traditional cel animation, CGI, and live action as well as historical footage and photographs into each episode. Each of the episodes was set up to appear as if they were missions in a computer game. A live action child known only as "The Player" would interact with Zack and Ivy to help them solve clues. Also, the Player got the chance to speak with Carmen at the beginning and end of most episodes. Sometimes though, it seemed as if Carmen had true control of the game.

The episodes' storylines mostly centered around two teenage ACME Detective Agency agents, Zack and Ivy, and their pursuits of the master thief, Carmen Sandiego. Carmen committed heists usually to achieve a particular goal and the two detectives had to follow the trail of clues she left for them to figure out what she was up to! However, sometimes Carmen and the detectives would ban together to defeat a common foe. Also, episodes from season 2 on would give viewers a glance at the pasts of the characters.

Carmen is a master thief and the leader of V.I.L.E. (the Villian's International League of Evil), a worldwide criminal organization. Carmen was once an ACME agent herself, but left ACME under mysterious circumstances to turn to a life of crime. However, Carmen is not a violent criminal at all. In fact, she has even saved the lives of those very detectives who pursue her. Her past is a mystery, even to her.

Zack is a 14 year old ACME agent and Ivy's younger brother. He is a master of over twenty languages, has a high IQ and also is very knowledgable of computers. He's sometimes laid back and a bit timid at times.

Ivy is the older sibling of the ACME detective duo. (She's 18.) Ivy has mulitple black belts and is quite fearless. She often has to rescue her brother from danger.

The Chief is a wacky hologram that is the "head" (sorry for the pun) of the ACME Detective Agency. He considers Zack and Ivy his best friends. Also, he gave Carmen a home at ACME years ago.

The traitor! Lee was once an ACME detective as well as Carmen's student. Now he's an enemy to both ACME and Carmen.

Maelstrom was captured by Carmen Sandiego during her detective days. He returns to seek revenge in a three part story arc.

Suhara is a master of zen training. He was Carmen's partner when she was an ACME agent.

Armando is an ACME agent from Argentina. He teams up with Zack and Ivy in a few episodes.

Tatyanna is a Russian agent who also teams up with Zack and Ivy is a few episodes. When Zack first meets her, he has a crush on her.

Josha invented high-tech gadgets for ACME. He also has a crush on Ivy and gets very shy when he has to talk to her.

Sara is one of Carmen's henchwomen. She has created all of Carmen's high tech gadgets.

Moe Skeeter and Lars Vegas

Moe and Lars are two bumbling henchmen who always work together. They provide some comic relief in various episodes.

Henchmen

These guys don't have names but they appear in every episode (usually in a small group of 3 or 4) and assist Carmen with her heists.

The Players

The four Players are live action children who are always shown from behind. They interact with Carmen as well as the detectives.

Episode Guide

There were four seasons of Carmen and a total of 40 episodes. Season 1 is a very experimental season and the character traits are altered somewhat from episode to episode. However, from Season 2 on, the stories become more focused, the character types became much more fixed and character pasts were explored. The series also somehow managed to combine drama, humor, mystery and educational content into each storyline.

The Episodes:

Season 1:

"The Stolen Smile" -

Carmen steals parts of famous artwork to try to create her own personal masterpiece. Also...this episode was the pilot to the series and it really shows. Carmen wore a scarf over her face, and Ivy got annoyed at the idea of Zack calling her "sis" in this episode only.

"A Higher Calling" -

In this episode, Zack and Ivy puruse Carmen to Ayer's Rock where she has brought items of mysterious origins together in an attempt to contact aliens.

"Dinosaur Delirium" -

Carmen steals top secret genetic research and attempts to create her own dinosaur. This episode is considered by fans to be a definite want-to-be Jurassic Park .

"By a Wisker" -

Carmen cubnapps two white lion cubs and sets up her own game preserve for them.

"The Good Old, Bad Old Days" -

The Player challenges Carmen to a low-tech crime. Carmen accepts the Player's challenge and attempts to steal the Orient Express. Zack and Ivy need some help to solve Carmen's clues and are partnered with a gaucho detective named Armando.

"Rules of the Game" -

Zack and Ivy are partnered with a Russian detective named Tatyanna as they follow Carmen's game-like clues to Hawaii for a "winner-take-all" chess game. During the case, Zack tries to impress Tatyanna. Unfortunately, he only makes a fool out of himself.

"Split Up" -

Zack creates a computer, the Zack Attack 20,000, which he believes will capture Carmen and protect all world treasures from her. However, when Carmen escapes with one of the treasures Zack had the computer protect, Ivy decides that she doesn't want to put her faith in Zack's computer. The siblings go their own separate ways on this case, until Ivy is captured by Carmen. The siblings then learn the true value of teamwork.

"Moondreams" -

Carmen's dream of landing on the moon inspires her to try and make it come true. She also decides to leave a little reminder of her feat- a painted silhouette of herself on the lunar surface.

"The Play's the Thing" -

When an actress named Lily Marlane upstages Carmen's theft of the Hollywood sign, Carmen decides to get even by upstaging Lily in a dramatic play. Lily is definitely one of the most annoying characters in this series.

"Music to My Ears" -

Carmen figures out a way to steal musical talent and transfers it to her two talentless henchwomen. She decides to showcase her accomplishment in a concert inside the stolen Sydney Opera House.

"A Date With Carmen, Part 1" -

Carmen's theft of Top Secret Russian research has the world in a panic. Zack and Ivy soon discover why- this research concerns time travel and Carmen used it to build her own time machine. The detectives, using Acme's time travel invention (the Chronoskimmer), chase her through colonial Boston where they discover Paul Revere didn't make his famous midnight ride. Zack and Ivy realize whatever Carmen stole prevented him from doing so and is changing present history. When Carmen steals Ben Frankin's key and prevents him from conducting his experiment with electricity, all modern technology fades away and strands the detectives in colonial Pennsylvania.

"A Date With Carmen, Part 2" -

After recovering Ben's key, Zack and Ivy travel back to Boston and discover Carmen stole Paul Revere's horseshoe. They fail to recover it then and chase Carmen to England and prevent her from stealing the uncracked Liberty Bell. They manage to recover the horseshoe, but Carmen reminds them she can simply travel back through time and steal it again. Zack and Ivy follow her to Paul Revere's barn, but she gets away. Then the detectives return the horseshoe and history returns to normal. In the present day, Zack sets the Chronskimmer down for a moment and it disappears...(its whereabouts are not revealed until Season 3.)

"Chapter and Verse" -

Carmen steals objects that have to do with literature such as Mark Twain's writing desk, Charles Dickens's inkwell, and a jungle ruin like the one that appears in the Jungle Book. They follow Carmen's clues to a remote hideaway in the Swiss Alps where they think Carmen was writing her memoirs. However, she was actually sending the detectives on a wild goose chase while Carmen's henchwoman, Sara Bellum, tapped into Acme's files and stole them all.

Season Two:

"Skull and Double-Crossbones" -

Carmen dresses in a pirate costume similar to the one worn by a woman pirate named Mary Reed. She sets out to steal a high-tech Russian sub. Zack, Ivy and two other detectives, Jamaican detective Jasmine and Chinese detective Li, set out to stop Carmen's heist.

"Scavenger Hunt" -

When Carmen steals famous gifts from around the world, Zack and Ivy are puzzled- especially since her clues are in the form of a scavenger hunt. Suddenly, the detectives realize why Carmen is doing this. It's her birthday and she is stealing these famous gifts to give them to herself.

"Hot Ice" -

Carmen warns the Player that her next crime "promises to be a real gem." Soon he and the detectives discover what Carmen meant. She created a large diamond and uses it to cause an information traffic jam across Acme's frequencies.

"All For One" -

Two of Carmen's henchmen try to melt down a golden shrine. They foul up and Carmen has to rescue them from the police. After stealing objects that encourage teamwork, Carmen and her henchmen return to the shrine to attempt the theft again- except this time, Carmen supervises the operation.

"When It Rains" -

After the detectives get word of that Carmen stole the Spruce Goose (the largest airplane in the world), and trashed the airport to do so, they are quite puzzled by this un-Carmenlike action. They follow clues to Chile where they meet up with Carmen- only she's being held prisoner by Sara Bellum! Sara imprisons the detectives as well and reveals to them and Carmen her "grand scheme." She plans to pull off a grand theft disguised as Carmen and if the theft is successful, she will reveal herself and turn Carmen over to the police. This episode is well remembered for Sara's madness scene.

"Deja Vu" -

Carmen begins to steal items that she once saved from other criminals to lure her ex-partner, Suhara, out of retirement. Suhara joins Zack and Ivy to pursue Carmen- much to Zack's dismay. Zack feels Suhara is too old to be of any assistance. He soon learns to respect Suhara and even though they ultimately lose Carmen, Zack learns a valuable lesson that he'll never forget.

"Boyhood's End, Part 1" -

While Zack and Ivy are on a stakeout in Egypt, they run into trouble and are rescued by a hot-shot detective named Lee Jordan. Afterwards, he is assigned to assist Ivy capture Carmen while Zack is sent to check on a computer malfunction at the Pentagon. While working with Lee, Ivy begins to wonder what his true motives are. She soon discovers what they are when Zack radios Ivy about the malfunction he was working on. He joins Ivy in Delphi to pursue Lee, but Lee imprisons them in a cave. Lee then meets up with Carmen and captures her, but Carmen knows she's really got him.

"Boyhood's End, Part 2" -

Lee joins Carmen as her partner. He soon begins to defy her rules and soon decides to prove he's a better thief than Carmen. He leaves Carmen and goes solo planning a grand heist at the US Mint. Lee leaves clues for the detectives which Carmen helps them solve. In the nick of time, the detectives manage to stop Lee anplace him under arrest. Also, in return for Carmen's aide, they let her escape.

Season 3:

"The Tigress" -

A new and colorful thief calling herself the Tigress, manages to steal the items Carmen was after first. Carmen begins to get annoyed and decides to try and capture the Tigress. She tracks her to Antarctica where the Tigress reveals herself- Ivy in disguise! She had all the items put in safe keeping to make it look it the Tigress had stolen them. However, a foolish decision by Zack allows Carmen to escape capture.

"The Remnants" -

Carmen's thefts all seem to follow a Wizard of Oz theme. While chasing after Carmen, Zack and Ivy discover that Carmen was an orphan. They trail her to the abandoned Golden Gate Girls' School which is about to be torn down. The detectives recover all the stolen objects except for the orphanage. Zack and Ivy see this theft as being almost justified though because it was about to be torn down and was the only home Carmen ever knew. The Chief thinks this isn't the only home she knew, because he gave her a home at the Acme Detective agency.

"Curses, Foiled Again" -

Zack and Ivy manage to capture Carmen in Hawaii. However, Zack loses his lucky rabbit's foot and begins to believe he's cursed with bad luck. Meanwhile, Carmen escapes and tries to teach her superstitious henchwoman, Hannah Lulu that there's no such thing as curses or ghosts. Hannah has a panic attack though when Zack and Ivy scare her at a supposedly haunted site. They manage to capture her but Carmen escapes. She leaves behind something Zack was glad to see again- his lucky rabbit's foot. He then gives it to Hannah and wonders if carrying around a special Hawaiian plant will give him better luck.

"Birds of a Feather" -

Somehow, the world's largest diamond, the Star of Africa, was stolen. The police are baffled and it's up to Zack and Ivy to figure this mystery out. They soon discover that one of Carmen's henchmen tried to double-cross her and keep the diamond for himself. With a little trickery of their own, the detectives recover the diamond.

"Shaman Spirits" -

Carmen's reoccurring nightmare sends to her to seek the help of three Native American shamans to interpret it. Meanwhile, Zack, Ivy and a Native American detective named Billy "Running Bird" track Carmen to Devil's Tower where the meaning of her dream is revealed.

"Follow My Footprints" -

It is reported that Carmen dies in a plane crash. The grief-stricken Chief is unable to help Zack and Ivy solve a series of clues that Carmen left behind to a final caper. The henchman who solves the most of them will be the new leader of V.I.L.E. Zack and Ivy manage to stop all of the thefts. They then travel to the site of Carmen's reported death to pay their last respects. Suddenly, a little bird delivers a message to "look up." When they do, they see Carmen was alive all that time. She had planned to fake her death to see who was worthy enough to take her place- and it turns out Zack and Ivy are the only ones who can!

"Labyrinth, Part 1" -

Zack and Ivy discover Carmen's underground training facility and go undercover as henchmen in training to try and nab Carmen. They find Carmen escaping in a new time machine (which was created from the technology of the Chrononskimmer she stole!) The detectives use a new Chronoskimmer that the Chief gives them and they trace where Carmen is heading- the future.

"Labyrinth, Part 2: Woman of the Year, 2101" -

Carmen arrives in the year 2101 where she stops a heist of a powerful electro-magnet. Meanwhile, Zack and Ivy arrive at the future Acme Detective Agency where the wacky Future Chief doesn't recognize them. They try to prove who they are, but run into a few scrapes with the law. Eventually they meet up with Carmen in Africa. Although the detectives expose that she is a criminal, she escapes with the magnet and Zack and Ivy end up captured.

"Labyrinth, Part 3: When In Rome" -

Zack and Ivy escape from the future and follow Carmen to Rome. There, the detectives are captured and are sentenced to fight each other in the Coliseum games. Luckily, they are spared from having to fight each other to the death. They escape, and discover Carmen's plan- she's going to steal the Coliseum! The detectives realize this is part of her plan to become "the greatest thief of all time" by stealing objects from the past, present, and future.

"Just Like Old Times" -

It's Christmastime and Acme is closing for the holidays. The Chief catches a computer virus and is about to spend Christmas sick and alone when Carmen kidnaps him. She has the intent only to spend the holidays with him, like she did when she was a detective. However, the Chief's virus seems to worsen and he begins to lose memory. He doesn't remember Carmen is no longer with Acme. Suddenly, Zack and Ivy leave Carmen clues to a holiday mystery. She solves them and returns home. By now the Chief is moments from fading out forever- something Carmen doesn't want to see happen. Zack, Ivy, and other detectives find Carmen's house and arrive in time to save the Chief, but Carmen escapes. She leaves them each a little present- a little pull-string doll of herself that says, "The only Carmen you'll catch is this one. Merry Christmas!"

Season 4:

"The Trial of Carmen Sandiego" -

When Carmen is captured by a judge bent on sentencing her to life in prison, Zack and Ivy are appointed her defense team. Carmen was accused of recently stealing the Magna Carta, which she did not steal. Zack and Ivy try to gather evidence to prove Carmen did not commit this particular crime. But is she really involved after all?

"Trick or Treat" -

When Carmen is tricked at a heist in China, she decides to get even with a Halloween surprise. She decides to set up a haunted house with items she's recently stolen. Zack is a bit frightened by all the spooky stuff in the house, and has to convince himself it's all fake.

"Retribution, Part 1: Unsinkable Carmen Sandiego" -

Maelstrom, a thief who was caught by Carmen during her time as ACME-detective, escapes from prison, swearing revenge on her. At first, it is reported to the detectives that he died during his escape. The detectives are curious about him and The Chief tells them about his adventure with detective Carmen. During that adventure, Carmen and a robot version of the Chief stop Maelstrom from stealing the wreck of the Titanic. At the conclusion of the story, Ivy and Zack find out that Maelstrom is alive and see the opportunity to catch both Carmen and Maelstrom. However, when the detectives sneak aboard Maelstrom's ship, he captures them.

"Retribution, Part 2: In Memoriam" -

Zack and Ivy escape Maelstrom's ship and find out that Carmen still believes that Maelstrom died in his try to escape from the prison. Carmen wants to give him a worthy Viking-like funeral in Norway. Zack and Ivy find her beginning to give him such a funeral and are about to tell her that Maelstrom is alive when Maelstrom appears in a ship beside Carmen. He challenges her to come after him or die, and then speeds off. Carmen manages to get Zack and Ivy aboard her ship and they make an agreement to join forces to capture Maelstrom. Carmen remembered a clue he left, so she and the detectives follow it to Williamsburg Virginia where Maelstrom captures them and publicly humilates them in the stocks of the town square. Zack and Ivy escape and help Carmen do so as well. They get separated and the local police arrest the detectives for freeing Carmen!

"Retribution, Part 3: Maelstrom's Revenge" -

The Chief manages to convince the local sheriff to free Zack and Ivy. They meet up with Carmen again and persue Maelstrom. Malestrom begins to steal items and frames Carmen for their thefts! He wants to ruin her reputation as thief with a conscience.

"Timing is Everything" -

Carmen's henchman Mason Dixon steals her time machine. Suddenly, he is the leader of V.I.L.E. and Carmen is only his henchwoman. Zack and and Ivy have to restore Mason's damage, and also stop him from trying to change the outcome of the Civil War.

"Cupid Sandiego" -

All the ACME detectives are on vacation in the Seychelles. Josha, the genius of the detectives, is in love with Ivy but she doesn't notice. When Carmen tries to steal Josha's latest invention, she tries to distract the detectives by stealing highly romantic items.

"Can You Ever Go Home Again, Part 1" -

When Carmen tries to steal some treasures from industrialist Malcolm Avalon, she discovers a painting of her mother that's exactly like the one in her locket. Avalon tells Carmen, that the locket she has with her was a gift for his daughter, but he says, that Carmen can't be his daughter because she died in a fire and she would never have become a thief. To convince him she turns herself in to the police. When Lee Jordan abducts Avalon, she breaks out of prison. Lee tells her that she will only see her father again if she works for him...

"Can You Ever Go Home Again, Part 2" -

Carmen has to steal a list of highly valuable items all over the world to satisfy Lee's wishes. When Carmen is about to hand over all the items in exchange for her father, Lee wants a last thing - the total desctuction of ACME and its agents! In the following showdown, Avalon is pushed down from a roof and loses his memory. Lee is captured by Zack and Ivy, and Carmen remains not sure about Avalon being her father or not...

Fanfic: (links to fic archives)

ACME Crimenet (fan-fic archive)
The Manor's Fan-Fic Archive

Favorite images:

~ Laurie

Favorite quotes:

Zack:Well,I'm still here,Carmen.
Carmen:*laughs softly*I know you more than anyone.
Zack:Really?How do you know?

[A snake is crawling behind him]
Carmen:I remember when we crossed paths in Africa and how much you hated reptiles.*points*Like that snake,over there.
Zack:Come on!I'm not falling for that snake over the shoulder routine...*screams*

Okay,here's another one I picked up that's quite weird.
[They're at Jon Silver Moon's shop]
Zack:Look,I'm not into roughing it.I'm cold,I'm hungry and I'm tired....
Ivy:Zack,you're 'roughing it' next to an all-night mini-mart.

~ ACME-Rian

Fanfiction:

Politically Incorrect - The Animated Edition by Laurie

Fan art:

Carmen Sandiego and Tom Servo by Laurie

This page created by Laurie