Guinevere Jones

Guinevere Jones
Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	May 4, 2002; 24 years ago
Headquarters	Canada / Australia
Products	Television series, novels

Guinevere Jones is a fantasy television series accompanied by a collection of four novels, both created by Elizabeth Stewart. The narrative centers on Gwen Jones, a teenage girl who harnesses magical powers to fight against evil forces while managing the typical trials of high school life. The series debuted in Canada on May 4, 2002, broadcast on YTV, and soon after was shown in Australia. It consists of 26 episodes spread over two seasons.

Main

Tamara Hope as Gwen Jones:
Gwen is a 14-year-old girl and the central character who embodies the reincarnation of Guinevere, the Queen of Britain and spouse of King Arthur. After relocating from Canada to Australia, she is placed with the Rosen family due to her mother's hospitalization. Under the guidance of Merlin, Gwen accepts her destiny to combat dark magic, striving to distinguish herself from the legendary queen. Tamara Hope also portrays Queen Guinevere in flashback scenes.

Greta Larkins as Tasha Myers:
Tasha is Gwen’s intelligent and eccentric best friend with a keen interest in magic and new age beliefs. Employed at a popular student café, she supports Gwen’s fight against evil by sharing her magical knowledge. Enthusiastic about Gwen’s connection as Guinevere’s reincarnation, Tasha is well-informed about Camelot mythology.

Damien Bodie as Josh Myers:
Josh, Tasha’s older brother and Gwen’s occasional boyfriend, offers a grounded contrast to his sister’s quirks. He is dependable and romantic, protective of Gwen despite his doubts about magic and his rivalry with Michael for her affection.

Yani Gellman as Michael Medina:
Michael is a brooding and enigmatic loner who shares an outsider status with Gwen. Although Merlin warns Gwen to keep her distance from him, she feels drawn to Michael while assisting Tasha in pursuing him. Protected by the fairy Gadowain until he wielded a magical gauntlet against the creature, Michael introduces complexity into Gwen’s magical challenges and personal life.

Recurring

Ted Hamilton as Merlin:
The legendary wizard from the 6th century who served as King Arthur's advisor. Merlin acts as Gwen’s mentor, instructing her in using magic to oppose Morgana La Faye. He projects himself from his own time into the present to guide Gwen, though he harbors doubts about her due to comparisons with the original Guinevere. Despite frequent disagreements, he genuinely cares for her well-being.

Aljin Abella as Spencer Huang:
A friend and secret confidant of Gwen’s, Spencer excels at chess and computer skills.

Bridget Neval as Reine Davidson:
A classmate and rival to Gwen who is unknowingly the reincarnation of Morgana La Faye. Reine harbors resentment toward Gwen over Josh and later develops feelings for Michael. She uses her magical abilities for selfish purposes.

Mercia Deane-Johns as Morgana La Faye:
The malevolent half-sister of King Arthur and a formidable practitioner of dark magic opposing both Gwen and Merlin. Morgana seeks the Merlin’s Stone to attain immortality and dominion. She was responsible for Camelot's downfall by enchanting Guinevere into betraying Arthur.

Don Halbert as Patrick O'Leary:
Gwen's teacher who appears under mysterious circumstances after another instructor falls ill. He is revealed to be Morgana's son Mordred and also Gwen's father, with personal stakes in the conflict between Morgana and Merlin.

Ian Dixon as Gadowain:
The faerie guardian assigned to protect Michael who frequents the Arc. Since faeries are vulnerable to iron, an iron bracelet crafted by Gwen prevents Gadowain from interfering with Michael.

Guest

Chris Hemsworth as King Arthur:
A 6th-century British monarch, married to Guinevere. His reign ends tragically due to Guinevere’s bewitched affair with Lancelot, which, under Morgana’s curse, leads to Camelot’s destruction. Arthur meets his demise at Mordred's hands. (Appears exclusively in flashback scenes)

Alex Tsitsopoulos as Lancelot:
A Round Table knight who, under Morgana’s enchantment, falls for Guinevere, playing a role in Camelot’s collapse. (Featured in a single flashback episode)

Vanessa Elliott as Fire Bromsky:
A member of Reine's crew; her actual name is Frances.

Katie Campbell as Wind Winters:
Part of Reine's group; real name Winifred Winters.

Pepe Trevor as Mrs. Blatt:
Educator specializing in social studies.

Dennis Coard as Harve Rosen:
Gwen’s foster father and proprietor of New Sage, a thrift shop offering magical items that assist Gwen’s spellcasting.

Briony Behets as Louise Rosen:
Gwen’s foster mother.

Madeline Page as Katie Dawson:
Gwen’s younger foster sibling, known for her tendency to fabricate stories but cherishes having an older sister.

Trudy Hellier as Karen Jones:
Gwen’s biological mother, afflicted by demonic possession which results in her illness and confinement in a psychiatric facility; she possesses limited magical powers.

Magic

The narrative connects the strength of magical abilities to the number of past lives a soul has experienced. Gwen, having undergone numerous reincarnations, exhibits potent magic, whereas her mother displays weaker capabilities, as highlighted in the second episode.

In episode five (Weird Sisters), it is explained that magical properties do not inherently reside within objects themselves; instead, items can be enchanted to aid their users. For instance, the stone from Warwe and Mineer carries magical enchantments.

Gwen’s glade, situated near the convergence of two Ley lines, boosts her magical concentration when she interacts with Merlin.

Magical artifacts

Significant enchanted objects include Merlin's Stone—a large, glowing blue gemstone endowed with the power to grant eternal life and break the reincarnation cycle—making it Morgana’s chief objective.

Gwen possesses a pendant made from a shard of Merlin's Stone that enhances her magical abilities. This pendant has facilitated feats such as memory wiping, influencing others’ actions, telekinesis, among others. It emits light when near Merlin’s Stone.

In the first episode, Gwen obtains a book containing dark magic which is destroyed by the third episode.

By the time of Rebellion, it becomes clear that Merlin's Stone is less vital than Gwen’s pendant, which harbors even greater power.

Settings

The majority of scenes are set at the fictional Griffin High School, located near Melbourne, Australia, referenced in episode thirteen.

Close by is the woodland glade where Gwen holds conversations with Merlin; its location at intersecting ley lines enhances her magical training.

Additional important settings include The Arc, a café and arcade where Tasha works; The New Sage, an herb shop managed by Gwen’s foster family who reside above it; and St. James's Hospital.

Production

This series was produced through a collaboration between Canadian and Australian companies: Original Pictures Inc and Ibis Entertainment from Winnipeg partnered with Australian Crawford Productions. Filming occurred at St. Hellier's Convent, a heritage-listed site in Melbourne.

Airings

Guinevere Jones initially premiered on YTV among other networks. YTV broadcast reruns of the series between March and May 2005. The program was also shown on Disney Channel Italy, Nickelodeon in the UK and Middle East, France 2, Australia's Network Ten, and Film 24 in the UK during November 2009.

Books

The television series is directly adapted into four novels.
The first novel, A River Through Time, authored by Sophie Masson, covers the initial quarter of the show’s storyline.
Love and Other Magic, the second book written by Felicity Pulman, continues through the rest of season one.
The third installment, The Dark Side of Magic, also penned by Pulman, explores the beginning episodes of season two.
No Place Like Home, the fourth book by Masson, concludes the narrative arc of season two.
All four titles are released by Random House Australia.

Selected quotes

"I told you, my name is Gwen." – Gwen’s signature phrase featured in every opening sequence.
"We all have many lifetimes. We first met when you were King Arthur's queen. Your destiny is magic, Guinevere. Your task is to fight evil." – Merlin’s introductory line in the opening credits.

External links

Guinevere Jones Online
Guinevere Jones at the Internet Movie Database
Guinevere Jones at Australian Television