Totally Spies!
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Entertainment |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Vincent Chalvon-Demersay, David Michel |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Animated television series, including Totally Spies! |
Totally Spies! is an animated spy-fi series influenced by Japanese anime, originating from France and created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay alongside David Michel. The primary production was handled by the French company Zodiak Kids & Family France, with seasons three through five produced in partnership with the Canadian firm Image Entertainment Corporation. The narrative centers on three teenage girls from Beverly Hills who serve covertly as agents for the World Organization of Human Protection (WOOHP).
The show first aired in the United States on November 3, 2001, via ABC Family, later appearing on Cartoon Network and Universal Kids during its sixth season. In France, it premiered on April 3, 2002, within TF1's TFOU programming block. Canadian audiences saw it starting September 2, 2002, through Teletoon (English) and Télétoon (French). The initial broadcast spanned five seasons, totaling 130 episodes plus specials. In 2011, the series transitioned to Gulli, which subsequently released the sixth season in 2013. After a ten-year break, the seventh season debuted on Gulli in France on May 12, 2024, followed by an international release on Cartoon Network and Discovery Kids on January 4, 2025. An eighth season has also been officially announced.
The Totally Spies! franchise has cultivated a worldwide cult status and expanded into various media formats including comics, novels, and video games. A prequel film titled Totally Spies! The Movie was released theatrically in France in 2009. Moreover, the spin-off series The Amazing Spiez! aired for two seasons beginning in 2009.
Premise
The storyline revolves around three teenage girls from Beverly Hills, California — Sam, Clover, and Alex — who juggle their everyday lives with secret roles as agents for the World Organization of Human Protection (WOOHP). Under the leadership of WOOHP's director, Jerry, they confront rising global threats using vibrant latex jumpsuits and advanced espionage gadgets. Their assignments frequently involve stopping villains bent on vengeance while managing their personal challenges as high schoolers and later university students, including rivalry with their adversary, Mandy.
Main characters
- Sam (French voice: Claire Guyot; English voice: Jennifer Hale [seasons 1–6], Kira Riley [season 7 onward]) is the most mature and intellectual member of the trio. Known for her logical thinking and problem-solving skills, she typically wears a green spy suit.
- Clover (French voice: Fily Keita; English voice: Andrea Taylor [seasons 1–6], Ali Ryan [season 7 onward]) embodies fashion sense, athleticism, and impulsiveness. Her bold red suit reflects her daring character.
- Alex (French voice: Céline Mauge; English voice: Katie Leigh [seasons 1–2], Katie Griffin [seasons 3–6], Lori Felipe-Barkin [season 7 onward]) is the affectionate and empathetic member who values friendship above all else. She dons a yellow spy suit that symbolizes her warm personality.
- Jerry Lewis (French voice: Jean-Claude Donda; English voice: Jess Harnell [seasons 1–2], Adrian Truss [seasons 3–6], Gary Mack [season 7 onward]) serves as WOOHP’s founder and president during seasons one through six. He assigns missions and supports the agents with his seasoned expertise and distinguished demeanor.
- Mandy (French voice: Céline Mauge; English voice: Jennifer Hale [seasons 1–6], Sarah Naughton [season 7 onward]) is a wealthy socialite who acts as the girls’ primary rival outside their secret agent roles, often competing with them in social settings.
- G.L.A.D.I.S. (featured in seasons 3–4; French voice: Laura Préjean; English voice: Stevie Vallance) is an AI system that assists Jerry in distributing gadgets before being decommissioned to WOOHP’s recycling center.
- Zerlina (introduced in season 7; French voice: Déborah Claude; English voice: Alana Barrett-Atkins) takes over as WOOHP’s president following Jerry’s tenure.
- Toby (season 7; French voice: Gauthier Battoue; English voice: Arjun Biju) is a young prodigy specializing in technology who supports Zerlina with gadget development.
- Glitterstar (season 7; French voice: Geneviève Doang; English voice: Jody Doo) operates the Bubble Spy Cafe, a WOOHP-run establishment unaware of the agents’ true identities.
Seasons 1-5
The concept for the series emerged amid the growing popularity of female vocal groups and solo artists in the music scene. David Michel and Vincent Chalvon-Demersay created the idea, moving into production within a year. Michel highlighted that the animation drew significant inspiration from anime. The production company, Marathon Media, sought to expand the franchise by assembling a girl band, utilizing the German talk show Arabella to select its members. This band released a single in spring 2002 under EMI, with ambitions for a full album aimed at promoting Totally Spies as an actual music group, as stated by managing director Dirk Fabarius. Although the band concept was not fully realized, the series was supported through other merchandising efforts. In Spring 2001, it was announced that the show would debut on ABC Family in the U.S. that autumn, followed by distribution across Europe. In July 2001, Fox Kids Europe secured European merchandising rights, excluding German-speaking countries.
Michel pointed out that prior to this series, most action-adventure programs targeted a male audience despite the prominence of female pop icons like Britney Spears and Spice Girls. The characters were heavily inspired by Clueless, fused with a James Bond-style narrative. Initial proposals garnered limited enthusiasm until the release of the Charlie's Angels film, which sparked increased interest in female-led properties.
Valerie-Ines de la Ville and Laurent Durup observed that although designed with an American audience in mind, the show gained popularity through humor reflecting a stereotypical European perspective on American culture, offering U.S. viewers a fresh take. Producer and artistic director Stephane Berry described its style as a combination of American action-comedy with Japanese design elements emphasizing expressive character animation. Recurring influences include Charlie's Angels, Beverly Hills, The Avengers, James Bond gadgets, and Cat's Eye.
The head writing team consisted of Robert and Michelle Lamoreaux from Los Angeles, both with backgrounds in Nickelodeon productions. Demersay and Stephane Berry brought experience from their work with Saban Entertainment in Europe. Voice recordings were typically conducted with ensemble casts connected via phone patch between studios in Toronto and Los Angeles.
Following season five, Totally Spies! The Movie was created and premiered in French cinemas on 22 July 2009. It later aired in the United States on 25 April 2010, aligning with the American broadcast of season five.
Seasons 6-present
In August 2011, Marathon Media announced plans for a sixth season scheduled to premiere in 2013, featuring returning voice actors Jennifer Hale, Andrea Baker, Katie Griffin, and Adrian Truss. This season was produced exclusively by Marathon in collaboration with TF1 and The Walt Disney Company France. A total of twenty-six episodes were developed, with distribution rights secured for Spain and Latin America before expanding to other European markets. To celebrate season six’s launch, Zodiak Kids CP Paris partnered with Château de Versailles Spectacles and TF1 to organize an event at the Palace of Versailles during summer 2013, which included a special screening showcasing the spies undertaking a mission within the palace gardens.
On 8 January 2022, Thomas Astruc—creator of Miraculous Ladybug and former contributor to Totally Spies!—revealed that a new season was underway. Updated character designs were unveiled on 13 January. Initially slated for release in 2023, this season’s launch was postponed to 2024. Production is managed by Zodiak Kids & Family Studio France alongside co-producer Ollenom (a Monello Productions subsidiary). French broadcaster Gulli and Latin American channel Discovery Kids are among the participating networks.
On 25 April 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery acquired broadcasting rights for the U.S. and EMEA territories; the series will be shown on Cartoon Network in the United States and streamed via Max across EMEA regions. In September 2023, Andrea Baker (the voice behind Clover) confirmed on Twitter that she and the original voice cast would not be returning.
On 13 June 2024, an eighth season renewal was officially announced.
Telecast and home media
In the United States, Totally Spies! made its debut on 3 November 2001, initially airing on Fox Family/ABC Family (currently known as Freeform). The series subsequently expanded to European audiences via pay-TV and free-to-air broadcasters such as Germany's ProSieben, France's TF1, the UK's Channel 4, and various regional Fox Kids channels in spring 2002. By July 2003, the program transitioned to Cartoon Network in the U.S., where it garnered an average of 1.6 million daily viewers aged between 4 and 10, continuing its run until 10 September 2010. In 2019, the show returned to American screens on Universal Kids, featuring the premiere of its sixth season.
Since its launch, Totally Spies! has attracted over one million viewers in France. The sixth season, alongside Totally Spies! The Movie and the spin-off series The Amazing Spiez!, was broadcast throughout Europe. In Canada, the sixth season premiered on 7 September 2014 via Teletoon and on 6 September through Télétoon. Globally, the series has been aired on multiple platforms including TF1 (France), Teletoon (Canada), and in the U.S., networks like Fox Family/ABC Family, Cartoon Network, and Universal Kids. Latin American audiences accessed it through Fox Kids, Jetix, and Boomerang. Additionally, terrestrial broadcasters such as Brazil’s Rede Globo have featured the show, alongside numerous channels across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. In Australia, it was shown on Network Ten before moving to 10 Peach. In the UK, seasons three and four were aired on POP between 2013 and 2014, with seasons five and six following up to 2019. The series also had brief runs on sister channel Pop Girl, Scotland’s BBC Alba, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Ireland’s RTÉ Two.
An official YouTube channel has hosted most episodes along with the feature film since 2012, regularly uploading clips weekly. As of April 2021, all six seasons are exclusively accessible on Amazon Prime Video within the United States.
Regarding physical media releases, Goodtimes Entertainment issued the initial twelve episodes of season one in 2004 across three VHS and DVD volumes: Totally Spies Volume 1: First Secret Missions, Volume 2: The Getaway, and Volume 3: Spies Attack. With the production of season six underway, New Video Group/Flatiron Film Company secured U.S. DVD rights as well as digital distribution rights for seasons one through three. They released seasons one and two each in two separate volumes plus a comprehensive box set containing seasons one to three. Season three was distributed in two volumes on 14 January 2014. By 2020, these DVD editions were no longer in print. In the United Kingdom, DVDs were made available by Sanctuary Visual Entertainment during 2005–06. In the U.S., Universal Pictures Home Entertainment handles distribution for both DVD and Blu-ray formats.
| Season # | Release date (Region 1) | Volumes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 August 2013 | 2 (2 discs each) |
| 2 | 8 October 2013 | 2 (2 discs each) |
| 3 | 14 January 2014 | 2 (2 discs each) |
| 1–3 | 8 October 2013 | Box set (12 discs) |
Reception
Joly Herman from Common Sense Media provided a mixed critique, awarding the series 3 out of 5 stars and characterizing it as "an acceptable show to watch occasionally, though more frequent viewing might cause slight discomfort for the audience." Conversely, Joe Corey of Inside Pulse delivered a more favorable assessment, describing it as "entertaining enough for young children seeking a Charlie's Angels-style undercover adventure," and commended its effective blend of spy-themed thrills with child-appropriate content. Similarly, Matt Hinrichs from DVD Talk expressed a positive viewpoint, highlighting that the action in the initial three seasons was "sufficiently well-crafted to engage adult viewers."
Following four seasons, the program expanded its reach to over 130 countries and resonated strongly with children aged 6 to 11, attracting a diverse audience across genders with an appeal reminiscent of Pokémon. David Michel pointed out the unexpected equal distribution of male and female viewers globally. Scott Stoute of ScreenRant recognized the series by featuring it in his compilation titled "10 Girl Cartoons (That Guys Secretly Love)."
The Parents Television Council's report from March 2006 mentioned the absence of inappropriate language but raised concerns about violent scenes in an episode involving rats, alongside some suggestive visuals such as a sunscreen commercial showcasing a woman in a bikini.
In 2022, Architectural Digest commended Totally Spies! for its interior design elements and its distinctive "hyper Y2K, retro futuristic aesthetic," emphasizing its unique visual style.
Video games
| Year | Title | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) | Platform(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Totally Spies![lower-alpha 1] | Template:TBA | McDonald's | Windows | [1] |
| 2005 | Totally Spies! The Mobile Game | Gameloft | Gameloft | Mobile phones | [2] |
| Totally Spies! | Mistic Software | Atari Europe | Game Boy Advance | [3] | |
| 2006 | Totally Spies! Swamp Monster Blues | FiniteMonkey, Inc. | Mindscape[lower-alpha 2] | Windows | [4] |
| Totally Spies! Zombie Jamboree! | [4] | ||||
| Totally Spies! 2: Undercover | Mistic Software | Atari Europe | Game Boy Advance / Nintendo DS | [5] | |
| 2007 | Totally Spies! Totally Party | OUAT Entertainment / Mad Monkey Studio | Ubisoft | Windows / PlayStation 2 / Wii | [6] |
| Totally Spies! 3: Secret Agent | OUAT Entertainment | Nintendo DS | [7] | ||
| 2008 | Totally Spies! 4: Around the World |
style="text-align:center;" | [8] | |||
| 2009 |
Totally Spies! Mon Agenda Secret[lower-alpha 3] |
style="text-align:center;" | [9] | |||
|
Totally Spies! - Cyber Mission |
Balio Studio |
Nintendo Switch / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Xbox One / Xbox Series X and Series S / Windows |
Spin-off and crossover
The spin-off titled The Amazing Spiez! introduced a fresh set of characters who operate as spies, while maintaining Jerry as a recurring figure. This series focuses on four teenage siblings—Lee, Megan, Marc, and Tony Clark—and includes the original spy girls in the crossover episode "Operation: Dude Ranch Disaster." It first aired on Disney Channel Asia on 15 March 2009, later premiered in the United States on Cartoon Network on 26 April 2010, and debuted in Canada on Teletoon on 2 September 2010. In the US, only the initial season and ten episodes from the second season were broadcast.
In addition, Totally Spies! featured a crossover during its fifth season entitled "Totally Mystery Much?" which involved Martin Mystery, another series produced by Marathon.
Live-action TV series
A live-action version is currently being developed for Amazon Prime Video, produced collaboratively by Gloria Sanchez Productions, Banijay Kids & Family, and Amazon MGM Studios. The adaptation is scheduled to premiere in 2025.
Comics and books
In Sweden, Totally Spies! comics were released on a monthly basis. Meanwhile, Brazil saw the publication of five books, each roughly 90 pages long, adapting individual episodes. Another comic series named Totally Spies Unleashed includes story arcs such as "I Hate the 80s!" and "Attack of the 50 Ft. Mandy," featuring villains with retro themes and transformations. The franchise has also expanded into chapter books, further broadening its literary offerings.
External links
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