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Total Drama Island

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This article is about the first season. For the sixth season of the same name, see Total Drama Island (2023). For the entire series, see Total Drama.

Total Drama Island
Season 1
Starring
No. of episodes27
Release
Original networkTeletoon (Canada)
Cartoon Network (USA)
Original releaseJuly 8, 2007 (2007-07-08) –
November 29, 2008 (2008-11-29)
Season chronology
Next →
Action

Total Drama Island (sometimes shortened to TDI) is the first season of Total Drama series, a Canadian animated television series created by Tom McGillis and Jennifer Pertsch. The series premiered in Canada on Teletoon on July 8, 2007, and ran for 26 episodes, each 22 minutes in duration[1] with a special 44-minute season finale.

Plot

[edit]
A grand view of the main setting used in this season (which is artificially recreated in the next season). The island is also used in the fourth and fifth seasons (which leads to its destruction).

Total Drama Island is set in the fictional titular reality show, which follows the competition of twenty-two unsuspecting and unwitting campers at Camp Wawanakwa, the most rundown, insect-infested, disgusting island in an unspecified area in Muskoka, Ontario. The campers participate in competitions and challenges that get more insane and dangerous each week to avoid being voted off the island by their fellow campers and teammates. At the end of the series, the winning contestant will receive C$100,000 (US$73,129.00). The competition is hosted by Chris McLean, assisted by the camp's chef, Chef Hatchet, who is also Chris's best friend despite being mistreated at times. Egotistical and immoral, unless something affects him legally, Chris places the show's contestants in various life-threatening challenges.

At the beginning of the season, the campers are placed into two groups of eleven, the "Screaming Gophers" and the "Killer Bass". In each episode, the teams participate in a challenge, in which one or more campers can win invincibility for their team. The losing team is called to the campfire that night, where the losing team vote one of their members off the island. The camper with the most votes is eliminated from the competition. At this campfire, Chris passes out marshmallows to the campers who have not been voted off, while the one who does not get a marshmallow must walk down the Dock of Shame to the Boat of Losers, which will take them away from the island (which is actually a hotel/resort quite close to the island with a pool and luxuries) and they will "never, never, never, ever, ever, ever, come back, ever" according to Chris (this was proved to be a lie in Episode 15, "No Pain, No Game", when he brought Eva and Izzy back into the game).

In Episode 14, the teams are disbanded, so it is every camper for themselves, after which the challenges continue; the winner of each challenge then only receives invincibility for themselves, whereupon the rest of the campers vote one camper without invincibility off the island (with a few exceptions where elimination is determined by the challenge itself). This process of elimination continues until two players remain where they are then subject to a final contest.

Total Drama Island is a parody of the reality show Survivor. McLean is very similar to Survivor host Jeff Probst.[2] This is the first season in which the winner does not get to keep the money, due to it being eaten by a shark in the episode "Total Drama, Drama, Drama, Drama Island". The season finale, "The Very Last Episode, Really! had two endings that changed whether Gwen or Owen won the season, with the winner depending on the country the season aired in. This tradition of two endings for each finalist was kept for the rest of the original series' run, and its spin off The Ridonculous Race. The following special, "Total Drama Drama Drama Drama Island" and season, Total Drama Action had alternate versions to acknowledge a specific ending in their episodes, but previous winners were simply never directly acknowledged following Action.

Episodes

[edit]
Main article: List of Total Drama episodes

Total Drama Island premiered on July 8, 2007, on the Teletoon channel. This season has 26 episodes, each 22 minutes long, and two special episodes.[3] It was the third Cartoon Network show outside of Adult Swim and Toonami to have the U.S. rating of either "TV-PG" or "TV-PG-D", and a parental-guidance warning after every commercial break and at the beginning of the show (the first two being Sunday Pants and IGPX). Its rating in Canada was initially "G"; current broadcasts are rated "PG".

No.
overall		No. in
season		Title [4]Written byCanadian air dateU.S. air dateProd.
code [5]
11"Not So Happy Campers – Part 1"Jennifer PertschJuly 8, 2007 (2007-07-08)June 5, 2008101
In the series premiere, twenty-two campers arrive at the run-down Camp Wawanakwa, where they will spend eight weeks with Chris McLean as the host of the competition. The campers are split into two teams: the Screaming Gophers and the Killer Bass. The Screaming Gophers consist of Noah, Justin, Katie, Cody, Beth, Trent, Lindsay, Leshawna, Heather, Owen, and Gwen. The Killer Bass are Ezekiel, Eva, Tyler, Izzy, Sadie, Courtney, Harold, Bridgette, DJ, Geoff, and Duncan. The campers then prepare to compete in their first challenge: jumping off a 1,000 ft. tall cliff into shark-infested waters.
22"Not So Happy Campers – Part 2"Jennifer PertschJuly 8, 2007 (2007-07-08)June 12, 2008102

The two teams face off in their very first challenge: jumping off a thousand foot cliff into a small safe zone surrounded by shark-infested waters, then building a hot tub out of wood. Katie and Izzy swap teams so Katie could be on the same team as Sadie, while Heather and Leshawna start up a fierce rivalry. The Screaming Gophers work well together while the Killer Bass struggle to cooperate. Courtney finds herself on the chopping block for her overbearing attitude and refusing to jump into the water, but her team instead votes out Ezekiel following his series of sexist remarks.

Elimination: Ezekiel
33"The Big Sleep"Nicole DemerseJuly 15, 2007 (2007-07-15)June 19, 2008103

The two teams compete in a twenty kilometer race and a buffet-eating contest, only to discover that their real challenge is an "Awake-A-Thon" to test who can stay awake the longest. Gwen and Trent start to bond while Heather forms the first alliance with Lindsay and Beth. Gwen wins the challenge for the Gophers. The Bass vote off the short-tempered Eva after she accuses her teammates of stealing her MP3 player, which in actuality was stolen by Heather to get the Bass to vote off their strongest competitor.

Elimination: Eva
44"Dodgebrawl"Alex NussbaumJuly 22, 2007 (2007-07-22)June 26, 2008104

The two teams participate in a five round game of dodgeball. The Gophers dominate initially thanks to Owen and Cody displaying surprising skill - that is, until Duncan is forced by Courtney to take charge, which turns the tides of the game. Ultimately, Harold wins the tiebreaking bout in a one-on-one showdown versus Owen. Noah is eliminated for refusing to participate in the challenge and his constant demeaning comments towards his teammates.

Elimination: Noah
55"Not Quite Famous"Jennifer CowanJuly 29, 2007 (2007-07-29)July 3, 2008105

The two teams participate in a talent show, with the Gophers selecting Justin, Trent, and Heather to compete while the Bass initially choose DJ, Courtney, and Geoff. The rivalry between Gwen and Heather intensifies after Heather reads Gwen's diary aloud before the other contestants, and the viewing public, revealing Gwen has a crush on one of her teammates. After Courtney sustains an injury, Bridgette falls ill, and Geoff breaks his skateboard, the Bass turn to Harold, who wins the contest by beatboxing. Heather avoids elimination by convincing her teammates to vote out Justin.

Elimination: Justin
66"The Sucky Outdoors"Jennifer PertschAugust 5, 2007 (2007-08-05)July 10, 2008106

The two teams must spend an entire night alone in the woods. Katie and Sadie get lost in the woods and start a fight that jeopardizes their friendship. Izzy meanwhile dresses as a bear and pranks her fellow Gophers. By virtue of Katie and Sadie getting lost and failing to return to camp in time, the Bass lose the challenge; with Katie and Sadie they vote to eliminate Katie as a result.

Elimination: Katie
77"Phobia Factor"Shelley ScarrowAugust 12, 2007 (2007-08-12)July 17, 2008107

A discussion of fears evolves into a fear-facing challenge, thanks to some eavesdroppers. Most of the campers conquer their fears, but a few others don't fare as well. Courtney finds herself on the chopping block once again after bragging about how she's not afraid of anything, but ultimately failing to overcome her fear of green jelly and costing her team the challenge. However, Tyler is ultimately voted off for being too afraid to face his fear of chickens.

Elimination: Tyler
88"Up the Creek"Alex NussbaumAugust 19, 2007 (2007-08-19)July 24, 2008108

The teams embark on a canoe venture to the nearby Boney Island, which Chris warns them is haunted. Beth, having missed Chris' instructions, rushes to join her team. Upon arrival to the island, the teams must build a fire, then race back to camp. Cody, having deduced that Gwen and Trent like each other, arranges to have them canoe back to camp with each other. Geoff helps DJ overcome his hydrophobia while DJ helps Geoff get closer to Bridgette. Beth takes a tiki doll from the island as a souvenir. Thanks to DJ taking Izzy's advice and pushing his team's canoes, the Bass narrowly edge out the Gophers in the race to win. At the elimination ceremony, Izzy is intercepted by an RCMP helicopter and flees from the island before the last marshmallow can be awarded.

Elimination: Izzy
99"Paintball Deer Hunter"Shelley ScarrowAugust 26, 2007 (2007-08-26)July 31, 2008109

The two teams compete in a paintball competition, with members of each team divided into "hunters" and "deer". Beth stands up for herself and mutinies from Heather's alliance. The ensuing barrage of friendly fire costs the Gophers their second challenge in a row. Cody gets mauled by a bear, and his fellow Gophers vote him out as a result.

Elimination: Cody
1010"If You Can't Take the Heat..."Alex GanetakosSeptember 2, 2007 (2007-09-02)August 7, 2008110

The two teams compete in a cooking challenge. Duncan, Geoff and DJ incessantly tease and pick on Harold after he leaves his dirty underwear lying around their cabin. Meanwhile, Leshawna and Heather's conflict reaches a boiling point. The Screaming Gophers end up locking Heather in the fridge. The dysfunctional Gophers lose their third challenge in a row, but not before learning of the tiki doll Beth brought back from the cursed Boney Island. In the end, Beth is voted off the island for cursing her team.

Elimination: Beth
1111"Who Can You Trust?"Alex NussbaumSeptember 9, 2007 (2007-09-09)August 14, 2008111

The two teams are put to the ultimate tests in trust, pitting together mortal enemies and potential relationships. DJ relies on Geoff to take care of his pet bunny, but Geoff fails to complete his duties. But, thanks to an unexpected favour from Duncan, the rabbit is fine - as far as they know. The Bass eliminate Sadie after she knocks Courtney unconscious during the challenge.

Elimination: Sadie
1212"Basic Straining"Jennifer PertschSeptember 16, 2007 (2007-09-16)August 21, 2008112

Chef Hatchet takes charge of the challenge, and subjects the campers to a grueling boot camp. Duncan repeatedly taunts and disobeys Chef, leading to his solitary confinement in the boat house. Courtney goes to check on him, and the two promptly embark on a rule-breaking crusade which ignites a romance between them. The Bass lose the challenge and Harold, fed up with Duncan's persistent bullying of him, rigs the votes to eliminate a bewildered Courtney.

Elimination: Courtney
1313"X-Treme Torture"Erika StrobelSeptember 23, 2007 (2007-09-23)August 28, 2008113

Chris has the contestants paired off for the next immunity challenge, a series of extreme sports challenges. Gwen and Bridgette begin a dispute when they find love poem that someone wrote for Leshawna, believing it instead to be written for them by their respective love interests. Heather breaks Harold's concentration during the final part of the challenge, and the Killer Bass elect to vote him off, and he reveals that he wrote the love poems to Leshawna, getting a kiss from her before his exit.

Elimination: Harold
1414"Brunch of Disgustingness"Alex NussbaumSeptember 30, 2007 (2007-09-30)September 4, 2008114
The Bass and Gopher teams are disbanded, and the campers are divided into a five-on-five battle of the sexes; a nine-course meal consisting of Chris and Chef's diabolically concocted "dishes." Both sides struggle to work together at various stages, but the five male competitors win on the back of Owen's insatiable appetite. They enjoy a weekend away from camp at a spa resort, while the new girls' alliance quickly splinters.
1515"No Pain, No Game"Erika StrobelOctober 7, 2007 (2007-10-07)September 11, 2008115

The two teams are officially dissolved and Izzy and Eva both return to the game. The campers then face an excruciating torture challenge with individual immunity at stake for the first time. Leshawna wins the challenge while Eva is voted off again for her temper.

Elimination: Eva (2nd time)
1616"Search & Do Not Destroy"Alex NussbaumOctober 14, 2007 (2007-10-14)September 18, 2008116

The campers embark on a scavenger hunt for keys that will unlock corresponding treasure chests, only one of which contains immunity. Heather, eager to stoke tension, kisses Trent in front of Gwen, stunting their long-building romance. Leshawna attempts to rally the other contestants to vote Heather out of the competition, but when Heather wins immunity, they eliminate Trent instead, but not before he and Gwen make up.

Elimination: Trent
1717"Hide & Be Sneaky"Tom McGillisOctober 21, 2007 (2007-10-21)September 25, 2008117

The campers play an extreme game of hide and seek with Chef, who hunts them down one by one with a huge water gun. Duncan forms a guys' alliance, and brings Owen, Geoff and DJ aboard. With Heather and Leshawna winning immunity, he convinces them to vote off Bridgette. Before she leaves, Geoff and Bridgette confess their feelings for each other, but are unable to kiss due to her getting sprayed by a skunk in the challenge.

Elimination: Bridgette
1818"That's Off the Chain!"Erika StrobelOctober 28, 2007 (2007-10-28)October 2, 2008118

The campers build bikes from scratch, and race them in a romping motocross adventure. Heather betrays Lindsay on her way to winning the instant-elimination challenge, which leads to an explosive rebuttal from Lindsay on her way out.

Elimination: Lindsay
1919"Hook, Line & Screamer"Erika StrobelNovember 4, 2007 (2007-11-04)October 9, 2008119

The campers are tasked with surviving a real-life horror movie. A "psycho killer" picks them off one by one with the exception of Duncan and Gwen. During the challenge, Owen grows closer with Izzy, but ends up in hot water when she throws her to the killer. However, the challenge takes a frightening twist when Gwen encounters a real killer. In the end, DJ is eliminated by Chris for performing the worst in the challenge.

Elimination: DJ
2020"Wawanakwa Gone Wild!"Shelley ScarrowNovember 11, 2007 (2007-11-11)October 16, 2008120

The campers square off in a challenge where they must trap a certain animal. Gwen gets a delicious meal as a reward for catching her animal first, while Duncan and Heather form a temporary alliance. Chef and Heather get tranquilized by Izzy while Owen ends up having very bad luck. This all leads up to Izzy getting voted off once again.

Elimination: Izzy (2nd time)
2121"Trial by Tri-Armed Triathlon"Shelley ScarrowNovember 18, 2007 (2007-11-18)October 23, 2008121

The final six campers are split into three pairs and must compete in various challenges using teamwork. Some groups have trouble working together, while Gwen and Duncan respectively open up to Geoff and Leshawna; Gwen is reticent about not fitting in, while Duncan reveals he's much kinder-hearted than he portrays. Owen reaches his breaking point with Heather when she insults Izzy. Once the triathlon is finished and none of the teams win, it is revealed that nobody is safe. With all six players eligible for the Dock of Shame, Geoff is eliminated.

Elimination: Geoff
2222"Haute Camp-Ture"
"After the Dock of Shame"		Alex NussbaumNovember 25, 2007 (2007-11-25)October 30, 2008122

Chris visits the luxurious Playa Des Losers and catches up with the previously eliminated contestants. After learning their thoughts on the final five, he reveals a shocking twist in which the eliminated contestants will vote off the next camper. Leshawna is inadvertently eliminated after a series of hijinx.

Elimination: Leshawna
2323"Camp Castaways"Erika StrobelDecember 2, 2007 (2007-12-02)November 6, 2008123
After a huge flood, the campers float away to a "deserted island" and try to fend for themselves while dealing with the dangers there, as well as enduring each other. Meanwhile, the hosts are having a day of relaxation on the same island. While the final four are separated at first, they eventually wind up back together again and, after Owen's mental breakdown, his new "friend", Mr. Coconut, is "eliminated" by Chris.
2424"Are We There, Yeti?"Alex NussbaumDecember 9, 2007 (2007-12-09)November 13, 2008124

The campers wake up in the middle of the wilderness. The challenge is to race back to camp and tag a totem pole. The boys are on one team while the girls are on the other. Since Chris is off for the day, Chef takes over as host. In the end, Owen's eating habits distract him and allow the girls to win the challenge, resulting in Duncan's elimination.

Elimination: Duncan

Note: During the beginning of the episode, Chef is seen splitting Mr. Coconut in half with a knife.
2525"I Triple Dog Dare You!"Erika StrobelDecember 16, 2007 (2007-12-16)November 20, 2008125

The final three campers must participate in a series of dares invented by the eliminated campers, with the first camper to refuse a dare being automatically eliminated. Gwen and Owen form an alliance to take down Heather. Eventually, Heather fails a dare on a technicality and loses all of her hair and the competition, allowing Owen and Gwen to move on to the final challenge...

Elimination: Heather
2626"The Very Last Episode, Really!"Jennifer PertschJanuary 4, 2008 (2008-01-04)December 11, 2008126

Gwen and Owen participate in one last challenge for the grand prize, with all of the previously eliminated campers returning to watch. After a race filled with sabotage, heartbreak, and brownies, Owen wins the grand prize and Gwen goes home with a "consolation prize". In the alternative version, Gwen wins.

Runner-Up: Gwen

Winner: Owen[a]
2727"Total Drama Drama Drama Drama Island"Jennifer Pertsch and Tom McGillisNovember 29, 2008 (2008-11-29)December 18, 2008127
Chris has one final challenge for all of the contestants, forcing them to form their own respective teams, and participate in an all-out, no-rules hunt for one million dollars! However, after a series of unpredictable and out-of-control events, the money is eaten by a shark and there is only one way to settle this tie.

Source for list:[6]

Episode finale variations

[edit]

For every season, the show's producers create two alternate endings for the final episode, such that the winner seen in one country's broadcasts is the runner-up in other countries (and vice versa) where the show airs. Owen is the original winner in Canada, but he is also shown as the winner in Australia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, France, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Latin America (Cartoon Network), the Middle East, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States.[citation needed] Gwen is the original runner-up in Canada, but she is also the winner in Finland, Japan, Latin America (Boomerang and TBS), Norway, Poland, Romania and Sweden.

Characters

[edit]
Main article: List of Total Drama characters
The primary cast of Total Drama Island.
Top: DJ, Duncan, Tyler, Harold, Geoff, and Heather
Standing: Lindsay, Leshawna, Eva, Justin, Owen, Noah, Trent, Gwen, and Cody
Sitting: Izzy, Bridgette, Courtney, Katie, Sadie, Ezekiel, and Beth

Staff

[edit]
Character Voice actor Description
Chris McLean Christian Potenza Chris is the host of the series.
Chef Hatchet Clé Bennett Chef is the cook and Chris' assistant for challenges.

Contestants

[edit]

There are 22 original contestants who competed in Total Drama Island. They are Beth, Bridgette, Cody, Courtney (the leader of the Killer Bass before "X-Treme Torture"), DJ, Duncan (the leader of the Killer Bass since "X-Treme Torture"), Eva, Ezekiel, Geoff, Gwen, Harold, Heather (the leader of the Screaming Gophers), Izzy, Justin, Katie, Leshawna, Lindsay, Noah, Owen, Sadie, Trent, and Tyler. Many of the characters return in later seasons either as contestants or as guests.

List of Total Drama Island contestants
Contestant Label Voice actor Team Finish
Original Swapped Battle of the sexes Merged Placement Episode
Ezekiel The Home-Schooled Guy Peter Oldring Killer Bass Killer Bass 1st eliminated 2
Eva
(Returned to game) 		2nd eliminated 3
Noah The Schemer Carter Hayden Screaming Gophers Screaming Gophers 3rd eliminated 4
Justin The Eye Candy Adam Reid 4th eliminated 5
Katie The Sweet Girl Stephanie Anne Mills Killer Bass 5th eliminated 6
Tyler The Jock Peter Oldring Killer Bass 6th eliminated 7
Izzy
(Returned to game) 		Screaming Gophers 7th eliminated
(Left) 		8
Cody The Geek Peter Oldring Screaming Gophers 8th eliminated 9
Beth The Wannabe Sarah Gadon[b] 9th eliminated 10
Sadie The Sweet Girl's Friend Lauren Lipson Killer Bass Killer Bass 10th eliminated 11
Courtney The Type-A Emilie-Claire Barlow 11th eliminated 12
Harold The Dweeb Brian Froud 12th eliminated 13
Eva The Female Bully Julia Chantrey None 13th eliminated 15
Trent The Cool Guy Scott McCord Screaming Gophers Screaming Gophers Guys 14th eliminated 16
Bridgette The Surfer Girl Kristin Fairlie Killer Bass Killer Bass Girls 15th eliminated 17
Lindsay The Dumb Princess Stephanie Anne Mills Screaming Gophers Screaming Gophers 16th eliminated 18
DJ The Brickhouse with a Heart Clé Bennett Killer Bass Killer Bass Guys 17th eliminated 19
Izzy The Psycho Hose Beast Katie Crown Screaming Gophers 18th eliminated 20
Geoff The Funniest Guy Around Dan Petronijevic Killer Bass Guys 19th eliminated 21
Leshawna The Sister with 'Tude Novie Edwards Screaming Gophers Screaming Gophers Girls 20th eliminated 22
Duncan The Delinquent Drew Nelson Killer Bass Killer Bass Guys 21st eliminated 24
Heather The Queen Bee Rachel Wilson Screaming Gophers Screaming Gophers Girls 22nd eliminated 25
Gwen The Loner Megan Fahlenbock Runner-up 26
Owen The Party Guy Scott McCord Guys Winner

Season summary

[edit]
Total Drama Island Returns season summary
Episode Original airdate Challenge winner(s) Eliminated
No. Title Written by Canada United States Team Contestant
1 "Not So Happy Campers- Part 1 Jennifer Pertsch July 8, 2007 June 5, 2008 None
2 "Not So Happy Campers- Part 2 June 12, 2008 Screaming Gophers Killer Bass Ezekiel
3 "The Big Sleep" Nicole Demerse July 15, 2007 June 19, 2008 Screaming Gophers Killer Bass Eva
4 "Dodgebrawl" Alex Nussbaum July 22, 2007 June 26, 2008 Killer Bass Screaming Gophers Noah
5 "Not Quite Famous" Jennifer Cowan July 29, 2007 July 3, 2008 Killer Bass Screaming Gophers Justin
6 "The Sucky Outdoors" Jennifer Pertsch Aug. 5, 2007 July 10, 2008 Screaming Gophers Killer Bass Katie
7 "Phobia Factor" Shelley Scarrow Aug. 12, 2007 July 17, 2008 Screaming Gophers Killer Bass Tyler
8 "Up the Creek" Alex Nussbaum Aug. 17, 2007 July 24, 2008 Killer Bass Screaming Gophers Izzy
9 "Paintball Deer Hunter" Shelley Scarrow Aug. 26, 2007 Jul. 31, 2008 Killer Bass Screaming Gophers Cody
10 "If You Can't Take the Heat..." Alex Ganetakos Sept. 2, 2007 Aug. 7, 2008 Killer Bass Screaming Gophers Beth
11 "Who Can You Trust?" Alex Nussbaum Sept. 9, 2007 Aug. 14, 2008 Screaming Gophers Killer Bass Sadie
12 "Basic Straining" Jennifer Pertsch Sept. 16, 2007 Aug. 21, 2008 Screaming Gophers Killer Bass Courtney
13 "X-Treme Torture" Erika Strobel Sept. 23, 2007 Aug. 28, 2008 Screaming Gophers Killer Bass Harold
14 "Brunch of Disgustingness" Alex Nussbaum Sept. 30, 2007 Sept. 4, 2008 DJ, Duncan, Geoff, Owen, & Trent
(Guys' Team) 		None
15 "No Pain, No Game" Erika Strobel Oct. 7, 2007 Sept. 11, 2008 Leshawna None Eva
16 "Search and Do Not Destroy" Alex Nussbaum Oct. 14, 2007 Sept. 18, 2008 Heather Trent
17 "Hide and Be Sneaky" Tom McGillis Oct. 21, 2007 Sept. 25, 2008 Heather & Leshawna Bridgette
18 "That's Off the Chain!" Erika Strobel Oct. 28, 2007 Oct. 2, 2008 Heather Lindsay
19 "Hook, Line, and Screamer" Nov. 4, 2007 Oct. 9, 2008 Gwen DJ
20 "Wawanakwa Gone Wild!" Shelley Scarrow Nov. 11, 2007 Oct. 16, 2008 Gwen Izzy
21 "Trial by Tri-Armed Triathlon" Nov. 18, 2007 Oct. 23, 2008 Tie Geoff
22 "Haute Camp-ture" Alex Nussbaum Nov. 25, 2007 Oct. 30, 2008 None Leshawna
23 "Camp Castaways" Erika Strobel Dec. 2, 2007 Nov. 6, 2008 None
24 "Are We There Yeti?" Alex Nussbaum Dec. 9, 2007 Nov. 13, 2008 Gwen & Heather None Duncan
25 "I Triple Dog Dare You!" Erika Strobel Dec. 16, 2007 Nov. 20, 2008 Gwen & Owen Heather
N/A "Total Drama Island Recap" (CA)
"TDI Rundown" (US) 		None
Matt McElhannon 		Jan. 4, 2008 Dec. 4, 2008 Recap
26 "The Very Last Episode, Really!" Jennifer Pertsch Dec. 11, 2008 Owen[c] None Gwen
27 "Total Drama, Drama, Drama, Drama Island" Jennifer Pertsch & Tom McGillis Nov. 29, 2008 Dec. 18, 2008 Special

Elimination table

[edit]
Contestant Episode
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14[d] 15[e] 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27[f]
Owen In Win Win In In Win Win In In In Win Win Win Win In In Low In In In In In Low Low Win Winner[g] Yes
Gwen In Win Win In In Win Win In In In Win Win Win In In In In In Win Win Low Low In In Win Win Runner-up Yes
Heather In Win Win In Low Win Win In Low Low Win Win Win In Low Win Win Win In In In In In Win Out Yes
Duncan In In In Win Win In In Win Win Win In In Low Win In In Low In In In In In In Out Yes
Leshawna In Win Win In In Win Win In In In Win Win Win In Win In Win In In In In Out Yes
Geoff In In In Win Win In In Win Win Win In In In Win In In In In In In Out Yes
Izzy In Win Win In In Win Win Left[h] In In In In In Out Yes
DJ In In In Win Win In In Win Win Win In In In Win In In In In Out Yes
Lindsay In Win Win Low In Win Win Low In In Win Win Win In In In In Out Yes
Bridgette In In In Win Win In Low Win Win Win In In In In In In Out Yes
Trent In Win Win In In Win Win In In In Win Win Win Win In Out Yes
Eva In In Out Out No
Harold In In Low Win Win In In Win Win Win Low Low Out Yes
Courtney In Low In Win Win In Low Win Win Win In Out No
Sadie In In In Win Win Low In Win Win Win Out No
Beth In Win Win In In Win Win In In Out Yes
Cody In Win Win In In Win Win In Out No
Tyler In In In Win Win In Out No
Katie In In In Win Win Out No
Justin In Win Win In Out Yes
Noah In Win Win Out No
Ezekiel In Out No

Production

[edit]

On February 15, 2006, it was announced that Tom McGillis and Jennifer Pertsch were working on a project called Camp TV.[7] According to Tom McGillis, Fresh TV was approached by Teletoon to create the show.[8] On March 27, 2006, the project was renamed Total Drama Island, and it was announced that the project would start production in June.[9]

Tom McGillis and Jennifer Pertsch studied what tweens liked and disliked about reality television shows in the writing process.[8][10] McGillis said that they used a "countrywide online research project" to determine what 9-to-14 year olds were watching.[8][11] It was found that Canadian tweens enjoyed watching Fear Factor, Survivor, The Amazing Race, American Idol, and Canadian Idol.[8]

The season was animated at Elliott Animation and was directed by Todd Kauffman and Mark Thornton.[12] Fresh TV partners McGillis, Pertsch, Elliott and Irving produced the series.[13] The budget for the series was US$8,000,000.[14] It was animated in Flash,[12] at Elliott Animation's studio in Toronto.[13] Every cast and crew member on Total Drama Island had to sign a confidentiality agreement not to disclose who the winner was.[15] All the characters were designed by Kauffman.[16] Voice actors from the series 6teen have lent their voices for Total Drama Island. Christian Potenza, who played the character Jude on 6teen, played the role of host Chris McLean. Potenza said that the best part of the job was that his character could not be voted off the show.[17] Emilie-Claire Barlow plays a recurring role as Chrissy on 6teen and plays Courtney on Total Drama Island. Barlow stated that Courtney was her favourite character that she had ever played.[18] Other voice actors from 6teen include Julia Chantrey as Eva; Drew Nelson (Kai) as Duncan; Megan Fahlenbock (Jen) as Gwen; Adam Reid (Wayne) as Justin; Stephanie Anne Mills (Kirsten) as Lindsay and Katie; Rachel Wilson (Melinda Wilson) as Heather; and Scott McCord (Stone) as Owen and Trent.

Reception

[edit]

Ratings

[edit]

Carole Bonneau, the Vice President of Teletoon stated that Total Drama Island, along with 6teen were "consistently top performers" for audiences of ages 6–11, and also helped to bring in older viewers as well.[19] When Total Drama Island aired on Cartoon Network, it performed very well; The Toronto Star reported that, "in some age groups [Total Drama Island showed] a 500% ratings increase in [its] time slot."[11] On December 11, 2008, Total Drama Island garnered 3.5 million viewers.[20] That year, the series was the top "regularly scheduled Thursday night program at 9 p.m. on all television throughout third quarter among kids 2-11, 6-11 and 9-14," according to the Animation World Network.[21] On Memorial Day weekend of 2009, a marathon of Total Drama Island increased viewership in age groups 2–11, 6–11, and 9–14, each by 20% or more compared to the same week in 2008.[22] As of 2011, Total Drama Island has aired in over 188 countries.[23]

Critical reception

[edit]

Total Drama Island has received generally positive reviews. The series was nominated for a Gemini Award for "Best Animated Program or Series", shared by Tom McGillis, Jennifer Pertsch, George Elliott and Brian Irving.[24] Common Sense Media gave the show 4 out of 5 stars, deeming it an "enjoyable, smart show" and finding that it appealed to all demographics.[25] Matthew Price of The Oklahoman gave a mixed review of the series, stating that it "starts unbelievably slowly", but deeming that the later episodes effectively spoofed reality shows.[26] Debi Enker of The Age gave a negative review of the season's last episode, calling the art, design and writing "lamentable."[27]

Public reaction

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Total Drama Island received a score of 8.1 on Metacritic from users, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[28]

Media

[edit]

DVD releases

[edit]

A DVD was released by Warner Home Video on August 18, 2009, in the United States. It contains all of the 27 episodes (including TDI Rundown) of season one of this series in a 4 disc set, for a total of 594 minutes long. In addition, its bonus features (entitled as X-tras) are the audition tapes of twenty two campers, played after each of their respective eliminations, as well as Izzy's second audition tape and her exclusive interview with Chris (the latter of which is shown after Eva's second elimination). In Australia, Total Drama Island is on Region 4 DVD as separate volumes. This series of discs contains the widescreen version with uncut scenes and original dialogue, as seen on Teletoon and ABC3. In reviewing the DVD for season, Matthew Price of The Oklahoman wrote that while the show started out "unbelievably slowly," the series became more interesting as campers began getting voted off. Price also praised the parody of reality shows.[29] In another review of the DVD, Jeffrey Kauffman of DVD Talk wrote that the character development was compelling and that the parody of reality shows were very funny.[30] Mac McEntire of DVD Verdict praised the character development as well, but noted that the show sometimes sinks to "lowbrow gross-outs".[31] Both Kauffman and McEntire recommended the series DVD.

Total Drama Island: Totally Interactive!

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Total Drama Island: Totally Interactive! was an online game in Canada and the US marketed in conjunction with the television series. It was produced by Xenophile Media. By registering a free account, the player could play games using a customizable avatar to earn points for marshmallows. Marshmallows are used as money in the game so the player can buy in-game items. The player who earned the most points had their avatar make a cameo appearance in the season finale.[8][32] The games were based on the challenges in the show.[8][33] Total Drama Island: Totally Interactive! was nominated for an Interactive Emmy Award in 2007.[32] However, the website is no longer available, as it was replaced by Total Drama Online and the Teletoon and Cartoon Network official sites.[34]

See also

[edit]

Notes

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  1. ^ Owen was confirmed to be the canon winner by both Chris and Priya in episode 20 of Part 2 of the reboot of Total Drama Island. Owen's ending also aired originally in Canada, the series' country of origin.
  2. ^ Sarah Gadon was credited as Sarah Gaddon in the closing credits.
  3. ^ Owen was confirmed to be the canon winner by both Chris and Priya in episode 20 of Part 2 of the reboot of Total Drama Island.
  4. ^ New teams were formed as a "Battle of the Sexes".
  5. ^ The teams were dissolved.
  6. ^ The contestants who tied in the special qualified for Season 2.
  7. ^ An ending where Gwen wins exists, but future seasons only acknowledge Owen winning.
  8. ^ The last marshmallow was supposed to be given to either Izzy or Lindsay, but Izzy left the competition.

References

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  1. ^ "Elliott Animation - Productions - Total Drama Island". Archived from the original on July 15, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2007.
  2. ^ Sagers, Aaron (September 1, 2009), "Pop 20: If Facebook were a dinner party", The Monitor
  3. ^ "Elliott Animation – Productions – Total Drama Island". Archived from the original on July 15, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2007.
  4. ^ TV.com. "Total Drama Island". TV.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  5. ^ "Shows A-Z - total drama on cartoon - TheFutonCritic.com". www.thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  6. ^ "Teletoon - Total Drama Island". Archived from the original on October 22, 2013.
  7. ^ Simpson, Aaron (February 15, 2006). "The Reality of Camp TV". Cold Hard Flash. Archived from the original on June 29, 2006. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Javed, Noor (July 9, 2007). "New animated reality show Total Drama Island proves 'real factor' unnecessary". Whitehorse Daily Star. p. 15. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  9. ^ "Neptoon's Promo Washes Ashore". Cold Hard Flash. March 27, 2006. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  10. ^ Playback Staff (May 15, 2006), "Total Drama Island ribs reality TV", Playback, retrieved December 25, 2010
  11. ^ a b Mudhar, Raju (January 11, 2009), "Canadian cartoon show sucking 'em all back in", The Toronto Star, archived from the original on October 5, 2010, retrieved December 25, 2010
  12. ^ a b admin (June 29, 2007), "Title Drama Island", Cold Hard Flash, archived from the original on July 17, 2008, retrieved December 25, 2010
  13. ^ a b Playback Staff (May 15, 2006), Total Drama Island: And So It Begins, retrieved December 25, 2010
  14. ^ D'Aprile, Annalisa, "L'Isola di cartone che prende in giro i reality", Kata Web (in Italian), archived from the original on May 14, 2010, retrieved December 25, 2010
  15. ^ Teletoon (June 24, 2007), "From the creators of the award winning series 6teen, the number one show on Teletoon, comes a truly unique reality show for kids", Channel Canada, archived from the original on December 28, 2008, retrieved December 25, 2010
  16. ^ Total Drama Island: Final 4[dead link]
  17. ^ Rutherford, Krissie (November 3, 2006), "Newest role is 'every guy's dream' – Gemini-nominated Oakville actor has written his own dream role", Oakville Beaver
  18. ^ Khaliq, Asma (March 1, 2007), "Up close with a familiar voice: From Sailor Mars to Timmy's ads, Emilie-Claire Barlow is someone you've definitely heard", The Toronto Star, archived from the original on August 13, 2009, retrieved December 25, 2010
  19. ^ "Teletoon orders new series for fall", Media in Canada, retrieved December 22, 2010
  20. ^ Levin, Gary (December 18, 2008), "Nielsens: Dallas, 'Boston' score key ratings wins", USA Today, archived from the original on February 8, 2009, retrieved December 25, 2010
  21. ^ Moody, Annemarie (October 2, 2008), "Ratings Highlights For Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon", Animation World Network, archived from the original on December 12, 2009, retrieved December 26, 2010
  22. ^ Gorman, Bill (May 27, 2009), "Cartoon Network's Total Drama Island Earns Double Digit Increases", TV by the Numbers, archived from the original on October 25, 2012, retrieved December 25, 2010
  23. ^ Stinson, Scott (October 13, 2011). "Stinson: CanCon on the Croisette at Mipcom". The Globe and Mail. Toronto ON. Archived from the original on October 14, 2011. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
  24. ^ "Fresh TV Inc. Celebrates Three Gemini Nominations for Top Rated Shows", ChannelCanada.com, August 27, 2008, archived from the original on August 5, 2009, retrieved March 21, 2009
  25. ^ Antonia, KJ Dell (June 6, 2008). "Total Drama Island". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  26. ^ Price, Matthew (September 25, 2009). "DVD Review: "Total Drama Island: The Complete Season One"". The Oklahoman. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  27. ^ Enker, Debi (June 10, 2010), "Total Drama Island", The Age, p. 36
  28. ^ "Read User Reviews and Submit your own for Total Drama Island - Metacritic". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  29. ^ Price, Matthew (September 25, 2009), "DVD Reviews", The Oklahoman
  30. ^ Kauffman, Jeffrey (August 18, 2009), "Total Drama Island: The Complete Series", DVD Talk, archived from the original on June 19, 2015, retrieved December 25, 2010
  31. ^ McEntire, Mac (August 19, 2009), "Total Drama Island: The Complete Series", DVD Verdict, archived from the original on October 31, 2010, retrieved December 26, 2010
  32. ^ a b "Xenophile Media and Fresh TV Receive International Interactive Emmy(R) Award Nomination for Total Drama Island – Totally Interactive!", Canada Newswire, March 6, 2008
  33. ^ "BellFund Annual Report: 2006" (PDF), BellFund, 2006, archived from the original (PDF) on December 12, 2010, retrieved December 26, 2010
  34. ^ "ACCUEIL - teletoon.com". Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
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