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Shoebox Zoo

TV·2004–2005·2 seasons, 26 episodes·BBC One·Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, Action & Adventure·25m·Created by Brian Ward, Justin Molotnikov, Claire Mundell

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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.

Castfull cast & details

Episodes by season

Season0113Episodes2004AiredSeason avg
  1. S01E01Shoebox Zoo S01E01The Magic Is AwakenedSeptember 21, 2004On her 11th birthday, still grieving over her recently deceased mother and uncomfortable with being moved from Colorado to Scotland, Marnie
  2. S01E02Shoebox Zoo S01E02Friend or Foe?September 28, 2004It'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,
  3. S01E03Shoebox Zoo S01E03Echoes of the PastOctober 5, 2004When a mysterious problem causes school to be cancelled for the day, Marnie and Laura visit the nearby St. Giles’ Cathedral in order to find
  4. S01E04Shoebox Zoo S01E04A Guide for the PerplexedOctober 12, 2004Marnie 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
  5. S01E05Shoebox Zoo S01E05The Inner SanctumOctober 19, 2004Since Marnie's suggestion to go to Tantallon Castle was agreed on by majority vote, her class goes there for a field trip. While exploring t
  6. S01E06Shoebox Zoo S01E06A Strange Birthday PartyOctober 26, 2004Marnie is reluctant to go to John Roberts' birthday party until she has a dream revealing that he was really the evil shapeshifter Toledo al
  7. S01E07Shoebox Zoo S01E07A Little KnowledgeNovember 2, 2004Marnie 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
  8. S01E08Shoebox Zoo S01E08Mother’s FootstepsNovember 9, 2004Marnie 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 fro
  9. S01E09Shoebox Zoo S01E09Where the River FlowsNovember 16, 2004Marnie 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 th
  10. S01E10Shoebox Zoo S01E10The Sign of the UnicornNovember 23, 2004The shoebox animals plead with Marnie to continue the quest, but she insists on trying to catch up on her schoolwork after largely neglectin
  11. S01E11Shoebox Zoo S01E11Where Four Elevens MeetNovember 30, 2004Marnie and Wolfgang confront Michael regarding the events that lead to the creation of the Shoebox Zoo. Meanwhile, the other animals decide
  12. S01E12Shoebox Zoo S01E12Los ContrariosDecember 7, 2004Toledo hypnotizes Edwin and orders him to open the Book of Forbidden Knowledge. The dark energy released from inside the book awakens the sh
  13. S01E13Shoebox Zoo S01E13The Day of ReckoningDecember 14, 2004Marnie makes one last attempt to stop Toledo from taking the book, and comes out victorious after realizing that the book was a fake created

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

Season0213Episodes2005AiredSeason avg
  1. S02E01Shoebox Zoo S02E01Across The Great OceanOctober 16, 2005Marnie, with the Shoebox Zoo in tow, flies to Denver for the summer in order to search for The Book of Forbidden Knowledge. After being pick
  2. S02E02Shoebox Zoo S02E02The Balance Of PowerOctober 23, 2005Kyle finds Marnie’s bag on his way to visit her for breakfast. With the proper bag now on hand, Marnie introduces Kyle to the shoebox animal
  3. S02E03Shoebox Zoo S02E03Snakes AliveOctober 23, 2005After settling in a hideaway that’s owned by the Campbells, Marnie and Kyle go to investigate the first clue, a snake rune, at the nearby Sn
  4. S02E04Shoebox Zoo S02E04The Pow WowOctober 30, 2005Marnie and Kyle go to a Native American festival called “The Pow Wow”. While there, Marnie comes face to face with the mysterious figure who
  5. S02E05Shoebox Zoo S02E05Hunter To The RescueOctober 30, 2005Marnie and Kyle go bike riding in the woods in order to investigate the next clue, a bear claw rune, but things go awry when the shoebox ani
  6. S02E06Shoebox Zoo S02E06Coming Of AgeNovember 6, 2005It’s Kyle’s 12th birthday, and so Marnie attends his birthday party. Toledo, now possessing Aurora’s body, spies on Marnie at the party and
  7. S02E07Shoebox Zoo S02E07Wild HorsesNovember 6, 2005Marnie and Kyle go to watch a rodeo. While there, Kyle confides in Marnie regarding his self-doubts as well as his reluctance to keep going
  8. S02E08Shoebox Zoo S02E08Bumps In The NightNovember 13, 2005Marnie goes to Camp Healing Bow along with Kyle and some of her former classmates. Following their arrival, they partake in several fun acti
  9. S02E09Shoebox Zoo S02E09The Eagle Has LandedNovember 13, 2005The stay at Camp Healing Bow continues. Marnie’s odd behavior seems to worsen, which puts a strain on her friendship with Kyle. Despite this
  10. S02E10Shoebox Zoo S02E10The Arrow of TruthNovember 20, 2005It’s the last day of camp, and Marnie’s father comes to visit her. However, happiness quickly turns to anger when Marnie sees that he’s brou
  11. S02E11Shoebox Zoo S02E11The Cry Of The WolfNovember 20, 2005The Quest’s conclusion draws near, with only one clue remaining unsolved, the wolf rune. Marnie, now fully consumed by her anguish and grief
  12. S02E12Shoebox Zoo S02E12The Falls Of FaithNovember 27, 2005All hope seems lost as the book has fallen into Toledo’s hands. However, upon receiving some encouraging words from a fallen ally, Marnie co
  13. S02E13Shoebox Zoo S02E13Beyond The BeyondNovember 27, 2005Marnie, Kyle and the Shoebox Zoo all band together in order to put an end to the Dawn Queen’s evil plans once and for all. Can they truly de

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

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