''My Secret Identity'' is a

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed ...

starring Jerry O'Connell and Derek McGrath. Originally broadcast from October 9, 1988 to May 25, 1991 on

CTV CTV may refer to: Television * Connected TV, or Smart TV, a TV set with integrated internet North America and South America * CTV Television Network, a Canadian television network owned by Bell Media ** CTV 2, a secondary Canadian televisio ...

in Canada, the series also aired in syndication in the United States. It was later shown in reruns on the Sci-Fi Channel. The series won the 1989 International

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

for Outstanding Achievement in Programming for Children and Young People.

Synopsis

O'Connell stars as 14-year-old Andrew Clements, who while looking one day for his friend, Dr. Benjamin Jeffcoate (McGrath), trips and is hit by a photon beam, causing him to develop superpowers. He uses these abilities to fight crime, to solve personal problems, and to help others. He hides his powers from his mother, sister, and friends with the exception of Jeffcoate. Andrew initially called himself Ultraman, but this was later dropped.

Powers

In the first season, Andrew must carry around

aerosol spray Aerosol spray is a type of dispensing system which creates an aerosol mist of liquid particles. It comprises a can or bottle that contains a payload, and a propellant under pressure. When the container's valve is opened, the payload is forced out ...

containers and use them to move through the air, as his flying ability is limited; he can make himself nearly weightless, and move up without any problems, but he cannot propel himself through the air or move down without some external force. He can jump quite high and do amazing flips. In the second season, unexplained, Andrew gains the ability to move through the air without the use of aerosol cans. Later in that season, after being struck by the photon beam a second time, Andrew develops

superhuman strength Superhuman strength is a superpower commonly invoked in fiction and other literary works such as mythology. A fictionalized representation of the phenomenon of hysterical strength, it is the power to exert force and lift weights beyond what is ...

but loses his invulnerability. For the entirety of the series, Andrew loses his powers when exposed to radiation (e.g. electromagnetic waves and x-rays). Starting in episode 10, he loses his powers for 2–3 days after exposure to an x-ray at the dentist. Later in the series, he regains them immediately after the exposure stops.

Setting and characters

The main setting of the show is

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

, in the fictional suburb of Briarwood. Andrew goes to Briarwood High and his sister Erin goes to another school. Dr. Jeffcoate (supposedly the fourth-smartest man in the world) is a close friend of the family who lives next door. He is attracted to Mrs. Clements but never tells her.

Cast

* Jerry O'Connell as Andrew Clements * Derek McGrath as Dr. Benjamin Marion Jeffcoate *Christopher Bolton as Kirk Stevens (1989-1991) *Marsha Moreau as Erin Clements *

Wanda Cannon Wanda Cannon (born January 12, 1960) is a Canadian actress and theatre director. She is most noted for her performance in the 1993 film '' For the Moment'', for which she received a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 15th Ge ...

as Stephanie Clements *Elizabeth Leslie as Ruth Schellenbach

Episodes

Novel

A novelization of the pilot episode, written by

Jovial Bob Stine Robert Lawrence Stine (; born October 8, 1943), sometimes known as Jovial Bob Stine and Eric Affabee, is an American novelist, short story writer, television producer, screenwriter, and executive editor. Stine has been referred to as the "St ...

(R. L. Stine), was released in 1989.

Syndicated stations (United States)

References

External links

* {{InternationalEmmyAward Children and Young People 1988 American television series debuts 1991 American television series endings 1980s American comic science fiction television series 1990s American comic science fiction television series 1980s American teen sitcoms 1990s American teen sitcoms 1988 Canadian television series debuts 1991 Canadian television series endings 1980s Canadian science fiction television series 1990s Canadian comic science fiction television series 1980s Canadian sitcoms 1990s Canadian teen sitcoms American children's comedy television series American children's science fiction television series American superhero comedy television series Canadian children's comedy television series Canadian children's science fiction television series Canadian superhero comedy television series Teen superhero television series CTV Television Network original programming First-run syndicated television programs in the United States Television series about teenagers Television shows filmed in Toronto Television series by Universal Television