Lightning Point
Also known asAlien Surf Girls
Genre
Created byJonathan M. Shiff
Written by
  • Simon Butters
  • Sam Carroll
  • Carine Chai
  • Max Dann
  • David Hannam
  • Anthony Morris
  • Chris Roache
Directed by
  • Colin Budds
  • Evan Clarry
Starring
Theme music composerPete Dacy & Jason Bond
Composers
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producers
  • Jonathan M. Shiff
  • Julia Adams
  • Nicole Keeb
  • Arne Lohmann
  • Cherrie Bottger
ProducerJonathan M. Shiff
Production locationsGold Coast, Queensland, Byron Bay, New South Wales
Running time25 minutes
Production companyJonathan M. Shiff Productions
Original release
NetworkNetwork Ten
Release22 June (2012-06-22) –
14 December 2012 (2012-12-14)

Lightning Point is an Australian television teen drama set in the modern day with fantasy elements. It was filmed on location at the Gold Coast and Byron Bay in 2011. The half-hour series is produced by Jonathan M. Shiff for Network Ten in association with Nickelodeon and German public broadcaster ZDF. It was re-broadcast on Network Ten in Australia on 22 June 2012, and again on the same network from 5 July 2014.

The series premiered on TeenNick in the United States under its international title of Alien Surf Girls on 29 May 2012,[1] and aired on Nickelodeon in the United Kingdom from 23 July 2012 also as Alien Surf Girls.[2]

It was announced by co-star Jessica Green that the series would not return for a second season.[3]

Premise

When Zoey and Kiki, two irrepressible girls from another galaxy and world called Lumina become castaways in the quiet, Australian seaside town of Lightning Point after losing their spaceship, they recruit local girl Amber to keep them undercover. But the whole town is abuzz with the sightings of U.F.O.s; the girls soon realize that they may not be the first intergalactic visitors on planet Earth. When the time comes, can they say farewell to a world as wonderful and beautiful as Lumina?

Characters

Main

Recurring

Episodes

No. in
series 		No. in
season 		Title Directed by Written by Australia air date U.S. air date Prod.
code
11"Wipeout"Colin BuddsDavid Hannam22 June 2012 (2012-06-22)29 May 2012101

When Zoey and Kiki, two irrepressible girls from another galaxy and world called Lumina, land in Lightning Point, their dreams of surfing the waves of Earth's oceans and seas have finally come true. As soon as their spaceship lands, they head to the beach where they meet Amber, a local teenage girl teaching a surf class. Zoey and Kiki convince her to give them a beginner's lesson, but when Zoey borrows Madison's board and surfs the back break, Amber is suspicious.

Amber's best friend Luca finds the landing site and with it, some amazing alien technology. Kiki and Zoey are horrified to discover that their plasma card is gone. With Amber's help, they track down the card and quickly head back to the spaceship. However, Amber's dog gets a hold of the card, causing their spaceship to implode, leaving Zoey and Kiki stranded on planet Earth.
22"Microwave"Colin BuddsAnthony Morris29 June 2012 (2012-06-29)30 May 2012102

With their spaceship obliterated and no other way of getting home to Lumina, Kiki and Zoey settle into the teenage world of Lightning Point at Amber's house. Amber's mother, Olivia Mitchell is surprised by the girls' sudden appearance, but is glad Amber finally has some company. Amber hopes Kiki and Zoey can keep a low profile, but her dreams are dashed when local surf king Brandon takes quite a romantic interest in Zoey and invites her to a barbecue at the request of his girlfriend Madison.

At the event, Madison warns Zoey to keep away from Brandon, but just as the tension reaches a peak, Madison turns on the microwave. The energy pulse morphs Zoey into her true alien plasma-like form and traps her in an espy.
33"Wires Crossed"Colin BuddsSimon Butters6 July 2012 (2012-07-06)31 May 2012103

To blend in human society, Zoey and Kiki start attending Amber's school and find it nothing like school on Lumina. In a desperate attempt to contact home, Zoey devises a plan using "primitive" Earth technology: satellite dishes. Convinced that this plan will work and that human hearing can't detect the signal, Zoey and Kiki plant their plasma card on the school satellite dish and beam up a signal.

Canine ears can hear it, however, and when dogs start flooding the school, Amber suspects Zoey and Kiki are behind it. When Piper turns up on the scene as well, Amber takes the only chance she can before Luca and Mr. Phillips find out the real reason behind the dog deluge.
44"Feelings"Colin BuddsSam Caroll13 July 2012 (2012-07-13)4 June 2012104

When Kiki is moved to tears by Amber's singing, Amber makes an important discovery: Luminans do not natively experience feelings or emotions, but Zoey and Kiki's human bodies can. Meanwhile, Zoey has fallen in love with the sport of surfing and goes out every day. That is, until Brandon steals her wave and makes her break Amber's prized surfboard. Having never experienced the feeling of anger, Zoey is a ticking time bomb and when Brandon and Madison team up to push her buttons, Zoey unconsciously starts creating miniature earthquakes around Lightning Point.

Song featured: "Drift Away" by Amber
55"Good Vibrations"Colin BuddsAnthony Morris20 July 2012 (2012-07-20)5 June 2012105

Quadrupeds fascinate Kiki and when she finds out that Luca's horse Bandit has been skittish and dangerous to ride ever since they arrived, she feels terrible. Secretly using her alien abilities, Kiki reads Bandit's aura and calms his life-force energy, just in time for Luca to see that Kiki and Bandit now have a special bond of strong friendship.

But when Kiki accidentally takes Bandit on a magical ride, she'll need to tread carefully to convince Luca and Brandon that Bandit is no danger. While Kiki is connecting with quadrupeds, Zoey tries to control the primitive Earth appliances in Amber's house--if humans can do housework, aliens could do it twice as fast, and better too! But Zoey will have a lot of explaining to do when Amber returns home to a house full of rampaging appliances.
66"Crushed"Colin BuddsMax Dann27 July 2012 (2012-07-27)6 June 2012106

Luca and Kiki have been growing even more romantically closer, and Amber is sick of being stuck in the middle! Finally, Luca asks Kiki out on a date, and Kiki can’t wait. Zoey thinks that romantic love is a waste of time and sets off to follow up on some plasma card research, which may help unlock the mystery of why they came to Lightning Point. When Kiki arrives for the date, Luca is surprised to see that she brought along Amber.

Luca is certain that Amber is jealous and there to spoil the fun. But when Kiki experiences the depth of her equally true and strong romantic feelings for Luca, she starts glowing uncontrollably in her plasma form, and Amber has to bring the romantic date to a sudden end.
77"Alien Abduction"Colin BuddsDavid Hannam3 August 2012 (2012-08-03)7 June 2012107
When Zoey escapes the washing-up to recharge her energy, Amber and Kiki think nothing of it until a big burst of lightning strikes their house. Rushing upstairs, they find Zoey gone. When another bolt of lightning hits the house and tries to communicate with Kiki, she comes to a dark conclusion--Zoey is trapped in the lightning! Luca’s alien hunt has stepped up a notch now that another electrical storm has come to town--the same type of storm as when aliens first visited Lightning Point many years ago. After Kiki and Amber lose track of the storm, they realize that to find Zoey, they will have to team up with Luca. Can the girls find Zoey without revealing their secret? Or will time run out when the storm--and Zoey--are blown out to sea?
88"Risky Business"Colin BuddsSam Carroll10 August 2012 (2012-08-10)11 June 2012108

Zoey is finding Brandon a challenging surfing adversary. He's even started to compliment her on her moves. But there's one person who doesn't like this change in Brandon: his girlfriend Madison. Zoey is feeling on top of the world, so when Madison casually challenges Zoey to surf the infamous Lighthouse break with her, Zoey accepts.

But Zoey underestimates the danger of the break and wipes out on her first wave. She panics and can't prevent herself from morphing into her true alien form. She escapes before Madison notices, but just barely. The experience convinces Zoey that she and Kiki can no longer risk surfing. But when Madison and Brandon fight, Zoey will be the only one around that can save her from the Lighthouse break.
99"The Cane Field"Colin BuddsSimon Butters17 August 2012 (2012-08-17)12 June 2012109
As Zoey, Kiki and Amber head out to the Benedict cane field, owned by Brandon and Luca's family, Zoey is excited. She can’t wait to show Kiki and Amber the energy anomaly she has found, deep inside the cane. But when Zoey and Kiki test the invisible Luminan energy column with their plasma card, the card’s own energy field is hijacked. After the dust settles, the trio discover that they’re standing in the middle of a huge crop circle. While the girls try to figure out how to cover it up, they hear a whirring noise overhead. Brandon and Luca have discovered it too, and are flying a miniature plane with a camera attached over the intricate symbol. Luca finally convinces Brandon that this is no human feat. There are indeed extraterrestrial aliens in Lightning Point.
1010"Circle of Friends"Colin BuddsSam Carroll24 August 2012 (2012-08-24)13 June 2012110

With Luca and Brandon dangerously close to their secret, Kiki feels that they have no choice but to stick close to them, to find out what they really know. So when Madison throws a birthday party for Brandon, they have no choice but to attend. Madison is hoping to win Brandon back with her spectacular event, but when Zoey and the girls arrive, her hopes are crushed. Brandon and Zoey are finally having some time alone where Brandon admits to her that he’s adopted and feels out of place. Zoey learns they have more in common than she first thought.

Caught in the moment, Brandon tries to give Zoey a romantic kiss, but she hastily leaves and pretends that nothing happened. While Kiki sticks by Luca, he makes a huge admission--he has mutually strong romantic feelings for her! Kiki is swept off her feet in the romantic moment. But when Luca takes her to the crop circle, she thinks the game is up. Instead, Luca romantically kisses Kiki for the first time.
1111"Close Encounter"Colin BuddsMax Dann31 August 2012 (2012-08-31)14 June 2012111

Zoey is sick of waiting and decides to take charge of finding a way home. Back at the cane field, Zoey and Amber test out the energy field one more time. It wasn't just there to unlock a symbol; it’s a signal pathway that goes straight to Lumina! But while Zoey and Amber are completing their tests, Brandon spies a mysterious energy cloud over the cane field. Before Zoey and Amber can react, Brandon barrels through the cane.

Zoey runs, but makes too much noise and gives away her position. She is forced to morph into plasma form to conceal her identity. And now that Brandon has seen the alien plasma light, he is more even determined to catch them. Luca and Kiki are closer than ever and after another magical date, Kiki admits to Amber that she’s becoming almost human, and perhaps a little sad that the alien girls are close to finding a way home.
1212"Kiki Revealed"Colin BuddsAnthony Morris7 September 2012 (2012-09-07)18 June 2012112

When a storm is forecast to hit Lightning Point, Zoey and Kiki know it’s time – they can send a signal through the lightning, via the energy field and back to Lumina. The trio is sad that their time together is coming to an end as they prepare to leave. But Luca Benedict and Brandon, buoyed by Brandon’s recent sighting have a plan to catch the aliens. When the storm comes they will be ready. As Amber watches the girls send their signal through the lightning, she stumbles backwards. Energy detectors?

Amber tries to call out to Kiki and Zoey – it’s a trap! Luca and Brandon sprint through the cane field towards the energy surge. Suddenly, they’re blasted back by an invisible force – Luca recovers first and sprints on. Kiki discovers too late that they've left their plasma card behind and goes to retrieve it. When Luca arrives at the scene, Kiki who spots him, panics and transforms into her plasma state right before his very eyes. She looked back at him for a moment before fleeing. He now knows she is an alien being from another world.
1313"Spaceship"Colin BuddsChris Roache14 September 2012 (2012-09-14)19 June 2012113

Kiki and Zoey are anxious – with no reply from Lumina and Luca knowing who they are, they’re no longer safe in Lightning Point. Suddenly, Sergeant Mitchell gets a call from the local police station. There’s a disturbance at the cane field. Maybe this is the signal they've been waiting for? But when the girls arrive, they don't see the type of ship they were expecting. A fishing boat, in the middle of the cane field! What could it mean? And how will this get them home?

What’s worse, Brandon discovered it first and has called the international media – and they still don’t know if Luca will keep their extraterrestrial secret. But when Sergeant Mitchell reveals to Brandon that this is the same boat his birth parents disappeared on thirteen years ago, Brandon starts to believe that aliens abducted his true parents – and that the aliens on Earth could be responsible.
1414"Distracted"Evan ClarryAnthony Morris21 September 2012 (2012-09-21)20 June 2012114
Many weeks after the boat was discovered in the cane field, no clues have been found and no further message from Lumina has come. Zoey is frustrated – so she throws herself into surfing. Brandon notices her new energy on the waves and on her behalf, challenges Madison to an impromptu surf comp. But the only way Zoey can win is with Brandon’s help. She reluctantly agrees…Meanwhile, Kiki just cannot believe that the boat doesn't hold more secrets. When Amber and Luca refuse to help her, Kiki ventures to the boatyard alone – and into the domain of old alien hunter Harry Dean.
1515"Poles Apart"Evan ClarrySimon Butters28 September 2012 (2012-09-28)21 June 2012115

Amber is totally excited when her crush, Josh has noticed her at school. She’s doubly excited when he asks her to help organize a Hawaiian fundraiser party for his basketball team. But when Zoey runs late from a surf lesson with Brandon, Amber accidentally stumbles into Zoey’s plasma recharge. Suddenly, Amber starts affecting gravity.

The only way to control the flying objects is to have Zoey next to Amber – all of the time. How can you have a romantic date with your alien best friend tagging along? And when the trio hit the party, they will have a lot to answer for if Amber starts to take to the skies.
1616"Family Ties"Evan ClarryMax Dann5 October 2012 (2012-10-05)21 June 2012116
When Olivia rings Amber about a surprise waiting at home for her, Amber would never have guessed that the surprise was her dad Keith! Amber’s parents may be divorced, but both Amber and Olivia love having Keith back – even Piper is in the family spirit! Kiki and Zoey have never seen Amber so happy. But when Keith gives Amber an early birthday present – plane tickets for Amber to live in Hawaii with him, she is torn. Should she spend time with her Dad, whom she misses dearly, in a tropical paradise? Or should she stay to protect her alien house guests – and two best friends? Zoey and Kiki don’t want to be a burden – perhaps they will have to make the choice for her.
1717"Alien Attraction"[4]Evan ClarryCarine Chai12 October 2012 (2012-10-12)29 October 2012117
Luca is finally letting his guard down with Kiki again – and soon they’re back to their old platonic friendship. When Luca becomes curious about Kiki’s alien abilities, Kiki wastes no time in showing him some awesome tricks with the plasma card. Kiki cloaks Brandon’s boat, sitting idle in the Benedict Workshed. But after Kiki returns the ship, a strange glow emits from the deck and they finally discover that the boat did hold more secrets – a toy lighthouse. While Kiki, Luca and Amber try to piece together the significance, Zoey is starting to warm to Brandon more and more. But when he tries to romantically kiss her again after a surfing lesson, Zoey bolts from the beach…all the way home.
1818"See the Light"[4]Evan ClarrySam Carrol19 October 2012 (2012-10-19)30 October 2012118
The gang decide not to let Brandon know about the toy lighthouse until they know more about it – except Zoey, whose growing romantic feelings for Brandon make her more sensitive to his needs to reconnect with his birth parents' mysterious, extraterrestrial past related to the aliens.
1919"Vanished"[4]Evan ClarrySam Carrol26 October 2012 (2012-10-26)31 October 2012119
Brandon and Zoey are growing even more romantically closer than ever and are keen to spend as much time together as possible. When Amber suggests a house party to celebrate the newest romantic couple in Lightning Point, everyone’s excited. That is, except Madison. When she and Brandon get into an argument, the plasma card suddenly actives, causing Madison to disappear. Zoey and Kiki realize that the card is, in fact, ancient and has not been utilized by their kind for many years. To make things more complicated, they discover that Brandon activated the card, and reveal to Amber and Luca that only Luminan DNA can activate such advanced, powerful technology; promoting all to discover that Brandon is a Lumian/human hybrid.
2020"Power Up"[4]Evan ClarrySam Carrol2 November 2012 (2012-11-02)1 November 2012120
Kiki and Zoey are relieved to find out that Brandon cannot use the plasma card properly, due to being only half Lumian from his birth mother. The only way they can be sure they are out of danger though, is to destroy the card. But when Zoey is nearly caught by Brandon trying to steal it, Luca has to take matters into his own hands.
2121"Heartbreak"[4]Evan ClarrySimon Butters9 November 2012 (2012-11-09)7 November 2012121
With Brandon fully charged, Zoey can’t help but feel that Brandon needs to know the truth about her. How can she be his lover and girlfriend and keep lying to him? While Amber teaches a surf class with Josh’s precocious younger brother Sean, Zoey prepares to tell him – at whatever cost. But before she can reveal her secret, a storm rolls in over Lightning Point and Brandon excuses himself. He has to go. While Zoey is left dumbstruck, Luca knows the real reason he rushed off – to use the storm to catch the aliens, and recharge fully so he can be at full strength enough to take them down. But Zoey and Kikki know that humans and lightning don’t mix! Can she get to Brandon before it excess energy kills him?
2222"Connections"[4]Evan ClarryAnthony Morris16 November 2012 (2012-11-16)7 November 2012122

Brandon is furious with everyone – and especially Zoey – for lying to him. How could they keep a secret like this from him? And how could the Luminan people, Zoey and Kiki’s people, abduct his parents?! When Luca tries to calm him down, Brandon’s temper flares – and starts a fire in the middle of the cane field. Luca’s horse Bandit is spooked and bolts through the forest, carrying Luca with him.

Throwing Luca to the ground, Bandit leaves him unconscious before returning to the farm – where Kiki and Amber are waiting. Leaping onto Bandit, Kiki is convinced that she can find Luca by following Bandit’s life energy trail. But when the aura trail runs out, Kiki will have to stretch deeper into her alien energy reserves if she has any chance of finding Luca before nightfall.
2323"Surf's Up"[4]Evan ClarryMax Dann23 November 2012 (2012-11-23)14 November 2012123
The day of the Lightning Point Junior Girls Surfing Competition is here and everyone from Lightning Point is ready to compete, except Zoey. It’s only after Kiki reminds Zoey that she should surf because she loves it and not because of a trophy that Zoey comes around – and is ready to win! Madison will do anything she can to stop Zoey claiming her trophy. But with the scores tied neck and neck just before the last ride, can Zoey find the will to win without Brandon to cheer her on?
2424"Meltdown"[4]Evan ClarrySam Carrol30 November 2012 (2012-11-30)14 November 2012124

Brandon is so excited by his alien energy that he starts to recharge more frequently than he should, causing too much of an overflow in his Lumian abilities. Suddenly, in the Diner, Brandon can’t help but radiate energy out into the atmosphere – which starts to affect the Diner in supernatural ways.

With the whole town gathering outside, Kiki and Zoey are forced to reveal to Brandon that he is half-Luminan before absorbing the excess energy into their own plasma fields to save him. The force is so strong that the diner is engulfed in white light – and Zoey and Kiki are revealed to everyone in their true plasma forms. Luckily, they didn't blow their cover. But with all of Lightning Point witnessing an extraterrestrial explosion, for how much longer can they stay hidden?
2525"Investigation"[4]Evan ClarryDavid Hannam7 December 2012 (2012-12-07)21 November 2012125
Brandon is finally ready to learn who he truly is. As Zoey speaks to him, she becomes more and more convinced that Brandon has secrets locked inside his memories. If they want a chance of getting home, Zoey will have to coax them out. Meanwhile, Sergeant Mitchell is on the alien trail – and is dangerously close to Brandon’s secret. After Sergeant Mitchell interrogates Brandon, Zoey, Kiki and Amber are warned to stay away from him. But not before Zoey learns the greatest secret of all – there is a spaceship hidden above the ocean near the actual lighthouse!
2626"Flight"[4]Evan ClarryChris Roache14 December 2012 (2012-12-14)21 November 2012126

Amber, Zoey and Kiki take a last surf of Lightning Point’s waves. Zoey and Kiki will miss this place – and Amber – when they leave for Lumina tonight with Brandon, who is in search of his Lumian mother and human father. But Sergeant Mitchell doesn’t lay off a case easily and just as Brandon is recharging, Sergeant Mitchell discovers his alien technology. Detaining Brandon and confiscating the boat and card, Sergeant Mitchell has put a dampener on the girls' escape, before a hair-raising plan sees Brandon rescued. But with Brandon now on the run, he makes the biggest decision of his life – to give up his powers and transfer his energy so Zoey and Kiki can leave without him.

It’s an emotional farewell between Brandon and Zoey before the real battle starts – getting Kiki and Zoey onto the boat and out to the spaceship. While Brandon creates an extraterrestrial diversion, Kiki and Zoey sail the boat to the lighthouse with Luca and Amber’s help. But suddenly, a lightning storm hits Lightning Point. Will it be too dangerous to risk searching for the ship with their card? And will there even be a spaceship to find?

  • A compilation movie has been made representing the series with scenes pertaining to the series' overall story arc and was broadcast on Nickelodeon Australia on 24 February 2013.

International release dates

Country / Region Channel Series premiere Title in country
United States TeenNick 29 May 2012 (2012-05-29) Alien Surf Girls
Portugal SIC 2 June 2012 (2012-06-02) As Surfistas do Outro Mundo
(English: The Other World Surfers)
Australia Network Ten
Nickelodeon (Australia)		 22 June 2012 (2012-06-22)
August 2012 (2012-08)		 Lightning Point
Netherlands
Belgium		 Disney Channel
(Netherlands & Flanders)		 25 June 2012 (2012-06-25) Lightning Point
Germany KiKa 9 July 2012 (2012-07-09) Alien Surfgirls
United Kingdom
Ireland		 Nickelodeon (UK & Ireland) 23 July 2012 (2012-07-23) Alien Surf Girls
Russia Disney Channel (Russia) 3 September 2012 (3 September 2012) Неземной сёрфинг
(English: Unearthly Surfing)
France France Ô 21 April 2013 (2013-04-21) Lightning Point
Romania Disney Channel (Romania) 2013 (2013) Alien World Point
Poland Disney XD (Poland) 2013 (2013) Alien World Point
Canada BBC Kids 5 October 2012 (2012-10-05) Lightning Point
Italy Rai Due 13 January 2013 (2013-01-13) Alien Surf Girls
Hungary M2 2013 (2013) Csajok a zŰrből
Finland Yle TV2 3 June 2013 (2013-06-03) Kosmiset surffitytöt
(English: Cosmic Surf Girls)
Czech Republic Česká televize 5 July 2014 (2014-07-05) Surfařky z vesmíru
Spain Clan 2014 Lightning Point
Philippines GMA Network 6 March 2017 (2017-03-06) Alien Surf Girls
Sri Lanka TV Derana 20 August 2018 (2018-08-20) Sakwala Kumariyo

References

  1. ^ "TeenNick to Add "H2O", "Alien Surf Girls" in May" (Press release). TeenNick. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2016 – via The Futon Critic.
  2. ^ Linden, Shaun (3 July 2012). "Nickelodeon to Screen Alien Surf Girls". atvtoday.co.uk. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  3. ^ Jess Green [@JessGreen2] (13 January 2013). "@AnnaJessGreen heyy sorry girl no season two :(" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Showatch – View all related listings – Alien Surf Girls (Teen Nick)". The Futon Critic.

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