Mystic (TV series)

Mystic is a New Zealand environmental teen drama television series produced by Libertine Pictures and Slim film+television for CBBC, TVNZ and the Seven Network.

Created by Amy Shindler and Beth Chalmers, it is based on Pony Club Secrets, Stacy Gregg's series of pony novels, the first of which is Mystic and the Midnight Ride (2007). Set on the fictional peninsula of Kauri Point, New Zealand, Mystic tells the story of Issie Brown and her new-found friendships with the town's teen horse riders, and their efforts to save Kauri Point from an industrial development that threatens it. It stars Macey Chipping. The series premiered on CBBC and BBC iPlayer in the UK on 14 July 2020. Mystic season two launched in November 2021 and series three in July 2022.

Season two won Best Children's Programme at the Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2022 and in 2023, Season three picked up the award for Best Children's Programme at the NZTV awards.

Cast and characters

 * Macey Chipping as Issie Brown. Having just moved from London to Kauri Point, she struggles to make friends and misses her old home. However, a chance encounter with wild ponies Blaze and Mystic convinces her to stay.
 * Laura Patch as Amanda Brown, Issie's mother.
 * Cathy Downes as Mitch, Amanda's mother and Issie's grandmother.
 * Phil Brown as Sam Tucker, father of Natasha Tucker.
 * Kirk Torrance as Tom Avery
 * Jonny Brugh as Kenny Burford, mayor of Kauri Point.
 * Antonia Robinson as Natasha Tucker, one of Kauri Point's teen riders.
 * Max Crean as Dan Townley, one of Kauri Point's teen riders.
 * Jacqueline Joe as Caroline Burford, one of Kauri Point's teen riders.
 * Joshua Tan as Caleb Burford, one of Kauri Point's teen riders.
 * Harriet Walton as Stella Tarrant, one of Kauri Point's teen riders.
 * Romy Mukerjee as Anisha
 * Milo Cawthorne as Adam
 * Katlyn Wong as Corinne
 * Anais Shand as Dora
 * Kelson Henderson as Jake
 * Carrie Green as Miriama
 * Alison Bruce as Julia
 * Xander Manktelow as Hamish Tarrant
 * Madeleine Adams as Bianca, Dulmoth Park Rider
 * Annise Boothroyd as Nicole, Dulmoth Park Rider

Production
On 2 October 2018, NZ on Air announced their decision to fund 13 28-minute episodes of Mystic for up to $1,000,000.

Gilly Poole, Suzanne Crowley and Tina Cleary were the series' casting directors. On 10 March 2020, it was announced that Macey Chipping and Laura Patch would play Issie Brown and her mother respectively, alongside a New Zealand cast of Phil Brown, Jacqueline Joe, Kirk Torrance, Cathy Downes, Jonny Brugh, Antonia Robinson, Max Crean, Josh Tan and Harriet Walton.

The series was scheduled to start filming in New Zealand in January 2020, and on 10 March 2020, it was revealed that filming had begun in Auckland, New Zealand. Filming halted when New Zealand went into lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and on 5 April 2020, the BBC reported that Chipping had temporarily returned to the UK. Eight episodes from the first season were completed pre-COVID, with the other five completed during the pandemic. After the first series had completed airing, Mystic was renewed for second and third seasons. In February 2022, it was announced by Up TV that the show would premiere as part of the original programming catalog of its streaming service platform Up Faith & Family in April, followed by its linear debut 2 months later on June 2, 2022, airing after Heartland.