Peter Benchley’s Amazon had its genesis over a year ago when Peter Benchley, the man behind Jaws and The Deep, posed the question, ‘What would happen if a plane crashed over the Amazon and six people survived?’

That led to plans for a $1.8 million per episode Alliance Atlantis’ series, which led to an adventurous trip to the region where the show is set, followed by the construction of a very elaborate, exotic and precise set by production designer Harold Thrasher.

Last October, the production team of producer Peter Meyboom, writer Malcolm MacRury Thrasher and Benchley took off to Manaus, Brazil, located at the conjunction of the Rio Negro and Amazon Rivers in Brazil to begin research for the set, and from there traveled to a research centre deep in the heart of the rain forest.

‘While we were there we were thinking we could do stories about jaguars and snakes and Indians, about how dense the jungle is. All day long we would hike and talk about all the possibilities,’ says Meyboom. ‘A lot of our first visceral reaction ended up in the script.’

When it came time to cast the six main roles, the production team was not looking for stars – Benchley and the backdrop for the series would fulfill that need – but half a dozen solid actors with star potential.

The lucky (or not so lucky, depending on the episode) survivors include Dr. Alex Kennedy, a hot-shot heart surgeon played by C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders) and Karen Oldham, a veteran flight attendant and the sole survivor from the crew played by supermodel Carol Alt. Rounding out the cast are Chris Martin (Johnny) as Jimmy Stack, a game show contestant who won a trip to Rio; Fabiana Udenio (Mortal Kombat) as Pia Claire, a glamorous young opera diva; Tyler Hynes (The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo) as 14-year-old Will Bauer; and Rob Stewart (Two of Hearts) as Andrew Talbott, a teacher with a terminal illness who takes a turn for the better once in the Amazon.

Giving the series even more authenticity, and joining the actors on the Amazon set, is a zoo-full of exotic animals, including a jaguar named Begheera (purchased by the production from the Bowmanville Zoo), monkeys, parrots, llamas, boars, snakes, spiders, an iguana (which took off when the director called ‘Action’) and a caiman (a small alligator), which disappeared in the thick of the set and resurfaced a few days later at the pizza table.

When the storyline called for an adult alligator and a Fer de Lance (an extremely dangerous snake), animatronics were called in. Likewise, when the script calls for wide shots that can’t be done in the studio, the scenes are shot in Queensland, Australia.

The backdrop for the series is a most impressive two acres of dense green trees and plants – some real, most fake – in the Toronto studio. The ground is dirt, a waterfall flows down a cliff, and thatched roofs dot the tree line. There are caves and caverns and a warm river flowing down the middle. According to those who made the trip to Brazil, it’s an exact replica of the real thing.

‘When I sit on the set and it’s quiet I can see bits of the places where Harold and I sat and talked and made sketches,’ says Meyboom. ‘It’s incredible what he has done – he is a magician. He caught the vibe. It’s not just the look, it’s the vibe.’

Alwyn Kumst is cinematographer on the show and directors include Ron Oliver, Terry Ingram, John Bell, Jon Cassar, Holly Dale, Ross Clyde, Luc Chalifour, and T.W. Peacock, Milan Cheylov. Penning the scripts are Heather Conkie, Alison Lea Bingeham, Rick Drew, Paul Aitken and MacRury.

Seaton McLean, Peter Sussman and Benchley are executive producers. The show airs on WIC Television starting this month.