Plot
Like its predecessor, Total Drama Island, this season's series is an "animated reality show" starring fourteen teenagers. This series still portrays likeliness towards other physical and social shows, like Fear Factor and The Real World. The original twenty-two "campers" were cut down to fifteen "cast-mates" after the reunion special's dramatic ending between these seasons. Both host and assistant Chris McClean and Chef Hatchet will return as the cast-mates' supervisors and challenge distributors. The theme of this series is "Cinematography". These fifteen cast-mates have found out that they will be staying in an abandoned movie studio lot in Toronto, Ontario. Since the theme is all about movies, the competitors are treated as real actors. They stay in small, unaccomodating actors' trailers competing against each other and themselves. Challenges come back for this season, as well. Unlike the random TDI challenges, TDA challenges will be based upon which movie genre the cast-mates will portray. The "mess hall" of TDI will also be replaced this season with The Craft Services Tent, which will also be catered by Chef Hatchet, once more. The "outhouse/confession can" of TDI was used to let the audience at home know what the campers were really thinking about. In TDA, this was replaced with the "Make-Up Confessional", a room full of make-up and body enhancements. If the cast-mates were able to make it past Chris, the daily challenge(s), and themselves, their fate would, then, have to be decided. TDI also used the outhouse/confession can to cast votes as to who they would like voted off. Cast-mates of TDA now used "voting devices" placed under their seats to vote someone off. The elimination bonfire ceremony was replaced with an "awards ceremony", where all but one person would receive a Gilded Chris Statuette (which took the place of the marshmallows). The losers of Total Drama Island had to walk down the Dock of Shame, board the Boat of Losers, and leave the campsite (to go to La Playa De Losers); however, the Total Drama Action losers must walk down the Red Carpet Walk of Shame, get into the Lame-O-Sine, and leave the film lot for good (it is unknown to the viewing world where the losers go). This process is supposed to continue until one cast-mate is left on the film lot. That one cast-mate will, then, take home the $1,000,000 cash prize.
Characters
The Total Drama Action cast consists of Chris McClean (the host), Chef Hatchet (the caterer and assistant), and the fourteen teens that make up the cast-mates. These cast-mates were divided into teams of six: The "Screaming Gaffers" and The "Killer Grips". Geoff and Bridgette, two of the fourteen cast-mates were eliminated before Episode 3, "Riot On Set", when the teams were decided. Gwen and Trent won the challenge of that same episode and got the privilege of choosing the teams for the rest of the season. Courtney, a "camper" who did not qualify for Total Drama Action, has been proven to join the remaining cast-mates due to a technicality with the last season. She also been proven to which team she will be on. Below is a list of the cast-mates, the team that they are on, and their status in the competition:
Position  |
Cast Mate |
Team |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 - 15 | Bridgette | N/A | Eliminated 1st / 2nd in Episode 2 "Alien Resurr-eggtion" |
| Geoff | |||
| 13.5 | E-Scope | The Killer Grips | Eliminated 3rd in Episode 3 "Riot on Set" |
| 13 | Trent | The Killer Grips (1st Captain) |
Eliminated 4th in Episode 5 "3:10 to Crazytown" (Canada) "Wacky Wild West" (USA) |
| 12 | Gwen | The Screaming Gaffers (1st Captain) |
Eliminated 5th in Episode 7 "The Chefshank Redemption" |
| 11 | DJ | The Screaming Gaffers | Eliminated 6th in Episode 9 "The Sand Witch Project" |
| 10.5 | Explosivo | The Killer Grips | Eliminated 7th in Episode 11 "Full Metal Drama" |
| Beth | The Killer Grips | Active | |
| Courtney | The Killer Grips | Inactive1 | |
| Duncan | The Screaming Gaffers (Captain) |
Active | |
| Harold | The Screaming Gaffers | Active | |
| Heather | The Screaming Gaffers | Active | |
| Izzy/ Esquire |
The Killer Grips | Inactive2 | |
| Justin | The Killer Grips (2nd Captain) |
Active | |
| Leshawna | The Screaming Gaffers | Active | |
| Lindsay | The Killer Grips (Captain) |
Active | |
| Owen | The Killer Grips | Active |
1 Courtney is presently an inactive cast-mate. She is scheduled to begin competing as a Total Drama Action cast-mate in Episode 13, "Ocean's Eight - Or Nine".
2 In Episode 11, "Full Metal Drama", Izzy was voted off as one of her alter-egos, Explosivo. With "Explosivo" being voted out, it has been hinted that Izzy may return as either herself or another alter-ego.
Production
Like Total Drama Island, Total Drama Action was developed and produced by Fresh TV, targeting an age group of 10 to 15 year olds.
Various Voice actors from 6Teen come back as the same actors for the same people of this season. Christian Potenza as Chris McClean, Julia Chantrey as Eva; Drew Nelson as Duncan; Megan Fahlenbock as Gwen; Adam Reid as Justin; Stephanie Anne Mills as Lindsay; Rachel Wilson as Heather; and Emilie Barlow as Courtney.
Total Drama Action Interactive
Like for the series, Total Drama Island, Teletoon has released an interactive website for Total Drama Action, more than likely entitled, "Total Drama Action Interactive". Also, like Total Drama Island, it features games similar to the challenges, and will have new, updated games every week, along with the televised challenges.
Aside from this, there is also an introductory game entitled "Wheel-O-Secrets". In this game, the player uses skill to stop roulette wheels to match up the heads, bodies, and legs/feet of Owen, Gwen, Heather, Duncan, LeShawna, Geoff, Izzy (E-Scope / Explosivo / Esquire), DJ, Lindsay, Bridgette, Trent, Harold, Beth, Justin, and mystery cast-mate Courtney, to their appropriate and correct positions.
Total Drama, The Musical
It has been announced that there will be a third season of the Total Drama series. Currently, not much is known about the season, but it is rumored to be called Total Drama, The Musical.[3] It has been revealed on the official production blog that both Todd Kauffman and Mark Thornton will not be the directors of the third season. Kauffman's last day on the show was February 6, 2009, and Thornton will leave at the end of Total Drama Action.
Elimination table
| Place |
Contestant |
Ep 14 | Ep 25 | Ep 3 | Ep 44 | Ep 5 | Ep 66 | Ep 7 | Ep 84 | Ep 97 | Ep 104 | Ep 11 | Ep 126 | Ep 13 | Ep 14 | Ep 15 | Ep 16 | Ep 17 | Ep 18 | Ep 19 | Ep 20 | Ep 21 | Ep 22 | Ep 23 | Ep 24 | Ep 25 | Ep 26 | Ep 27 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | Beth | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | HIGH | IN | ||||||||||||||||
| TBA | Courtney | Debuts in Episode 13, "Ocean's Eight - Or Nine" [4] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TBA | Duncan | WIN | IN | WIN | WIN | WIN | IN | HIGH | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | IN | ||||||||||||||||
| TBA | Harold | WIN | IN | WIN | WIN | WIN | IN | IN | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | IN | ||||||||||||||||
| TBA | Heather | IN | IN | WIN | WIN | WIN | IN | LOW | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | IN | ||||||||||||||||
| TBA | Izzy/Esquire | Inactive Cast-Mate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TBA | Justin | WIN | IN | LOW | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IN | LOW | IN | LOW | IN | ||||||||||||||||
| TBA | LeShawna | IN | LOW | WIN | WIN | WIN | IN | IN | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | IN | ||||||||||||||||
| TBA | Lindsay | IN | IN | LOW | IN | HIGH | IN | WIN | IN | LOW | IN | IN | IN | ||||||||||||||||
| TBA | Owen | WIN | IN | IN | IN | LOW | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | ||||||||||||||||
| 10.5 | Explosivo1 | Returns in Episode 7, "The Chefshank Redemption" 3 | WIN | IN | HIGH | IN | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | DJ | WIN | IN | WIN | WIN | WIN | IN | IN | WIN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Gwen | IN | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | IN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Trent | WIN | HIGH | HIGH | IN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13.5 | E-Scope | IN | IN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 - 15 | Geoff 2 Bridgette 2 |
WIN | OUT | Current Co-Host of Total Drama Action Aftermath | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IN | OUT | Current Co-Hostess of Total Drama Action Aftermath | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Teams
- This cast-mate was chosen by Gwen in Episode 3, "Riot on Set", to be on the team of The Screaming Gaffers on Total Drama Action.
- This cast-mate was chosen by Trent in Episode 3, "Riot on Set", to be on the team of The Killer Grips on Total Drama Action.
Challenge wins
- This cast-mate has met the qualifications of a certain episode's challenge(s) to win the challenge and its prize (mostly team invincibility) for their entire team.
- This cast-mate has met the qualifications of a certain episode's challenge(s) to win a challenge and its prize (mostly team invincibility) from another cast-mate.
- This cast-mate has met the qualifications of a certain episode's challenge(s) to win a challenge and its prize (mostly solo invincibility) for themselves and had their name called first at the Gilded Chris Ceremony.
Gilded Chris Ceremony recipients
- This cast-mate is still competing in Total Drama Action as of that episode, and had their name called first at the Gilded Chris Ceremony.
- This cast-mate is still competing in Total Drama Action as of that episode, and had their name called at the Gilded Chris Ceremony.
- This cast-mate is still competing in Total Drama Action as of that episode, but had their name called last at the Gilded Chris Ceremony.
Eliminations
- This cast-mate has been voted off regularly on Total Drama Action.
- This cast-mate has been "voted off" irregularly or through other campers' motives on Total Drama Action.
- This cast-mate has been eliminated from Total Drama Action.
1 Izzy (E-Scope / Explosivo / Esquire) was an exception to the Total Drama Action rules, and came back to the set of Total Drama Action after being previously eliminated. This cast-mate has now been proven to have two places in Total Drama Action, and has been hinted to later have at least three places since this cast-mate has not been voted off regularly under her own name.
2 Geoff and Bridgette were voted off/eliminated before the teams were picked in Episode 3, "Riot on Set".
3 Izzy was one cast-mate who returned to Total Drama Action due to a technicality of her previous vote-off. After the "E-Scope" vote-off, Izzy noticed this technicality and reprimanded Chris and The Killer Grips that her alter-ego, Kaleidoscope (E-Scope), was voted out, making Izzy technically still in the running for the $1,000,000. In Episode 11, "Full Metal Drama", Izzy created a new alter-ego, Explosivo. This creation, along with her losing this episode's challenge for The Killer Grips, were the two main reasons she was eliminated once again. But, the vote went in as "Explosivo" being voted off, so it has been hinted in Episode 11 that Izzy may return.
4 Episodes 1, 4, 8 and 10, "Monster Cash", "Beach Blanket Bogus", "One Flu Over the Cuckoos" and "Master of Disaster", feature "Reward Challenges", where no cast-mate was eligible to be voted off or eliminated; however, the winning team member(s) get a prize instead.
5 Episode 2, "Alien Resur-eggtion" does feature a Gilded Chris Ceremony that features two cast-mates getting voted off and/or eliminated.
6 Episode 6 and 12, "TDA Aftermath #1" and "TDA Aftermath #2", does not feature a normal episode of Total Drama Action with the competitors, but does feature a mini-series, entitled TDA Aftermath. This was a talk show which featured all of the non-participating and eliminated Total Drama Action contestants.
7 Episode 9, "The Sand Witch Project", feature a "Unique Elimination", where one of the two teams win the challenge and invincibility, but still end up losing one of their cast-mates.
