The late 1990s action-adventure series Relic Hunter, starring Tia Carrere as archaeologist Sydney Fox, is now streaming for free on platforms including YouTube, Tubi and The Roku Channel. The show, which premiered in 1999, drew comparisons to the Tomb Raider franchise. Carrere has distanced her character from Lara Croft, calling Sydney Fox more realistic.
Relic Hunter follows Sydney Fox, played by Tia Carrere, on globe-trotting quests for ancient relics alongside sidekick Nigel Bailey, portrayed by Christien Anholt. Her assistants included Claudia, played by Lindy Booth, who was replaced by Tanja Reichert as Karen Petrusky in the final season. The series aired amid other female-led action shows like Xena: Warrior Princess, V.I.P. and Sheena. Tia Carrere addressed similarities to Tomb Raider's Lara Croft in interviews. She said, 'Lara Croft wears shorts and a muscle tee! Let's be honest, she's completely inappropriately dressed for what she does. That's more of a fantasy ... character than a real woman. She's like a Barbie doll that moves and shoots people. Sydney Fox is real.' Carrere drew inspiration from Indiana Jones, stating, 'I was an Indiana Jones fan like crazy. I wanted to be Harrison Ford.' When Tomb Raider's first live-action film starring Angelina Jolie released in June 2001, Carrere commented, 'Me and Angelina ... those tattoos kind of scare me. She's kinda tough, but I'm a lover, not a fighter.' The series predated that movie but now joins free streaming options. Meanwhile, a Tomb Raider TV adaptation starring Sophie Turner is in development for Prime Video.
