Planet of the Apes tv series. (1 Viewer)

[Bryan^H]

It lasted only 14 episodes in 1974/75. A very good series that it seems is overlooked. It plays a bit like a classic western show mixed with good sci-fi/post apocolyptic vibe that is pure escapism. Of all the tv dvd's I own this is at the very top for rewatchability. This is classic television. Any fans of this show? What's your favorite episode?

 

[Carabimero]

I liked the show a lot. It reminds me of my favorite show, The Fugitive, as it draws on the same archetype, the persecuted savior. Virdon and Burke and Galen are hunted each week but they enter a community and somehow heal it; yet they remain hunted.

I liked the pilot. I also liked that Urko is always telling the other apes to kill the humans and nobody listens to him.

The series was re-packaged and aired as a series of movies, for which McDowell recorded some new introductions that included the final fate of Burke and Virdon!

 

[RickER]

The ONLY episode i really liked was the one where Urko fell into the BART station with one of the astronauts. Even as a kid i thought it was only OK, and not great TV. I had just seen Conquest of the Planet of the Apes that week. They had aired all the movies leading up to the new show. Well, as you might remember from Conquest, dogs and cats all died, thats why man domesticated apes. So, what do they do in the very first scene, in the very first episode...show a dog. The show messed with the timeline that the movies only half ass laid out as well. Hard for me to accept as cannon. I own it, but i sure would love to own Fantastic Journey more.

 

[Bryan^H]

Although it is in the POTA universe, It doesn't fit very well with the timeline. I just tend to forget the movies when watching it. Roddy Mcdowall truly shines in the series, and the formula the show used has been done quite a bit in tv but it really seems to work well in this series. The more I watch it the better it gets.

 

[GuruAskew]

There is a timeline online somewhere that actually incorporates all the different incarnations of "Apes" into a single "canon". It takes a lot of liberties to make everything fit. As far as I'm concerned the first 5 movies are one "canon" and the live-action series, the animated series and the remake are all self-contained.

People assume that the live-action series takes place between "Battle" and the original film but they never explicitly mention the events of the film series and it's pretty much standard for television adaptations of films to present something of an alternate reality of the movie they're based upon rather than sequelizing it.

But yeah, the show is formulaic (every episode is a variation on the "fugitive" concept) and what specific settings for that formula that were used were cliche (is there any show that HASN'T done the "hero and villain get stuck in an enclosed space and have to work together to get out" story?) but hey, it's 14 hours of television with Roddy McDowall in ape makeup. That's more than you can say about the animated series, which really has no redeeming qualities.

 

[Pete Battista]

This is one of those sets I bought (a blind buy)... and haven't watched yet. I may have to pull it out after I finish my Charmed marathon.

 

[Carabimero]

I thought the animated apes series, which I recently watched on DVD, was actually quite well done with intelligent writing, if not sophisticated animation.

 

[Radioman970]

Felt it was like Bonanza or Little House on the Prairie. Even a little Star Trek in feel. Pretty good show.

They took a few episodes, strung them together and gave them names. The list of those is in the episode guide at imdb.com. Anyway, I caught several (taped them) one afternoon on local TV and remembered seeing the show version as a child. I wanted all those films but they never aired them again. I watched that tape several times since they were so enjoyable and didn't feel awkward when watched after some of the theatrical films in the series. Very nostalgic too.

When it finally hit DVD I bought it right away and was very impressed with it overall. It's actually well acted. I would have preferred more episodes taking place around the ruined cities. Those might be my favorites. Although the one with Beverly Garland (who looked hot even in the ape makeup ) is probably my most favorite. She gives a good performance. Also maybe the one about the horse race. It's been years since I've watched these.

 

[Sam Favate]

Oh, I completely disagree. The animated series - which will never win any awards for fluid, lively animation - was very well-written and had a continuing storyline. Each episodes leads into the next, which makes for cliffhangers in some cases and a strong sense of continuity -- things usually missing from Saturday morning fare. Like the animated Star Trek (a contemporary of POTA), it was much more mature than a cartoon had any right to be.

The live-action show was a lot of fun, and the astronauts were good additions to the POTA series. Mark Lenard was a lot of fun as Urko, and as noted, McDowell was great as Galen.

 

[Radioman970]

I've got to get that animated series. I'm been in no hurry since the reviews aren't terribly good.

 

[Pete Battista]

I also have the animated series... which is also in my unwatched pile. So I take it most you think I should watch the Live-action series first... then the animated series?

 

[Regulus]

I have the Movies and Both Series. (I liked the Animated Series better than the Live-Action Ones,) I only wish they made a Movie that explained what started the Nuclear War that changed the World as we knew it in the series.

 

[njoberheim]

Gees! Thanks a lot everyone. Now you guys are gonna make me add this to my already overloaded wish list!

 

[Brian Himes]

I have all of the movies and both TV series as well and I like each and every incarnation (except the remake movie) to a degree.

I think that the live action TV series was pretty good, but it could have been better. Instead of every week being a remake of a Fugitive episode, they should have used a more continuing story concept like the animated series did. They could still have kept the Fugitive aspect to the series but it may not have been so formulaic.

I'm surprised with all of the remakes of TV shows that seem to have sprung up in the past few years that someone at Fox hasn't thought about remaking the live action show. The show had really great potential but like I said it got bogged down in its 'formula' and just couldn't seem to rise above it. I still think the show is a prime candidate for a remake.

 

[Bryan^H]

I like the live-action quite a bit better. I'd start with that one, but as far as order it doesn't matter. As mentioned in an earlier post each of the tv shows stand alone.

 

[Pete Battista]

Thanks Bryan

 

[Bryan^H]

I loved the ruined city episodes(The Trap, The Legacy) and The Horse Race was indeed one of the best episodes. Weird everytime I watch the series I have a new favorite episode
My brother was a huge fan and watched it when it originally aired. I didn't get into it until the spliced tv movies for an "Ape Week" in the early 80's.
Here is a promo I found for one:
YouTube - WKBS Channel 48 - Movie Promo & Commercial (1981)

 

[Bryan^H]

You know, I thought the same thing. A remake could be great if it sticks with the same idea. Urko hunting the humans each week, but actual discoveries and revelations from the humans as well. I agree the original tv series never got very deep, but I feel it may just not had enough time. Given a second season, we may have had some real awesome episodes very unfortunate it got canceled:frowning:
It's still fantastic television, in the spirit of The Fugitive, and Kung-Fu.

 

[Carabimero]

I actually thought the writing in the animated show was much better. Unofrtunately the "primitive" animation delivers a huge blow to the overall effect. But if you can "get used" to the animation, the series is excellent.

 

[Brian Himes]

I agree. The ground work is already there. I've even thought about what the pilot would be like. If you combine the scripts for Escape From Tomorrow and The Legacy, add a prologue set in the present day showing the astronaughts blasting off and their entrace into the time warp and their subsequent crash landing you have a two hour pilot episode that sets everything up for the rest of the series. Of course the old scripts would need a bit of tweaking to bring them more in line with today's history but that's a minor adjustment.

Teh series could have stand alone episodes with an overall story arc that would lead to the eventual conclusion of Virdon and Burke finding a way back to their own time. In fact, they could even discover in one of those ancient scientific vaults a recording from their older selves informing them that they will eventually make it home.

A new series could have some really great possibilities if someone would give it a chance. It's just sitting there waiting to be revisited.