"Planet of the Apes" (1974)TV series

Writer:

Jim Byrnes (writer)

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

13 September 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

Two astronauts and a sympathetic chimp friend are fugitives in a future Earth dominated by a civilization of humanoid apes.

Plot Keywords:

Planet Of The Apes | Ape | Ape Man | Simian Fiction | Chase

Cast

Roddy McDowall	...	Galen (14 episodes, 1974)
Ron Harper	...	Alan Virdon (14 episodes, 1974)
James Naughton	...	Pete Burke (14 episodes, 1974)
Mark Lenard	...	Urko (11 episodes, 1974)
Ron Stein	...	First Gorilla / ... (11 episodes, 1974-1981)
Booth Colman	...	Zaius (6 episodes, 1974)
Eldon Burke	...	Chilot / ... (5 episodes, 1974)

Runtime:

UK:47 min | USA:60 min (14 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:PG | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:13 | Australia:G | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

The 24-foot plywood spaceship from the first movie appears for the last time, in the pilot episode.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the pilot episode (after the astronauts have been captured by Urko), Alan abrades the ropes binding his wrists against a rock. Yet in the close-up of his wrists, the ropes are not frayed where he had been rubbing them and they don't break. They just fall off his arms.

Quotes:

Pete Burke: [coming around after crash landing on Earth] It's like a hangover without the pleasure of booze.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Planet of the Erotic Ape (2002) (V)

Enjoyable stuff!

The Planet of the Apes TV series is often unfairly criticised (as are the four film sequels) for falling far short of the epoch-making original movie.

However, there is much to be enjoyed for PotA devotees and the less committed alike. The three leading characters of Galen, Virdon and Burke are all instantly likeable and well acted, Mark Lenard is superb as their pursuer Urko, who is second as a Gorilla commander only to James Gregory's peerless performance as Ursus in "Beneath") and Booth Colman evokes Maurice Evans as Zauis (although this Zauis cannot be the same ape as played by Evans in the first two films). Many fine and memorable guest roles throughout and interesting - if slightly repetitive - storylines add up to a satisfying series.

The only downside is the somewhat corny dialogue - especially certain lines spoken by Burke - which rob a number of scenes of their effectiveness.