Friday, September 10, 2010

Planet of the Apes, TV

1974
The APES franchise has been lampooned for trotting out one inferior product after another (four sequels, one TV series, one cartoon), milking that cash cow. This allegation is unfair, yet not maliciously so. None of the spawns came anywhere near the 1968 masterpiece, yet it can't be said that they weren't trying. You try living up to the 27th greatest film of all time.
When the series aired, the public had already been subjected to four flaccid follow-ups. Within half a season, the series was tossed on the dustheap. A sad turn of events, because it had the potential to be the only worthy successor.
How many promising series are canned after less than one season? How many brilliant shows stumble through a shaky first season?
The premise is similar to the movie. Astronauts return to earth after 2000 years, to find a planet run by apes, with humans in bondage. Direct connection to the characters and events of the films is nebulous and inconsistent, and all humans now have the ability to talk. There is, however, an organgutan named Zaius, and Roddy McDowell plays the chimpanzee Galen, who joins the two astronauts as fugitives on the run. McDowell is brilliant as always. Ron Harper (Uncle Jack, LAND OF THE LOST) and James Naughton are solid as the astronauts Virdon and Burke (Jersey City, baby!). And brilliantly apish is Mark Lenard (Sarek, STAR TREK) as arch-nemesis gorilla General Urko. Also delightful are the guest appearances (Michael Conrad of HILL STREET BLUES, Marc Singer of THE BEASTMASTER, Sondra Locke, Roscoe Lee Browne of SOAP, Oscar-winner Jackie Earl Haley of THE BAD NEWS BEARS, and many "oh that guy!" moments). If you fancy drinking games, the one for this series would be whenever someone shouts "Think, Urko, think!!"
They filmed fourteen episodes. Many are plagued by iffy writing, sometimes painfully so. But some came together wonderfully, and despite the smaller budget, you never question the reality of the ape world. So if you're in the mood for an APES-athon, start with the movie, then go to these episodes:
-The Legacy
Virdon is captured, and incarcerated with a mother and her angry son. He and the woman develop feelings while he tries to win over the son, who is collaborating with the apes.
-The Trap
Burke is trapped in a subway tunnel collapse with Urko. They must escape together.
-The Deception
The fugitives befriend a blind ape named Fauna whose human-sympathizer father was killed by vigilantes. Unaware of her father's politics, or that her uncle is a vigilante, or that Galen's companions are human (setting the all-time record for TV guest character obliviousness), she falls in love with Burke. When she discovers the truth(s), her world crashes down.

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