Planet of the Apes
|
Planet of the Apes
 | |
|---|---|
| Episodes: | 14 |
| Year: | 1974 |
| Country: | United States |
| Seasons: | 1 |
| Seasons Breakdown: | (1) 14 |
| Category: | Earth Future |
| Colour: | Yes |
| Format: | Series |
| Company: | 20th Century Fox Television |
| Creator: | Pierre Boulle (Based on Characters by Pierre Boulle) |
| Run Time (mins): | 60 |
| Language: | English |
| Type of Show: | Live Action |
| Status: | Ended |
| Broadcaster: | CBS |
| First Aired: | September 13, 1974 |
| Last Aired: | December 20, 1974 |
Summary
The television adaptation of Planet of the Apes follows the broad premise established by the film series, depicting a distant future in which Earth is dominated by an advanced ape civilisation and humans occupy an inferior, largely pre‑industrial position. Scientific knowledge has deteriorated to the point that both species live in conditions reminiscent of the mediaeval period. As in the first two theatrical films, the narrative is initiated by the arrival of two American astronauts who pass through a time warp and land on this future Earth, where they are immediately regarded as fugitives by the ruling apes.
In the series, the astronauts are Alan Virdon and Pete Burke. Their spacecraft, launched in 1980, returns to Earth in the year 3085, with the crew having aged less than a single day due to relativistic effects. After crash‑landing, they recover the ship’s flight records, which may contain information enabling them to return to their own era, but they lack the technology required to play them back. Virdon and Burke quickly become targets of the ape authorities, notably Dr. Zaius, head of the governing council, and General Urko, commander of the military, who is personally determined to capture them.
The astronauts receive assistance from Galen, a chimpanzee portrayed by Roddy McDowall, who had appeared in different roles in the feature films. Together, the trio travel across the planet in search of a means to access the flight data while evading Urko’s forces. The series adopts a narrative structure similar to The Fugitive, with the protagonists moving from place to place, aiding various communities while remaining under constant pursuit.
Cast
Galen RODDY MCDOWALL, Alan Virdon RON HARPER, Peter Burke JAMES NAUGHTON, General Urko MARK LENARD, Dr. Zaius BOOTH COLMAN, Barlow JOHN HOYT.
Tags: Earth Future, United States, 1974, English
Links: