I was 10 years old in 1974. A perfect age for the "Ape-mania" of the early 70's. I had heard that a TV series based on the Ape movies was in the works and couldn't wait. Unfortunately, the show was on at a time when the two television sets in the house were both tuned to other stations. Some how, I was able to watch the second half of "The Trap", which had Astronaut-on-the-run Peter Burke trapped in a caved-in subway station with the Ape who had been pursuing him. General Urko wanted Burke and his partner, Alan Virden captured, Dead Or - well, just plain Dead was Urko's preference.
That half hour of the PotA series was, to my 10 year old self, one of the most wonderfully amazing half hours of TV that I had ever experienced. And then, that was it. I never saw another minute of the show. Until...
49 years later. I hadn't seen the Ape films for some 25 years or so. Decided to search them out and in doing so, re-discovered the existence of the TV series. Though I had known the series was quickly canceled, I did not know that only 14 episodes were produced. Now, I've seen all 14, and I have to say that these 14 hours (or so) are 14 of the most wonderfully amazing hours of TV that I have ever experienced!
Of the 14 episodes, there are 2 which perhaps are not of the quality of the other 12. But those other 12 are very good. My 10 year old self definitely knew great TV when seeing it, because that 1 episode, "The Trap" is a 10/10 delight. Although I have to question as to why Burke and Urko didn't at least try to see if they could squeeze past the subway car to see if there was a way out down the tunnel. (A thought which even my 10 year old self had wondered all those years ago!) Regardless of that though, the episode is an intense tour-de-force for the two actors as their characters fight, relate and come to cooperate to earn their escape. Urko's discovery of a centuries-old San Fransisco Zoo advertisement poster, and his reaction was something that stayed with me as a child and has now made an impact on me once again.
Though some episodes show a cheap production cost, the writing on all is terrific and the direction and cinematography is excellent. The three lead actors are fantastic and they seem to be having a blast on the show. Semi-regulars are wonderful and the Guest-stars, whether under incredible Ape make-up or playing shabbily dressed humans, all seem to know that they're part of something very special. There is sometimes some "rough" acting from lesser, background characters, but that is always easily forgivable.
An awful shame that only 14 episodes were produced. This show quickly demonstrated it's promise. It would have been very interesting to see how the series would have played out. Speaking of which, as of this writing (January, 2023) the two actors who portrayed astronauts Virden and Burke, are living and acting. It's time for a current Television or Streaming Service to pick up the Planet of the Apes TV series and get these two courageous astronauts home!
That half hour of the PotA series was, to my 10 year old self, one of the most wonderfully amazing half hours of TV that I had ever experienced. And then, that was it. I never saw another minute of the show. Until...
49 years later. I hadn't seen the Ape films for some 25 years or so. Decided to search them out and in doing so, re-discovered the existence of the TV series. Though I had known the series was quickly canceled, I did not know that only 14 episodes were produced. Now, I've seen all 14, and I have to say that these 14 hours (or so) are 14 of the most wonderfully amazing hours of TV that I have ever experienced!
Of the 14 episodes, there are 2 which perhaps are not of the quality of the other 12. But those other 12 are very good. My 10 year old self definitely knew great TV when seeing it, because that 1 episode, "The Trap" is a 10/10 delight. Although I have to question as to why Burke and Urko didn't at least try to see if they could squeeze past the subway car to see if there was a way out down the tunnel. (A thought which even my 10 year old self had wondered all those years ago!) Regardless of that though, the episode is an intense tour-de-force for the two actors as their characters fight, relate and come to cooperate to earn their escape. Urko's discovery of a centuries-old San Fransisco Zoo advertisement poster, and his reaction was something that stayed with me as a child and has now made an impact on me once again.
Though some episodes show a cheap production cost, the writing on all is terrific and the direction and cinematography is excellent. The three lead actors are fantastic and they seem to be having a blast on the show. Semi-regulars are wonderful and the Guest-stars, whether under incredible Ape make-up or playing shabbily dressed humans, all seem to know that they're part of something very special. There is sometimes some "rough" acting from lesser, background characters, but that is always easily forgivable.
An awful shame that only 14 episodes were produced. This show quickly demonstrated it's promise. It would have been very interesting to see how the series would have played out. Speaking of which, as of this writing (January, 2023) the two actors who portrayed astronauts Virden and Burke, are living and acting. It's time for a current Television or Streaming Service to pick up the Planet of the Apes TV series and get these two courageous astronauts home!