"Land of the Lost" (1974) TV series 1974-1977

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Writer:

James L. Henderson (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

7 September 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Plot:

A family is thrown back in time and must survive in a dinosaur dominated land.

Plot Keywords:

Dinosaur | Prehistoric | Time Travel | Chroma Key | Stop Motion

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Wesley Eure	...	Will Marshall (43 episodes, 1974-1976)
Kathy Coleman	...	Holly Marshall (43 episodes, 1974-1976)
Philip Paley	...	Cha-Ka (43 episodes, 1974-1976)
Spencer Milligan	...	Park Ranger Rick Marshall (30 episodes, 1974-1975)

Runtime:

30 min (43 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions

Trivia:

The producers came up with a very interesting idea to keep their viewers looking at the show during the hiatus between the first and second seasons. In the first season's final episode, the Marshalls discover that for some reason they aren't supposed to be there. Enik later informs them that due to a time disturbance that they never really arrived in the Land of the Lost and must go back in time and relive the accident that brought them there. By going back in time, they also would experience everything that happened to them up to that point in a sort of time loop.

Quotes:

Will Marshall: It's funny - I've walked this way hundreds of times and I've never seen this pylon.
Enik: Nor I, Will Marshall. And I have been in this valley many times longer than you.
Cha-Ka: Cha-Ka think it's *new* pylon!
Will Marshall: Either that, Cha-Ka, or it's been invisible all this time.
Enik: That is not logical.
Will Marshall: Now, Enik, if you've been in the Land of the Lost that much longer than we have, you ought to know by now that not everything here is logical.
Enik: That is logical.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "My Name Is Earl: Guess Who's Coming Out of Joy (#2.18)" (2007)

The story counts...

Cheesy music, sets and acting don't detract from the excellence of some of the stories in this TV series, some co-written by Science Fiction greats like Larry Niven. This series was one of my favorites as a kid and helped spark a lifetime interest in Science Fiction... and eventually science as well. I didn't end up a scientist per-se, but some of these stories are great and still watchable (and some are just plain dumb). No specific names or numbers to recommend... watch 'em if you can find 'em and try not to wince at the cheese of the "special effects" and weird mix of banjo and synthesizer music.