Sam is a Senior Writer for Collider. His love for movies, TV shows, and books stretches back to his early childhood and has grown exponentially with every passing year. Lucky for him, this love grew into a career in writing.
The Big Picture Few things in science fiction are more awe-inspiring, hilarious, menacing, and flat-out cool than seeing an ape on horseback. If you think that sounds like a recipe for a good time, then your next stop must be the Planet of the Apes franchise.
For decades, movie fans everywhere have upheld this series as one of the most iconic flagships in genre storytelling. However, like most other mass-media properties, the franchise has had its fair share of highs and lows. The movies in particular toggle back and forth in quality. The original is a bonafide classic, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is an underrated '70s sequel, and the recent 2010s trilogy has earned a positive critical reception. There are many more stories to be found, whether we're talking about books, comic books, or video games. That being said, the best franchise release that you will find outside the films is the 1970s TV show, simply titled Planet of the Apes. New fans will be disappointed to learn that the series only lasted one season. These 14 episodes are a jam-packed ride, though. It might be a bit on the small scale in comparison to the movies, but where the show lacks in comparison to the movies' epic action scenes, it more than makes up for in rich character development. While it might be an underrated watershed moment in its greater franchise's name, the '70s Apes series is a monument in small-screen science fiction that should be appreciated by fans of the genre everywhere. Planet of the Apes TV-PGSci-FiAdventureThriller Two astronauts and a sympathetic chimp friend are fugitives in a future Earth dominated by a civilization of humanoid apes.Release Date September 13, 1974 Cast Roddy McDowall , Ron Harper , James Naughton , Mark Lenard , Ron Stein , Booth Colman , Eldon Burke , Tom McDonough Seasons 1 Creator Anthony Wilson The 'Planet of the Apes' TV Show Plays Into the Franchise's Strengths Newcomers should rest assured that the Planet of the Apes TV show doesn't exactly break the story's formula. To some, that might be a great thing, but for others, it could land a bit too comfortably in the hands of déjà vu. That being said, unless you're looking for a story that explores how these primates rose to power, then there's not a ton of room to work with in the Apes franchise. It can be fun to watch how far society goes in this bizarre future with the various original series' sequels , but by and large, those entries are when the story divulges into pure science fiction pulp. These stories are at their most interesting and thematically resonant when exploring how a modern human wakes up in this world run by apes. The TV show might not be able to go big on action scenes, but aside from the original, this might have the most interesting story of any entry in the franchise. Yes, even more so than Caesar's rise to power in the recent films. Those movies are fascinating, but they're almost a bit too polished. The Apes franchise is at its best when it has a human lead and is a bit grungy-looking. You want someone to emotionally latch on to, but with a premise this silly, it's easiest to digest when the apes aren't completely photo-realistic. For someone who likes their sci-fi monkeys served up that way, this 1974 offering is literally the perfect entrée. What Is the 'Planet of the Apes' Show About? Close The '70s Planet of the Apes TV show follows two astronauts, Alan Virdon and Peter J. Burke , after their spaceship enters a time warp, sending them to the future and crash-landing their vessel back on Earth. What happens next? Well, you guessed it, Virdon and Burke discover a hostile world run by chimps! They soon befriend a young ape named Galen , who was sentenced to death after suggesting that one species should not be dominant over the Earth. Virdon and Burke break Galen out of jail, the three set off as fugitives, and try to find a way to return to their home time period. From there, you get many of the franchise's hallmark elements. Highly intelligent apes, slicked-back monkey hairdos that are straight out of the '70s, a somewhat rundown geographical terrain, and intellectually inferior humans. Related ‘The Twilight Zone’s Rod Serling Has a Surprising Connection to ‘Planet of the Apes’ Actually, apes in ‘The Twilight Zone’ would have been epic, too. This series is at its very best in its characters and writing. The main trio of Virdon, Burke, and Galen in particular have a fantastic dynamic. Where the theatrical films can get lost in the spectacle of it all , it's nice to have an Apes story that is almost all story. We get to spend 14 episodes with Virdon and Burke as they learn about this new and dangerous world from their guide, Galen. Meanwhile, Galen gets to learn the old ways of Earth and how his species used to operate before intellectually evolving. While these episodes might not be working with scripts on the level of Rod Serling, this show is full of engaging dialogue-based scenes. Seeing this bridge being built between species and watching former enemies become friends should feel narratively exhausting, but it works. Some story tropes are more than worth revisiting. It really helps that McDowall and Harper are fantastic here. They sell the series' highbrow science fiction dialogue, blockbuster one-liners, and even the ham-fisted sincere moments. Naughton, on the other hand, isn't exactly "great." What he is, though, is cool. What more could you want? 'Planet of the Apes' Is an Underrated Sci-Fi TV Experience How is Planet of the Apes as a 1970s science fiction show? Expect less of a Star Wars experience and think more of Star Trek. However, the small-scale action that we do get is pretty riveting. It's never not going to be exciting when primates are riding horses and firing guns at fugitive humans. That being said, it never gets that bigger than your occasional shootout, so soak up these quaint action scenes while you can. The ape costumes and makeup are charming in their pure, unfiltered, practical, '70s aesthetic. Despite looking flimsy by the standards of 2024 audiences, Planet of the Apes was deemed too expensive when it was originally released. The series didn't take off in the way that CBS had hoped, often losing viewers to other programs airing at the same time. The show went on to be canceled so early that the 14th episode never aired during the original run, and only ended up seeing the light of day when it began airing in syndication. Sadly, the adventures of Virdon, Burke, and Galen were never completed. We might need a new trilogy to explore the rest of their story! Don't let this premature canning scare you off from checking Planet of the Apes out. Fans of the franchise and of '70s science fiction are bound to find loads to enjoy from this series. It might not be the most famous entry in the Apes cannon, but it very well could be the most emotionally resonant. Buzz off, Caesar.
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