Planet of the Apes - TV Series

When Charlton Heston fell to his knees on the beach at the end of the 1967 sci-fi hit, The Planet of the Apes, few would have predicted that there would be four sequels, let alone a television series based on the premise of apes ruling humans in our post-apocalyptic future. However, history records that this was indeed the result, and most would agree that with each sequel, and in the short-lived television series, there was less and less magic and quality present. Having said that, of course there are many fans out there and as far as ‘70s television goes, there was much, much worse, and this series is certainly better than a lot of the crap that infests our screens today.

The opening of the series is remarkably similar to the first film, in which astronauts crashland in what they believe to be a distant planet, only to learn it is time they have crashed through, not space. Apes now rule, and the series is based around the concept of the astronauts on the run from the ruling apes who fear they will lose their grip on the planet if the humans are not caught and destroyed. The humans in the television series are more advanced than in the films, and can talk and have formed semi-urban communities.

Each of the 14 episodes is self-contained, but there are common threads and characters throughout, so watching the episodes in order, even the episode that was not originally shown, is advisable. Most characters are not the same as in the movies, but the similarities are impossible to miss, as is Roddy McDowell playing his third different chimpanzee, this time named Galen. This ape is virtually Cornelius renamed. The one difference though is that Galen is on the run with the humans. Each episode does begin to look much like the one before it rather quickly as the renegades seem to be just running with no real purpose other than not being caught. The opening two episodes made use of a computer disk that was retrieved from the crashed ship, and gave the characters a purpose; to find a computer in the ancient cities that might be able to read it and offer them hope of going ‘home’. This thread, as well as the disc itself, is not seen or heard of again after the second episode.

The main ape trying to catch them is Urko (Mark Lenard), and he is a character that I could still see and hear almost 20 years after I originally enjoyed this series on television, such is the menace in his performance. What I don’t recall however, is the brevity of this series at just one 14-episode season. This series was to have been 24 episodes, but it did not come to pass. It seems there was a general lack of support from the backers and sponsors who were frustrated and disappointed that the series failed to offer very much that hadn’t already been covered in the movie series.

Still, fans will love this series, not least of all for the few familiar faces to look for such as Marc Singer (V) and Sondra Locke. The makeup, costuming and sets are perhaps not quite as good as the films, but are good enough for a ‘70s television show. It is a shame that there were not more episodes made, but if nothing else, for collectors this is a cheap and quick way of ensuring you have the complete set.

The most notable thing about this full frame presentation is the amazing variety in quality, even within episodes. There are moments when it looks crisp and clean, and seconds later every one of its 30 years of age will show. Essentially colouring is pretty flat and washed out. There are some examples of wild discolouration and very blue looking black levels, and skin tones are often quite grey and pasty.

There is quite an amount of grain in most scenes, and many film artefacts such as marks, scratches, blobs and dirt. The opening titles are particularly affected. There are a few episodes quite plagued with white marks that seconds later are gone, leaving a pristine looking print. Shadow detail is also decidedly average.

There are no instances of shimmer or aliasing or edge enhancement. Each of the four discs in the set is a single layer disc so no there is no layer change. While all of this sounds like it might be a nightmare, it is still quite watchable, though most punters won’t need a university degree to know that there has been no restoration effort whatsoever.

In keeping with the universally average video transfer, the series has been given an equally bland audio transfer. Even for a Dolby Digital mono track this lacks dynamics. There is not much to say about it other than everything comes from the front speakers, or just the centre if you pipe the audio to a full 5.1 set up via Prologic. There are some issues with audio synch, and this is not just restricted to the apes who are talking through latex masks. By tweaking the volume, all dialogue can be understood, but it lacks range and fidelity. This of course means the slight hiss is more prominent, but is generally not too intrusive. The music, though somewhat less impacting in mono, is actually quite good, and does add to the series, even in this very restrictive and flat sounding audio track. It is very basic and serviceable at best.

Sorry, all we get is the 14 episodes.

The only reasons to buy this set would be to complete your Planet of the Apes collection (at least this is the end of it - unless you count the animated series, but trust me, that was pretty weak), or if you are not fussy about audio and video quality and want to reminisce. The characters are likeable enough, the acting and direction is good, the sets, makeup and costuming are fine, and if its unchallenging, one-dimensional television you enjoy, then yes, this will do the trick.