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Planet Of The Apes Season 1

The Interrogation

Planet Of The ApesThe travelers’ luck runs out as an ape patrol catches up with them; Burke is captured while Virdon and Galen are able to go into hiding. Dr. Zaius sees Burke’s capture as an opportunity to test a brainwashing technique devised by Wanda, one of his science ministers; General Urko is upset, since any interrogation falls under his jurisdiction. In Wanda’s hands, Burke’s brainwashing becomes something more like torture, as he is repeatedly asked to divulge the name and location of every human who has helped him evade capture until now. Though disappointed that he’s not the one interrogating Burke, Urko knows that Galen and Virdon are certain to come to the ape city to free their friend, and lays a trap. Galen seeks shelter from his parents, but Urko’s troops aren’t far behind them – and Urko’s parents, who hold positions of importance in the apes’ government, can’t be seen to help fugitives from justice. Can Burke be rescued before his mind is broken, and what will that rescue cost Galen’s family?

Order the DVDswritten by Richard Collins
directed by Alf Kjellin
music by Lalo Schifrin

Guest Cast: Beverly Garland (Wanda), Anne Seymour (Ann), Normann Burton (Yalu), Booth Colman (Zaius), Lee Delano (Officer Gorilla), Wayne Foster (Lt. Gorilla), Lynn Benesch (Susan), Harry Townes (Dr. Malthus)

Notes: ’50s and ’60s movie mainstay Beverly Garland appears here, oddly enough, both in and out of ape makeup, while ’70s TV mainstay Anne Seymour puts in a prerequisite ’70s TV appearance. Her future genre appearances would include a short stint in the original Battlestar Galactica. Wanda mentions the “common” practice of removing the frontal lobes of humans’ brains to keep them docile, a practice depicted in the first Planet Of The Apes movie.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Planet Of The Apes Season 1

The Tyrant

Planet Of The ApesBurke, Virdon and Galen are helping out in a human village, but have to take shelter when an ape garrison rolls into town to shake down the residents for a “tax” payment: the village’s entire crop of grains for the year. The three travelers offer their help, but the older humans in the settlement are too accustomed to being beaten down for the frequent payments. Only one villager’s brash young son is willing to help mount a resistance against the apes: in a fierce attack, the grain is hijacked and brought back to the villagers. The retaliation is swift and vicious: the young man who helped Virdon and Burke is gunned down in cold blood, and his father is injured, but left alive. News of the commotion draws Urko’s attention, but the local garrison commander is an old rival of his. That rivalry may be their key to escaping with their skin intact.

Order the DVDswritten by Walter Black
directed by Ralph Senensky
music by Lalo Schifrin

Planet Of The ApesGuest Cast: Percy Rodrigues (Aboro), Michael Conrad (Janor), Joseph Ruskin (Daku), Klair Bybee (Sam), Arlen Stuart (Gola), James Daughton (Mikal)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Planet Of The Apes Season 1

The Cure

Planet Of The ApesGetting the feeling that they’ve outstayed their welcome at the most recent human village they’ve visited, the three travelers journey on before Urko catches word of their presence. But not long after they leave, they hear that the village they just left has been quarantined by apes, with a fatal disease spreading rapidly among the humans. Virdon recognizes the symptoms immediately: malaria has taken hold. Zoran, an ape doctor dispatched by Dr. Zaius and the apes’ science council, arrives to take charge of the scene, only to find that Virdon is already directing the effort to ease human suffering and cure those affected. Worse yet for Zoran, Virdon’s attempt to contain the disease seems to be working. He takes credit for Virdon’s efforts when he reports back to Zaius – and Urko immediately suspects that Zoran has help from the runaway astronauts.

Order the DVDswritten by Edward J. Lasko
directed by Bernard McEveety
music by Lalo Schifrin

Guest Cast: Sondra Locke (Amy), David Sheiner (Zoran), Ron Soble (Kava), George Wallace (Talbert), Mark Lenard (Urko), Booth Colman (Zaius), Biff Elliot (Orangutan), Albert Cole (Mason), Ron Stein (Neesa), Charles Leland (Dying Man)

Planet Of The ApesNotes: Though she’s generally better known for her movie roles, particularly those in which she appeared alongside her real-life love interest Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke was a familiar face on early ’70s TV, also appearing in Night Gallery, Kung Fu and Barnaby Jones, among others. The medical infomation in the story – battling malaria by deriving quinine from the bark of cinchona trees – is actually accurate, though that method of battling malaria was phased out in the 1940s with the advent of more reliable medicines.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Planet Of The Apes Season 1

Up Above The World So High

Planet Of The ApesVirdon, Burke and Galen spot something unusually large flying overhead; the two humans immediately recognize it as a primitive hang glider, which would represent a huge step forward for humans. The glider has also attracted the interest of the apes, however: Dr. Zaius sees great potential to enforce ape law from the air, while General Urko dismisses the glider as a toy. Its inventor is determined to keep developing it regardless of the risk, but when Virdon and Burke demonstrate some knowledge of flight, he instantly regards them with suspicion. And there’s someone else involved too – someone who sees the glider as the perfect way to drop bombs on the apes.

Order the DVDsteleplay by S. Bar-David and Arthur Browne Jr.
story by S. Bar-David
directed by John Meredyth Lucas
music by Lalo Schifrin

Guest Cast: Joanna Barnes (Carsia), Frank Aletter (Leuric), Martin Brooks (Konag), Mark Lenard (Urko), Booth Colman (Zaius), William Beckley (Council Orang), Ron Stein (Gorilla Guard), Eldon Burke (2nd Trooper), Glenn Wilder (Human Driver)

Planet Of The ApesNotes: This was the final live-action Planet Of The Apes project until the 2001 remake movie directed by Tim Burton, and the last Planet Of The Apes media to feature Roddy McDowall (1928-1998). With declining ratings, and the show’s increasing tendency toward controversial subject matter (including an entire completed episode that CBS deemed unsuitable for air), CBS opted not to order further episodes of the series.

S. Bar-David is a pseudonym frequently used by writer Shimon Wincelberg; he also used this pseudonym on episodes of the original Star Trek. Director John Meredyth Lucas was a frequent writer and director on that show as well, and was a name often seen in one of those capacities in 1960s TV credits. He also wrote episodes of The Starlost and Logan’s Run.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Isis Season 1

The Lights of Mystery Mountain

IsisCindy surprises Andrea and Rick with clear photos of UFOs spotted near Mystery Mountain, as well as photos showing burn marks on the ground near the sightings. When a report comes in that someone renting a cabin on Mystery Mountain has disappeared, Andrea and Rick decide to investigate. They witness the spectacle of the UFOs themselves when they arrive, and Cindy’s photos attract the attention of a couple of teenagers who seem to have a great deal of interest in the UFO sightings. But are they interested in seeing the UFOs…or in covering something up?

Get this season on DVDDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxwritten by Russell Bates
directed by Hollingsworth Morse
music by Yvette Blais & Jeff Michael

Cast: Joanna Cameron (Andrea Thomas), Brian Cutler (Rick Mason), IsisJoanna Pang (Cindy Lee), Kelly Thordsen (Joel Moss), Hank Brandt (Sheriff Harley), Ken Wolger (Art Byron), Mike Maitland (Chick), Albert Reed (Dr. Barnes)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Far-Out Space Nuts

It’s All In Your Mind

Far-Out Space NutsAfter confusing “lunch” with “launch”, two launch pad employees are blasted into deep space. They frantically try to return to Earth, but are faced with the reality that they’re really just qualified to load food on a spaceship, not fly it.

Having already explored one planet where they found a lonely life form known as Honk, which communicates entirely by honking through a horn-like protrusion on its head, they land on a planet ruled by a mind-controlling computer named G.A.L., only to find that Junior’s thoughts somehow become reality here. That’s the only way they can escape G.A.L. and its sinister cybernetic henchmen.

written by Dick Robbins & Duane Poole
directed by Wes Kenney
music by Michael Lloyd / arranged by Reg Powell

Far-Out Space NutsCast: Bob Denver (Junior), Chuck McCann (Barney), Patty Maloney (Honk), Leo Gordon (Head Dronek), Joan Gerber (voice of G.A.L.)

Notes: The series art director was Herman Zimmerman, who would go on to create the distinctive sets Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Star Trek V, Star Trek VI, Star Trek Generations, and so on. Representing Star Trek’s past was the show’s makeup chief, Fred Phillips, who had created and applied Mr. Spock’s Vulcan ears for the entire run of Star Trek in Far-Out Space Nutsthe 1960s. The name of the all-controlling computer, “G.A.L. 36-24-36”, is both a play on 2001: a space odyssey‘s HAL 9000, and a set of measurements that was likely intended to sail directly over the heads of the show’s young audience. (An almost identical gag was used a few years later as an episode title on Quark.)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Isis Season 1

Fool’s Dare

IsisA string of car thefts with no clues has the police puzzled. When her own car is stolen, Andrea is perplexed as well, though an oily rag left where her car was parked provides a clue. Cindy is challenged by two of her fellow students to climb into an abandoned junk lot, but sprains her ankle as she climbs down from the fence…and she’s sure she sees Andrea’s car getting a new paint job. Now she must alert Isis to the presence of the chop shop without blowing her cover.

Get this season on DVDDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxwritten by David Dworski
directed by Hollingsworth Morse
music by Yvette Blais & Jeff Michael

Cast: Joanna Cameron (Andrea Thomas), Brian Cutler (Rick Mason), IsisJoanna Pang (Cindy Lee), Charles Cyphers (Sam Miles), Frank Whiteman (Cy Kahn), Joshua Albee (Ernie Rothchild), Jeffrey Tyler (Frank Iverson), Albert Reed (Dr. Barnes)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Far-Out Space Nuts

The Crystallites

Far-Out Space NutsAt their latest destination, Junior and Barney discover that they’re out of water. Junior and Honk go exploring to try to find a water source, but instead, Junior finds gourd-like fruit whose innards taste like chocolate. But he’s allergic to the fruit, and every time he sneezes, he turns into a giant green hairy beast without realizing it. But the locals aren’t worried about that…until they decide Junior is their next ruler.

written by Earle Doud & Chuck McCann
directed by Wes Kenney
Far-Out Space Nutsmusic by Michael Lloyd / arranged by Reg Powell

Cast: Bob Denver (Junior), Chuck McCann (Barney), Patty Maloney (Honk), John Carradine (Ruler)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Far-Out Space Nuts

The Robots Of Pod

Far-Out Space NutsThe lander is trapped on a planet where a full-scale robot uprising is taking place. Barney and Junior have to disguise themselves as robots to survive in the tyrannical rule of Mercurial, the robots’ overlord, and they have to stay alive long enough to help the other robots overthrow him.

written by Earle Doud & Chuck McCann
directed by Claudio Guzman
music by Michael Lloyd / arranged by Reg Powell

Far-Out Space NutsCast: Bob Denver (Junior), Chuck McCann (Barney), Patty Maloney (Honk), Eve Bruce (Princess Lantana), Earle Doud (Mercurial)

Notes: Both of the creators of Far Out Space Nuts appear in the flesh in this episode: Chuck McCann appears in every episode as Barney, while Earle Doud put in an appearance as the robots’ ruler.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Isis Season 1

The Sound Of Silence

IsisA classroom demonstration of a portable force field powered by a uranium pellet impresses Andrea’s friends, and intrigues the troubled student Bill, whose failure to win a recent science fair has left him without the means to buy a car. Desperate to overcome this obstacle, Bill steals the force field and offers to sell it to a local criminal, but rather than buying it from Bill, that criminal wants to pay Bill to be the one to use it. Worse yet, Andrea finds that the uranium pellet powering the device is leaking. Whoever has the force field device is in danger of radioactive contamination…but can she walk through the field by changing into Isis?

Get this season on DVDDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxwritten by Sid Morse
directed by Arnold Laven
music by Yvette Blais & Jeff Michael

Cast: Joanna Cameron (Andrea Thomas), Brian Cutler (Rick Mason), IsisJoanna Pang (Cindy Lee), Leigh McClocskey (Bill Cady), James Canning (B.J. Tanker), Philip Bruns (Jack Evans), Wayne Storm (Jocko), Albert Reed (Dr. Barnes)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Far-Out Space Nuts

Fantastic Journey

Far-Out Space NutsBarney and Junior are surrounded by mad scientists when one scientist, clearly a few test tubes short of a laboratory, asks for their help in finding another, who turns out to be just as insane. Can either one be trusted?

written by Buddy Atkinson & Dick Conway
directed by Claudio Guzman
Far-Out Space Nutsmusic by Michael Lloyd / arranged by Reg Powell

Cast: Bob Denver (Junior), Chuck McCann (Barney), Patty Maloney (Honk), Kay E. Kuter (Dr. Kala), Stanley Ralph Ross (Dr. Drone), Whitney Rydbeck (Prof. Rundspock)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Far-Out Space Nuts

Tower Of Tagot

Far-Out Space NutsUsing his “future machine”, the mad tyrant Tagot sees a future in which Barney, Junior and Honk threaten his reign. The Sarians, who seek to end Tagot’s reign by rescuing their kidnapped queen, equip the wayward space travelers with such weapons as an inviso-ray and a bravery belt, because they’re equally sure that Barney and Junior pose a threat to Tagot. The only missing piece of the puzzle? Nobody knows how they’ll overthrow Tagot.

written by Earle Doud & Chuck McCann
directed by Wes Kenney
Far-Out Space Nutsmusic by Michael Lloyd / arranged by Reg Powell

Cast: Bob Denver (Junior), Chuck McCann (Barney), Patty Maloney (Honk), Robert Quarry (Zarlam), Barbara Rhoades (Pulma), Paul Wexler (Tagot)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Far-Out Space Nuts

The Three Spaceketeers

Far-Out Space NutsAfter some simple housekeeping tasks go awry, Barney declares Junior “useless”…and Junior decides to strike out on his own, leaving Barney and Honk behind. Trouble immediately finds him in the form of two alien freedom fighters seeking to free their queen, who is imprisoned in a nearby fortress. These aliens believe that a great leader named “Junio” will guide them in their hour of greatest need…but, since they don’t know any better, “Junior” is drafted into their plan.

written by Dick Robbins & Duane Poole
directed by Wes Kenney
Far-Out Space Nutsmusic by Michael Lloyd / arranged by Reg Powell

Cast: Bob Denver (Junior), Chuck McCann (Barney), Patty Maloney (Honk), Bob Basso (Junio), Al Checco (Sporian #1), Robert Dunlap (Sporian #2), Howard George (Lizard #1), Jason Kincaid (Lizard #2), Kathryn Loder (Royal Helona)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Far-Out Space Nuts

Flight Of The Pippets

Far-Out Space NutsA tiny flying saucer buzzes Junior while he naps, and he soon meets the crew, who can make themselves as big as he is – or shrink themselves (and him) – with a device they carry. When Honk arrives to rescue the miniaturized Junior, the aliens flee…and Junior is still tiny. He may have to become even tinier to thwart the Pippets’ plan to be the big species on the block.

written by Earle Doud & Check McCann
directed by Al Schwartz
Far-Out Space Nutsmusic by Michael Lloyd / arranged by Reg Powell

Cast: Bob Denver (Junior), Chuck McCann (Barney), Patty Maloney (Honk), Robert Dunlap (Pippet Captain), Michael Hawes (Pippet), Mickey Morton (Pippet)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Far-Out Space Nuts

Birds Of A Feather

Far-Out Space NutsA group of Motrons – chicken-like birdmen – abduct Barney and Junior. Their leader, Falco, intends to force Junior to sit on the sovereign egg of the Motrons’ aerie. The egg contains the Motrons’ next ruled, but unknown to the hapless humans, they’ve become pawns in a Motron power struggle. Falco’s underlings intend to take the egg out of circulation, removing Falco’s family from power, but to save their own skins, Barney and Junior hatch a plan of their own.

written by Earle Doud & Check McCann
directed by Al Schwartz
Far-Out Space Nutsmusic by Michael Lloyd / arranged by Reg Powell

Cast: Bob Denver (Junior), Chuck McCann (Barney), Patty Maloney (Honk), John Myhers (Falco), Paul Wexler (Motron #1), Robert Dunlap (Motron #2)

LogBook entry by Earl Green