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Planet of the Apes

Series, 1974, The Original Saga, Set in The far future

Planet of the Apes is #6 of 11 in release order and #8 of 11 in chronological order in the Planet of the Apes.

The story

Two astronauts and a sympathetic chimp friend are fugitives in a future Earth dominated by a civilization of humanoid apes. Based on the 1968 Planet of the Apes film and its sequels, which were inspired by the novel of the same name by Pierre Boulle.

Planet of the Apes recap

Astronauts Alan Virdon and Pete Burke pass through a time warp in 1980 and crash on Earth in 3085, a world ruled by apes where humans are a lower class. A young chimpanzee, Galen, helps them and is branded a traitor, and the three go on the run together. The orangutan Zaius, head of the council, wants the humans caught quietly, while the gorilla Urko wants them dead. Each episode, they meet a new community, apes and humans, and help them while looking for a way back home. The series ran for 14 episodes on CBS.

Planet of the Apes ending explained

The series was cancelled after 14 episodes without a finale. The astronauts and Galen are still on the run, still hoping to find a computer that can send them back to their own time.

Ratings

IMDb 7.0/10, Rotten Tomatoes 55%

Where it fits

What to watch before Planet of the Apes

In release order, the essentials before Planet of the Apes (1974) are Planet of the Apes (1968), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973). Planet of the Apes itself is optional in the Planet of the Apes order.

Cast

Created by Anthony Wilson.