Return to the Planet of the Apes

I remember seeing this show as a kid in the mid-70's,and I remember it came on Saturday Mornings on NBC. The cartoon series by the way premiered in 1975 right after the success of the short-lived TV series and the movies of the same title. It may have been exciting to watch,but nowadays it is very cheesy and laughable and sometimes politically correct according to the standards of today. Neither the less,the show kept viewers on the edge of what to expect and it was fun to watch. The cartoon series focuses on three stranded astronauts who are chased across four corners of the earth by a planet of superior and intelligent apes. The show also had apes as advanced beings,including some who can fly planes,drive cars,and control tanks and were scienfically advanced.

One episode in particular had an ape in scuba gear,and one in particular knew how to used a laser gun! Incredible! Only in a cartoon! Great Show!

Planet of the Apes turned into a cartoon series.

Instead of watching all 13 episodes I would just watch the opening episode and leave it at that. I am no expert on animation, but I personally thought the show looked and sounded (good music cues) rather professional.

In the second episode we get more involved in the new premise of this cartoon world (the apes are driving cars, etc) and I found myself out of my comfort zone.

But perhaps the bigger problem is that the show is flogging a dead horse. By 1975 we had seen both a Apes film series and live action TV series - we had seen enough!

This was a great cartoon series (for its time) and a fine sequel to the original series. As in the original novel by Pierre Boulle, the apes have a technologically advanced society, with tv, radio, and self-propelled vehicles. The episodes were generally exciting and well written. Unlike most cartoon series, the characters evolved as the series progressed. There were continuity links to previous episodes. The art direction was outstanding; a given as it was handled by Doug Wildey, creator of Jonny Quest.

If there is a fault with the series, aside from some of the dialogue, it was the voice acting. It often came across as flat and emotionless. But, the plots often made up for this flaw. It was certainly the equal of the live tv series; better in some ways, as it wasn't constrained by construction budgets. They could realize an advanced world, without having to build the sets.

This is definitely worth seeing if you are a fan of the Ape series. Now, if only it would be released, officially, on DVD.

Yes I predicted that there'd be a Planet of the apes cartoon the year before it came true.

Agreeably it's a mess but also still goes out of bounds of the website of Monkeying with the time-line.

Just like for the "Planet of the apes."TV-Series."Dolls they made a mistake because of the movie of "Beneath the Planet of the apes."and made Ursus the one with the helmet while on the TV-Show it was Urko who wore the helmet and so then just to satisfy the customers they switched the 2 dolls of which they'd made the mistake with.It also was an easy thing to do because this takes place in the 31st century while The Cartoon like the 1st and 2nd Planet of the apes Movie took place in the 40th century but in the cartoon it's Urko with helmet like in the TV-Series and as mentioned it's a blend of characters from The Series of Movies and The TV-Series that followed.

In this all over again like in the 1st movie called Planet of The Apes It's news when Cornelius and Zira do hear Bill Hudson Speak then he introduced himself by name and they let him go but know that the guard overheard them and so upon letting him out of the cage they then posed it like he got the keys,knocked them out,locked them in the cage,and escaped.

On Nova's Dogtag it indicates another Brent born in 2076.As it was told that like in the novel by Pierre Boule The Apes had cars and advanced science & like in the original film to be released of which also had Charlton Heston as Taylor and Edward G. Robinson as Dr.Zaius but he passed away before they could complete it and so they then did it over and I know this from the Special on Bravo called "Behind The Planet of the Apes."It also includes mention of Planet of The Apes:The Forbidden Zone."of which was not only released by Malibu Graphics but was made possible by me after I wrote to them about their 4 issue Mini-series of Planet of The Apes:Blood of the apes and the misquote of the ape on the cover saying "Ape must never kill ape unless it's his job." so in making this and the other time Paradoxes make sense in the above mentioned title that I made possible with the little or not known peace time from "Battle" the fifth installment of the movies. Malibu Graphics had later got consumed by Marvel Comics and of which was the first Comics Group to adapt "Planet of the apes." Malibu had also acknowledged this cartoon in their introduction to "Ape Nation" in Ape Nation #1 of which blends/blended Planet of the Apes and Alien Nation and was doable because they're both 20th century Fox Productions.While at DC in the mid 80's a Star Trek/V crossover wasn't possible because they were by separate studios and in this order both Paramount and Warner Brothers.

But back to the cartoon Bill got coined by Zira as "Blue Eyes" while Taylor got coined by Zira as "Bright eyes."in the 1st Movie.

A Land quake consumed Judy but upon going underground Bill and Jeff found her and she got to leave with them she got coined USA and mistaken for USA and sounding like oosa by Crador,yes it sounds kind of like Crater. who was the head of the Underdwellers because of the headstand found that looked like her and said USA on it.

A once thought extinct volcano turned out not to be and so lava came up and with the help of The 3 astronauts they made the lava take a detour not to do anticipated damage.Lava has its associations with craters. This cartoon has a near happy ending in the last episode but without giving too much away while at The End of "Battle."there really is a happy ending.

When a boat full of Dynamite in the water got turned around by the Astronaughts and went toward Urko and the Gorillas then upon not knowing how to give the right answer but"I am,Run for it!"after being told by another ape "Your The General do something."Before this Bill also appeared in the Mirror to tell Cornielius and Zira of this warning and to tell Dr.Zauis too.Dr.Zauis even says"Cornelius I Hope you didn't get me out of bed just for some wild goose chase."Of which upon finding out that he didn't then finds he has to suspend Urko of his Authority for 3 months.The following week just when Cornelius and Zira thought there was no risk to sneak up and visit the 3 Astronauts but it turns out that Urko put another Superior Ape Soldier in his place.

This cartoon has a Dr.Zaius like in the 1st 2 movies while the Dr. Zaius in The TV Series is set in the 31st century.This cartoon like The 1st 2 movies is set in the 40th Century but still doesn't agree. Jeff was voiced by Austin Stoker and as said was the only Movie Ape Alumnist to return for this cartoon as you'll see in a follow-up.

Anyone who doesn't find this review helpful obviously doesn't know their Pota Movie and TV-Series Data.and therefore should brush up on it and see what I'm talking about.

Truly,Stephen "Steve" G. Baer a.k.a. "Ste" of Framingham,Ma.USA

I saw this back in the '70s myself. The animation, as one reviewer said, sucks. That's because it was hand-drawn in the '70s and not computer generated. That didn't come about until seven years later with the Disney science fiction movie Tron. Jeff's last name is Allen, and not Carter. I think that's Bill's last name. I've never read the Pierre Boulle novel Monkey Planet, which was what the French title Planet of the Apes translates to in English. Three astronauts, Bill, Jeff, and Judy, are on a top secret mission when their spaceship is sent through a time vortex to the year 3979. The apes have a high degree of civilization. They have cars and trucks. They even have their own culture. In one episode, Urko finds an old World War II era P-40 and repairs it to use against the "humanoids." The language is simplistic and un-PC in 2007. The cartoon, like the movie Beneath the Planet of the Apes, is very much maligned. The Underdwellers are from Beneath the Planet of the Apes. Another reviewer said that it was a worthy sequel. I agree. It's a worthy sequel. I never saw it on video so I hope there's a DVD release soon. I'd buy it.