Planet of the Apes (TV series)

The Planet of the Apes (TV series) is a live-action science fiction television show that aired on CBS in 1974. It was inspired by the 1968 film Planet of the Apes and its subsequent sequels. The series followed two American astronauts, Alan Virdon (played by Ron Harper) and Peter Burke (played by James Naughton), who accidentally travel through a time warp and crash land on a future Earth ruled by intelligent, talking apes.

The astronauts are found by chimpanzee Cornelius (played by Roddy McDowall, who also played the role in the original films) and his wife, Zira (played by Natalie Trundy, also from the film series), who secretly believe the humans are intelligent. The series revolves around Virdon and Burke's attempts to survive in this hostile world, evade capture by the gorillas (the military force in the ape society), and search for a way to return to their own time. General Urko (played by Mark Lenard), a ruthless gorilla military leader, is their primary antagonist, relentlessly pursuing them as a threat to ape society.

The show explored themes of racial prejudice, social injustice, and the dangers of unchecked power, mirroring similar themes explored in the original films. Unlike the films, the TV series focused more on action and adventure, with each episode typically featuring Virdon and Burke encountering different aspects of ape society and trying to help oppressed humans or other creatures.

Despite a strong cult following, the Planet of the Apes TV series was cancelled after only 14 episodes due to low ratings. It was later rerun in syndication and has been released on DVD. The show is considered a significant, though short-lived, entry in the Planet of the Apes franchise.