rgcustomer The good:This is definitely not a typical kids' cartoon. It has a plot, and generally sticks with it from episode to episode. Like Star Trek: Enterprise, you could watch any few episodes individually OK, but you need to watch the series in order (see Wikipedia for order) to get the most out of it.The bad:Return to the Planet of the Apes isn't really an appropriate title for this series. Only the viewer is returning (assuming they saw the films or live action series).It doesn't fit well within the Planet of the Apes timeline, unless you allow for multiple timelines branching off from the 20th century. Earth was supposed to be destroyed, or at least rendered uninhabitable, by Taylor in the 2nd film. (I haven't seen the other series, so maybe they explain there how it is inhabited later, but this animated series gives no explanation).The series seems to be a remake or reboot of the first two films, plus some unfortunate additions, most notably in the forms of a giant living ape god Kigor, and a ridiculous "monster bird", which is where this series jumps the shark. If it was ever up for renewal, this concept probably sunk it.The animation is stunningly bad. Often, objects will change color for no apparent reason. Other times objects will move that should not move (and further will move exactly the same way as other objects on the screen). One scene in particular in "Screaming Wings" has Bill operating a crane connected to a train, and it looks like it was drawn by a toddler. And I challenge anyone not to burst out laughing when the humans start to run, like QWOP. And while the jazz/experimental score is sort of interesting at first, it's often out of step with the visuals, and it grates on you as a you go along. You begin to grit your teeth every time the descending bell noise happens.This series is only for the most desperate of Planet of the Apes fans, perhaps the incarcerated or institutionalized. That's a shame, because it could have been good.

richard.fuller1 In 1975, a 9-yr-old (me) and an 11-yr-old (my bro) lost a lot of interest in this show, mainly because of the total lack of animation, literally bordering on the old Marvel comics cartoons that used artwork from the comic books.Same deal here. I think bro stuck it out a bit longer than I did, but I lost complete and total interest in this show.I remember the first episode and our three astronauts struggling across the hot desert, and I remember the Underdwellers tiled floors rippling up (only four tiles moved) from an active volcano.Now in rewatching it, I can abide the animation and watch an old show done by Doug Wildey (who also did Jonny Quest and apparently did Godzilla, a fave of mine).First thing about the show is the continuity. No show carried over plots and subplots as this one did, and they really don't manage this today.The plots are actually quite good too. And I'm sure it was groundbreakingly different to have a woman who was a crack airplane pilot (to go up in a spaceship, she has to know more than coffee, tea or milk).A minus is definitely old Jeff being a token. Yes, it was the era of the token, but surely someone could look at all the caucasians and just think of adding another one. An Asian? Tho the movie didn't explain it, the comic book adaptation from Marvel comics was the black astronaut there was put in the museum because the apes had never seen a black man before. Why not? It was an African-American who befriended Ceasar in movies #4 and #5.Undeniably, voicework worked against the show. Judy, Cornelius and Zira's voices are awful, utterly insulting with their attempts to be pacifists, especially Cornelius and Zira.A truly bizarre moment was Judy disappearing to re-appear with the Under-dwellers (I suppose one could conclude the Under-dwellers caused the earthquake to retrieve her), and then she re-appeared about three episodes later for good.The sub-plot about her becoming USA was very good.And unquestionably, Henry Corden was an odd choice for Urko. While Urko did get some good rants (almost Richard Nixon paranoid, with 'why is everyone against me? It's a conspiracy!'), using Fred Flintstone's voice for Urko was the same as the voice of Dr. Zinn on Jonny Quest being used for the '68 animated Silver Surfer in the Fantastic Four cartoon.The show obviously followed the movies too much, with emphasis on the under-dwellers and fake fires (those fires got a little crazy there for a while popping in and out like that. Who would believe they were real after awhile?) and really should have done what it clearly wanted to do and take the astronauts to Europe, South America and elsewhere, to explore the cultures there, ape or human.But they couldn't' shift off of Nova and Zaius (two characters who quite honestly could have been removed from the cartoon).The pluses were in Urko not knowing about Jeff and Judy and Cornelius and Zira not knowing about Judy as well, and likewise not knowing who took the WWII airplane. There was definite continuity working in the show here, even to the point of the 13th episode bringing back the flying monster to tangle with the King Kong in the mountains, pretty much bringing several plots together.With the new upcoming movie, check out the cartoon.

ShadeGrenade Whenever a cult U.S. science fiction series gets cancelled, fans bombard the studios with letters demanding its reinstatement. The animated spin-off was a way of giving them what they wanted without actually having to go so far as to commission a new season. 'Star Trek' was the first to go down this route. 'Return To The Planet Of The Apes' debuted one year after the short-lived live-action version with Roddy McDowall, Ron Harper and James Naughton. It was from DePatie/Freleng Enterprises, also responsible for 'The Pink Panther' cartoons. It chose not to continue Virdon, Burke and Galen's quest for a way to escape General Urko's gorilla army, but brought in new heroes - astronauts Bill Hudson and Jeff Allen, both of whom look as though they have fallen out of the pages of a Jack Kirby comic. There is also a female - Judy Franklin - who gets captured early on by 'under dwellers' ( similar to those seen in 'Beneath The Planet Of The Apes' ) who rename her 'Ooosa' and treat her like a god. Only one series character made it into the cartoon - Urko ( voiced by Henry Corden ). No 'Galen', but 'Cornelius' is back, as is his wife 'Zira'.The first episode - 'Flames Of Doom' - follows the beginning of the first film fairly closely ( for some reason Dr.Hasslein is renamed Stanton ). Our heroes fall through a time warp into the year 3979 A.D. and find a world dominated by apes, and where humans are slaves. Fearing that the humans will instigate a rebellion against the old order, Dr.Zaius commands General Urko to recapture them at all costs. The show expanded the concept considerably. 'Ape City' in the movies/T.V. show consisted of makeshift huts and dwellings, whereas this one is reminiscent of Ancient Rome with its statues, ionic columns and coliseums. The apes have modern technology such as cars, planes and television ( in one episode, there is a reference to a new movie called 'The Ape Father'! ). Before they got about on horseback, now they drive tanks and motorbikes. In some ways this is closer to Pierre Boulle's original conception than previous versions. Grotesque monsters such as a sea serpent and an ape skull appearing out of nowhere in the night sky were added to the mix.Like the live action show, the films' social commentary was eschewed in favour of straightforward action adventure. The quality of the animation is alas so basic that at times one is reminded of 'Cheapo Cartoon Man' from L.W.T.'s 'End Of Part One'. Whenever someone runs, you can see the same background flying past every few seconds. As for the voice artistes, it is a pity that neither Roddy McDowall nor Mark Lenard were brought back. Their replacements are simply awful. Austin Stoker's 'Jeff' sounds like Leslie Nielsen, 'Cornelius' appears to be voiced by Stan Laurel, and Claudette Nevins' 'Nova' modelled on Marilyn Monroe.Watching this again recently I was slightly surprised at how disturbing some of it was. The opening titles start with a slow pan across desert towards what seems to be humans staked out to be eaten by vultures. Then there's a close-up of a gorilla leering into the camera to the accompaniment of lightning flashes.13 episodes were made. I.T.V. showed it shortly after its U.S. debut but it did not make the same impact here as its predecessor. Many people thought it a cynical attempt to get more milk out of the cash cow. For all its faults, I do like the show, and it is vastly superior to Tim Burton's 'reimagining' ( isn't that an annoying word, by the way? ).

davidm-14 i just sat through all 13 episodes. what wasted potential. i love the apes movies, and it IS good for a Saturday morning cartoon show. it seems to have been written for a more adult audience, and actually came on after the live-action show was cancelled. on a positive note, it runs as one continuous storyline, rather than each episode being self-contained. it's the adventures of 3 astronauts (bill, jeff and judy) who crash land on future earth, apparently after the events of "beneath the planet of the apes". "brent" is even mentioned when they come across nova, who is still wearing brent's dogtags. but the future is different now. the apes suddenly have a complete technological civilization, including a huge built-up city, automobiles and radio & TV stations (i loved the scene with the ape farmer driving his hay truck through the country listening to "i'm going humanoid over you" on the radio).judy is nabbed and held by the psychic human "underdwellers", while jeff and bill try to rescue her and help the primitive humanoids living aboveground escape from the gorilla armies. but, it just drags so painfully in places, and the animation is just dreadful. in most scenes, all that moves is the mouth of the character speaking. there are also only 4 or 5 people doing all of the voices, which gets tiresome fast. hearing henry corden (the 2nd voice of fred flintstone) doing all of the gorilla voices is kind of funny, however.