"Land of the Lost" (1974) TV series 1974-1977

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

7 September 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Plot:

A family is thrown back in time and must survive in a dinosaur dominated land.

Plot Keywords:

Dinosaur | Land Of The Lost | Earthquake | Missing Link | Father Daughter Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Wesley Eure	...	Will Marshall (43 episodes, 1974-1976)
Kathy Coleman	...	Holly Marshall (43 episodes, 1974-1976)
Philip Paley	...	Cha-Ka (42 episodes, 1974-1976)
Spencer Milligan	...	Park Ranger Rick Marshall (30 episodes, 1974-1975)

Runtime:

30 min (43 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG (some episodes) | Australia:G (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions

Trivia:

The producers came up with a very interesting idea to keep their viewers looking at the show during the hiatus between the first and second seasons. In the first season's final episode, the Marshalls discover that for some reason they aren't supposed to be there. Enik later informs them that due to a time disturbance that they never really arrived in the Land of the Lost and must go back in time and relive the accident that brought them there. By going back in time, they also would experience everything that happened to them up to that point in a sort of time loop.

Quotes:

Will Marshall: It's funny - I've walked this way hundreds of times and I've never seen this pylon.
Enik: Nor I, Will Marshall. And I have been in this valley many times longer than you.
Cha-Ka: Cha-Ka think it's *new* pylon!
Will Marshall: Either that, Cha-Ka, or it's been invisible all this time.
Enik: That is not logical.
Will Marshall: Now, Enik, if you've been in the Land of the Lost that much longer than we have, you ought to know by now that not everything here is logical.
Enik: That is logical.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Girl in Lovers' Lane (#6.9)" (1993)

Excellent science fiction series

The Land of the Lost was an excellent science fiction series-- especially given that it aired on a Saturday morning. Granted, the third season wasn't as good as the first two, with writers ignoring much of the internal logic that had previously been established, but even the third season was better than much of the Saturday morning fare today.

To clear up some misconceptions about the series, the Marshall family did not travel back in time; they fell through a time doorway which transported them to a small, closed universe, which included, among other things, three moons in the sky. In this small universe, a balance was maintained. In order for anyone to enter, the same number of people had to leave (and vice versa).

The presence of the dinosaurs (one of the attractions of the show for many) may be why people think the Marshalls went to Earth's past. But other features, such as the Lost City and the pylons, which TARDIS-like are bigger on the inside than the outside, are signs of a highly advanced culture; one, which we later learn, built the Land of the Lost. The pylons controlled the environment of the land, and some contained time doorways leading to other dimensions.

Oh, and for the record, the dinosaur named "Alice" is called that because she's an allosaur. It's a nickname.

There was a later version of Land of the Lost in 1992, and while it had better effects and slightly better acting, the original was "Masterpiece Theatre" by comparison. While the original Land of the Lost does have some flaws, it at least had interesting scripts and looked like it was another world; and it had a certain quality to it that the remake-- which was filmed in some park-- lacked.

There are currently eight episodes available on video, with four of them re-released to DVD. Like I said, the Land of the Lost isn't perfect (though many of the eight episodes available are considered among the better ones, especially "The Stranger", "Elsewhen" and my personal favorite, "Circle") but it's better than a lot of the stuff on today.

Rick