# Return to the Planet of the Apes (1975)

> Three astronauts displaced in time land on a future Earth where intelligent apes rule and humans are hunted or enslaved.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/11607

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 13
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, science fiction, family
- Created by: Friz Freleng, David H. DePatie, Pierre Boulle
- Network: NBC
- Cast: Austin Stoker, Philippa Harris, Henry Corden, Richard Blackburn, Edwin Mills, Claudette Nevins, Tom Williams
- TMDB rating: 6.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0207267/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: earnest, wholesome, suspenseful, adventurous

## What critics say

Viewers regard the single animated season as modest, with appreciation for its Planet of the Apes premise but limited animation and thin characterization.

## Synopsis

Return to the Planet of the Apes (1975) is an American animated science fiction series created by Friz Freleng, David H. DePatie and Pierre Boulle for NBC. Astronaut Jeff Allen (voiced by Austin Stoker) and his crewmates are caught in a time vortex during a mission and wake on Earth in the year 3979, where intelligent apes have become the dominant form of life. Their engine is simple and forward-moving: they must survive the ape society, avoid capture by the military leader General Urko (voiced by Henry Corden), and find a way home while the scientists Dr. Zira (voiced by Philippa Harris) and Dr. Zaius (voiced by Richard Blackburn) shape how humans are viewed. Each of the thirteen half-hour episodes is a self-contained adventure of pursuit, escape and discovery, giving it a brisk, episodic shape typical of the era's saturday morning cartoons. The tone is earnest, wholesome and gently suspenseful, with a sense of wonder about a transformed future Earth rather than grim horror. Its concept draws on the live-action Planet of the Apes films and on the classic cartoon adventure tradition, so fans of Space Ghost and Jonny Quest will recognize its kid-friendly mix of peril, science fiction and heroic teamwork. The series runs one season and was canceled with its story unfinished, leaving the astronauts' fate open.

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- [The Jetsons (1962)](https://ember.film/tv/2243)
- [Land of the Lost (1974)](https://ember.film/tv/2065)
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- [Starzinger (1978)](https://ember.film/tv/40677)
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- [Star Blazers (1974)](https://ember.film/tv/7224)
- [Star Trek (1973)](https://ember.film/tv/1884)

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