Lower Decks

Five weeks ago a movie based on a popular television show opened in theaters. It was something of a revamped version of the original show and there were those who weren’t thrilled with its take on beloved characters. That movie was Star Trek (2009). Today another movie based on a popular television show makes its way to the big screen: Land of the Lost. It too has purists up in arms. The television series focused on the Marshall family (Rick, Will and Holly) and was a serious drama. The movie stars Will Ferrell and is a comedy.

But the similarities between the two franchises don’t end with disgruntled fans.

Land of the Lost

Both Star Trek and Land of the Lost were originally broadcast on NBC; Star Trek ran from 1966 to 1969 in prime time and Land of the Lost from 1974 to 1977 on Saturday mornings. Several episodes of Land of the Lost were written by David Gerrold, who also wrote “The Trouble with Tribbles” for Star Trek. Other Star Trek alum involved with Land of the Lost include D.C. Fontana and Walter Koenig.

Like Star Trek, Land of the Lost would spawn a television spin-off decades after going off the air. From 1991 to 1992 a new version aired on ABC in which a new family (the Porters) found themselves stuck in the Land of the Lost. This might be hearsay to some, but I must confess that the 1990s version of Land of the Lost is my favorite.

I didn’t watch the 1990s Land of the Lost when it was first aired. I caught it in repeats during the mid-1990s on Nickelodeon. At the time I didn’t know about the original version. Several years later I read about it in People magazine. Soon I was reading everything I could find on the Internet about the 1970s version. When a sampler of four episodes was released on DVD I was excited to finally see this earlier incarnation of one of my favorite childhood shows.

Run! It's the Sleestak! Ssssss!

Unfortunately, I couldn’t sit through a single episode. It was painful to watch. The special effects were awful, the acting wooden and the dialogue corny and over-the-top. I put the DVD away and never looked at it again. That was in 2004. Last week, to help promote the new movie, SCI FI Channel aired a daylong marathon of Land of the Lost (on Monday, May 25th). I decided to give the show another shot. I was soon hooked. I watched eight episodes that day and and thirteen more during the next two days.

The special effects are still awful and much of the dialogue corny and over-the-top. But I now have a better appreciation for the acting. Admittedly, some of the episodes during the third season were pretty bad. I do still have the second half of the first season to watch and from what I’ve read the best episodes of the series are yet to come. It’s amazing the way the first six episodes of the first season flow together, with references to events in earlier episodes and even some foreshadowing (Holly’s fear of heights, for example). I can’t wait to watch the first season finale (“Circle”).

Kathy Coleman as Holly Marshall

I haven’t seen any episodes of the 1990s version of Land of the Lost since 1995 or 1996. The series has never been released on DVD. I’ve always been afraid to watch shows I loved as a kid through adult eyes. The one time I did it was a terrible experience (for the record, it was an episode of Fraggle Rock). I don’t want to ruin the fond memories of have of watching Land of the Lost as a kid.

But now, after giving the 1970s version a second chance I’m hopeful to one day be able to watch the 1990s version again and still appreciate and enjoy it. The way I understand it, fans of the 1970s version aren’t fond of the 1990s version. But there’s no reason I can’t like both. And who knows, maybe I’ll like the movie too if/when I see it.

As of today I’ve seen 29 of the 43 episodes and have the rest recorded to watch later. The entire first season is available at Hulu.com for people in the United States through November 25th. Plus, the complete series has just been re-released on DVD. For those who are disgusted at the way the new movie changes the premise of the original show, perhaps the advice I had for those disgusted at Star Trek (2009) can be of some use.

Grumpy and Big Alice bellow and battle

No matter how Will Ferrell and the new movie fare at the box office, whether the movie is a huge success or a dismal failure, your memories and the 43 episodes of the 1970s version of Land of the Lost still exist, untouched and untarnished (just like all the previous Star Trek movies and television shows). Think of the movie as a new take on the franchise, not a replacement or a remake.