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.

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