May 29, 2024
Battle for the Planet of the Apes and The Planet of the Apes TV series (1973-74)
In the aftermath of a devastating war, Caesar (played by Roddy McDowall) struggles to maintain peace between humans and apes in a fragile society. With the assistance of loyal followers such as Virgil (played by Paul Williams) and MacDonald (played by...
In the aftermath of a devastating war, Caesar (played by Roddy McDowall) struggles to maintain peace between humans and apes in a fragile society. With the assistance of loyal followers such as Virgil (played by Paul Williams) and MacDonald (played by Hari Rhodes), Caesar endeavors to build a future where both species can coexist harmoniously. However, as tensions rise and old wounds resurface, Caesar is forced to confront the ghosts of the past and make difficult choices that will determine the fate of the planet. Amidst the chaos, hope remains alive as Caesar strives to uphold his vision of a better world for all.
Then we look at the TV series and the animated series.
Get all these episodes plus hundreds more commercial free here!
See the full list of shows and sign up for our newsletter for more great news from Caloroga Shark Media.
WEBVTT
1
00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:12.919
Callaroga Shark Media. Welcome back to
TV in the Basement, your fallout shelter
2
00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:17.199
for all things post apocalyptic Primate.
I'm your host, Journey Joe Mitchell,
3
00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:22.280
and today we're concluding our original Planet
of the Apes retrospective with Battle for the
4
00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:25.480
Planet of the Apes, plus a
look at the short lived TV series that
5
00:00:25.559 --> 00:00:29.960
followed. Battle for the Planet of
the Apes is a strange and somewhat anti
6
00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:34.880
climactic end to the original Apes Saga. Released in nineteen seventy three. It's
7
00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:40.560
a more quiet and contemplative film than
its predecessors, focusing on the uneasy coexistence
8
00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:44.960
between apes and humans in the aftermath
of the events of Conquest of the Planet
9
00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:49.920
of the Apes. While it has
some interesting ideas and performances, it's widely
10
00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:55.240
considered the weakest of the original five
films. The story takes place a decade
11
00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:59.079
after the Ape Revolution, with Caesar, once again played by Roddy McDowell,
12
00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:03.560
leading a peaceful community of apes and
humans. When the guerrilla general Aldo played
13
00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:07.760
by Claude Kins, threatens to upset
the balance by stirring up anti human sentiment,
14
00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:12.120
Caesar journeys to the ruined city to
seek guidance from recordings of his late
15
00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:19.040
parents, Zira and Cornelius. Meanwhile, a group of irradiated human mutants who
16
00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:23.359
worship an unexploded nuclear bomb plot to
destroy the Apes. Caesar must navigate the
17
00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:27.959
tensions within his own community while preventing
all out war with the mutants. In
18
00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:33.239
the end, Caesar manages to brok
her a fragile piece, but the specter
19
00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:37.920
of future conflict looms. One of
the more interesting aspects of Battle is the
20
00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:42.000
return of the character of MacDonald,
now played by Austin Stoker. In Conquest,
21
00:01:42.120 --> 00:01:47.480
MacDonald was Governor Breck's conflicted aid who
sympathized with the Apes. Here,
22
00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:51.280
he's revealed to be the brother of
that character, serving as Caesar's trusted human
23
00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:55.560
adviser. It's a neat bit of
continuity that adds some depth to the human
24
00:01:55.599 --> 00:02:00.159
ape dynamic. However, much of
Battle feels like a retread of ideas and
25
00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:04.920
themes from the previous films, without
the same impact or urgency. The plot
26
00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:08.960
line with the mutants feels particularly half
baked and anti climactic, lacking the punch
27
00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:15.479
of the earlier film. Social commentary
and the budget limitations are more apparent with
28
00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:19.520
extensive use of stock footage and a
smaller scale. Overall, that said,
29
00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:23.120
there are still some strong elements.
Roddy McDowell once again anchors the film with
30
00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:28.879
his soulful performance as Caesar, now
a wise but weary leader trying to hold
31
00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:35.080
his fragile society together. The makeups
are still impressive, particularly the expressive orangutan
32
00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:39.680
characters like Caesar's advisor Virgil played by
Paul Williams, and there are some poignant
33
00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:45.479
moments, like Caesar's final speech about
the future of the planet. But overall,
34
00:02:45.879 --> 00:02:47.919
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
feels like a series running out of
35
00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:53.719
steam without the bold ideas or daring
execution of its predecessors. It brings the
36
00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:59.319
original Apes saga to a conclusion,
but not a wholly satisfying one. Perhaps
37
00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:02.719
sensing that the film series had run
its course, twentieth Century Fox decided to
38
00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:07.479
bring Planet of the Apes to television. In nineteen seventy four, CBS aired
39
00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:12.520
a live action series that served as
a sort of alternate sequel to the original
40
00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:16.800
film. The show starred Roddy McDowell
as Galen, a chimpanzee scientist who teams
41
00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:22.280
up with two human astronauts played by
Ron Harper and James Naughton to explore a
42
00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.319
future Earth ruled by apes. The
trio traveled from place to place in a
43
00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:30.280
stolen spaceship, encountering different ape societies
and helping oppressed humans along the way.
44
00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:36.400
The Planet of the Apes TV series
had some interesting ideas and a strong cast,
45
00:03:36.919 --> 00:03:39.879
but it was hampered by a limited
budget and the constraints of network television.
46
00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:45.719
The ape makeups were simpler and less
expressive than the film versions, relying
47
00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:50.719
more on masks than prosthetics, and
the stories often fell into a formulaic fugitive
48
00:03:50.759 --> 00:03:54.360
of the weak pattern, with the
heroes helping downtrodden humans rebel against their ape
49
00:03:54.400 --> 00:04:00.439
overlords. Still, there were some
standout episodes that tried to do something different,
50
00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:04.319
like the pilot, which depicted a
more technologically advanced ape society, or
51
00:04:04.360 --> 00:04:09.319
the episode where Galen is put on
trial for heresy against the Ape religion,
52
00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:14.400
and McDowell brought his usual depth and
humanity to the role of Galen, elevating
53
00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:18.480
the material. Unfortunately, the ratings
weren't strong enough to justify the show's high
54
00:04:18.519 --> 00:04:25.240
production costs, and it was canceled
after only fourteen episodes. It remains an
55
00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:29.680
interesting footnote in the Apes franchise a
glimpse at what might have been if the
56
00:04:29.720 --> 00:04:33.639
series had continued on television. The
Apes franchise would lie dormant for a while
57
00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:39.040
after the cancelation of the live action
series, but it did inspire one more
58
00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:44.120
short lived TV adaptation in nineteen seventy
five. Return to the Planet of the
59
00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:48.000
Apes, was an animated series that
loosely adapted elements from the films and live
60
00:04:48.040 --> 00:04:54.360
action show, with a new astronaut
hero named Bill Hudson joining forces with the
61
00:04:54.480 --> 00:05:00.120
chimp scientist Cornelius to fight against the
militaristic guerrillas led by General Urko. The
62
00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:05.040
animation was limited even by nineteen seventy
standards, and the stories were often simplistic,
63
00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:10.839
but Return to the Planet of the
Apes had its charms. The voice
64
00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:15.720
cast included many veteran character actors like
Henry Cordon and Richard Blackburn, and the
65
00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:20.240
show could be more playful and fantastical
than its live action counterparts, with science
66
00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:27.199
fiction elements like laser guns and hovercraft. Like the live action series, Returned
67
00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:30.720
to the Planet of the Apes only
lasted one season before cancelation, but it
68
00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:35.439
kept the Apes franchise alive in the
popular imagination and paved the way for future
69
00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:45.040
adaptations in film, television, comics, and more. Looking back on the
70
00:05:45.079 --> 00:05:48.759
original Planet of the Apes series as
a whole, it's remarkable how it evolved
71
00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:56.399
from a standalone sci fi parable into
a sprawling multimedia franchise. Each film tried
72
00:05:56.439 --> 00:06:00.399
to do something different with the premise, whether it was exploring the or origins
73
00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:04.120
of the Ape society, transplanting the
characters to modern day, or grappling with
74
00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:09.680
the aftermath of the Ape Revolution.
Through it all, the series managed to
75
00:06:09.720 --> 00:06:14.399
tackle weighty themes of prejudice, power, and it gave us some truly iconic
76
00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:20.040
characters and performances, particularly Roddy McDowell's
indelible work as Cornelius and Caesar. While
77
00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:24.639
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
may have been a somewhat disappointing conclusion to
78
00:06:24.680 --> 00:06:28.879
the original film series, it didn't
mark the end of the franchise by any
79
00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:32.199
means. Planet of the Apes would
eventually return to the big screen with Tim
80
00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:36.439
Burton's two thousand and one remake and
the acclaimed reboot trilogy that kicked off in
81
00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:42.480
twenty eleven. The Planet of the
Apes has proven to be a remarkably durable
82
00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:47.639
and adaptable concept that continues to capture
the imaginations of new generations. So while
83
00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:53.079
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
and the subsequent TV shows may not reach
84
00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:56.720
the heights of the earlier films,
they're still an important part of the Apes's
85
00:06:56.759 --> 00:07:01.079
legacy. They demonstrate the enduring appeal
of this strange, provocative, and powerful
86
00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:06.480
franchise, one that continues to evolve
and find new ways to explore its central
87
00:07:06.519 --> 00:07:12.600
ideas. As we bring our original
Planet of the Apes retrospective to a close,
88
00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:15.199
I want to hear from you.
What are your thoughts on Battle for
89
00:07:15.240 --> 00:07:18.319
the Planet of the Apes and the
TV series that followed. Do you think
90
00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:23.600
they are underrated gems or forgettable footnotes? And what's your favorite entry in the
91
00:07:23.639 --> 00:07:28.360
original Apes saga overall? Share your
thoughts in the comments if you'd like to
92
00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:31.759
receive episodes of this podcast commercial free, as well as the other programs from
93
00:07:31.800 --> 00:07:36.000
Calaroga Shark Media, including a show
I Think You'd love called Monsters, Sharks
94
00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:42.079
and Dinosaurs, alongside daily comedy news, five good news stories, five daily
95
00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:45.959
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more. Open up the Apple Podcasts app
96
00:07:45.959 --> 00:07:48.959
and find this show and hit subscribe. It's just four ninety nine a month
97
00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:53.759
and you can test drive it for
thirty days for free. Thank you for
98
00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:57.120
joining me on this journey through the
planet of the Apes. It's been a
99
00:07:57.160 --> 00:08:01.800
wild ride, but an endlessly fascinating
one. Until next time, keep watching
100
00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:05.759
the skies and the screens for TV
in the basement. This is journey.
101
00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:05.959
Joe Mitchell signing off.
1
00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:12.919
Callaroga Shark Media. Welcome back to
TV in the Basement, your fallout shelter
2
00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:17.199
for all things post apocalyptic Primate.
I'm your host, Journey Joe Mitchell,
3
00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:22.280
and today we're concluding our original Planet
of the Apes retrospective with Battle for the
4
00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:25.480
Planet of the Apes, plus a
look at the short lived TV series that
5
00:00:25.559 --> 00:00:29.960
followed. Battle for the Planet of
the Apes is a strange and somewhat anti
6
00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:34.880
climactic end to the original Apes Saga. Released in nineteen seventy three. It's
7
00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:40.560
a more quiet and contemplative film than
its predecessors, focusing on the uneasy coexistence
8
00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:44.960
between apes and humans in the aftermath
of the events of Conquest of the Planet
9
00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:49.920
of the Apes. While it has
some interesting ideas and performances, it's widely
10
00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:55.240
considered the weakest of the original five
films. The story takes place a decade
11
00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:59.079
after the Ape Revolution, with Caesar, once again played by Roddy McDowell,
12
00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:03.560
leading a peaceful community of apes and
humans. When the guerrilla general Aldo played
13
00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:07.760
by Claude Kins, threatens to upset
the balance by stirring up anti human sentiment,
14
00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:12.120
Caesar journeys to the ruined city to
seek guidance from recordings of his late
15
00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:19.040
parents, Zira and Cornelius. Meanwhile, a group of irradiated human mutants who
16
00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:23.359
worship an unexploded nuclear bomb plot to
destroy the Apes. Caesar must navigate the
17
00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:27.959
tensions within his own community while preventing
all out war with the mutants. In
18
00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:33.239
the end, Caesar manages to brok
her a fragile piece, but the specter
19
00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:37.920
of future conflict looms. One of
the more interesting aspects of Battle is the
20
00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:42.000
return of the character of MacDonald,
now played by Austin Stoker. In Conquest,
21
00:01:42.120 --> 00:01:47.480
MacDonald was Governor Breck's conflicted aid who
sympathized with the Apes. Here,
22
00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:51.280
he's revealed to be the brother of
that character, serving as Caesar's trusted human
23
00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:55.560
adviser. It's a neat bit of
continuity that adds some depth to the human
24
00:01:55.599 --> 00:02:00.159
ape dynamic. However, much of
Battle feels like a retread of ideas and
25
00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:04.920
themes from the previous films, without
the same impact or urgency. The plot
26
00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:08.960
line with the mutants feels particularly half
baked and anti climactic, lacking the punch
27
00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:15.479
of the earlier film. Social commentary
and the budget limitations are more apparent with
28
00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:19.520
extensive use of stock footage and a
smaller scale. Overall, that said,
29
00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:23.120
there are still some strong elements.
Roddy McDowell once again anchors the film with
30
00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:28.879
his soulful performance as Caesar, now
a wise but weary leader trying to hold
31
00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:35.080
his fragile society together. The makeups
are still impressive, particularly the expressive orangutan
32
00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:39.680
characters like Caesar's advisor Virgil played by
Paul Williams, and there are some poignant
33
00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:45.479
moments, like Caesar's final speech about
the future of the planet. But overall,
34
00:02:45.879 --> 00:02:47.919
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
feels like a series running out of
35
00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:53.719
steam without the bold ideas or daring
execution of its predecessors. It brings the
36
00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:59.319
original Apes saga to a conclusion,
but not a wholly satisfying one. Perhaps
37
00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:02.719
sensing that the film series had run
its course, twentieth Century Fox decided to
38
00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:07.479
bring Planet of the Apes to television. In nineteen seventy four, CBS aired
39
00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:12.520
a live action series that served as
a sort of alternate sequel to the original
40
00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:16.800
film. The show starred Roddy McDowell
as Galen, a chimpanzee scientist who teams
41
00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:22.280
up with two human astronauts played by
Ron Harper and James Naughton to explore a
42
00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.319
future Earth ruled by apes. The
trio traveled from place to place in a
43
00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:30.280
stolen spaceship, encountering different ape societies
and helping oppressed humans along the way.
44
00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:36.400
The Planet of the Apes TV series
had some interesting ideas and a strong cast,
45
00:03:36.919 --> 00:03:39.879
but it was hampered by a limited
budget and the constraints of network television.
46
00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:45.719
The ape makeups were simpler and less
expressive than the film versions, relying
47
00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:50.719
more on masks than prosthetics, and
the stories often fell into a formulaic fugitive
48
00:03:50.759 --> 00:03:54.360
of the weak pattern, with the
heroes helping downtrodden humans rebel against their ape
49
00:03:54.400 --> 00:04:00.439
overlords. Still, there were some
standout episodes that tried to do something different,
50
00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:04.319
like the pilot, which depicted a
more technologically advanced ape society, or
51
00:04:04.360 --> 00:04:09.319
the episode where Galen is put on
trial for heresy against the Ape religion,
52
00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:14.400
and McDowell brought his usual depth and
humanity to the role of Galen, elevating
53
00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:18.480
the material. Unfortunately, the ratings
weren't strong enough to justify the show's high
54
00:04:18.519 --> 00:04:25.240
production costs, and it was canceled
after only fourteen episodes. It remains an
55
00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:29.680
interesting footnote in the Apes franchise a
glimpse at what might have been if the
56
00:04:29.720 --> 00:04:33.639
series had continued on television. The
Apes franchise would lie dormant for a while
57
00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:39.040
after the cancelation of the live action
series, but it did inspire one more
58
00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:44.120
short lived TV adaptation in nineteen seventy
five. Return to the Planet of the
59
00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:48.000
Apes, was an animated series that
loosely adapted elements from the films and live
60
00:04:48.040 --> 00:04:54.360
action show, with a new astronaut
hero named Bill Hudson joining forces with the
61
00:04:54.480 --> 00:05:00.120
chimp scientist Cornelius to fight against the
militaristic guerrillas led by General Urko. The
62
00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:05.040
animation was limited even by nineteen seventy
standards, and the stories were often simplistic,
63
00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:10.839
but Return to the Planet of the
Apes had its charms. The voice
64
00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:15.720
cast included many veteran character actors like
Henry Cordon and Richard Blackburn, and the
65
00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:20.240
show could be more playful and fantastical
than its live action counterparts, with science
66
00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:27.199
fiction elements like laser guns and hovercraft. Like the live action series, Returned
67
00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:30.720
to the Planet of the Apes only
lasted one season before cancelation, but it
68
00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:35.439
kept the Apes franchise alive in the
popular imagination and paved the way for future
69
00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:45.040
adaptations in film, television, comics, and more. Looking back on the
70
00:05:45.079 --> 00:05:48.759
original Planet of the Apes series as
a whole, it's remarkable how it evolved
71
00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:56.399
from a standalone sci fi parable into
a sprawling multimedia franchise. Each film tried
72
00:05:56.439 --> 00:06:00.399
to do something different with the premise, whether it was exploring the or origins
73
00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:04.120
of the Ape society, transplanting the
characters to modern day, or grappling with
74
00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:09.680
the aftermath of the Ape Revolution.
Through it all, the series managed to
75
00:06:09.720 --> 00:06:14.399
tackle weighty themes of prejudice, power, and it gave us some truly iconic
76
00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:20.040
characters and performances, particularly Roddy McDowell's
indelible work as Cornelius and Caesar. While
77
00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:24.639
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
may have been a somewhat disappointing conclusion to
78
00:06:24.680 --> 00:06:28.879
the original film series, it didn't
mark the end of the franchise by any
79
00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:32.199
means. Planet of the Apes would
eventually return to the big screen with Tim
80
00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:36.439
Burton's two thousand and one remake and
the acclaimed reboot trilogy that kicked off in
81
00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:42.480
twenty eleven. The Planet of the
Apes has proven to be a remarkably durable
82
00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:47.639
and adaptable concept that continues to capture
the imaginations of new generations. So while
83
00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:53.079
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
and the subsequent TV shows may not reach
84
00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:56.720
the heights of the earlier films,
they're still an important part of the Apes's
85
00:06:56.759 --> 00:07:01.079
legacy. They demonstrate the enduring appeal
of this strange, provocative, and powerful
86
00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:06.480
franchise, one that continues to evolve
and find new ways to explore its central
87
00:07:06.519 --> 00:07:12.600
ideas. As we bring our original
Planet of the Apes retrospective to a close,
88
00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:15.199
I want to hear from you.
What are your thoughts on Battle for
89
00:07:15.240 --> 00:07:18.319
the Planet of the Apes and the
TV series that followed. Do you think
90
00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:23.600
they are underrated gems or forgettable footnotes? And what's your favorite entry in the
91
00:07:23.639 --> 00:07:28.360
original Apes saga overall? Share your
thoughts in the comments if you'd like to
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receive episodes of this podcast commercial free, as well as the other programs from
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and Dinosaurs, alongside daily comedy news, five good news stories, five daily
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trivia questions, and a whole lot
more. Open up the Apple Podcasts app
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and find this show and hit subscribe. It's just four ninety nine a month
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and you can test drive it for
thirty days for free. Thank you for
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joining me on this journey through the
planet of the Apes. It's been a
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wild ride, but an endlessly fascinating
one. Until next time, keep watching
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the skies and the screens for TV
in the basement. This is journey.
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Joe Mitchell signing off.