Strange New World
In 1973 Gene Roddenberry developed the pilot for a new science fiction series for CBS called “Genesis II.” Although it was well-received the network ultimately decided to withdraw from the project. In 1974 ABC stepped in to finance a second pilot called “Planet Earth.” It was also well-received, but ABC wanted to make some changes and film a third pilot. After two tries Gene Roddenberry decided to participate no further. So the third film in the PAX trilogy was made without him.
In this third story the PAX organization of peaceful scientists come into existence in the late 20th century. In 1994 they launch a space station, also called “PAX.” Onboard this station three scientists undergo an experiment in suspended animation. They are “Captain Anthony Vico,” (John Saxon), “Dr. Allison Crowley,” (Kathleen Miller,” and “Dr. William Scott,” (Keen Curtis). PAX discovers an enormous swarm of meteors on a collision course with the Earth. They send the space station into a solar orbit to return to Earth in 180 years. Then the people of PAX enter a safe subterranean environment and go into suspended animation themselves. The meteors destroy civilization. At the end of 180 years the trio of scientists on the space station are awakened and tasked with finding and reviving the hibernating people of PAX.
This week’s movie was “Strange New World” from Warner Bros., broadcast on ABC the evening of July 13, 1975. It was directed by Robert Butler from a script by Ronald F. Graham, Walon Green, and Al Ramrus. Unlike the earlier two pilots this does not have a single plot. Instead it contains the first two episodes back-to-back. Vico, Crowley, and Scott have crashed their space shuttle on the Earth. They have recovered an eight-wheeled vehicle called the “Vesta Explorer” from the wreckage. First they encounter a community called “Eterna,” (filmed at the Brand Library in Glendale). There the trio are captured by “Surgeon,” (James Olson). His people are incapable of reproduction and have survived by cloning. They need new blood. In the second episode the trio encounter the remains of a zoo, where a man named “Sirius,” (Ford Rainey), rules over the descendants of forest rangers in their endless war against poachers.
This movie is really bad. It is sometimes clumsily directed and the stories are more weird than enjoyable. “Planet Earth”had appealing characters and a nice sense of humor. All that is gone here. ABC finally brought this project to a merciful end.
But CBS did not. On September 11, 1976 the network broadcast the first of fifteen episodes of the children’s television series “Ark II,” created by Filmation. A group of scientists seek to reestablish civilization following a global ecological catastrophe. They send a trio of charming young scientists in snazzy uniforms to cross the wasteland in a futuristic all-purpose vehicle. Joining them in their quest is a talking chimpanzee! Although it only lasted a single season this series is fondly remembered by a great many young people from the time.