MovieChat Forums > Land of the Giants (1968) Discussion > Wild Journey - Penultimate episode

Wild Journey - Penultimate episode

posted 10 years ago by ewaf58
10 replies | jump to latest

Just a few points for all you rocket scientists out there. What happened to the '1983' versions of Dan and Steve when their future versions arrived from the Giant's planet.

Also did the 1983 versions albeit with memory loss 'relive' all the time again on the planet until they arrived back at the point where they originally met the time traveling couple.

As a story writing point why did Dan and Steve not take any real interest when they first meet the duo - in fact Steve says 'let's lose these two'

Still it's fun and interesting to see Bruce Dern earning his acting chops just prior to starring in 'Silent Running' and of course the gorgeous Yvonne Craig.

[–] ddc300 10 years ago

Ok...my two cents worth: indeed there should be the original Steve and Dan already on Earth and at the airport. This the classic 'time paradox' that also applies to the "Lost in Space" episode "Time Merchant' where there should be another robot and Dr. Smith already on Earth. I must admit, that "Wild Journey" has so much good dialogue between Steve/Dan and Thorg/Berna, that the viewer can get caught up in the episode and overlook that 'detail'. The episode is clearly one of writer William Welch's best efforts. I liked the fact that he had put in the dialogue between Collier and the guys about signing official documents and union papers for refusing to take out the flight (adds a touch of realism). I also liked Dern's approach at playing Thorg. He wasn't a brutish, thuggish bad guy, but a sly character, who likes playing his cards close to his chest.

As for Steve's 'let's lose these two and get back to camp' dialogue; Steve was always suspicious of 'running into' other people, even those from earth. I just assume he didn't trust Thorg and Berna.

And for the record, Welch could've given the audience a hint about the origins of Thorg and Berna. My own take on them is that they are future inhabitants of the giants planet investigating their ancestors (Thorg and Berna as futuristic giants -- we saw them manipulate size throughout the episode). Thorg and Berna dress too 'earth like' (casual 'Mod' style 60s clothes) to be indentified as aliens.

[–] ewaf58 10 years ago

Thanks for reply - yes the dialogue (interplay) between the characters was good.

I had thought about the touch of realism regarding the signing of the union papers although this was offset a little by the poor airport photograph in the background.

There isn't much about William Welch on the Net except the biography (which is interesting - do read) on here - but he was obviously a talented Sci Fi fantasy writer.

It would have been interesting to see how he would have handled Star Trek although I believe some of LOS shows were poking fun at it. Actually 'I Mudd' is very reminiscent of his style.

(There is an acting connection between the two series as Don Marshall was in the Galileo 7)

Pity the show was cancelled (because it cost too much) like LOS I was upset that we had another group of characters stranded away from Earth.

[–] StuOz 10 years ago

I am glad you liked Wiliam Welch's IMDb Bio....because I wrote it....along with Bios on Irwin Allen, Del Monroe, and a couple of other "Irwin talents".

Thanks.

[–] SHADO (82) 7 years ago

"LOS shows"?

[–] ltarex 8 years ago

That episode does not make sense in many regards. (Yeah, it's my problem that I'm trying to find logic in an Irwin Allen series).

1. If the aliens could turn anyone, including themselves, into any size, why didn't they become giant in the first place so they could observe the natives of Giantland? They wouldn't had to run from S.I.D. men, disturbed by giant dogs, etc... Wouldn't that be MUCH easier than be one of the 'little people'? Damn, even that crazed Piper had more common sense than these two so-called scientists.

(Also, I agree with the guy who pointed this out here in IMDB: it was completely unnecessary for the plot to shrink down Steve and Dan and didn't really make sense. It was just forced into the episode, probably by the network or the producers who said: "Look, this is Land of the Giants! We haven't seen any of the oversized props or a gigantic sewer in this episode yet!")

2. If the aliens could freeze anyone in time, why didn't they simply freeze Steve and Dan and take the gadget out of their hands and bring them back to where they were? Why did Bruce Dern had to fight through a 5-minute long fistfight scene with Steve if he could've simply freezed him?? Why??? It makes no sense whatsoever. (The VERY first thing Warren Stevens and his pal did was freezing our people. Damn, even they had more common sense than these two.)

3. But basically, if the aliens could travel to any time and place they wanted, why didn't they simply travel back in time before they'd met Steve and Dan and avoid contact with them. Why???? (This is the so-called "Captain Picard Paradox".)

"A voice from behind me reminds me. Spread out your wings you are an angel." 

[–] ewaf58 8 years ago

Mind boggling - I think only William knows the answer.

[–] dogsandcats5 7 years ago

I also thought of some of the same things you did while watching this episode. This is an excerpt from my review of the actual episode:

In this episode, Bruce Dern (Silent Running) and Yvonne Craig (Batgirl) play time travelers who are first seen also as little people. What is ironic is that they have the ability to change their sizes, so why are they placing themselves in danger at all? They could have changed their little people size to giant size since their assignment is to study the intelligence quotients of the giants on their world. To me, that is a gaping plot hole.

Another puzzling piece of the script is that Craig threatens Steve and Dan while they are in the airport V.I.P. waiting lounge on September 25, 1983 (not the original date given in the pilot episode which is September 12th). Craig states, "If all seven of you, the entire passenger list, the crew, and that dog are not on board flight 612, it will be disastrous. The flight will still crash, but this time there will be no survivors." Earlier the whole point made is that history can not be changed. However, if the Sprindrift castaways would not survive the crash, then wouldn't many of the lives of the giants be altered too? I think this is a plot hole worth noticing.

[–] timmytony80 7 years ago

Gonna check-out this ep. It sounds pretty good 4 a LOTG ep.!

[–] timmytony80 7 years ago

ewaf58; Bruce Dern's was making his bones a good while before this ep.

[–] elmparkstick 7 years ago

I enjoyed this episode. Despite for me the noticable flaw that in this story there would be one each of Dan and Steve and two each of everyone else, and that they didn't meet earlier versions of themselves.
The time travellers not making themselves giant could be explained by the difficulty of creating extra matter out of nothing, also the devices they had may have limited power so they only used them as little as possible.