Burke (fine work by James Naughton) is forced to face two equally horrifying options after being captured by Urko's men: He'll either be killed by Urko (Mark Lenard in impressively angry and bullish form) or be used in a brainwashing experiment by brilliant prominent ape doctor Wanda (superbly played with ruthless intensity by Beverly Garland). Director Alf Kjellin, working from a riveting script by Richard Collins, relates the gripping story at a swift pace and builds a considerable amount of suspense. The interrogation scenes are quite quite brutal and harrowing while the climactic rescue of Virdon by Galen (the always on the money Roddy McDowall) and Virdon (solid Ron Harper) makes for an exciting set piece. Moreover, Galen has a funny moment in which he fools Urko's men by pretending to be a female chimp. The excellent acting by a tip-top cast keeps this episode buzzing: Anne Seymour as Galen's warm and supportive mother Ann, Norman Burton as Galen's gruff disapproving father Yalu, and Booth Colman as the wise Zaius. The robust score does the rousing trick. A very strong show.
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Woodyanders17 October 2013
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Tweekums17 May 2015As this episode starts we learn that Burke has been captured and taken to Central City. Here scientist Wanda wants to test a brainwashing technique that she has found in an ancient book on Burke while Urko wants to lobotomise him! Luckily for Burke the former gets their way although her methods are unpleasant they don't involve removing parts of his brain. While Burke is being 'treated' Galen and Virdon trick their way into Central City and go to the house of Galen's parents. They then try to find where Burke is being held not knowing that there is a definite time limit if Wanda can't get the brainwashing to work Urko will get his way.
At first I was a little disappointed that we didn't see Burke's capture but soon wasn't too bothered; his current situation was more interesting. The brainwashing methods looked suitably unpleasant without being too disturbing to watch and the threat of lobotomy gave a sense of threat. The story included plenty of good guest characters; Beverly Garland was good as Wanda as were Anne Seymour and Norman Burton as Galen's parents. While this isn't a series one thinks of as a comedy there are some laughs to be had; the best coming from Urko's misunderstanding of what brainwashing means and the unintentional humour of having the book on brainwashing found in a 1986 time capsule because everybody wants future generations to know how unpleasant one is! There is some nice action in the final scenes. Overall I found this to be a superior episode of this series. -
I remember that this subject was took place on the forerunner Planet of the Apes when the astronaut Landon (Robert Gunner) already was lobotomized, when Burke was seized by Urko he demands the usual process, meanwhile Dr. Zaius averse on Urko's brutal behavior wants introduces a new process of brainwash developed by Doctor Wanda (Beverly Garland) upon a human book found at time capsule, Alan and Galen are trying reach at Central City to find Burke to rescue him, they headed to Galen's parent house, there his angry father Yalu (Norman Burton) became a prominent counselor and disapproves Galen habit to like humans, however his pleasant mother handles the situation with wisdom, the top secret brainwash process takes place in a cave, Burke is under pressure by painful proceedinds of mental turtures and physical endless sufferings to answer questions always threatened by heartless Dr. Wanda, Burke holds strong taking her give up, he shall be removes to a hospital to be lobotomized at Urko's oversight, even already Galen and Alan find out Burke's whereabout is too late, Urko with a strong military garrison escort Burke along the way, and the time is running out, the results is quite obvious, but see by yourself!!
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First watch: 1978 / How many: 4 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.5 -
The worst episode yet has Burke (James Naughton) getting captured, and a masochistic female ape (Beverly Garland) putting him through the ringer...
Including a spinning wheel/rack and hypnosis, all the while strangely seducing him while the most annoying sounds, like clocks from hell, tick and chime in the background: All this is supposed to make Burke go stark raving mad, and then some, but this primal torture chamber winds up torturing the audience as well.
On the peripheral, Virdon and Galen are trying to locate their friend by visiting Galen's house, where mother is helpful but human-loathing senate seat father takes a while to come around. Meanwhile, the only good/decent and/or worthwhile/entertaining scene involves Burke hallucinating beautiful blonde Lynn Benisch (who appeared in many TV shows during the 1970's but never looked so pretty) in place of Garland's ape under hypnosis. But she doesn't last long enough. Making her image alone a red rose in a garbage bucket.