The Planet of the Apes is a 2012 American science fiction television series by 20th Century Fox Television and based on the novel by Pierre Boulle.
The apes in the show were animated using the effects from the reboot series. The show also features characters and elements from the original novel, films, reboot films and the PC game.
Plot[]
Season 1[]
In 2030 four American Astronauts Ulysses Taylor, Professor Antelle, Arthur Levain and Mary Stewart were launched into space when they passed through a wormhole and crash land on a planet in the year 7080 which they name Soror, Mary dies during hibernation, on the planet they discover that man is a primitive beasts and the rulers are apes.
Antelle and Arthur are both killed by a group of hunting gorillas on horseback whilst Ulysses is captured and brought to Ape City, it is there he befriends two chimpanzee-scientists Cornelius and Zira, two friendly gorilla-keepers named Zoram and Zanam, an honorable gorilla-brigadier named Kung, and an orangutan named Jenna who learn he is intelligent.
However Ulysses' intelligence causes concern for many apes including the orangutan statesman Doctor Zaius, who is also Jenna's father and the iron-fisted gorilla military leader, General Ursus, he is then locked up for questioning. With help from his new ape-allies, Ulysses and a beautiful primitive woman named Nova flee to the Forbidden Zone. Later as he and Nova travel along the coast, Ulysses discovers much to his shock and horror that Soror is actually Earth by discovering the Statue of Liberty half buried in the sand
Season 2[]
After finding out that the new planet he thought had discovered was Earth, Ulysses and Nova head into the Forbidden Zone to find out how this all came to being. Whilst fleeing from some crucified apes on fire Ulysses and Nova fall into the ruins of New York City and it is there that they meet the super intelligent mutants led by the wise and patient Mendez, who believe that Ulysses is their messiah
Meanwhile in Ape City Cornelius, Zira, Lucius, Zoram and Zanam are arrested and charged with heresy and freeing Ulysses, however whilst on their way to prison they are busted by Kung and Jenna who tell them to hide until such time. Zaius having heard the news reluctantly orders an enraged Ursus to go after them. Cornelius, Zira, Lucius, Zoram and Zanam manage to flee to the forbidden Zone were they met Ulysses and Nova who take them to met Mendz and the mutants.
Meanwhile Ursus murders the Ape president and frames Zaius for it, and forced to take them along to protect them as Ursus murders President Gaius makes it look like Zaius had done it. Whilst hiding out with Nova's tribe, Nova reveals to Ulysses that she is pregnant with his child.
Season 3[]
A year after escaping Ursus, Ulysses and Nova live peacefully with their newborn son Sirus among Nova's tribe along with Zaius, Jenna, Siena, Cornelius, Zira, Lucius, Zoram and Zanam. However another spaceship crash lands near the village, two astronauts are saved from the burn wreck and are revealed to be Ulysses father George Taylor and brother Brent Taylor.
Season 4[]
The attempts to foil Ursus's fail and he unleashes his Gorilla super soldiers on Ape City.
Season 5[]
A month after Ursus and his Gorilla super soldiers are defeated, humans and apes are beginning to live together in peace and harmony, however whilst on their way to prison Ursus and Elta are busted out by a group of cybernetic apes whose masters are the Keepers, a race of war like aliens.
The leader of the Keepers forms an alliance with Ursus to help him take revenge on Ulysses and his friends, however Ulysses, Nova, Zaius, Jenna, Siena, Cornelius, Zira, Lucius, George, Brent, Zoram and Zanam gain help from the Keepers enemies, the Tenctonese
Cast and Characters[]
Main Characters[]
Humans[]
- Alex Russell as Captain Ulysses Taylor (Season 1-6) - A young Astronaut from Los Angeles who was on a mission to Mars with two other Astronauts when they were caught in a wormhole and spat out onto Earth in the year 7080 a time where man are primitive and apes the rulers of the planet. There he is captured and bought to Ape City and kept in the local Zoo where he befriends the two chimpanzees Zira and her fiancee Cornelius, he falls in love with the beautiful primitive human Nova and soon escapes with her and his ape allies. He vows to bring humans and apes together as equals and to end Ursus' tyranny once and for all.
- Portia Doubleday as Nova (Season 1-6) - A beautiful young primitive human who lived in the wilds surrounding Ape City in the year 7080 along with her father Jonah and brother Mathias. One day she was captured with several others and bought to the Ape City Zoo, it was there that she and Ulysses fall in love. She escaped with her lover, and their ape allies She learns many things from Ulysses, she and Ulysse first met whilst in a cornfield during the hunt by Gorillas. Between seasons 2 and 3 she gave birth to her and Ulysses son Sirus.
- TBA as Sirius (Season 3-5) - The new born son of Ulysses and Nova. He was born sometime between seasons 2 and 3,
- Bryan Cranston as Colonel George Taylor (Season 3-6) - The father of Ulysses and Brent and a captain in the US Air Force.
- Avan Jogia as Brent Taylor (Season 3-6) - The younger brother of Ulysses and the younger son of George.
- Tom Cavanaghas as Mendez the 26th (Season 2-4) - The wise and patient leader of the Mutants living under the ruins of New York City in the latter half of the 71st Century. Descendant from a long line of mutated humans and able with psychic powers, he can create illusions and communicate telepathically with other mutants.
- Halle Berry as Peowe (Season 2-6) - Mendez's wife and second-in-command of the mutants.
- TBA as Dr. Will Rodman (Season 4-6) - A human scientist from the 22nd century.
Apes[]
- Ian McKellen as Doctor Zaius (Season 1-6) - A Bornean Orangutan and leader to the Ape's High Council. He knows humans once ruled the Earth and keeps the secret fearing war would ravage the world. Despite his dislike of humanity he does care for his fellow ape. In Season 2, he reluctantly orders Zira, Cornelius and Lucius's arrest. In the Season 2 finale, he is framed for the murder of President Gaius by Ursus, but was saved by Ulysses and is forced to go on the run. In Season 3, he regrets his mistake to keep the secret after spotting the consequences, especially after talking to Caesar and vows to help undo the wrong he's done.
- Michelle Yeoh as Siena (Season 1-6) - A Borneon Orangutan and Zaius's wife who is among the few to know that humans where once the masters of Earth. When Zaius is forced on the run to escape Ursus's betrayal, she goes with him to help him. She comforts Zaius during his guilty angst and helps him to let go of his guilt
- Elisabeth Olson as Jenna (Season 1-6) - An Borneon Orangutan who is Zaius and Siena's daughter. She has a fondness for humans which causes her and her Zaius to have a strained relationship. She helps the human-astronauts out form time to time. When Zaius went on the run to flee Ursus's mutiny, Jenna went with him and discovered the truth behind how apes become the masters. Like her father she has a fondness for theater.
- Jennifer Connelly as Doctor Zira (Season 1-6) - A Common Chimpanzee who works as a veterinary at the Ape City Zoo, she and her fiancee Cornelius where tending to Ulysses wounds one day when he spoke to them. They were both so amazed that they helped him to escape but they were caught and were forced to go on the run along with the two Gorilla Zookeepers Zoram and Zanam, in season two she and Cornelius were married and continued to help Ulysses find other humans.
- Paul Bettany as Doctor Cornelius (Season 1-6) - A Common Chimpanzee who is the fiancee of Zira and an Archaeologist, one day whilst on a excavation he discovered trances of an ancient culture dating back since before the Ape's Sacred Scrolls were written. However when he spoke about his finds Zaius and half the academy warned him that what he was lecturing was heresy and so he was forced to give up, three years later he would go on the run for helping the stranded Astronaut Ulysses escape from the Ape City Zoo.
- Peter Mullan as General Ursus (Season 1-6) - A violent scar-faced albino Mountain Gorilla and the main antagonist of the series. He is the iron-fisted leader to the Gorilla-Army and one of the handful who know that man was once the master of the planet. He hates humans with passion as he views them as mere vermin to shoot, he also often says "the only good humanoid, is a dead humanoid". He also secretly plans to overthrow Zaius as the leader to apes viewing his race as the purest species and therefore superior. He is, as Ulysses calls him, 'The Simian-Equivalent to Adolf Hitler'. He has a wife named Elta owns two vicious Rottweilers named Killer and Maul who are the only things he genuinely cares for.
- Keith David as Brigadier Kung (Season 1-6) - A Western lowland Gorilla solider. He has a soft spot for humans and dreams about a world where humans and apes are equals. He befriends Ulysse after he saves him from falling from a ledge, and admires Ulysses's honor and courage. When Ulysses, Nova, Cornelius, Zira and the others go on the run he stays behind in Ape City to keep tabs on Ursus.
- Frankie Muniz and Justin Berfield as Zoram and Zanam (Season 1-6) - Two comedic Western Lowland Gorilla brothers who work as Zookeepers at the Ape City. They were amazed to learn Ulysses could talk, and became his first gorilla-pals. They helped him and Nova to escape along with Cornelius and Zira. In season 2 they were forced to go on the run with Cornelius and Zira after they discovered to have helped Ulysses escape, they are also Brigadier Kung's nephews.
- Erik Per Sullivan as Lucius (Season 1-6) - A Common Chimpanzee and the teenage nephew of Doctor Zira. He is a rash but well-meaning teenage Chimp who helps to defend Ulysses. He keeps acting without thinking and keeps trying to assault Ursus for his lies and for being a 'double-crossing monster'.
- Garry Chalk as General Kercheko (Season 3-4) - A Western lowland Gorilla who is the father of Kung and the grandfather Zoram and Zanam and a former General. He used to be the general in the Gorilla army and was even described as being one of the greatest generals ever, however when he opposed his former student Ursus for his mistreatment of humans he ruined his career. He was later killed by some of Ursus' Gorilla Super soldiers
- Killer and Maul (Seasons 1-3) - Ursus' two beloved Rottweilers who along with Elta are the only things he genuinely loves and cares for. They are vicious and only listen to Ursus's commands, he often takes them when he hunts humans and uses them to mercilessly hunt humans down and tear then to shreds. They were killed by Ulysses in season 3 when they tried to devour Sirius. Their corpses were left for a devastated Ursus to discover
Recurring Characters[]
Humans[]
- Bob Jesser as Jonah (Season 1-6) - Nova and Mathias' father and the chief of a tribe of humans living during the later half of the 71st century.
- Charlie Heaton as Mathias (Season 1-6) - Nova's younger brother and the son of Jonah.
- TBA as Caspay (Season 2-5) -
- TBA as Adiposo (Season 2-5) -
- Peter Mensah as Ongaro (Season 2-4) -
- Arielle Kebbel as Albina (Season 2-4) -
Apes[]
- David Tennant as Doctor Hélius (Season 1-3) - A Bonobo intellectual who is a good friend to Cornelius. He however dislikes humans as he considers them to be filthy and feral animals, he also disproves of Zira's theory that humans are intelligent. He was later tricked by Ursus into helping him create his gorilla super soldiers and after he found out, was murdered by the evil Gorilla general.
- Jane Kaczmarek as Elta (Season 1-6) - A Mountain Gorilla and the wife of General Ursus. Like her husband she is an angry and violet ape who like Ursus believes that humans are nothing more then vermin that need exterminating, she also supports his motion that Gorilla's are the only pure species of Ape and are superior to the others. According to Zira "after you've met Elta you'll never known a more mean spirited ape bitch".
- TBA as President Gaius (Season 1-2) - A Sumatran Orangutan who is the president of the Ape Assembly. He is shown to
- Keith David as Colonel Julius (Season 1-3) - An Eastern lowland Gorilla who is a colonel in the ape military and Ursus' second in command as well as his good friend. However unlike Ursus he believes in Ape equality, which puts him and Ursus at occasional odds. Eventually he discovered Ursus's plan to create a race of gorilla super soldiers and after confronting him was murdered in cold blood.
- TBA a Doctor Honorius (Season 1-4) - A Sumatran Orangutan who is the Deputy Minister of Justice and a leading Ape politician,
- Andy Serkis as Caesar (Season 3-4) - A Common Chimpanzee who was the founder of the Ape civilization. Unbeknownst to everyone he was raised by a kind human family, however when they refused to sell to their neighbor he broke into their house when they were asleep and murdered them before setting their house on fire. He then sold Caesar into slavery, where he was so appalled by the treatment of apes that he began a revolution and won the apes freedom. However he never forgot his human family and even considered creating a society where humans and apes could live together is peace, however he and his family were murdered by his adviser Koba who blamed on the humans.
- Toby Kebbell as Koba (Season 3) - A Mountain Gorilla who was the second in command to Caesar and the ancient ancestor of General Ursus. He was kept in a lab for most of life and was experimented on by humans which lead him to have a deep hatred of them, later when Caesar plotted to rebel against humanity he joined him as his second in command. However years later he murdered Caesar when he learned that he was raised by a kind human family and for suggesting that they create a peaceful society where humans and apes could live together as equals.
Ape Caste System[]
- Gorillas: Soldiers, Police, Hunters, Construction Workers, Firefighters
- Orangutans: Politicians, Administrators, Lawyers, Priests
- Chimpanzees: Intellectuals, Scientists, Farmers, Teachers
- Bonobos: Intellectuals, Teachers, Scientists
Races[]
- Apes - Once apes were normal simple animals who lived in the jungles of Asia and Africa. However after a plague nearly wiped out cats and dogs apes were then taken as household pets until their numbers boosted again. However a century later they had gone from pets into slaves which humans depended on, eventually they turned on their masters and rebelled. They then took over as the dominant race on Earth.
- Gorillas - Gorillas are the military, police, hunters, construction workers and firefighters of simian civilization.They love hunting and life in the open air. The poorest of them are engaged on work that requires physical strength. For the most part the gorillas occupy the roles of police, military and hunters. This is a function more or less reserved for them. They capture wild animals and, in particular, humans. Their favorite past-time is shooting, a hobby that has caused the near endangerment for man as a species.
- Orangutans - Orangutans are the statesmen and clergy of simian civilization They are traditionalists and looked upon as official ministers of science. They possess good memory, and learn an enormous amount by heart and from books. Then they themselves write other books, in which they repeat what they have read, thereby earning the respect of their fellow orangutans.
- Chimpanzees - Chimpanzees represent the intellectual and scientific element of the planet. It is not an idle boast that all the great discoveries have been made by them. Many chimpanzees are credited to leading reforms in simian society.
- Bonobos - Like chimpanzees, bonobos also represent the intellectual and scientific element of the planet. Like chimpanzees many bonobos are credited to leading reforms in simian society.
- Gorilla Super Soldiers - A race of genetically created Gorilla's who were created by General Ursus as part of his plan to wipe out humanity and conquer the world. They are extremely powerful and virtually unstoppable as they were able to continue to fight even with limbs missing, they also have some cybernetic enchantments to make them even stronger. They communicate in grunts and hoots rather than speak.
- Humans - Once humans were the dominant race on Earth. After a plague nearly wiped out cats and dogs they then took apes into their homes as pets until the numbers of cats and dogs boosted again, however a century later apes had become the slaves of the human race. Humans had also become lazy and dependent on their ape slaves, however the apes later rebelled and drove the human race to near extinction. The humans who survived retreated to the wilderness and started wearing animal furs as clothing and started living in a stone age culture, they were also hunted for sport by their former ape slaves.
- Mutants - Mutants are the descendants of humans who survived the nuclear war that followed during the Ape revolution which wiped out most of humanity. However due to living in both radiated and semi-radiated areas resulted in them suffering from severe genetic defects like baldness and skinlessness.
- Telepathic Mutants - The mutants who live between the ruins of New York City in the 76th century. They are descended from a group of humans who survived the nuclear war that followed the ape revolution, however due to living in radioactive ruins resulted in severe genetic defects such as skinless and bald. They did however develop telepathic abilities the enabled them to communicate with their people or to force others to act against their will, they wear skin masks to hide their deformities.
- The White Ones - A race of cannibalistic hairless albinos who live in caverns near Nova's village, they are nocturnal and cannot come out during the day due to the sun burning them. They are descended of humans who survived the nuclear war following the ape revolution by retreating underground, however pockets of radiation managed to affect them and living underground resulted in them becoming albino. They resemble the Crawlers from the Descent films.
- The Keepers - A brutal war like race of aliens who are the main antagonists of the fifth and sixth seasons. They are ruthless and merciless beings who go from planet to planet, first conquering them and then plundering them of their resources.
- Tenctonese - A peaceful race of intelligent aliens who resemble humans but bald heads and large craniums.
Animals[]
- Horses - Horses are used as mounts by both the humans and some apes. Whilst most apes use cars and trucks some prefer to use horses, they are used by Gorillas during human hunts, by Zira and Cornelius whilst helping Ulysses and Nova escape from Ape City and again when Zira, Cornelius, Lucius, Zoram and Zanam were forced to go on the run.
- Hyenas -
- Giant Rats - Rats that were affected by the radiation following the nuclear war after the ape revolution ended up growing to the size of dogs,
- Mutant Bats -
- Deer -
- Giant Boar - A species of large boar that is hunted for meat by both the humans and apes. They are descended from boars who were affected by the radiation from the nuclear war following the ape rebellion,
- Unialo - A species of bovine that resemble American Bison with a single unicorn like horn in the middle of their heads. They kept by the apes for both milk and meat,
- Crab Monsters - Giant crabs that live near coastal regions in the later half of the 71st century. Their enormous size was a result of the nuclear war following the ape revolution, the radiation caused them to grow to massive sizes. Some inhabit the sea surrounding the Reef.
Locations[]
- Earth (Soror) - The third planet from the sun in the Milk Way Galaxy. It was formed 4 billion years ago, 5'000 years into the future apes have become masters of the planet and humans reduced to animals, due to being the masters of the Earth apes have built their own society with cities, armies and religions. Ape City is
- Ape City -
- Ape City Research Institute - A scientific research institute located in Ape City run by Chimpanzees and Bonobos where experimentation on humans is carried out.
- Museum of Natural History - A museum in Ape City which exhibits stuffed humans and ape artifacts.
- Ape City Council Hall - A city hall where the Ape Council meets every day to discuss maters or for public meetings.
- St. Virgil's Church - A church that was named after the famous religious Orangutan leader Virgil.
- The Forbidden Zone - A vast semi-radiated desert located outside Ape City. It is a barren wasteland inhabited by mostly mutants, humans, criminals, hyenas, giant rats, mutated bats, deer and giant boars, it became radiated when the war following the ape revolution took place. Whilst most of it is desert some of it is lust jungle and
- Mutant City - The partially buried ruins of New York City in the year 7080. It is inhabited by the mutants and
- Jonah's Village - A ruin that is inhabited by Jonah and his tribe. It was later revealed to have once being the Pentagon, however after the ape revolution it was mostly destroyed and left as a ruin. Centuries later Jonah's tribe discovered it and made it their home, it was later destroyed by Ursus's Gorillas after its location was discovered.
- The Reef - A prison located on an island in the sea many miles away from Ape City. It is where Ape Cities most dangerous criminals and most severe heretics are sent, it is feared for its isolated location and for being virtually inescapable.
- The Statue of Liberty - A famous state that was the gift to America from France to celebrate America's 100th anniversary of Independence in 1883.
Vehicles[]
Cars[]
- 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible -
- 1957 Nash Cosmopolitan -
- 1950 Crosley station wagon -
- 1951 Studebaker 2-door sedan -
- 1951 Muntz -
- 1954 Hudson Hornet -
- Smith Custom 200 Police Special -
- 1930 Ford Model A -
Motorcycles[]
- 1950 Harley-Davidson -
Buses[]
- GMC 'Old Look' 'Parry Bus' -
Trucks[]
- 1947 Studebaker Truck -
- 1947 Chevrolet Advance-Design Loadmaster COE 'Shubert Truck' -
- 1949 Willys Jeep CJ-3A -
- 1958 Kenworth 524 -
- GMC CCKW 353 -
Helicopters[]
- Bell-47 -
- Bell UH-1 Iroquois -
History of the Apes[]
"It began with the great plague that fell upon cats and dogs. Hundreds of thousands of them died and hundreds of thousands of them had to be destroyed in order to prevent the spread of infection and by the time the plague was finally contained, there were very few cats and dogs left. So humanoids then started taking apes into their homes as pets, just until the cats and dogs numbers were sufficient again. The apes they took were dumb, but they were ten times smarter then cats and dogs and by the time the cats and dogs numbers had built up again, which they did about a century later but by then apes had gone from performing as pets to performing as servants. Then a drug that would make apes smarter and able to obey orders more was developed, this however was a fatal mistake to the humanoids. Because of this new drug humanoids became more lazy and more dependent on their ape slaves, apes however had become aware to the concept of slavery due to this drug and they learned to refuse. At first they would merely grunt their refusal but then on a historic day which is well document in the Scared Scrolls there came the chimp Caesar, Caesar was different from the others as he spoke a word that had being said to him time without number by his humanoid masters, he said no. And then shortly after apes took up arms against their cruel humanoid masters and then started the war of radiation and fire which devastated humanity's cities and ended human civilization. The humanoids who survived retreated to the wilderness and the Apes, well you what happened to them."
Episodes[]
Season 1[]
- Welcome to the Planet of the Apes pt. 1 - In 2030 four American astronauts Ulysses Taylor, Professor Antelle, Arthur Levain and Mary Stewart are launched into space, whilst entering a wormhole they enter protective status. Mary's malfunctions and she dies. The other astronauts crash onto an uncharted planet with they name Soror, taking some supplies they hike across a desert for several days before coming to an oasis. Whilst swimming their clothes are stolen by a group of stone age style humans, they are then taken to their chief Jonah, his son Mathias and his beautiful daughter Nova whom Ulysses takes a liking to offers them sanctuary. One whilst gathering some food they are attacked by a group of Gorillas on horseback, Arthur is killed whilst Ulysses is injured and capture along with Nova.
- Welcome to the Planet of the Apes pt. 2 - Ulysses and Nova are taken to a research institute in Ape City where Ulysses is given a blood transfusion from Nova by a female Chimpanzee named Zira
Season 2[]
Season 3[]
Season 4[]
Season 5[]
Trivia[]
- The apes are portrayed has having a 1950's style society with cars, helicopters, trains, television, radio, machine guns and a sprawling city as they did in the original novel.
- The apes are bought to life using both motion capture suits and the effects from the rebooted films.
- The mutants are featured as a peaceful race.
- Humans can talk, but they keep it hidden from the apes for fear of being exterminated.
- Humans live in a stone age hunter-gather society.
- The Apes refer to humans as humanoids.
- The show is set 5'000 years in future.
- Bryan Cranston, Frankie Muniz and Justin Berfield previously starred together in Malcolm in the Middle.