The BEST episodes of Planet of the Apes

Every episode of Planet of the Apes ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Planet of the Apes!

Astronauts Alan Virdon and Pete Burke are thrown 1100 years forward in time to 3085 AD to find evolved apes have become the dominant species and humans their apathetic slaves. Feared by the ape authorities, their plight turns the head of a promising young chimpanzee named Galen, who adopts the heretical idea that maybe humans aren't a lower species and can co-exist with apes as equals. As the three struggle to survive life on the run, a bond of friendship grows between them like an intricate tapestry woven right before our eyes, a multi-threaded miracle born of compassion, respect, and the desire to replace fear with understanding. The series is loosely tied to the original movie series, reusing some footage and the ape makeup (albeit on a lower budget).

Last Updated: 2/24/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
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Escape from Tomorrow
star
7.31
194 votes

#1 - Escape from Tomorrow

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/13/1974

Astronauts Alan Virdon and Peter Burke crash land on a strange planet. After being rescued by a friendly human, Virdon and Burke discover this planet is ruled by intelligent apes. To their horror, they discover that they are back on Earth in the year 3085. Meanwhile ape leader Dr. Zaius learns of the presence of the spacemen and wants them captured and questioned, much to the chagrin of General Urko, who wishes them dead. To protect his interests, Zaius sends his young assistant Galen with Urko to retrieve the humans. The apes capture the humans and they are taken before the council. Zaius orders them confined for questioning, but Urko conspires to free the humans, and then kill them as escaping prisoners. However, Galen learns of this and foils Urko's plan, allowing the humans to escape. Galen is arrested and accused of murdering one of the guards. The humans must rescue Galen before retrieving a magnetic disc, which could hold the key to returning to their time.

Directors: Don Weis
Writer: Art Wallace
Watch Now:Amazon
The Good Seeds
star
7.05
131 votes

#2 - The Good Seeds

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/4/1974

Burke and Virdon have to seek the help of a gorilla farmer and his family when Galen falls sick.

Directors: Don Weis
Watch Now:Amazon
The Surgeon
star
6.87
133 votes

#3 - The Surgeon

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/25/1974

Galen must use all his charm to try and persuade his ex-girlfriend, a female ape surgeon named Kira, to operate on Virdon using a forbidden human anatomy book, after the astronaut is shot.

Directors: Arnold Laven
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The Deception
star
6.86
133 votes

#4 - The Deception

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/1/1974

When the guys try to track down the apes who are framing humans for crimes in a small community, Fauna, a blind female ape, falls in love with Burke while believing him to be a chimpanzee.

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The Gladiators
star
6.84
171 votes

#5 - The Gladiators

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/20/1974

Burke, Virdon and Galen come across two humans fighting and get involved, but lose the magnetic disc. To recover it, they must approach the nearby village, where the ape prefect pits humans in a series of gladiatorial games.

Directors: Don McDougall
Writer: Art Wallace
Watch Now:Amazon
The Trap
star
6.72
163 votes

#6 - The Trap

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/27/1974

In a ruined city, Burke and Urko are trapped underground and must reluctantly work together to escape, while Alan and Galen must deal with Urko's gorilla patrol in the streets above.

Directors: Arnold Laven
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The Interrogation
star
6.72
102 votes

#7 - The Interrogation

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/15/1974

Burke undergoes a horrific interrogation after being captured whilst Virdon and Galen mount a rescue attempt.

Directors: Alf Kjellin
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The Tyrant
star
6.62
76 votes

#8 - The Tyrant

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/22/1974

Aboro, a despot, is making community life a misery; Burke, Virdon, and Galen decide to rob him of his powers.

Directors: Ralph Senensky
Writer: Walter Black
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Tomorrow's Tide
star
6.62
164 votes

#9 - Tomorrow's Tide

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/18/1974

An ape who runs a fishing business plans to use Virdon and Burke as slaves after he captures them.

Directors: Don McDougall
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Up Above the World So High
star
6.53
75 votes

#10 - Up Above the World So High

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/20/1974

Burke and Virdon join forces with Leuric, a human attempting to fly by building himself a hang glider.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Legacy
star
6.46
138 votes

#11 - The Legacy

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/11/1974

Burke and Virdon are helped by a young woman and a young boy while searching for an underground computer in a ruined city, but their plans go awry when Alan is captured and Urko uses the boy to get information from the astronaut.

Directors: Bernard McEveety
Watch Now:Amazon
The Liberator
star
6.24
78 votes

#12 - The Liberator

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/6/1974

Burke and Virdon are captured by a bunch of humans determined to hand them over to the Apes.

Directors: Arnold Laven
Watch Now:Amazon
The Horse Race
star
6.10
107 votes

#13 - The Horse Race

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/8/1974

Virdon decides to take part in a dangerous horse race even though he runs the risk of being captured by Urko.

Directors: Jack Starrett
Watch Now:Amazon
The Cure
star
5.53
74 votes

#14 - The Cure

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 11/29/1974

Thanks to their advanced medical knowledge, Burke and Virdon are able to help a village struck with malaria, but risk discovery.

Directors: Bernard McEveety
Watch Now:Amazon