episode #08 - The Deception

Air Date: 11/01/74 / Production #B-510 written by Anthony Lawrence, Ken Spears, Joe Ruby Directed by Don McDougall

This was the episode with apes in hoods, riding around terrorizing on their horses like a future version of the Ku Klux Klan. In this episode, they are referred to as "dragoons" and their victims are humans. These apes have taken their hatred of humans to the next level, to the extent that even other apes, notably the local law-enforcer, are opposed to their methods. At the start of story, the trio of fugitives are listening to a local human explain the situation. The trio depart, and, sure enough, this human is the next victim, his home burned down. Matters are exacerbated even further with the death of a local ape (a chimp), which is blamed on humans. The dead ape's daughter therefore develops an unreasoning hatred of all humans. The heroic trio decide to get to the bottom of all this. Their first step is to get acquainted with the daughter, who, it turns out, is blind. Very quickly, she falls in love with Burke, thinking him to be an ape.
When I prepared to watch this episode again, not remembering the details, I figured that "The Deception" of the title involved the deception practiced by the apes in hoods, who hide their faces and spread the false notion that humans are killers of apes. And, perhaps some of this is the case. But, the prime deception of the story is the one perpetrated by the trio of regulars, who regretfully decide they cannot spill the beans to the blind chimp girl about Burke's true nature. I wish I could say that all of this was very touching - and maybe it was when I was much younger - but the limits of episodic television are very evident in such an episode, as the lady chimp seems to fall for Burke immediately just because his voice reminds her of someone. Then again, maybe female chimps are prone to irrationality... In addition, the roles of the three regulars are perceptibly adjusted in this episode; they are no longer simply fugitives, but do-gooders who are on some mission to right wrongs in those regions that they deem to have a need of their detective abilities (add another special talent to their list of abilities). The most interesting character turns out to be the local ape sheriff, a gorilla whose main goal is enforcement of the law, above all the strains of bigotry. BoG's Score: 6.5 out of 10
Trivia of the Apes: actor John Milford plays an ape in this one; he also appeared in The Trap as a human.