Episode One
 (Undated first draft) 
written by Rod Serling for a proposed TV series. 

Review of story: Deep in space, Col. Allan
Virdon and Dr .Stan Kovak [who became Burke in the televised
series] record their final thoughts before entering hibernating sleep.
Their mission: to find the missing astronauts Taylor, Thomas,
LaFever and Bengsten. Their journey will take nearly six years, but
Virdon and Kovak will age only four weeks while in the frozen
sleep. They close their eyes and lose consciousness as the ship
speeds silently along its course.
There is only silence until the craft's alarm sounds and an
electronic voice announces: "Entering atmosphere. Controls will
now be manually monitored." The freezing tube's hatches raise as
the astronauts are automatically positioned in front of the main 
viewing screens. As Virdon and Kovak focus their eyesight, con-
trols are lowered from the ceiling to within their reach. The screens
change colors before finally focusing on a planet seen through high- 
strata clouds. The men smile and give each other a reassuring
thumbs up signal. 
Soon they have landed and depart the ship to begin their search 
for Taylor's crew. The air and pressure has tested satisfactory to 
support human life, so they press on through the barren plain. Their 
hopes diminish as they find nothing but rocks, brush and gnarled 
trees. Virdon checks the compass and heads in the direction of the 
nearest water. 
The men finally reach a lake and spot a large piece of metal
washing up on the beach. They pull it in and identify it as part of a 
helium tank. Looking up the beach, they see several more pieces. All 
of them are badly rusted, but they can make out some faded printed 
numerals. These were part of Taylor's ship, proving that they are in 
the constellation Cassiopeia. 
Kovak suggests that they, like Taylor's crew, have traveled 
through a time warp and returned not to some distant planet, but to 
Earth. He draws a diagram in the sand to explain his theory to
Virdon, who is very skeptical, but does not dismiss the possibility 
They continue walking up the beach, surveying the metal frag- 
ments. 
That evening, Kovak monitors Virdon from the ship while the 
colonel continues to search in the dark. The sound of Virdon's voice 
over the radio wakens the dozing Kovak, who adjusts the screen to 
see Virdon carrying an electronic torch. Virdon starts to return to the
ship, then stops abruptly, shocked. His torchlight has caught four,
small makeshift wooden crosses marking four graves. On top of one
of them is a battered helmet reading "Taylor".
!\e next day, the men have dug up the graves and laid out four
skeletal remains. Kovak walks slowly from one to the next, trying
to determine the cause of death. There are three men, two of which
died from gunshot wounds, the other from a broken neck. The last
skeleton, a woman, is very puzzling to Kovak. He tells Virdon that,
crazy as it may seem, this female is not human, but simian. An ape.
Unknown to the astronauts, an ape has been observing them from a
nearby hilltop.
The ape emerges and raises his hand, startling the men. Out of
fear, Kovak instinctively pulls out his gun and fIees. The ape
clutches at his chest and tumbles down the hill, landing at Virdon
and Kovak’s feet. He is not dead, but badly wounded. The men
ponder what sort of people would own such an animal for a pet; 
Returning to their dead comrades, they also ponder who would have
buried them along with an ape, and if the female skeleton is an ape,
where is the fourth member of Taylor's crew?
The men take the ape to the ship, where Kovak dresses his
throat wound. Virdon believes that such a large ape must have
belonged to a circus. He also is uneasy and wants to leave. The ape
gets restless, so Kovak injects him with a sedative. Virdon looks into
the ape's eyes and it tries to make a noise. Virdon is confused by his
compassionate feelings for the beast and compares the situation to
the pity King Kong earned as he toppled from the Empire State
Building after being slaughtered by the bi-planes. 
The men leave the ape and walk into the corridor, where they 
spot movement in the trees outside. If it is Taylor's fourth crew 
member, they would hate to abandon him on this seemingly desolate
planet. They decide to sit tight and wait. 
That night, two spotlights from an unseen source light the ship. 
Inside, the men watch the screen and decide to jettison all unneeded 
articles and blast off in six hours. Kovak heads toward the lab to give a
the ape another injection, but Virdon suggests they just move him 
outside in the morning. 
The next day, there are large piles of expendable items around 
the ship as the men ready all systems for launch. The ape is propped
against a tree, awake, but in a glassy-eyed, weak condition. As
Kovak passes, he kneels to check the ape's pulse. The animal grabs 
his arm and once again tries to make a noise. Failing, he raises a hand 
as if, it occurs to Kovak, in supplication. 
As the men return to their readying tasks, the ape rises and 
stumbles toward the ship, his throat wound bleeding. A light rain
begins to fall while he scrawls, 'I can speak" on the ship's hull in
blood. In weakness, he topples over into unconsciousness, not 
seeing the rain washing his message away.
When the rain Stops, Virdon and Kovak set out to try and find 
the missing fourth astronaut. Tired and frustrated, they return to the
ship unsuccessful. As they enter the clearing, the sight that meets 
their eyes makes them freeze. The ship's side entrance has been 
forced. Rushing inside, they head for the control room. They find it
in a shambles. Control panels ripped out, wires tom and exposed,
viewing screens smashed. 
With his gun drawn, Virdon rushes back outside. Furious, he 
spots the ape holding a metal pipe and figures he was responsible for
the ship's state. As he raises the gun to fire, the ape speaks the words
"please wait". Dumbfounded, the two men listen as the ape, named 
Galen, explains that he did not wreck the ship, but tried to prevent 
the security police from doing it. He fought them, then ran away and
hid. 
Kovak believes Galen to be very valuable to be pursued by the 
police, but the ape explains to the men that on this planet, everyone 
civilized is an ape. For as long as the simian has kept records, the ape
has advanced and man has been on the decline. 
The three travel to the Central City in search of supplies and 
equipment Along the way, Galen points out the North Forest where 
the human tribes live in the wild. They are hunted for sport, 
sometimes captured, other times killed. He tells Virdon and Kovak 
how the arrival of Taylor's ship and crew of intelligent humans was
a threat to the simian way of life. To protect the ape society, the 
ship's crew was executed along with Zira, an ape female who tried
to help them escape. To their dismay, Galen tells them that the fourth
crew member, although not buried with the others, is also dead.
Night has fallen as they reach the city .It is just slightly above 
the stone age in architecture. Unknown to them, Ursus, the gorilla 
army general, and his men are watching them. Suddenly, torches go
on, lighting the entire square. All exits have been blocked by 
soldiers. As Ursus steps forward, the men reach for their weapons. 
They quickly change their minds about defending themselves as
several bullets whiz by them, shattering a glass case.
The three are taken to the Council Chamber, where Ursus tries
to convince the Speaker of the House and the officials present to
execute Virdon and Kovak. Mr. Zendee, one of the onlookers, 
believes the men to represent more than just a security problem.
Having spoken to Dr. Zaius, President of the Academy of Sciences,
they know that these men are like those in Taylor's crew: thinking 
humans. Zendee intimates that the crew were killed by Ursus
without the Council's permission. Ursus reacts to his allegations 
violently and pandemonium breaks out in the court.
An uneasy silence fills the room as Dr. Zaius enters. With
permission from the House Speaker to address the council, Zaius
points out that the deaths of Taylor's crew silenced forever a source
of knowledge that, if used correctly, might have greatly benefited
simian society .Ursus counters with the argument that their superior
knowledge might also have destroyed ape society, the rational he
used when he had the f1fSt crew executed.
The debate goes back and forth. With the room ready to erupt
again, Zaius requests that the Chairman adjourn the meeting and let
he and Ursus talk in private. The room empties and after some time,
 Zaius makes Ursus promise not to kill the men or imprison Galen or
any other apes who befriend the prisoners. If he goes back on his
 word, Zaius vows to make the knowledge of Taylor's ship public
knowledge and personally testify that Ursus wants to execute these
 men without a fair trial.
 Ursus makes the point that they are dealing with the potential
 of an entire race who, with the leadership of Virdon and Kovak,
 could bring the apes to their knees. They both agree to let the men
land Galen go free as long as Virdon and Kovak return to the sky.
They part and Zaius proceeds to the basement of the Academy to tell
 the men and Galen of their decision concerning them. Ursus,
 however, has other plans in mind.
 The Academy basement is used to store historical writings and
 other artifacts from the past. Virdon and Kovak are led down the
stairs to find Zaius alone at the table. He introduces himself and tells
 them that he, like Galen, is an ape who would desire peaceful co-
existence with humans. Zaius warns the men that certain apes will
want them dead and he brings their attention to a large book on the
table.
Virdon and Kovak read the headline declaring a U.S.-Soviet-
Chinese war. The book, a collection of New York Times issues from
the 1990's, makes it clear to the astronauts why apes fear man so
much. This is Earth. Their Earth in the future, and a man-made war
destroyed their world. If humans like themselves could re-educate
man, the destruction may be repeated. This is why Taylor and his
crew were killed. With what they have seen, Zaius tells them to take
their ship and return to their own time, if they can.
Virdon, Kovak, Galen and Zaius travel to the ship, but find it
blown to a million pieces. As they stand staring, shots ring out as
gorillas converge on them. Zaius is hit, but not fatally. The men and
Galen run for the safety of the forest with two apes on horseback in
pursuit. Virdon knocks one ape off his horse with a rock, who falls
on the other gorilla and knocks him off his horse. Together, Virdon
and Kovak overpower the apes and they and Galen gallop off on the
stolen horses. Zaius is just getting to his feet when Ursus arrives on
the scene. The infuriated general vows to rid the planet of the
renegades no matter what the cost.
That night the trio arrive at a campfire surrounded by humans
dressed in primitive clothing. They seem particularly nervous about
seeing Galen. A man named Dempsey approaches them and Virdon
says they need supplies and protection.
Kovak tries to explain to the primitives that man hasn't always
been in such an oppressed state. Agreeing, Dempsey takes the three
to a cave.  In the light of the torch, they can make out the body of an
ancient, twentieth-century car. To the tribe, it represents the destruc-
tion that man's technology brought. They let the fugitives spend the
 night, but want no part in their mission to re-educate mankind.
Back in the city, Zaius is before the Council, who gives him
orders not to help the humans nor impede Ursus from apprehending
the renegades. Zaius, upholding his convictions, makes no promises
and is, therefore, taken into custody. He warns Ursus and the
Council to co-exist with man or he may one day rise again and
reclaim the planet.
Meanwhile, Virdon, Kovak and Galen are trekking across the
plains that stretch to the distant mountain ranges. Kovak stumbles
from the lack of shoes, but Galen helps him up and offers him his
own shoes. The three continue on, wondering what awaits them.

Episode Two 
(Undated first draft)
 written by Rod Serling for a proposed TV series. 

Review of story: The gorilla army is readying
itself to pursue the astronauts Alan Virdon and Dr. Stan Kovak and
their chimpanzee companion Galen. Ursus' fifteen-year-old son,
Zonda, is along for his first real military maneuver with his father.
He amuses the soldiers by pretending to shoot at invisible humans.
The sergeant compliments the general on the military-mindedness
of his son, but Ursus does not appreciate the flattery: his son can be
praised when he earns it.
As Ursus gives the order to move out, Dr. Zaius, the orangutan
President of the Academy of Sciences, approaches. In contrast to the
sergeant's comments, Zaius is disgusted to see Zonda following in
his father's military path. He feels that too much fuss is being made
to apprehend two humans and one ape. He wishes sanctuary for the
runaways.
Meanwhile, Virdon, Kovak and Galen are pondering the for-
bidden area beyond the river. According to legend, a deadly species
of ape killers is said to roam the area. Suddenly, a rain of bullets
strike all around them. They run down the hill with apes pursuing
them. The chase takes them up and down more hills, through forests
and ponds, ending at the mouth of a pass between two mountains.
They start up with Zonda and the gorilla pack right behind
them. Ursus orders the soldiers to halt and calls to his son to come
back. Before he can act, Virdon throws a large rock at Zonda,
striking him in the side of the head. The young ape falls wounded
to the ground.
Ursus advances, but from nowhere, arrows fly towards him.
Some strike the ground, others wound several soldiers. The army
retreats, firing blindly in the direction of the unseen archers. They
form a skirmish line behind a row of trees where they decide to stay
until nightfall. The sergeant reminds Ursus of the danger his son is
in, but the general will not change his decision.
Up on the ridge, the trio wonders who saved them, but are
thankful for the help. They decide to camp on the ridge for the night.
They hear rocks falling and turn to see Zonda coming toward them,
his head bleeding. Virdon picks up a rock to finish him off, but Galen
protests and explains who Zonda is. Kovak examines his head
wounds. There are tiny tears on his cheeks. Kovak is torn between
helping him as a physician and killing him as a man running from
the apes. Galen convinces the men to carry Zonda up to their camp
on the ridge. He starts a fire while Kovak tends to Zonda's wounds.
Later, Galen talks with Zonda and tells him that Kovak, a man,
saved his life. Being Ursus' son, Zonda feels about man just as his
father does. He offers to tell his father how cooperative Galen was
if they let him go, but to return to life in prison instead of being
executed doesn't seem like much of a choice to Galen.
From a distance, they hear Virdon calling for them to come and
see what he has found. When they arrive, they see an old, bent lamp
post standing next to steps leading into the ground. They have found
what is left of a subway station entrance.
They descend the ancient steps to discover wrecked tracks,
broken wall tiles, and old posters from their time. From what they
can see, this was in New York City, but the wars and span of time
have changed the topography.
They are shocked to see a single lit bulb hanging on the end of
a wire. In the distance, they can hear the hum of what sounds like a
generator. Losing themselves in thought, they fantasize about
taking the next train to the beach.
Suddenly, more bulbs come on, flooding the platform with
~ light. They watch as a train approaches them on the track with a
human in the operator's chair. They now notice many humans
standing along the station walls. Many of them are carrying bows.
The man in the train motions for them to enter the car .Inside,
the stranger is seated behind a table. The crowds on the platform
press around the train. Virdon and Kovak, assuming they are the
ones who rescued them from Urko's soldiers, thank them. After ii
long silence, the man, named Dempsey, explains that their gas
powered generator supplies them with light and air.
Dempsey finds it interesting that the men run from the apes
while having a chimpanzee companion. Virdon and Kovak intro-
duce themselves and explain their situation. An onlooker from the
crowd whispers to Dempsey that another ape was seen with the trio.
Kovak tells them about Zonda, which brings an uneasy murmur
from the crowd pressing around the train.
Dempsey makes it clear that, to them, apes are animals. When
Kovak questions their animal-like underground existence,
Dempsey admits that they live below the surface not out of choice,
but only because the apes outnumber them. However, they are
educating themselves with books and artifacts they keep uncover-
ing. The generator was one such preserved artifact which they
learned how to operate.
Another man comes out of the crowd to tell Dempsey that
Galen and Zonda have been captured. They will be executed and
Virdon and Kovak are free to go. A group of humans come down the
subway stairs carrying Galen and Zonda tied to poles. To save them,
Virdon challenges Dempsey and the others to prove how civilized
they are by giving the apes a fair trial.
Everyone files into a decrepit library for the trial. Dempsey as
the judge sits at a table, the jury sets on benches. A man named
Fallon acts as the prosecutor, Virdon represents Galen and Zonda's
defense. Virdon questions how fair the trial will be and Derilpsey
states, much to Virdon's concern, that the accused will get all the
justice that they deserve.
Virdon goes to get Galen and Zonda from their cell. He rmds
Kovak re-dressing Zonda's head wounds. Virdon tells them that a
trial will buy them time. He hopes Dempsey and the others will
remember how to be merciful.
Once the trial commences, Fallon charges Galen and Zonda
widl murder, kidnapping, enforced servitude, and destruction of
property. In other words, being an ape. Virdon states that Galen has
taken no part in any of these activities and Zonda is underage. It is
also wrong to condemn someone for an attitude he has held from
birth. Such is the case with Zonda. Being an ape and having been
raised by Ursus, he naturally hates humans, but that is all he has ever
been taught.
Virdon also states, in Zonda's defense, that he only follows
orders when he tries to kill humans. Dempsey mentions that the
twentieth century Nurenberg Nazi trials did condemn Hitler's
soldiers even though they were only following orders, also. The
crowd gets restless for the apes' deaths. Virdon appeals to the
crowd, but to no avail.
Fallon states in his closing argument that the apes are a clear
threat to them and should die. The crowd stamp their feet and cheer
in approval.
 Finally, Galen rises and asks permission to speak, to which
Dempsey nods approval. He admits that if he and Zonda are in fact
 being tried for being apes and having the attitudes of ape society, for
that they have no defense. Galen asks the court to put him to death
and let Zonda go. The crowd, now silent, just stares. Dempsey hangs
his head.
After some time of silence, Kovak tells the court that some-
where in the library is a book from their time by a man named
William Shakespeare called The Merchant of Venice. He quotes a
 passage that speaks about the rewards of those who show mercy to
 others, despite their origin.
In the gorilla camp, replacement soldiers have just arrived
when Zonda appears on the ridge and starts down toward the camp.
Ursus asks if it is a trick, but Zonda, glancing over his shoulder at
Dempsey, Virdon, Kovak and Galen says no.
On the ridge, Kovak tells Dempsey and the other humans that
today they planted a seed which may, in time, grow towards ape and
human equality. Then he, Virdon and Galen set off on their way.
Below in the camp, the sergeant asks for the order to open rlIe on the
humans, but Ursus tells the soldiers to pack up for the trip home. As
they leave, Zonda and Dempsey raise their hands and bid each other
goodbye.