Description
Two astronauts, Mac (Frank Aletter) and Hector (Jack Mullaney), travel faster than the speed of light, resulting in being sent back in time to prehistoric days. There, they have to adjust to living with a cave family led by Shad (Imogene Coca) and Gronk (Joe E. Ross). (In the pilot Coca's name was credited as Shag; when CBS censors realized that in England the term 'shag' was common slang meaning "to have sex," they changed her name to 'Shad'.) Their children were 18-year-old Mlor (Mary Grace) and 14-year-old Breer (Pat Cardi). The chief of the tribe, Boss (Cliff Norton) and his right-hand man Clon (Mike Mazurki) were always suspicious of the astronauts.
Ratings were impressive for the first few weeks on the air, but they soon plunged. Show creator Sherwood Schwartz came to the conclusion that three factors were the cause of the decline in audience interest:
- Repetition of the astronauts being in danger from dinosaurs, clubs, spears, volcanoes, and cavemen.
- An unattractive look to the show (e.g., caves, dirt streets, etc.)
- The cave dwellers speaking a primitive form of English that was difficult to listen to.
For these reasons, the series was retooled beginning with the January 22, 1967 episode. Essentially reversing the premise which had been followed the first half of the season, the astronauts repair their space capsule and return to 1967, with Shad, Gronk, and their children in tow. The prehistoric family must begin adjusting to life in the 1960s, reacting to the unfamiliar surroundings, and setting up home in 20th-century New York City. For example, one episode had Gronk and Shad learning to write their names and signing them for many salesmen who brought "presents," which later had to be paid for.
Read more about this topic: It's About Time (TV Series)
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