If you could change/re-write the ending of any film or series, what would it be and what would you change?
As a child of the apes, I would have loved to see The Planet of the Apes TV series end with Burke and Virdon finally finding their way home.
It would go something like this.....
Burke and Virdon finally, after several years, locate the land mass that was at one time the Space Agency. As they navigate the terrain to get their bearings, they see something in a small cavern. The sun is hitting it just right so its shine can't be missed. Virdon and Burke enter the cavern and realize it is the archway to the facility they were at before they left on their trip. It would have been locked down before the ape revolt reached the area. Within the cavern is the passcode portal. Both astronauts have codes. Virdon tries his and it works. The doors open and they enter an elevator. They know where they are. They've been there before. Centuries beforehand.
Virdon: Let's check out the docking station. See what we were working on after we left.
Burke: Let's do it. There was no standing still at the agency.
As the doors opened to the docking station, the due were shocked to see a spacecraft hooked up to the launching pad. Seemingly ready to go.
The two men rush to the craft, which is closed, but has a passcode pad. Virdon tries his code again and it works!!! They enter the craft to learn it is fully fueled and to launch!!!
Our two time travelers are overjoyed with this discovery!
Burke: I can't believe it. We might actually be able to get home.
Virdon: No Burke. We 'are' going home. Right now. See if your code works and close the door. We can launch right from our control center in the hub.
Burke's code works as well, and the doors close. The men head to the hub of the craft and take their places at the console.
Burke: Now we just have to hope the hatch opens. Opening hatch.
The hatch responds to the controls and the men laugh with joy.
Virdon: Ignition to launch.........Turbines to speed........
The craft begins its lift and soars over ape city. The apes are stunned and shocked by what they see.
Burke: (grabs pulse launch handle) Pulse launch ready.
Virdon: Pulse launch a 'go'
Burke pulls the control and the craft disappears out of the sky. The resulting pulse and shock wave knocks down all the apes in ape city to the ground, as they look on in disbelief.
Our two heroes fly thru space and encounter the same storm that sent them forward in time, but it sends them backward. They've been gone from home for 7 years now.
Burke: Will we make it back to our time?
Virdon: Unknown. We can get close. But what's 'close' when your talking about centuries and time travel.
The storm's gravitational pull grabs their craft and hurdles them back into the past. As they leave space, they notice blue sky and clouds. As the clouds part they see what looks like earth. As their ship is programed to return to the designated landing spot, which is the ocean, it reaches the proper distance to self deploy the parachute to slow their dissent.
The hear someone attaching gear to the outside of their craft. "They've found us. We're home" says Burke.
As their craft comes to a stop on the beach, Burke and Virdon exit the craft. They are greeted by people they know, but who are very confused as they look at them. Virdon and Burke notice another craft, just like theirs, is also on the beach, and return the confused look.
They all go to the other craft unsure of what they'll find. As the doors open, three Astronauts exit the craft and take off their helmets.
It's Cornelius, Zira and Doctor Milo.
The show ends.
