The Fantastic Journey

1977

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1
7| NA| en| More Info
Released: 03 February 1977 Canceled
Producted By: Columbia Pictures Television
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

The Fantastic Journey was an American science fiction television series that was originally aired on NBC from February 3 through June 17, 1977.

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Columbia Pictures Television

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The Fantastic Journey Audience Reviews

GazerRise Fantastic!
SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.
Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.
jefffisher65-708-541158 Fantastic Journey was another of the sci-fi TV series which were quickly developed in the wake of the success of Satr Wars in the mid-to late 1970s, and one of the more unusual. I believe it was the only (U,S.) TV series to be in the Triangle, which was such a popular subject at that time.Others here have pretty well summed up my own feelings about the series, which I tried to catch every week - th network(NBC?) may have contributed to its demise by changing the time slot very often, my memory is a little fuzzy on that point by now. I did find the concept intriguing, and wish the show had been given more of a chance to catch on with the public. The notion of walking from one world literally to another each week was a nifty one for certain! True enough, by today's standards the effects are a little cheesy, and it no doubt looks very 1970-ish, but what the heck. Still a good effort, I feel, and one which featured a number of fine guest stars. Christina Hart and Ellen Weston were two more lovely ladies who often showed up on 1970s sci=fi/horror television who deserve mention.I also recall that cobbled-together TV "Movie," which was my only chance until the early years of the Sci Fi Channel to see FJ, better than nothing. I'm not sure if the show has yet been issued on DVD - I think it has not been - but hope somebody will do so fairly soon.
kleypassparrow I was enthralled with the programme with the first episode when they went into that strange storm. It was like a syndicated series, as each episode followed on from the one previous. I would love to see it again in repeat episodes either on telly, or on the internet like Google.It was a great programme for the 70's and I practically grew up watching Eisenman in everything he was in from a boy. I was a secret fan of his and wasn't one for fans clubs. I liked his character of Scott Jordon in the series. I was anxious for the next episode and they couldn't get around soon enough.Eisenman is and always will be my favourite actor, as I practically grew up with up, while watching him on screen. The other characters were great, too and the storyline was never the same week to week. Shame it had such a short run.
ShadeGrenade 'The Fantastic Journey' was one of several '70's American sci-fi shows that, although not particularly successful in its home country, proved enormously popular abroad, particularly in Britain. Others included 'Planet Of The Apes', 'Logan's Run', 'The Invisible Man' and 'Gemini Man'. They were slickly produced, boasting better special effects ( and lots of flashing lights! ) than our shows. Created by Bruce Lansbury, 'Journey' was based on a most captivating premise. A scientific expedition in the Atlantic Ocean headed by Dr.Paul Jordan ( Scott Thomas ) becomes lost in the legendary Bermuda Triangle, and washes up on an uncharted island. Here past, present and future co-exist, separated by invisible barriers. Most of the group mysteriously disappeared after the pilot episode, leaving trainee doctor Fred Walters ( Carl Franklin ) and Paul's genius son Scott ( Ike Eisenmann ) to team up with Varian ( Jared Martin ), a man from the 23rd century. He carried at all times a tuning fork-like device with a variety of functions. The first episode - 'Atlantium' - brought in the lovely Katie Saylor as Liana, half-human, half-alien, who had a telepathic bond with her cat Sil-L. 'Beyond The Mountain' saw the group completed with the arrival of 'Professor Jonathan Willaway' ( Roddy McDowall ) an eccentric scientist from the '60's, who put one in mind of Jonathan Harris's 'Dr.Zachary Smith' from 'Lost In Space'. Each week, the travellers entered a new zone, and sorted out a local difficulty before moving on, all the time searching for the doorway back to their own times, known as 'Evoland'. Script consultant D.C. Fontana was best known for her work on 'Star Trek'. Joan Collins, Ian McShane, Leif Erickson, Cheryl Ladd, John Saxon, Richard Jaeckel, and Nicholas Hammond all guested. The distinctive theme tune was by Robert Prince. Including the pilot, only ten instalments were made ( the 'Funhouse' episode was not screened by B.B.C. Wales as it was deemed too scary for a Sunday afternoon slot ). We never found out if the travellers made it home or not. Producer Leonard Katzman took the production team onto his next project - the television version of 'Logan's Run'. There were two screenings on the B.B.C. - one in 1977, the other a year later - and one on the 'Bravo' satellite channel in 1994.Hardly Hugo-award winning stuff perhaps, but 'Journey' was lively and entertaining and deserving of a much longer run. It is fondly remembered as a product of a television age when characters were more important than special effects.
Alban I have seen this in reruns in the 1980's and it wasn't too bad. Let me fill you in with more of what I remember.Spoilers. Valerian (I don't remember him being "Varian") had a super crystal tuning fork that could do just about anything. But he wasn't an alien. He was from Atlantis. He was healthy, wise, handsome, took his vitamins, had a clean aura, probably a vegetarian, and he never abused that aardvark in the back yard. Your basic all-around 1970's hero guy. And the tuning fork was really an amplifier that tapped into his spiritual essence to effect change.In the Bermuda triangle, people would get sucked in from various times throughout history. I believe it was the pilot when they ran into pirates. One of them asked if Elizabeth was still Queen of England. Clearly, they meant a previous Elizabeth. They answered yes, which only prolonged their delay in realizing they were in a time vortex.Roddy McDowall was a late-comer, probably to boost sagging ratings. He was from the future but I don't remember from when exactly. I think it was the 2100's.It turned out there were some bad guys running the island from a shiny silver cylindrical tower that looks remarkably like one of the buildings in downtown Los Angeles. They were agents working either for or with "The Source". Valerian defeated The Source, leaving the show with no direction at all. They quickly slapped together a new threat – "The Power". It some kind of artifact gun. The reruns didn't get that far in the 80's so my memory gets hit and miss at that point. I remember them beating The Power also. I think they knew the clock was running out so they were kind enough not to leave the audience hanging.It was a bit simplistic at times, and some of the plots were a bit too obvious, but it was good clean escapist fun. There was a family on the island with Valerian so it was easy enough to identify with someone and pretend you were there also on a wild adventure. I would watch it again if it was on at a convenient hour.