Downstream (Land of the Lost)
Encyclopedia
"Downstream" is the fourth episode of the first season of the 1974 American television series Land of the Lost
. Written by Larry Niven
and directed by Dennis Steinmetz, it first aired in the United States on September 28, 1974 on NBC
. The episode guest stars Walker Edmiston
.
Inside they meet a crazedman who identifies himself as Jefferson Davis Collie III (Walker Edmiston
), a Confederate
artilleryman. Collie forces them to mine the glowing minerals of his cavern to earn a meal. Rick hypothesizes that the lode
may be a radioactive power source which causes the opening of time portals.
Collie explains the peculiar properties of the minerals (such as that a red and a green crystal together make a bright light, and an added yellow crystal creates a blinding but short-lived light) and tells of his experience shooting and eating three Sleestak. He explains that the river travels underground, but refuses to tell the Marshalls if and where the river comes up again, explaining that he is starved for company and wants them to stay.
Three Sleestak appear with crossbows, but Collie scares them off with rounds from his cannon, "Sarah." Out of water, Collie heads to refill, and the Marshalls sneak after him. The four are ambushed by Sleestak, and Rick puts a red, green, and yellow crystal together, creating a blinding flash that dazes the monsters. The light quickly dies, however. Will grabs a blue crystal and a green crystal, which together make a bomb which explodes around the Sleestak.
The Marshalls and Collie escape into the river, and head downstream. Eventually they find themselves in a swamp, and recognizing the Pylon, realize the river runs in a circle and has lead back to their own part of the jungle. Rick supposes the jungle is impossible to leave without a time portal, calling it a "closed universe." Collie, frightened by the dinosaurs, decides to return to his cave.
fired the cannon, the charge was so strong an actor playing a Sleestak was knocked over.
In 2009, the online review site Premium Hollywood described the episode as "lackluster", but added that it "begins to offer us a peek into how complex this series could become."
Land of the Lost (1974 TV series)
Land of the Lost is a children's television series co-created and produced by Sid and Marty Krofft. During its original run, it was broadcast on the NBC television network....
. Written by Larry Niven
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
and directed by Dennis Steinmetz, it first aired in the United States on September 28, 1974 on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. The episode guest stars Walker Edmiston
Walker Edmiston
-Career:Walker Edmiston was an American character actor and voice-over artist who was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Edmiston appeared on various television programs in character roles during the 1950s – 1970s, such as Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, Knots Landing, and The Dukes of Hazzard, all...
.
Plot
The Marshalls build a raft and head downstream in search of civilization, with the hope of finding a way back to Earth. The raft comes to a waterfall where they are forced to quickly leap into a cave.Inside they meet a crazedman who identifies himself as Jefferson Davis Collie III (Walker Edmiston
Walker Edmiston
-Career:Walker Edmiston was an American character actor and voice-over artist who was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Edmiston appeared on various television programs in character roles during the 1950s – 1970s, such as Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, Knots Landing, and The Dukes of Hazzard, all...
), a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
artilleryman. Collie forces them to mine the glowing minerals of his cavern to earn a meal. Rick hypothesizes that the lode
Lode
In geology, a lode is a deposit of metalliferous ore that fills or is embedded in a fissure in a rock formation or a vein of ore that is deposited or embedded between layers of rock....
may be a radioactive power source which causes the opening of time portals.
Collie explains the peculiar properties of the minerals (such as that a red and a green crystal together make a bright light, and an added yellow crystal creates a blinding but short-lived light) and tells of his experience shooting and eating three Sleestak. He explains that the river travels underground, but refuses to tell the Marshalls if and where the river comes up again, explaining that he is starved for company and wants them to stay.
Three Sleestak appear with crossbows, but Collie scares them off with rounds from his cannon, "Sarah." Out of water, Collie heads to refill, and the Marshalls sneak after him. The four are ambushed by Sleestak, and Rick puts a red, green, and yellow crystal together, creating a blinding flash that dazes the monsters. The light quickly dies, however. Will grabs a blue crystal and a green crystal, which together make a bomb which explodes around the Sleestak.
The Marshalls and Collie escape into the river, and head downstream. Eventually they find themselves in a swamp, and recognizing the Pylon, realize the river runs in a circle and has lead back to their own part of the jungle. Rick supposes the jungle is impossible to leave without a time portal, calling it a "closed universe." Collie, frightened by the dinosaurs, decides to return to his cave.
Creation and reception
During the filming of a scene where Walker EdmistonWalker Edmiston
-Career:Walker Edmiston was an American character actor and voice-over artist who was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Edmiston appeared on various television programs in character roles during the 1950s – 1970s, such as Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, Knots Landing, and The Dukes of Hazzard, all...
fired the cannon, the charge was so strong an actor playing a Sleestak was knocked over.
In 2009, the online review site Premium Hollywood described the episode as "lackluster", but added that it "begins to offer us a peek into how complex this series could become."