Young Indiana Jones appreciation thread

Indy86

New member
I've come to appreciate the series more now. Maybe it's because I've reached the SPF episodes. The CC last episodes were better than the first. Russia, Greece and China were his best. I know more episodes were planned before the war but never made. Still I would've liked to see how Indy's mother passed away and what happened to Ms. Seymour. I think any further we should rely on the books instead. Even though there is a book I think Indy on the Titanic would make a great episode.

There is still so much you can do with (a young) Indiana Jones. I don't think it's all about the adventure but more the educational side. And Indy is a great character to help us learn about history of the early 20th century. But just history in general. That's why he's a teacher... part-time. :p
 

Indy86

New member
Trenches of Hell was great and the one with Mata Hari was alright. Maybe it was worked out a little weak, of course the bottom line is that Indy was being used by her. But I thought there would be more on Mata Hari being a spy. I don't know her that good, I'm going to have get into that some time.

Phantom Train was not bad when it was about the train but the second half was less interesting. Even though there was action in it. Paul Freeman was delightful in his role though.

I don't know when I'll watch the next one, need a little break, have been watching the past week now nearly everyday and it's always 90 minutes. I guess you'll find out, next time I post here.
 

Indy86

New member
I've been watching chapter 11 & 12 after a few days break. I'm halfway. The chapter in Africa was great and also when he's back in France. Indy was a Flyboy. But James Franco didn't show up. :p Interesting how Indy hates flying but doesn't have a problem with it in the movies. Maybe because he wasn't flying and does not have a problem with it if he can place his hat over his eyes and take a nap. :D
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Indy86 said:
Interesting how Indy hates flying but doesn't have a problem with it in the movies. Maybe because he wasn't flying and does not have a problem with it if he can place his hat over his eyes and take a nap. :D

I've always figured that was meant as a point in the line of Indy's evolving relationship with air travel, along with "You know how to fly, don't you?" "No, do you?" and "Fly yes, land no!" (An idea, incidentally, that the City of the Gods script deftly puts a bow on, with Indy nonchalantly executing an impressive looking landing.)
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Indy86 said:
I'm yet to see that one. Ten more to go. It's getting better. (y)

No, that was the Frank Darabont script for what become <I>...Kingdom of the Crystal Skull</I>, though it seems I conflated two moments in one action sequence.

Indy snap-rolls the plane rightside-up again with a "no big deal" look on his face. Apparently, he's become an expert pilot since "Temple of Doom."

***

Indy wrestles the plane in a dead glide, dropping fast, desperately looking for a place to set down. He dead-sticks it toward a clearing, trying to line up for a landing.

INDY
Hang on!

The landing gear tears off as they clip a tree and belly-skid in. The wings are ripped off by passing tree trunks, then the plane finally comes to a stop. All things considered, it's a pretty damn good landing. Indy looks stunned that he pulled it off. He tosses a cocky smile over his shoulder at Marion...
...but she points. He turns forward to see FLAMES ERUPTING from the engine.
 

DoomsdayFAN

Member
I just started watching the first episode the other day and it was surprisingly pretty good. I haven't finished it yet but I think I definitely will.

How long did the entire series run for and how many total episodes are there?
 
DoomsdayFAN said:
How long did the entire series run for and how many total episodes are there?

It's difficult to say because there are 2 incarnations of the series. There's the original broadcast The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and the home video release which is the most common and easiest to find; The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (I imagine this is the version you are watching?).

Chronicles has a really confusing history: it saw a total of 28 produced episodes (2 seasons, 1992-93), 4 of which went unaired and another 12 were coupled together to make 4 made for TV movies. Following the series' cancellation an additional 4 original movies were released between 1994 to 96.

Adventures is a recut of the original broadcast, with perhaps the biggest difference being, that most of the 'episodes' are actually 2 separate ones bridged together (sometimes clumsily) to make 90-minute long 'films' of which there are a total of 22. Others changes involve the removal of the Old Indy bookends, the release of the episodes in chronological order, the restoration of the unaired episodes and previously unseen footage from existing ones.

I have complete faith in my sources, but I would suggest talking to Stoo for more information. He has the most intimate knowledge of the series and might be able to clarify some things, including differences seen in broadcasts from outside of North America ...
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
Indy86 said:
Maybe somewhere between 1935 and 1938 he learned how to fly. I'd say 1937 than.

I imagine after he got home from India, he immediately took flight lessons, just in case.

On topic, I've re-watched a lot of the Young Indy series recently, and I really do appreciate it so much. A lot of it is a work of art. It captures not only an incredibly interesting period of time (well, three interesting periods of time), but also, while SPF isn't Ford's Indy, he shows potential to grow into that guy.
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
Re-watching lately, I must say that while I would've liked an occasional treasure hunt episode, some of the episodes really are awesome and expand on Indy's character greatly. I wish this series had more fans.

IMO, these are essential episodes:

-My First Adventure
-Travels with Father
-Spring Break Adventure
-Attack of the Hawkmen
-Daredevils of the Desert
-Masks of Evil
-Treasure of the Peacock's Eye
-Mystery of the Blues
-Winds of Change
 

lairdo

Member
Raiders112390 said:
Re-watching lately, I must say that while I would've liked an occasional treasure hunt episode, some of the episodes really are awesome and expand on Indy's character greatly. I wish this series had more fans.

IMO, these are essential episodes:

-My First Adventure
-Travels with Father
-Spring Break Adventure
-Attack of the Hawkmen
-Daredevils of the Desert
-Masks of Evil
-Treasure of the Peacock's Eye
-Mystery of the Blues
-Winds of Change

Agreed. That is a great list. I would expand it a bit if you want to get a full YIJC experience. (Note that Mystery of the Blues happens after Winds of Change)

Love's Sweet Song - it connects Spring Break Adventure and sets up Indy in WWI
Trenches of Hell - I know this sequence (and the unmade part III) were important to George. It also serves as a contrast to Hawkmen in some way
Oganga, Giver and Taker of Life - An adventure (that starts fun and turns serious) with lots of life lessons for Indy.

Updated in order:

-My First Adventure
-Travels with Father
-Spring Break Adventure
-Love's Sweet Song
-Trenches of Hell
-Oganga, Giver and Taker of Life
-Attack of the Hawkmen
-Daredevils of the Desert
-Masks of Evil
-Treasure of the Peacock's Eye
-Winds of Change
-Mystery of the Blues

And maybe add the first half of Demons of Deception (Verdun). Of course, I like something about all of them.

Laird
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
lairdo said:
Agreed. That is a great list. I would expand it a bit if you want to get a full YIJC experience. (Note that Mystery of the Blues happens after Winds of Change)

Love's Sweet Song - it connects Spring Break Adventure and sets up Indy in WWI
Trenches of Hell - I know this sequence (and the unmade part III) were important to George. It also serves as a contrast to Hawkmen in some way
Oganga, Giver and Taker of Life - An adventure (that starts fun and turns serious) with lots of life lessons for Indy.

Updated in order:

-My First Adventure
-Travels with Father
-Spring Break Adventure
-Love's Sweet Song
-Trenches of Hell
-Oganga, Giver and Taker of Life
-Attack of the Hawkmen
-Daredevils of the Desert
-Masks of Evil
-Treasure of the Peacock's Eye
-Winds of Change
-Mystery of the Blues

And maybe add the first half of Demons of Deception (Verdun). Of course, I like something about all of them.

Laird

The ones I picked I did because they contain a good bulk of the story, are episodes that expand on Indy's background, and would I feel be the most accessible to new watchers.
 

InexorableTash

Active member
Laird! Long time no see! (I've been mostly lurking myself.)

Re: those lists - why does Masks of Evil appear? Do each of you consider it an enjoyable or well-crafted chapter, an important YIJ arc story, Indy's "first encounter with the supernatural", or some other reason?

Asking because it's the one I'd disagree on including, so I'd like to hear the reasoning of others.
 

lairdo

Member
InexorableTash said:
Re: those lists - why does Masks of Evil appear? Do each of you consider it an enjoyable or well-crafted chapter, an important YIJ arc story, Indy's "first encounter with the supernatural", or some other reason?

Asking because it's the one I'd disagree on including, so I'd like to hear the reasoning of others.

Hey there. Yeah, I'm like a bad penny...

Anyway, for me, that was also a questionable episode, but I left it in because of two things.

First, I think the Istanbul section helps establish Indy's skittishness about marriage which links to his dashing out on Marion. (Plus, I love the sewer scenes in there - nice homage to From Russia with Love.)

The 2nd is that while Transylvania is the strangest of the series, it shows one of Indy's first experiences with things outside normal science. And it has a great score too.

Raiders112390, what was your original thinking?
 

Raiders90

Well-known member
My thinking was pretty much the same as yours. The whole movie, both sections, has a very dark and haunted "feel" to it. There's a moroseness to the Istanbul part which mixes well with the darkness of Transylvania. I don't understand why the second part is considered strange honestly. If we consider Young Indy to be the youthful adventures of the guy in Raiders through KoTCS, why shouldn't he have an encounter with the supernatural? I think a vampire is no less believable than the Sankara Stones or Aliens. Also, I enjoyed the Transylvania section for a few reasons: I love the group dynamic, it almost feels like watching an RPG in a sense in that you have this party of highly skilled characters; I thought Maria made for an interesting woman, not the demure female Indy is used to at this stage (compare Maria and Molly). I love the fact that Dracula is played much differently than he is usually, especially for the 1990s. This came out around the same era as the 1992 Batman, showing Vlad as a seductive Prince, Interview with a Vampire which showed these hunky guys as very sensual vampires; it was refreshing to see a different approach; the rat-like and decadent sociopath feel of this vampire made him creepy. It also felt like a horror B-movie and reminded me of the haunted castle segment they had wanted to do.

Lastly, I feel Flannery was written much like Harrison's Indy throughout the movie, especially in the Instanbul part. He has the smugness, arrogance and self assuredness of his older self; in the linking segment he has the older Indy'sdark cynicism: "Yeah, well, at least you got some sleep." "It's not like I have a choice." His attitude toward the bureaucrats in intelligence, which gets him transferred, also feels a lot like how a young Indy would, shades of "bureaucratic fools." Indy is at his best when he is a darker character and not a wide eyed sweet kid.

I'm one of those people who went back and forth on Young Indy for years but I've come to love it and hope Disney keeps it canon. I actually don't think Indy meeting all these historical figures is that outlandish. Is it really any more outlandish than the same man discovering two of the biggest relics in Judeo-Christian religion only two years apart? Is it really that outlandish compared to the films, where Indy gets his fear of snakes, his scar, and his hat, and the blue print for his adventure gear all in the space of a single afternoon? Indy lives in a fantastic version of our world, where the supernatural is present and apparently, there are many forces at play - From aliens to various Gods (TOD showing us that the Hindu gods are likely real). This is a man who can survive being dragged by a truck (while nursing a bullet wound), survive slamming into a stone wall after probably going through the rapid fall of a bridge, and who survives a nuclear blast. Meeting people who would later become famous is no more outlandish than any of that.
 

Grizzlor

Well-known member
I just finished my first ever YIJC "rewatch," via Disney+ of course. The series premiered while I was in 8th grade, so smack dab in the middle of the "target audience." I still made sure to collect the crappy Pizza Hut toys and some of the cards. I had a few comics as well, and the SEGA Genesis cart. Moreover, I was a few years off TLC release, and still ga-ga over all things Indy, also getting to see the Stunt Spectacular at Disney World around this time. Young Indy would be a "difficult" show to follow. The episodes seemed to run in chunks followed by months of TV Guide page flipping that found nothing or lacked the NEW circle indicating tonight was not a re-run. Anyway, so my recollection of the series has mostly been lost to memory by now. This re-watch would largely be a fresh slate.

Anywho, I really enjoyed the re-watch greatly. I know that many lament the loss of the bookends, but I think the reorganization into chronological order, with some added scenes, works well. Sure, the Corey Carrier mid-90s filmed scenes look kind of absurd, given he's so much older by then.
It's funny, because the episode I "watched" the most, taped, and was very excited for, was Mystery of the Blues. Frankly, it was one of the worst of the series. There's a lot to criticize about the series, namely the disjointed fashion in which it was filmed, and the lack of character development of Indy himself, particularly when the older young Jones ditches father and Mrs. Seymour. Then again, there were some absolutely wonderful episodes. Most all of the WWI trench/spy episodes were outstanding, and really I think they . So many great directors who helmed these episodes, and I especially loved the goofy ones from Python's Terry Jones.

Sean Patrick Flanery was underrated I felt, did a great job. The character itself was questionable though, but that was really the choice by Lucas to convert him into this Walter Mitty fellow who stumbles on the icons of world history like it's nothing, and romances every woman he sees.
It's a shame that Lucas decided to waste money on those historical documentaries that I doubt hardly anyone saw, rather than properly up-scaling the film, when the DVD's were released. The quality on some of the episodes was really poor. It was cool to see many well known actors as youngsters. I had no idea this was Daniel Craig's first role, for instance. Two of my favorites, Liz Hurley and Robyn Lively were there early on, too. I have read the concepts for "unfilmed" segments, and nothing was that appealing honestly. Perhaps with another season, we'd finally see Indy go on archaeological expeditions, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.
 
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