Borrowing a little from "Planet of the Apes" and a little from "MacGyver," the five stranded castaways and Veronica are captured by lizard people who have a sort of neo-Roman Empire and have humans fight in an arena they call "the pit."
This is based, of course, on the (now-considerd-erroneous) view that dinosaurs were big lizards, and that humanesque creatures could evolve from them. Speaking English, of course. Nearly everyone on the plateau speaks English.
The Lizard-people are led by one called "Tribune" (performed by Jerome Ehlers). Tribune is one of those cliched bad guys we all love, who speaks pristine English, has perfectly gentlemanly manners, and is quick to destroy (and possibly eat) anyone who crosses him. It's one of those cliches we never seem to tire of. Or, at least, movie and tv people never seem to tire of. Anyway, Tribune is a classy guy.
It's no spoiler to say Tribune lives to fight another day. He returns through the series, sometimes as an enemy, sometimes as an ally (who can be trusted lizard-skin deep). You simply can't make friends with a (literally) cold-blooded creature like Tribune.
It's not Veronica but Marguerite who looks good in this episode. And a lovely slave girl who learns the importance of freedom.
Not the series' best episode, but one that introduces some (literally, again) intriguing characters. The scenes between Tribune and Marguerite are classics.
This is based, of course, on the (now-considerd-erroneous) view that dinosaurs were big lizards, and that humanesque creatures could evolve from them. Speaking English, of course. Nearly everyone on the plateau speaks English.
The Lizard-people are led by one called "Tribune" (performed by Jerome Ehlers). Tribune is one of those cliched bad guys we all love, who speaks pristine English, has perfectly gentlemanly manners, and is quick to destroy (and possibly eat) anyone who crosses him. It's one of those cliches we never seem to tire of. Or, at least, movie and tv people never seem to tire of. Anyway, Tribune is a classy guy.
It's no spoiler to say Tribune lives to fight another day. He returns through the series, sometimes as an enemy, sometimes as an ally (who can be trusted lizard-skin deep). You simply can't make friends with a (literally) cold-blooded creature like Tribune.
It's not Veronica but Marguerite who looks good in this episode. And a lovely slave girl who learns the importance of freedom.
Not the series' best episode, but one that introduces some (literally, again) intriguing characters. The scenes between Tribune and Marguerite are classics.
