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Episode Studies by Clayton Barr
enik1138
-at-popapostle-dot-com

Land of the Lost: The Longest Day "The Longest Day"
Written by Joyce Perry
Directed by Gordon Wiles
Original airdate: October
18, 1975

This page last updated 5/29/2020

The clock pylon malfunctions, causing an “endless day”.

Read the complete story summary by Nels Olsen

Didja Notice?

Rick is seen working on the family's map of the Land as the episode opens.

The pendants the Marshalls wear in this episode are supposed to be the ones they received from Rani in "Elsewhen" but they don't look quite the same.
"Elsewhen" pendant Longest Day pendant
Pendant in "Elsewhen" Pendant in "The Longest Day"

The shot of Grumpy and Alice roaring at each other across the crevasse at 4:32 on the DVD is borrowed from "Tag Team".

This episode introduces the Library of Skulls.

At 5:58 on the DVD, images of the Lost City before it fell into ruins are seen in the mists of the Library of Skulls. We will get another look at the early city in "The Pylon Express".

Rick is shouting for Enik as he wanders the tunnels of the Lost City. Wouldn't this be likely to attract the Sleestak instead? In fact, it seemingly does!

At 8:34 on the DVD, it appears that a metallic necklace has been placed on one of the Sleestak in order to talk to the skulls in the library.

The Index Skull in the Library of Skulls says that the Sleestak are 7,000 in number.

At 9:50 on the DVD, you can see cables on the floor of the Library of Skulls; probably power cables powering the throbbing light in the skull set pieces.

This episode is the first mention of the sacred Altrusian moth which plays some role in the fertility of Sleestak eggs.

The two football players who tackle Will in Rick's vision in the Library of Skulls look pretty goofy in their football uniforms! Much too tall and lanky for your typical football player. I suspect they must be the UCLA basketball players who portrayed Sleestaks on the series.

At 18:08 on the DVD, Rick sees a vision of a canyon. Possibly, it is meant to be the canyon the Marshalls were rafting on when they fell through the time doorway to the Land of the Lost.

The opening sound of the pylon doorway is different than in any past episodes. Is it because of the burned out crystal matrix table? Listen: other pylon doors  clock pylon door.

Unanswered Questions

Will and Holly claim they never made it into the Lost City, suggesting that Rick's interaction with them inside was just a vision induced by the mind-altering smoke. But then how did the visions know that Will and Holly had viewed the Library of Skulls in their pendants (as the "visions" state at 15:11 on the DVD). Is it possible Will and Holly actually did make it into the Lost City but the smoke has made them forget? Is the smoke intelligently directed?

How did Rick escape from the Library of Skulls without his knife to cut the ropes nor help from Will and Holly? Did the Sleestak free him to repair the clock pylon and the smoke has simply made him forget? Although he doesn't remember, Rick does say "...obviously, I made a bargain with someone." Again, could the smoke be intelligently directed, perhaps by the skulls themselves?

Notes from the Audio Commentary by Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman

Wesley says that kids used to ask him if the dinosaurs on the show were real. He would tell them they were and that there was a big corral on the studio lot where they kept all the dinosaurs until they were needed to shoot a scene.

Memorable Dialog

doing something to my mind.wav
tell us of our destiny.wav
the skulls do not lie.wav
all things from Altrusia.wav
the skulls are never wrong.wav
the Altrusian race.wav
how do you know.wav
not possible.wav
we do not trust you.wav
ask the skulls.wav
we already know.wav
join the skull of your father.wav
do not let the prisoners escape.wav
the library of the whatsis.wav
maybe the Sleestak aren't so bad.wav

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