#the young indiana jones chronicles

[totallynotagentphilcoulson]

[gameraboy2]

Harrison Ford in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992), "The Mystery of the Blues"

[dweemeister]

July 4, 2023

By Michael Kogge

(IndieWire) —Television archaeologists take note: you don’t need to dig deep into the medium’s origins to uncover a diamond in the rough. Treasures can be found in the recent past. And one of those treasures involves the greatest fictional archaeologist of them all, Indiana Jones.

On March 4, 1992, ABC premiered the two-hour movie pilot of “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles” in its 8 p.m. slot to much fanfare. The show’s titular hero was a younger (and older) version of Harrison Ford’s blockbuster icon, who at 10, 17, and yes, 93, had his own set of primetime adventures. Since the series was the brainchild of filmmaker and franchise-builder George Lucas, outlets like USA Today, The Washington Post and The New York Times covered it extensively. Lucas wanted his “Chronicles” to do what movies couldn’t: tell one big story over 20 to 40 hours of programming. In today’s streaming landscape, that sounds perfectly conventional, yet in the era of 1990s’ network television, it was revolutionary.

Television archaeologists take note: you don’t need to dig deep into the medium’s origins to uncover a diamond in the rough. Treasures can be found in the recent past. And one of those treasures involves the greatest fictional archaeologist of them all, Indiana Jones.

On March 4, 1992, ABC premiered the two-hour movie pilot of “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles” in its 8 p.m. slot to much fanfare. The show’s titular hero was a younger (and older) version of Harrison Ford’s blockbuster icon, who at 10, 17, and yes, 93, had his own set of primetime adventures. Since the series was the brainchild of filmmaker and franchise-builder George Lucas, outlets like USA Today, The Washington Post and The New York Times covered it extensively. Lucas wanted his “Chronicles” to do what movies couldn’t: tell one big story over 20 to 40 hours of programming. In today’s streaming landscape, that sounds perfectly conventional, yet in the era of 1990s’ network television, it was revolutionary.

Nonetheless, like so many highly anticipated shows, “Young Indiana Jones” failed to break into the cultural zeitgeist. ABC gave it a second season, out of goodwill to Lucas likely in hopes of future “Star Wars” material, yet the ratings couldn’t keep the show on the air. Over the years, the Chronicles occasionally surfaced on home video, but it’s never truly been given the due it’s deserved. Now that Disney+ has re-released the series along with the Indiana Jones feature films, viewers can watch Lucas’s grand vision of telling the history of the 20th century through the life of one man and make an assessment for themselves.

IndieWire recently spoke to the one actor who has spent more screentime in the role than even Harrison Ford: Sean Patrick Flanery, who played Indiana Jones during his formative years of 17 to 22 on the television series. Flanery relates how he nabbed the role, how the show continues to be one of the highlights of his career, and why it may have faded from the popular imagination.

[templeofgloom]

One of the best things about the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles is that it made Anna Jones into an actual character. Her presence haunts the narrative in Last Crusade, but she is not an actual character and as far as she exists in the movie it is to be a part of the father/son conflict.

I do appreciate seeing her and her relationship with Indy and Henry, and also how the show focuses on how she and Indy were similar and what kind of influence she had on him, too.

[nelson-riddle-me-this]

Art by Matthew Peak for album releases of Laurence Rosenthal and Joel McNeely's music from The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

[olessan]

Lloyd Owen (Elendil) as Henry Jones in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992-93), at about the same age as Maxim Baldry (26, Isildur) and Ema Horvath (28, Eárien)

[holy-shit-comics]

[geekynerfherder]

Showcasing art from some of my favourite artists, and those that have attracted my attention, in the field of visual arts, including vintage; pulp; pop culture; books and comics; concert posters; fantastical and imaginative realism; classical; contemporary; new contemporary; pop surrealism; conceptual and illustration.

The art of Matthew Peak.

[totallynotagentphilcoulson]

Okay I get that the “The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones” cut never got an actual TV rating in the US either on the initial VHS releases and then later because of the like 90 documentaries they made for the DVD set they also didn’t bother with it but god damn Disney+ I don’t think a show with a TV-G rating in the early 90s deserves a higher age rating than the fuckin movies it’s a spin-off. Like, I think for practical purposes when History Channel had the broadcast rights in 2007-2008 to promote KotCS they slapped a TV-14 rating in for practical purposes why on earth wouldn’t you go with that Disney?

Is it because of the Mata Hari episode? I bet it’s because of the Mata Hari episode.

[gameraboy2]

Harrison Ford in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992), “Mystery of the Blues”

[veryfancydoilies]

The Love Interests of Indiana Jones ♡ Maggie Lemass

"We want to hear all about [your fine adventures], Indy, like the very beginning. You're not leaving out a single thing. Think about all the places you've ever been to."

@indyflanery

@oi-oi-illinois

[smashedpages]

In 1992 The Welsh Publishing Group released The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles magazine, which included, in conjunction with Dark Horse Comics, a two-page comic by Kurt Busiek, Adam Hughes, Karl Story and Sean Tierney. The magazine only lasted one issue, so this was the only comic Busiek and Hughes produced for it.

Dark Horse was publishing a Young Indiana Jones comic at the time as a tie-in to the TV show of the same name, and Busiek regularly contributed articles to it that were used as back matter and tied the plot of the issue to real-world  history.

[glennk56]

William Hootkins in the 1990s (2 of 3)

In late 1991, William Hootkins had a major role in Hear My Song by rookie co-writer/director Peter Chelsom. It is a fun film and Hootkins looks like he had a ball while doing it.

In 1992, Hootkins did another film with Hardware writer/director Richard Stanley, Dust Devil. I haven't seen this film either.

Also in 1992, William Hootkins appeared in major motion picture A River Runs Through It with Brad Pitt.

Hootkins also appeared in an episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.

In 1993 Hootkins appeared in UK TV movie Age of Treason.

[templeofgloom]

Everything he learns about, from his relationship to food, women, ethics, morality, to the way he interrelates with people, he learns from the rest of the world, not America.

Rick McCallum, on Indiana Jones in the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles

[paulgadzikowski]

[Image description: Preview panel for the comic strip at the link below. Guinan of Star Trek: The Next Generation is tending bar for Duncan McLeod of Highlander, Nick Knight of Forever Knight, and Old Indy of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. Guinan is saying, "Today's the 82nd anniversary of the Titanic disaster." Unfortunately there are not image descriptions at the main Hero Of Three Faces site. End description.] 

The Hero of Three Faces is fanfiction crossovers, but it’s comic strips with stick figures, but they’re triangles. Preview panel only. Click here for full cartoon. Or see the on-site navigation tutorial. Or see this blog’s FAQ, or my archive tumblog’s FAQ. Cartoons may contain unmarked spoilers. Cartoons linked from Tumblr 10:00 (Central US time) daily are the previous day’s new update and the posts are pinned to the top of this blog. Cartoons linked from Tumblr 22:00 daily are from the archive and the posts are pinned only during annual summer hiatus of new updates.

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