Land of the Lost: Medicine Man

"Medicine Man"
	Series Land of the Lost; Season 3, Episode 13
Air date	December 4th, 1976
Writers	Jon Kubichan
Director	Joe Scanlan
Producers	Jon Kubichan; Jim Washburn; Sid Krofft; Marty Krofft
Starring	Wesley Eure; Kathy Coleman; Philip Paley; Ron Harper
	Episode guide
Previous; "Scarab"	Next; —

"Medicine Man" is the thirteenth episode of season 3 of the original Land of the Lost children's television series and the forty-third episode of the series overall. It was directed by Joe Scanlan with a screenplay written by Jon Kubichan. It first aired on NBC on Saturday morning, December 4th, 1976 at 10:00 am.

Synopsis[]

Lotl 3x13 009 — "Seriously, Holly? You're bitching because somebody stole the water?"

Holly Marshall and Cha-Ka are preparing to make the ever-so-delicious cuisine known as stone soup. When they walk outside the temple however, they find that their bowl of boiling water has been stolen. Jack and Will return with fresh supplies and Holly tells them about the missing water. Jack goes out in search of the mysterious thief and comes upon a sickly looking Native American man. The man is startled by Jack's presence and lunges at him, but Jack incapacitates him with a double-leg take down.

The man introduces himself as Lone Wolf of the Nez Perce. He says that a powerful sickness has overwhelmed his people and that he was on his way back with medicine he had recovered to help them. Unfortunately, he was caught up in a dust storm that unseated him from his horse and sent him to the Land of the Lost. Lone Wolf has also fallen prey to the fever and no longer has the benefit of the supplies he had acquired. Jack offers to help him, and gives him shelter at the temple.

Lotl 3x13 010 — "I feel like crap, but I have AWESOME hair!"

While there, Lone Wolf tells Will and Holly about his background and how he comes from the year 1877 where he served under Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph. He says that the White Man had stolen Indian medicine from his people and that he needed to get it back. As a medicine man, Lone Wolf has the skill to create a cure, but is now bereft of the materials he needs to create it.

Will Marshall goes out to search for materials. He comes upon a horse, but quickly learns that the animal belongs to another spatially-displaced resident of the 19th century. Captain Elmo Diggs of the U.S. cavalry emerges and levels a gun in Will's direction. He tells him that he is in pursuit of the man who stole medical supplies from a U.S. Army fort and Will lets it slip that they have been sheltering Lone Wolf. Captain Diggs orders Will to take him to Lone Wolf's location, but then he suddenly pitches over and falls to the ground. Captain Diggs is infected with the fever as well. Will scrambles to retrieve the captain's rifle, only to find that there is no ammunition.

Lotl 3x13 011 — "Don't gimme no lip, old man!"

Will helps Captain Diggs to his horse and says that he will bring him back to the temple where he hopes to help him. As they journey back, Captain Diggs spies Torchy lumbering down a path. He dismisses it as part of a fever-induced hallucination, but also cites that this animal was certainly NOT a buffalo.

By the time they get back, Lone Wolf has managed to cobble together enough material to cure himself, and his health has greatly improved. Captain Diggs and Lone Wolf are not happy to see one another. Diggs finds Lone Wolf to be nothing more than a dirty savage and Lone Wolf resents the fact that the White Man stole their medicine from them.

Holly pleads with Lone Wolf to help save the captain's life. Lone Wolf is extremely reluctant to do so, but agrees under one condition. He requires the captain's horse as payment. He tells them that he needs the horse to go out and gather fresh materials to make more medicine. Jack doesn't know who to trust, and he is not confidant that Lone Wolf will not simply take the horse and leave. However, he has little choice in the matter but to agree. He tells him that he needs to be back in one hour.

Lotl 3x13 012 — "Maybe I can trick him into eating my horse instead!"

While Lone Wolf is out, he comes upon the path that leads into Grumpy's territory. Unsure of what to do, he hides behind a large rock sticking up out of the ground. When Lone Wolf fails to meet his deadline, Jack Marshall goes out in search of him. He distracts Grumpy by catapulting a rock off a small tree, creating a noise that causes Grumpy to turn away. Afterward, Jack helps Lone Wolf gather the rest of the things he needs and they return to the temple.

Lone Wolf prepares a medicinal broth and conducts a ritual which includes chanting and face paint. The process works and by the following morning, the captain's fever breaks. Unfortunately, Captain Diggs is still obligated to apprehend Lone Wolf so he places him in chains. Jack, Will and Holly remind Diggs that he owes Lone Wolf his life and that such a thing is a much greater obligation than his commitment to the Army. Diggs is shamed and releases Lone Wolf. Afterward, Lone Wolf agrees to allow Captain Diggs to accompany him on his horse as they search for a way home.

Later, Jack, Will, Holly and Cha-Ka sit in the temple and eat their stone soup. Will entertains the group by playing a homemade tree branch guitar and singing a song about home.

Cast[]

Principal Cast[]

Actor	Role
Wesley Eure	Will Marshall
Kathy Coleman	Holly Marshall
Philip Paley	Cha-Ka
Ron Harper	Jack Marshall

Guest Stars[]

Actor	Role
Ned Romero	Lone Wolf
Gregory Walcott	Captain Elmo Diggs

Notes & Trivia[]

Land of the Lost was created by Sid Krofft and Marty Krofft.

This episode is included on disc 2 of the Land of the Lost: Season 3 DVD collection and Land of the Lost: The Complete Third Season collection and disc 7 of the Land of the Lost: The Complete Series DVD collection.

Final episode of the series. Final appearance of all characters.

Director Joseph L. Scanlan is credited as Joe Scanlan in this episode. This is his seventh episode on the series as director.

This is Jon Kubichan's fourth episode on Land of the Lost as a script writer.

Actor Ned Romero is also known for playing the role of Thomas Logan in the "Rainbow's End" episode of The Incredible Hulk.

Lone Wolf is from the year 1877.

Allusions[]

Lone Wolf makes reference to Chief Joseph. Chief Joseph, whose real name was Hinmatóowyalahtq̓it, was a chief of the Nez Perce Native American tribe. He lived from 1840-1904.

The hostilities that had been developing during the 1870s between settlers and the Nez Perce turned into violent conflict during mid-June, 1877. The first engagement between the U.S. Army and the Nez Perce warriors was at White Bird Canyon, Idaho Territory, on June 17th. For the Nez Perce it was a major victory. At White Bird Canyon they proved to be an effective fighting force. ^[1]

Bloopers[]

Continuity: Grumpy appears in the center of a path and roars at Lone Wolf. This is stock video footage that has been recycled in many episodes. Only this time, there is a large rock in the center of the path for Lone Wolf to hide behind. This rock has never appeared in any previous appearance of this locale and no explanation is given.

Logistical incongruity: Jack Marshall uses a slender tree to catapult a rock approximately 12-15" in diameter across a short distance to distract Grumpy. Even in the Land of the Lost, a tree that size would not have enough tensile strength to propel a projectile more than a few feet.

Logistical incongruity: Will Marshall's tree branch guitar would never make the sounds that are attributed to it in this episode. Mostly because, it has no strings.

Dinosaurs[]

There are three named dinosaurs that appear in this episode. This includes:

Grumpy, who menaces Lone Wolf and is driven off by Jack Marshall.
Lulu, who appears in her swamp and is jeered at by Cha-Ka after gathering water.
Torchy, who is spotted by Will and a feverish Elmo Diggs who knows that it is "not" a buffalo.

Quotes[]

Holly Marshall: I had the water boiling for the soup. I went in to get the vegetables, and when I came out the water was gone.
Will Marshall: Well that doesn't make any sense. There's plenty of water around. Why would somebody want to steal it.
Jack Marshall: Right. But you know, it sounds just dumb enough, that maybe we ought to take it seriously.

....

Jack Marshall: I'm curious, Lone Wolf. You speak like an educated man. What time period are you from?