Indiana Jones' story ends with the new filmIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and coming to the end of this journey has some fans thinking about where it all began. While Harrison Ford debuted in the role in the filmRaiders of the Lost Ark, the character’s story was further expanded upon in the early 1990s with the ABC seriesThe Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. The series starredSean Patrick Flaneryas a younger Indy, following the adventurer during his early years as an explorer in the 1910s and early 20s.
The series ultimately ran for just two seasons, as it wasn’t pulling in high enough ratings to justify its exorbitant budget. Big money was spent on the show, as it had shot on location in more than 50 countries to add authenticity to Indy’s adventures. In a new interview withIndieWirereflecting on the show, Flanery recalls how it felt like a “traveling circus times 10,” given how often he was traveling to new places and experiencing entirely different cultures.
“It was such an educational experience, not just in filmmaking, but in all forms of life: new cultures, traveling, being able to pick up on [anything] in a moment’s notice,” the actor says. “It’s the whole one key theory. I traveled around the world with one suitcase and sometimes went to cold climates, sometimes went to really hot climates.”
Given how synonymous Ford was with the role at this point, having appeared in three feature films as Indiana Jones. Flanery also recalls how he was able to avoid the pressure of feeling like he needed to mimic Ford’s performances, which would have left him feeling like he was finished before the show even began. With that said, he still wanted to do right by the character with the fans.
“I just wanted to be as believable and do as much justice to this character as is possible,” Flanery says. “It’s a character led by, in my opinion, one of the last Hollywood icon actors of our era. We have some really famous actors now, but Harrison Ford is a Montgomery Clift, a James Dean. He’s of those names and I certainly didn’t entertain any idea of doing what he did.”
He added, “The way the scripts were written, they didn’t force me to be a Harrison Ford, because they were all written by different writers. Although the name of the character was the same, I didn’t feel like I had to compete with what Harrison Ford had done, because that would have been devastating. I would have felt defeated before I started.”
Related:Why The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Is a Must-Watch for Fans
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Dives Into Indy’s Origins
There is a lot to appreciate aboutThe Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, but the series didn’t resonate with fans at the time the same way that the movie series did. Flanery is also offering his thoughts on why the show wasn’t an instant hit, suggesting it was perhaps a lack of tonal consistency from episode to episode. With that said, Flanery says he wouldn’t have had it any other way, happy that the show was exactly what it was and remaining very proud ofThe Young Indiana Jones Chroniclesto this day.
“I’ve heard a lot of different viewpoints,” Flanery explains. “The one that keeps coming up from a lot of different people and makes sense is that you never knew what you were getting from week to week. One day you would get a somber, horrific tale and the next week you would get a pratfall comedy.”
He continued, “But I have to say, I would have had it no other way. To be able to do that many different styles of moviemaking, for me as an actor was unparalleled, getting to do broad comedy, subtle comedy, love stories, heavy dramas, horrific, almost documentary style war films. It was a wonderful experience for me. I’m proud as hell of the show.”
The Young Indiana Jones Chroniclescan be found streaming on Disney+, while the final chapter of Indy’s story,Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, is now playing in theaters.
