( kids screaming )
FRED: Ow!
I didn't know my neck could twist like that.
Nice work, Fred!
FRED: The rolling-in-the-dirt look
is in this year.
What year is it, anyway?
If you broke my binoculars, you'll pay for them.
Yeah, that'll happen.
Hey, Sam, where are we?
I don't know where we are,
but I have a good idea when.
Look!
FRED: That is the hairiest elephant I've ever seen.
SAM: It's not an elephant.
It's a woolly mammoth.
( gasps )
We're in the Stone Age!
Mammoths have been extinct for 9,000 years.
Okay, the nature tour is over.
I'd like to get out of here.
Can you give me the Book back?
I don't have it.
Me either.
What?!
But you were the one sitting on it.
Oh, this is great!
Just great!
Where are you going?
To find the Book.
The sooner I find it,
the sooner we can get out of this Stone Age wasteland.
Stick together and follow me.
No way.
You got us into this mess.
I'll be the leader, if you don't mind.
Follow me.
( sighs )
You guys have this argument every time.
Whoa!
JODIE: Ow!
Jodie, are you okay?
I think so.
I didn't see the hole.
It was covered by leaves.
It's an animal trap.
There must be people around.
( someone coughs, then breathes heavily )
Guys, are both of you still up there?
BOTH: Yeah.
That is not the answer I wanted to hear.
( heavy breathing continues )
( both scream )
Be careful what you wish for.
BAND: ? Go! There they go ?
? Three boys surfing on the time continuum ?
? There they go ?
? The green mist fills the air ?
? The Book could take them anywhere. Go! ?
? ? ?
( electric guitars playing steady beat )
? Go! There they go ?
? Three girls warping, time is 2105 ?
? There they go ?
? You can catch a ride with the Time Warp Trio. Go! ?
? Traveling through history... ?
( ticking )
? ? ?
? With the Time Warp Trio ?
? Go! ?
JODIE: When my teacher asked us to do a report on primitive man,
did I download the info from my vidiphone like the other kids?
No! I had to go back in time and see for myself.
( recorder clicks on )
( hushed ): The subject is engaged in some sort of bizarre ritual.
Perhaps he's trying to show dominance.
If the cards aren't balanced just right,
the whole thing comes crashing down.
The primitive being is focused on simple tasks.
Jodie, do you mind?
I can hear you.
Pretend I'm not here.
I should be so lucky.
How high can you go?
One more card and I'll break my own record.
Steady... steady...
JODIE: The subject displays dexterity, even if he lacks intelligence.
( yelps )
Jodie!
Not my fault.
I told you to ignore me.
How come you're watching me?
I'm doing a report on primitive man.
And, Fred, you're the most primitive man I know.
Your teacher must have meant prehistoric man, Jodie.
Neanderthals, Cro-Magnons-cavemen.
Not modern people like us.
Give me a break!
Your cars still roll on wheels... on the ground!
Compared to us in 2105,
you're one tiny step removed from swinging in trees.
You want to see an ape-man, I'll show you an ape-man.
( whooping and grunting )
Hey, let go!
( shrieks )
( yelps )
You okay?
FRED: Yeah.
Something broke my fall.
Uh-oh!
Ooh, Fred!
I am going to kill...
JODIE: So, thanks to ape-man Fred,
I found myself trapped in a hole with a real ape-man.
( chuckles nervously )
Easy, boy. Easy now.
Guys, get me out of here!
We've got to throw her a rope or something.
Hey, how about those vines?
FRED: Come on, Jodie, climb up!
Hey! Wait up!
( panting )
What was all that about?
There's... something down there.
It's big and hairy.
SAM: Where are you going?
I want to see it.
I don't see anything.
You probably just imagined it.
Something's down there!
Well, I don't see it.
Me either.
MAN: Eider.
( all scream )
That guy was definitely a Neanderthal.
Didn't you see that ridge over his eyes?
I don't care what it was.
I want to find the Book and get out of this place.
Fine,
but the Book could be anywhere.
I can't believe I lost it.
That's something Joe would do, not me.
Where is Joe, anyway?
He had a dentist appointment.
( sniffing )
Hey, you smell that?
Smell what?
Mmm, someone's having a barbecue!
SAM: What do you see?
JODIE: It's a group of people... I think.
Are they Neanderthals?
I don't know-take a look.
SAM: Those aren't Neanderthals.
They look too much like us.
I think they're Cro-Magnons.
They're direct ancestors of modern man.
You mean I'm related to those guys?
No way!
Yes way.
They're your great-times-24-grandparents.
Wow, they're pretty advanced!
They have sharp tools, and they're wearing sewn clothes...
( screams )
Who you?
Speak to him, Fred.
Why me?
You're the one most like him.
Hey, there.
We're friends.
Friends?
Right.
Mind if we look around your camp?
( grunts )
You sure you want to go down there?
They look kind of mean.
Sure. These guys know this place.
If anyone can help us find the Book, it's them.
SAM: Ah, Fred,
I don't know.
Relax, we're related to them, right?
We'll hang out, teach 'em a few things.
They'll be happy to help us.
Hey, guys, how you doing?
Love that loincloth.
Don't get up.
Sit.
Nice hair!
The bone's a great touch.
Hey, my man, what's new in the zoo?
Me like this.
Me want this.
Yeah, but me own this.
Easy on the material.
SAM: I don't think
they're going to help us.
Sure they will.
We just got to show 'em we're their friends.
Man, that is one small campfire.
Step aside and let me teach you.
Get oxygen to the base where the coals are hot.
Watch closely.
( grunting and groaning )
That why we keep fire small.
WOMAN: Stop!
Who you?
Speak now.
Speak to Oogbah.
Your turn.
Well, hello there, Oogbah.
May I say, on behalf of my friends and myself,
what a thrill it is to meet you.
Yuck!
I mean "thank you."
I'll treasure it always.
( growls )
I think she expects you to eat it, Jodie.
What is it?
Is rat.
Fresh rat.
Eat.
I, uh, usually order my rat medium-rare.
You better do it, Jodie.
We don't want to insult her.
Yum.
That's the best undercooked rodent I've had all month.
You like?
More in meat cave.
Uh, Oogbah, ma'am, you haven't seen a book around here, have you?
Book?
What is "book"?
Books won't be around for thousands of years, Fred.
She doesn't know what you're asking.
The thing we're looking for looks kind of like this.
It has some strange writing on the cover and...
Ah, Book-yes, Oogbah see book!
MEN: Book! Book!
Book! Book! Book! Book!
Well, that was easy.
Come on, let's get it.
No.
One stays.
Uh... okay, I'll stay.
She probably just wants me
to teach them a few more things.
You guys go get the Book.
Why'd they bring the Book in here?
It's terrible light.
See anything?
SAM: Not yet.
( screams )
I think a bat just drooled on me!
Let's grab the Book and get out of this place.
A dead end.
We must have missed a tunnel.
Hey, check out this cave painting!
The Cro-Magnons were the world's first artists.
There are deer and mammoths and...
Wow, there's even a Neanderthal!
You're kidding!
No!
And he's...
I don't believe it!
What?
He's holding the Book!
So it's not here?
No.
But at least the painting tells us where it is.
The Neanderthals have it!
So, if you want to catch a really large animal,
you should use live bait.
Big bait?
Yes, the bigger the bait, the bigger the catch.
The Book's not in the cave!
But we know where it is.
Come on.
Well, we got to get going.
No leave yet.
Must help Oogbah catch dinner.
Nice work, Fred, really nice!
When I said "live bait" I didn't mean us.
They tied us so tightly!
Oh, I taught them how to tie knots, too.
Shh! Keep it down!
If we stay quiet, we won't attract any wild animals.
( chanting ): Ka! Ka! Ka! Ka! Ka!
Just what we need: prehistoric cheerleaders.
What's a "ka"?
Probably some kind of...
( sneezes )
You picked some time to get a cold.
It's not a cold.
My allergy is acting up.
What are you allergic to? Dust? Pollen?
( sniffs ): Cats.
Like that one?
( growls fiercely )
( Jodie sneezes )
I can't believe I'm going to die sneezing.
Hey, did you feel that? We moved.
That's it! We have to raise the stakes.
We're about to get eaten by a tiger.
Those stakes aren't high enough for you?
No, raise this stake.
Your sneezing loosened it.
If we all squat down and use our backs,
we might be able to lift it.
Hurry!
( snarls )
When I say three, push up.
Ready? One, two, three!
( kids straining )
It's not moving.
( roars )
Rock it back and forth.
( straining )
It's moving-it's going up.
( all shout )
Okay, Sam, now what?
SAM: I came up with the last idea.
It's your turn now.
( roars )
MAN: Yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!
Yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!
( shouting wildly )
Hey, it's the Neanderthal from the animal trap.
SAM: He's saving our lives.
Come on!
Ka! Ka! Ka! Ka! Ka!
( snarls )
Hey, dude, thanks for saving us back there.
Give me five!
You save Ned from hole; Ned save you from tiger.
I guess his name is Ned.
Ned the Neanderthal.
Come-- Ned take you home.
Why do they look so... so different?
Neanderthals were an entirely different species.
They were shorter and stronger than the Cro-Magnons.
Plus their foreheads sloped back with that ridge over their eyes.
FRED: Not much going on in the chin department, either.
Man, this place is hurting.
Compared to this, the Cro-Magnons live like kings.
The Neanderthals couldn't compete with the Cro-Magnons.
Their tools weren't as good, nor their weapons.
Eventually they died out.
Maybe we can help them in some way?
We can't.
We're not supposed to change the past, remember?
This Zell-leader.
( Zell grunts )
Hi, Zell, sir.
This is Fred and Sam, and I'm Jodie.
It's so nice to meet you.
Oh, no-- not again.
Jodie, you better...
I know, I know.
( mimicking Sam ): Drink it-- we don't want to insult him.
( in normal voice ): Well, it can't be any worse than that rat meat.
( slurping )
Oh, yech! ( spits )
I stand corrected.
I know I shouldn't ask, but what is this?
Ba-Uba juice.
That doesn't sound so bad.
( slaps bug )
Ba-Uba!
Oh, double yech!
I drank bug juice-real bug juice.
( gags and spits )
Well, now's as good a time as ever.
Uh, Mr. Zell, sir, we're looking for a book,
and we think it might be here.
Have you seen it?
What is book?
The Book has much power--
great power.
It is shaped like this
with strange things written on it.
Ah, yes, Power Rock.
Want Power Rock.
I guess they're calling it a power rock.
Yes, Power Rock is ours-we need.
Zell need-- no food, hungry.
Power Rock bring luck-- me keep.
Hey, no fair, it's our book.
What my friend means is,
how about if we can get you food?
You need food, right?
Yes, need food bad.
And we need Power Rock bad.
We bring you food,
you give us Power Rock-- yes?
Where are we going to find food
for all these Neanderthals?
Trust me, I know a place.
Good, you bring food.
Me give Power Rock.
You have a deal.
( groans )
( fly buzzing )
SAM: This has "bad idea"
written all over it.
Why? The Neanderthals need food,
and that cave is full of it.
Remember? Oogbah said so.
Yeah, but how will we get past him?
Simple.
Group A, aka Fred, approaches from here
and instigates diversionary tactics.
Group B, aka Sam, Ned and I, approaches from here,
neutralizes object of Group A's diversionary tactics,
then both groups infiltrate the target.
Are we clear?
I distract the guard,
you hit him over the head, and we steal the meat.
Yes, but my way sounded a lot more professional.
Come on.
Whoa, whoa! Relax!
I thought you might want to hear a joke.
You like jokes.
Yes, if joke is good.
Oh, it's good-- it's very good.
How many Neanderthals does it take to change a light bulb?
How many? Two.
One to get a ladder,
the other to wait 30,000 years for the hardware store.
( laughing ): Get it? Ladder? Hardware store?
Me tell you one.
Two men walk in cave.
First man say, "Cave dark."
Second man hit first man with rock.
( guffawing )
Ha... yeah.
That was a good one.
( laughs insincerely )
His cave joke was so lame it's not even funny.
It was better than yours.
Let's go, okay? before someone else comes along.
( loud burp )
Well, this cookout's been fun,
but now I'm ready to go home.
Shall we?
Hey, there-some feast, huh?
Mmm...
Food good.
Right, so, uh... now that we brought you your food,
we'd like our, uh... Power Rock back.
Yes, will give.
What are we supposed to do with that?
Is Power Rock-- very good rock, much power.
No! We wanted the Book, not some dumb rock.
( fly buzzing ): Book? What is book?
That! That's the Book.
This? This Ba-Uba smasher.
Me keep.
Hey, we had a deal...
SAM: Easy, Fred.
They thought we were trading
for the Power Rock.
How do we get the Book back?
Grab and run.
We'd never make it out of the camp.
We'll have to trade them something else,
something they want more than the Book.
Such as what?
We didn't exactly pack for this trip.
How about those?
My binoculars? No way!
You can get new ones when you get home.
Yeah, but what good are they anyway if we have to spend
the rest of our lives here?
JODIE: We'll make you a deal.
You give us book, we give you these.
These much better than Power Rock.
Me do.
Yes! Let's get out of here before he changes his mind.
Bye, guys-it's been real.
( sniffs )
Huh?
Food! Food!
Huh? Fire!
Fire! Fire! Fire!
How far are we going to walk, Jodie?
I don't want the Neanderthals to see us warp.
The other side of that boulder should be far enough.
This should do it. We...
( sparking )
JODIE: What happened to you?
Us? What happened to you?
ALL: We've turned into Neanderthals!
( all scream )
How could this happen?
It's going to take me six months
to pluck my eyebrows.
Okay, okay, let me think.
We changed, because we changed something that affected history.
The binoculars?
The binoculars!
They must have given the Neanderthals
an advantage over the Cro-Magnons.
Now they're the survivors.
And our ancestors.
I'm going to look like a wrestler my whole life.
Unless we find a way to undo it.
But how?
Zell won't just hand us back the binoculars.
No, but we might not need them.
( Neanderthals grunting )
Make way for the new leader!
New clan leader coming through.
Are you sure you know what you're doing?
Of course not.
We're back.
And I think this place needs some new management.
Look different.
Look... better.
Yeah, feel better, too.
In fact, feel so strong,
me should be leader of this clan!
Zell leader! Zell strongest!
No! Fred stronger.
Fred can pick up bigger rock than Zell.
Ha! Zell like to see that.
( straining )
( Neanderthals cheering )
( Fred straining )
NED: Lift!
Lift, Fred!
JODIE: We turned back.
No time to celebrate!
Run!
( panting ): You still have to pay
for those binoculars, Fred!
Fine! I'll buy you a hundred of them.
Just use the Book and get us out of here!
Just have to find the right page.
( Zell growling )
( kids scream, thud, groaning )
Well, we almost made it.
Is the Book okay?
I don't know.
It's up there.
SAM: That's not all.
Think Zell dumb?
Zell not dumb!
No one trick Zell.
( clonk )
Zell right-this very powerful rock!
( cheering )
But Ned knows what you want.
Give me five, Ned.
Friend?
Friend.
A mirror-Fred, where's a mirror?
Inside that closet door.
But calm down, we're still normal.
Oh, no, say it isn't true.
What's the matter?
You're not a Neanderthal anymore.
I know, but this is almost as bad.
I've got a big pimple right on my nose.
Big deal-it's just a zit.
Just a zit?
That proves my point.
You're no more advanced than the Neanderthals.
You won't even have any decent pimple cream
for another 95 years.
Get me out of here!
Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org