The next instalment in the Adventures if Indiana Jones is Corey Carrier’s last as the young globe trotting hero. It combines two episodes, and sees young Henry Jones, Jr. and family travelling to Peking and Benares. As a television film, this movie aired on 11 July, 2000.

Benares, Januray 1910.

This segment was written by Jonathan Hensleigh, from a story by series creator George Lucas, and aired as an episode on 3 July, 1993.

By the Ganges river, young Indy learns about the divine through examination of other religions and meditations. His tutor, Mrs. Seymour (Margaret Tyzack) is rather sceptical of the society she and the Jones are introduced to, Theosophy.

While some of the tenants are appealing, Mrs. Seymour is dubious of the seemingly supernatural claims that the Theosophy Society make, and their use of a child messiah.

They encounter the historical personages Charles Leadbeater (John Wood), Annie Besant (Dorothy Tutin) as well as a young boy who Leadbeater proclaims will be their next leader, and possible messiah, Jiddu Krishnamurti (Hemanth Rao).

Indy and Jiddu form a friendship, and exchange views on many religions as well as baseball and cricket.

Both Mrs. Seymour and Indy learn about tolerance, acceptance and world religions. It’s a pretty enjoyable episode, once again highlighting some gorgeous locations, and historical personages and how they affected the world.,

But not everything is perfect in the Theosophy Society as Mrs. Seymour learns when talking to the other potential messiah, a young boy from America, Hubert Van Hook (Anatol Yusef), and discovering a secret Leadbeater is keeping.

That doesn’t detract from the things Krishnamurti did with his life as he grew, and withdrew from the Society.

As this portion ends we see a hint of Anna Jones (Ruth de Sosa) growing ill, and though we do not see her death, we know it is coming soon.

Indy and his family travel on from Benares and head to…

Peking, March 1910

Lucas came up for the story for this episode, which Rosemary Anne Sisson penned as a teleplay. This part of the film aired as an episode on 26 June, 1993.

Indy and his family travel to Peking. There they get to see the Great Wall of China, but as they journey farther inland, it is not Anna who grows ill, but young Henry.

When a poor family takes them in, Anna must learn to accept strange customs as well as strange and unusual medical practices that may save her son’s life. In fact, young Indy is tended to by Dr. Wen Chiu (Dr. Le) as he battles typhoid fever.

This fever gives us a little more family canon for the Jones. It seems young Henry had a little sister, Susie, who died very young.

What I do like about these early adventures is that it shows Henry Jones, Sr. (Lloyd Owen) in a different way. You can see why Indy (Harrison Ford) has the opinion of his father (Sean Connery) that he does, but watching this episodes you can see both sides of it, which is a nice touch for both characters.

We say goodbye to Corey Carrier this week, as the role of Indiana Jones passes to Sean Patrick Flanery as he goes on his Spring Break Adventure.