Lost in Space: Season 1 Overview

Lost in Space Series 1 Overview
It's quite a ride is Lost In Space series 1. It starts off as a pretty serious sci-fi series with a strong B-movie feel, no doubt left over from the paranoia of America's 1950s UFO obsession, but it soon morphs into a slightly camp runaround adventure yarn, sprinkled with comedy and plenty of heart.
The serious start to the series was a surprise to me, but a pleasant one. I revelled in those early episodes where the Jupiter 2 stumbled its way across the galaxy before crashlanding really rather spectacularly on Priplanus, followed by a few adventures which see our heroes fighting Mother Nature and accustomising to the alien environment. There were fewer aliens in the early episodes, and the rate at which the regular characters developed and were fleshed out was erratic.
Smith, Will and the Robot benefit the most from character development, while the likes of Judy and John suffer from little or no investment from the script writers, and there's next to no effort to develop the character through performance alone from Marta Kristen.
Don and Penny develop at a slower pace, but in a really rather charming way, especially the latter, while Don's hot-headed, short-tempered persona suits the character, but could do with being fleshed out a little more to avoid becoming a Boy's Own hero stereotype.
By and large the special effects were on top form for the time, and despite some atrocious alien designs, there were also some real successes, notably the bubble creatures in The Derelict and the aliens in Invaders from the Fifth Dimension.
All in all, I have enjoyed series 1 immensely. It only fell short of being entertaining a couple of times - all I ever ask of any TV show is that it entertains me. There are a couple of duds, mainly because they are dull rather than bad TV, but most episodes are great fun, with some transcending the norm of enjoyable camp hokum and actually achieving greatness - Ghost in Space, Return from Outer Space and Follow the Leader.
My wish for series 2 would be to have those characters overlooked in series 1 fleshed out more, with more motivation afforded the whole Jupiter 2 crew, and perhaps a bit more imagination regarding storylines and the resolutions of them. We'll see...
Favourite episodes:- The Derelict, My Friend, Mr Nobody, Wish Upon a Star, The Raft, One of Our Dogs is Missing, Return from Outer Space, The Keeper (part 1), Ghost in Space, Follow the Leader.
Least favourite episodes:- Invaders from the Fifth Dimension, The Sky is Falling, The Keeper (part 2), The Sky Pirate, The Challenge, A Change of Space.

Lost in Space: Season 1, Episodes 25-29

25: The Space Croppers
Dr Smith tries to escape the clutches of Priplanus once more, this time by hitching a ride with some intergalactic farming freaks - and getting hitched to the scary mother in the process!
This madness provides some silly situations for Smith to find himself in, wooing and courting the wonderful Mercedes McCambridge as she transforms from downbeat harridan to camp glamourpuss. McCambridge is truly excellent in this episode, outshining everybody, including an unusually sedate Jonathan Harris. The way she expresses her utter boredom with Smith is great TV.
Daughter Effra is a real glamourpuss too, a cross between Barbarella and Wilma Flintstone. She certainly catches the eye of red-blooded action man Don West, something also noted by supposed girlfriend Judy. Her jealousy when Effra makes a play for Don is a natural reaction, but not nearly enough is made of it. Still, the fact someone in Lost in Space has recognised the blatantly obvious fact that Major West is the sexiest man this side of the spiral nebula is welcome, and I can completely empathise with her!
Much campery surrounds Smith's play for Sybilla, including the very idea that the Robot could be his best man at their wedding! Now that is something I would love to see!
On the downside we have yet another infestation of killer plants, and the realisation of the werewolf is pretty poor - I'd be hard pushed to define it as a werewolf if the dialogue hadn't told me!
Also lost in space: Mercedes McCambridge (1916-2004) is probably best known as providing the hellish howling, growling and screeching vocals for the devil Pazuzu in The Exorcist, but had previously won an Oscar for her role in 1950's All the King's Men; Sherry Jackson (1942- ) began her career as a successful child star, but as with many actors like this her career nosedived when she grew up, and she traded roles for the exploitation of her admittedly stunning good looks in low budget movies. Her career came to a final end in the early 1990s.

26: All That Glitters
The tale of a man called Bolix and his missing ring...
Let's get the obvious out of the way first - one of the two guest characters here is called Bolix, pronounced "bollocks" (although dear June Lockhart gives it an extra zing by pronouncing the "i" correctly). Obviously, this 18th century vulgar slang word derives from Germany, so American writers and audiences would be blissfully unaware of the made-up name's hilarity to European viewers. But the exhausting regularity with which characters use Officer Bolix's name renders the entire episode a great joke for Brits!
Anyway... this is a great episode, focusing as it does on the female members of the cast (and Dr Smith). This allows space for Maureen Robinson to shine as the secret matriarch we all know she is. Within minutes of this episode starting she is running headlong into danger, laser gun in hand, picking off great hairy aliens to rescue her kidnapped daughter. Great stuff - let Maureen do more of this, I say!
Unfortunately, despite the loss of four male characters to give the girls room to expand, poor old Judy gets about as much character development as the Jupiter 2's passenger ramp. I find this missed opportunity quite annoying and ask myself whether the writers of Lost in Space realised there was a character called Judy Robinson at all.
The shining moments in this story are the scenes between Penny and Smith, who quite uncharacteristically begins to see the error of his ways and almost becomes a reformed character here. His fondness for Penny is honest, and expressed quite explicitly when he kisses her on the cheek tenderly. It's a wonderful moment, and well played by Harris.
The whole thing with the ring turning everything to platinum is a riff on the old King Midas tale, and doesn't really work very well - why doesn't the sand Smith walks on turn to platinum, or the clothes he wears?
The end of the episode sees our attention returning to John, Don, Will and the Robot's quest in the Chariot for water, via the nifty but blatant use of stock footage from There Were Giants in the Earth.
Also lost in space: Werner Klemperer (1920-2000) would be better known to American viewers as Colonel Klink in the series Hogan's Heroes, a character he also played in cameo roles in series such as Batman and The Simpsons; Larry Ward (1924-85) had appeared in a number of popular US TV series, especially Westerns, and had also written an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1955 under the guise of Ward Gaynor.

27: The Lost Civilization
A rather quaint tale that appears to happen in the same timescale as All That Glitters and involves only Don, John, Will and the Robot from the regular cast.
After surviving the attack of the reused footage, our heroes suffer some unassailable heat, prompting the single greatest moment in the history of Lost in Space thus far - Major West unzips his pullover and rubs his hairy chest!!!
Will and the Robot tumble into a well-realised netherworld where they have jungles and interior designers with one eye on Buster Crabbe's Flash Gordon serials. The subterranean people are a little incongruous, but it's nice to know they are there, and the whole Sleeping Beauty thing is charming, and provides some great character moments for Billy Mumy. The Robot is also very funny here, and it is rather touching when he refers to his "friend Will" - another example of the progressive humanisation of the machine since War of the Robots.
I also detected a frisson of comradeship between the injured Don and the very protective John in this episode - nothing certain to speak of, but there is definitely something in Guy Williams' performance which hints at a deeper respect for Don than simply two Alpha Male buddies stranded in space.
It's good to have an episode low on comedy, and devoid of the hapless Dr Smith. We need more episodes like this, and certainly more episodes which enable Major West to act so downright sexy!
Also lost in space: Kym Karath (1958- ) had appeared as one of the Von Trapp children in the previous year's The Sound of Music, and took time out from her career in the 1980s to go to Paris to model and study art history, as well as start a family; Royal Dano (1922-94) enjoyed a long TV career, appearing in over 150 programmes, often as sinister types, as well as films like The Outlaw Josey Wales, Ghoulies II and Killer Klowns from Outer Space! He died of a heart attack soon after being involved in a car accident.

28: A Change of Space
Surely one of the dullest episodes of the series. There are things to enjoy here, but they are far outweighed by a non-committal plot and some pretty flimsy ideas. I particularly liked the Smith/ Robot banter, the former coming up with some classic alliterative insults for his metallic friend, and the moment where Smith asks to be spared from the tedium of Maureen and Judy's domestic duties is a giggle.
But what is this episode about, what is it for? Will goes for a trip in a strange capsule and comes back as an egg-headed genius with no charisma. Smith takes a similar trip and returns as a wizened old man (albeit with some great make-up). Why does this happen? Why is the effect of the flight not consistent? Where does it all lead?
We end up meeting a rather sweet little alien creature who reminded me of Michael Myers from the Hallowe'en films. After a little chat, everyone returns to normal and life moves on.
Uninspired, messy and aimless. There are some nice touches, especially the aforementioned make-up work, and Jonathan Harris gives a very good performance as the decrepit Smith, but other than that a wholly forgettable episode.
Also lost in space: Frank Graham has only three acting credits to his name - the Alien in LiS, Danny in a 1965 episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, and Sid in 1977's film Sammy.

29: Follow the Leader
"We're sold on Lost in Space because we know it can sell for you!"
What an amazing way to end what has been a rollercoaster first year for LiS.
Follow the Leader boasts one of the finest and most effective performances I have seen in series 1, namely that from Guy Williams. As one of the mainstays of the regular cast, John Robinson unfortunately also suffers from poor characterisation, and usually comes over as a simple big-hearted family man with little charisma or personality.
But here Williams is given a chance to flex his acting muscles and takes centre stage when John is possessed by an alien entity called Canto. Williams portrays the possessed John as a domineering control freak who one can well believe is on the very edge of lashing out, whether it be at his own wife or his kids. The performance is masterful, the difference between real John and possessed John clearly defined, and coupled with Williams's enviable frame, his performance is frighteningly effective. All credit too to the likes of Jonathan Harris and June Lockhart for managing to express a realism in their reaction to John/ Canto.
Other wonderful aspects of the episode include Smith's willingness to take a parental role over the children in the absence of John and Maureen, some very funny Robot lines, and a strong presence in the script for Maureen.
This is an adult story about adult things - not sex or violence, but simply what binds a family, what makes a possessed man recognise his wife or son despite the barrier of another man's influence. And while the denouement literally has love conquering all, it is not a bit schmaltzy. It means something, the moral has been proven, and the final scene on the cliff's edge between Guy Williams and Billy Mumy is one of my favourites of the series.
"You're going to push me off, aren't you?"
"Yes, Will Robinson. I am."
Also lost in space: Gregory Morton (1911-86) provides the voice of alien Canto and had appeared in many US TV series, including Perry Mason, The Man from UNCLE and The Time Tunnel.

Lost in Space: Season 1, Episodes 22-24

22: The Challenge
After a number of great episodes, this lets the side down and is really rather run-of-the-mill and dull.
An alien father and son challenge Will and his dad to a meeting of skill and strength, and after a number of rather silly tasks, the alien duo ends up bonding over the fending off yet another hairy creature, and everyone wanders back to the Jupiter 2 for tea. Weird.
This episode doesn't have much to commend it, apart from the hilarious performance by the robot, which seems to have really cultivated its growing personality during its absence and become a wise-cracking cynic. Love the way it laughs in the face of Smith's inflated egotism!
The sexism in this story is criminal. Despite the fact the storyline itself touches upon the gender differences and the existence of feminism (even in space!), the girls are really let down by pathetic retorts to the mysogynist dialogue spouted (whether in jest or not) by the men. A real let-down. Why not have Maureen be the one who challenges the aliens and shows them the strength of womanhood and the values of equality? As it is we just get a well-trodden cliche with uninspired dialogue and some rather dreary acting.
Also lost in space: Michael Ansara (1922- ) had appeared in many TV programmes in the US prior to his appearance here, and has continued to enjoy a long CV, appearing in almost any TV series you can imagine, including genre shows like Star Trek, Babylon 5, Deep Space 9 and various animated Batman shows; Kurt Russell (1951- ) was a couple of years older than his character Quano in this episode, and had already appeared in series such as The Virginian, The Man from UNCLE and Gilligan's Island. He would go on to become a major Hollywood player, in films such as Escape from New York/ LA, The Thing, Backdraft and most the remake of Poseidon.

23: The Space Trader
"My masterpiece! My masterpiece!"
Although this is by and large a rather ho-hum episode, it is lifted by the scenery-chewing performance by Torin Thatcher as the titular character, and the wonderful exchanges between Smith and the robot, the latter of which has really developed its personality since War of the Robots.
I love the fact the robot won't take any shit off Smith any more, demanding apologies and generally reacting in quite a natural, human way to the rather nasty treatment he receives from the doctor.
The way the Robinson clan ostracises Smith after learning he has sold the robot fills me with joy - at last they react realistically to something Smith has done! Even the kids prefer not to speak to him, and this leads to a lovely scene between Smith and Will with the former trying to make the boy his friend, and Smith realising he has to put things right in order to maintain their friendship. A rare display of repentance from the doctor!
The Trader himself is a larger than life character with plenty of charisma, but his convoluted plan to obtain a human to sell for a huge profit makes the story rather plodding. He uses one of his machines to ruin the Robinsons' food crop in order to get them to trade the robot for food, assuming they will then ask for the robot back, for which the Trader will only accept a human being. As I said, convoluted!
Also lost in space: Torin Thatcher (1905-81) was a popular character actor in Hollywood, taking on evil, imposing and villainous roles in films such as The Crimson Pirate, Blackbeard the Pirate, The Robe and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.

24: His Majesty Smith
A fun episode that sees some outrageously camp acting from Jonathan Harris, but thankfully moves on from knockabout comedy to a story that actually means something.
This story essentially points out the delightful distinction between Dr Zachary Smith as we find him and a potentially renewed, alternative "Daddy Zach" who has nothing but good to say or do. After 24 episodes of watching Dr Smith develop/ degenerate from a callous foreign spy to a high camp coward we finally get to make the comparison between the regular Smith and the kind of Smith we all think we would like to see.
But the new, pleasant, hard-working and conscientious Smith proves that simply being nice isn't half as interesting as the villainy the real Smith gets up to. At the end of the day Daddy Zach might be a better person to pass the time with (and a much better colleague to be stranded on an alien planet with limited resources with), but there's nothing quite as entertaining, refreshing and downright annoying as good old Dr Zachary Smith!
I couldn't possibly take the alien master seriously when, 20 minutes in, my partner pointed out the character's similarity to The League of Gentlemen's Pop (played by Steve Pemberton) - after that, no threat of any size or consequence that the hairy alien could pose had any impact or weight for me. 'Twas gone!
All in all a good episode, and one that scores extra points for the brief return of Maureen's washing basket. I hope it's in series 2 because I want to prove myself right that it is yellow in colour... !
Also lost in space: Kevin Hagen (1928-2005) sadly died last July of cancer, but enjoyed a long TV career in many episodic series, including a regular role in the 1980s as Dr Hiram Baker in Little House on the Prairie; Liam Sullivan (1923-98) was another popular US TV series guest actor, and toward the end of his career settled down as regular Dr Willis in Knots Landing.

Lost in Space: Season 1, Episodes 19-21

21: Ghost in Space
Judy: "We should give Dr Smith the benefit of the doubt."
Don: "Again?!"
Oh, what fun this episode is! Quite unlike anything to have come before, Ghost in Space manages to engage the age-old argument between science and spiritualism and do something really entertaining with it.
The lighting on the episode is excellent, as it is almost completely set at night-time, and this gives the story a suitably darker tone, enabling some of the cast to use torchlights, lanterns and candlesticks.
The difference in approach to the idea of the paranormal is handled well, and surprisingly. For once Dr Smith (who I had no idea was quite so immersed in the murky world of the occult!) finds a like mind in Penny, and it is his usual partner in crime Will who finds his belief in the ghost of his Uncle Thaddeus ridiculous. This switching of the usual roles is a nice change, and it's actually quite healthy to see Will take a stance so similar to the gung-ho Major West.
There's lots to enjoy here, from Harris's camp dialogue to the rather Texas Chainsaw-esque bog monster, from the wonderfully silly tailoring machine to the scarlet-painted ouija board.
And speaking of the tailoring machine, I love the new outfits. Admittedly this is mainly because the collars are looser and Major West's manly chest rug might finally get to see more light of day, but seeing Don in his nightgear - a tightly fitted pyjama set and figure-hugging dressing gown - gives me some wonderful mental images! Jim-jams in space!
A hugely entertaining episode, not played for laughs but rather made as an amusing piece of drama. One of my favourites thus far.
Also lost in space: Dawson Palmer (1936-72) played the "resident monster" in 13 LiS episodes in all, and this was his fourth appearance. A former basketball player and stuntman, Palmer also appeared in Irwin Allen's Land of the Giants before his death at just 36 in a car accident.

22: War of the Robots
... or rather, the robot and the robotoid!
What could have been a really silly, superfluous episode is actually handled really well, and results in another fine episode with much to offer.
Everybody's aware that the robotoid featured here is from the Forbidden Planet film 10 years previously, and it looks just as magnificent here as it did then. The rivalry that develops between the robot and the robotoid is amusing as well as moving - the robot's loyalty to the Robinson clan is the first time we see the robot as its own personality rather than a fetching and carrying machine.
Although robots aren't supposed to have personalities (indeed, this fact is at the heart of the episode's premise), it goes without saying that this particular robot does have some of its own thoughts and feelings, and as the series progresses this will become more and more prevalent.
The way Dr Smith turns on the robot is heartbreaking to watch - the robotoid inveigles its way into the hearts and minds of the Robinsons, except young Will, who sees through the robotoid's "too good to be true" nature straight away.
God knows where the leonine aliens are from, but the fact their mouths don't move when they speak suggests a cheap and cheerful rubber mask from the Irwin Allen dressing up box, and it's just as well we never get to see more of them!
Penny's absence throughout is noticeable only for the fact it is not explained, which is a bit of an oversight, especially as she features heavily in the run-up to the following story.
I like this episode, it's done maturely and isn't spoilt by camp dialogue or ridiculous plotting. The robotoid poses a real threat, and the breakdown, and subsequent strengthening, of the robot's relationship with the Robinsons is a joy.
Also lost in space: Good old Robby the Robot "plays" the robotoid of course, and has since his first appearance in 1956's Forbidden Planet, appeared in many other genre shows and films, including The Twilight Zone, The Man from UNCLE, The Addams Family, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, and most recently in the 2005 TV series Stacked; Ollie O'Toole (1912-92) provided the robotoid's voice in this episode, who by coincidence appeared in the same Man from UNCLE story as Robby the Robot (The Bridge of Lions Affair).

23: The Magic Mirror
After her mysterious week off in War of the Robots, Penny gets the limelight here while brother Will and a probably emotionally scarred robot disappear off the face of Priplanus for 45 minutes.
Any story which focuses on a regular who is normally left in the background is fine by me, and this wonderful episode manages to flesh out Penny's character while also providing some satisfyingly surreal and fantastic imagery.
Sucked into Mirrorland, Penny meets a strange boy who lives alone behind the reflective surfaces, playing kiss-chase with a hairy one-eyed alien. Only in Lost in Space would you get this mad idea realised in such a beautifully cheap way. I love the sets for the mirror-world - black drapes in sharp contrast to ornate candelabras, mirrors and lanterns, depicting a rich world of trinkets populated by nobody to savour them. The Mirrorland is a mystery, an unexplained hidden realm, but I love the fact we know nothing about it, or why it is there.
The ability to look out into the real world through mirrors is inspired, and quite spooky, especially when Penny is trying to make her family hear her through Judy's mirror. The real life horror of being trapped in an unseen world hits home, thanks to quality direction and some effective acting from Angela Cartwright. In fact, the direction here is particularly well done by Jerry Juran, who uses reflections and Perspex, cheeky camera angles and flowing drapes to portray the entrance to Mirrorland and the domain within.
Of greatest note is the fleshing out of Penny's character. Penny here is a young girl scared by her impending adolescence and everything it brings with it. It's nice to see the series reflecting this, especially in the scene between Maureen, Judy and Don which adequately gets across what the teenage girl must be feeling.
Finally, the fate of the boy in Mirrorland is a sad moment. Ironically he has no reflection, meaning he will be forever trapped in this hidden realm and never be allowed to see beyond, however reluctant he may be to visit it. This is a very downbeat end, but perfectly matches the melancholy feel of the episode.
Also lost in space: Michael J Pollard (1939- ) was, amazingly, 27 years old when he filmed this episode, and would go on to enjoy a long acting CV, taking roles in Star Trek (series), Roxanne, Scrooged, Tango and Cash and most recently, 2003's House of 1,000 Corpses.

Lost in Space: Season 1, Episodes 16-18

16: The Keeper (Part 1)
"We'd better lock the children in their rooms - and Dr Smith too, just as a precaution."
Although the premise is overfamiliar to we 21st century viewers, the idea of capturing humans to put into an intergalactic zoo must have been a little cliched even by 1966 - I know of a Season 1 episode of The Twilight Zone that used the idea in 1959.
However, The Keeper (Part 1) is nothing but engrossing fun, and its use of the usually peripheral characters of Penny and Judy is welcome. Even Major West and John get more to do than usual.
Star of the show is undoubtedly the wonderful Michael Rennie as the titular character, who brings much presence and gravitas to his role amid Jonathan Harris's mugging. Anyone who has seen The Day the Earth Stood Still will revel in seeing Rennie here, despite the dodgy facial hair.
The Keeper is luring children into his spaceship by use of a glowing staff, with the false intention of showing them his furry menagerie. Much can be read into the plot of this episode, and it does have a touch of the Child-Catcher about it, but it entertains me to add a layer to these plots which probably isn't there in the first place!
The design of the inside of the Keeper's ship is wonderful, with its sliding doors and the cages of bizarre and poorly realised alien creatures. Having said that, it's good to see all the aliens from previous LiS episodes make a reappearance here when they escape their cages for the cliff-hanger (although the cyclops probably walks down that ramp about five times in all!).
There's great fun to be had with Smith's hypnotic state, and when Don and John are trying to get Smith to stay in his room. During this lovely scene you can see that Smith is much more of a child than his younger colleagues!
And I have to mention the lovely bit between Maureen and Smith where she chats to him before going into his room. You can tell Mrs Robinson has a soft spot for the doctor, and although this naivete will always be her downfall, it's nice to see that nuance to the relationship because I think Smith has a healthy respect for the dear lady too.
A cracking episode, and one that I hope isn't let down by its conclusion...
Also lost in space: Michael Rennie (1909-71) was most famous for his iconic role as Klaatu in The Day the Earth Stood Still in 1951, but he would go on to play the Sandman in a couple of episodes of the Batman TV series, as well as a couple of roles in The Invaders. Living his final years in Switzerland, he died of emphysema at the age of just 61 in England while visiting following his brother's death; Wilbur Evans (1905-87) played the "lighted head" alien at the start of the episode, but was more of a stage and musical performer than a TV actor, and indeed LiS was his final TV appearance after a 13 year gap.

17: The Keeper (Part 2)
Unfortunately part two does let the first part down by degenerating into a repetitive runaround, and barely any of the monsters which poured out of the Keeper's ship at the end of last episode.
The selfless sacrifices by Don, Judy, Maureen and John in order to save Will and Penny is somewhat unconvincing, particularly Don, who may well feel close to the children, but would he wantonly throw away his own life for them?
I like how the Keeper rejects the adults' "applications" for incarceration on the basis they are too independent, whereas he expects the children would be too scared and timid to pose any problem to him. It's a good job the Keeper didn't try to steal children from the year 2006 otherwise his faith in the obedience of youth would be sorely tried!
There's some good scenes with Maureen exploring and entering the Keeper's ship on her own, gun in hand, and as ridiculous as it looks, the face-off with the bizarre flying manta ray is great fun (much more convincing than the giant lizard!).
All in all it is a poor resolution to a great opener, and although Rennie gives the Keeper a darker, more threatening edge here, the character still succumbs to the charms of humanity he professes to be immune to.

18: The Sky Pirate
A pretty dull instalment made mildly diverting only by the charming and quite touching relationship which builds up between Tucker and Will. It's obvious that Will is in awe of this (as it turns out) false space pirate, complete with tales of treasure, pillaging and intergalactic adventuring. Any boy Will's age would be mightily impressed by Tucker, especially when the only other role models he has include a rather boring father, a hotheaded space pilot and the outrageously camp and cowardly Dr Smith.
Tucker himself is somewhat annoying, played by Albert Salmi as a stereotypical "ooh-aah" sea pirate, but at least the character has a different side, a depth that enables the viewer to see exactly why Will might fall for his charms.
Harris portrays Smith here at perhaps his most cowardly yet, fainting - or at least feigning fainting - at the slightest glimpse of a man dressed in a stripey pullover. A bit far-fetched, a bit silly, and not particularly funny. I did like Maureen having a go at Smith though!
All in all a disappointing, rather nondescript episode which could never be a favourite, despite the really rather cool blobby monster that come looking for Tucker.
Also lost in space: Albert Salmi (1928-90) enjoyed a very long TV career prior to LiS, and would return as Alonzo P Tucker in another episode the following year. He went on to have an even longer TV career, appearing in almost every American show one can think of, but also had roles in Escape from the Planet of the Apes, the wonderfully named Empire of the Ants and Caddyshack. Tragedy surrounds the end of Salmi's 62-year-old life, which came from a gunshot to the heart in an incident never solved by police. His wife Roberta was shot too, by a different gun.

Lost in Space: Season 1, Episodes 13-15

13: One of Our Dogs is Missing
Hooray and hurrah! A story that gives the girls something to do at long last!
I have longed to see Judy Robinson do something constructive except pout and frown, I have yearned to see Maureen Robinson show off some of the scientific skills mentioned in the pilot. All the women get to do is cook, get into trouble and smile supportively when John has one of his Family Moments.
Here we have the men of the camp - the real men! - off in the Chariot, leaving the women (and Dr Smith) at the ship to fend for themselves. They have ray guns, they have that big gun thing which zaps anything which approaches the Jupiter 2, they even have doors and window shields. What could possibly go wrong?
A dog arrives in a space pod, that's what. Cutesy dog sub-plot aside, this is a great story, and although the females generally just get themselves into a mess and have to be rescued by the men, at least we have a good section of the story devoted to them. I don't like the fact they have to be rescued by Don and John, I'd prefer the production team to have been a little more forward thinking and let Maureen and Judy really shine - and there are odd moments - but it is a let-down.
I like Maureen, and it's a shame she never gets developed much. For some reason I love the bit where she is walking back into the ship and says it is going to get dark in five minutes so Judy should come inside soon - "And Penny too!" she barks. Star mum! And where did she get all that hair from? Where does she hide it?
And then there's the hairy monster, which makes no sense, is there for one reason alone, and doesn't look very good.
PS: I'm sorry, but Dr Smith really needs a slap! If I was confronted with a worktop full of dismantled laser guns when there was an ill-conceived hairy monster prowling outside, I'd go ape shit. That doctor gets off with far too much!

14: Attack of the Monster Plants
"Dr Smith, will you tend to my garden when I'm gone?"
"My dear, your garden will wither and die, I can assure you!"
Dr Smith in this episode is bloody hilarious. Jonathan Harris seems particularly on form in this story and made me laugh out loud a number of times.
Smith here is perhaps at his wiliest yet, leaving Don and John to die in the swamp and blackmailing the Robinsons into taking him back to Earth by concealing the true location of Judy. How any of the regulars put up with this man is beyond fantasy, and it seems only Major West provides the voice of any sane reason any more. How can the Robinsons just accept Smith's evil ultimatum, and still go on smiling at him?!
By the way, West provides much more than sanity in this episode, for me personally, as the white t-shirt is back and the chest hair suitably tantalising!
This story demonstrates the widening gap between Smith and West, and the way Don teases Smith about his fate is charming. I like the fact these two men have an ongoing and worsening rivalry, because it's one of the very few realistic relationships in the show, along with John and Maureen's infatuated adoration for one another.
The monster plants are realised very well (although you can see the wire frames through the leaves on occasion) and the screaming/ laughing sound they make is very disconcerting.
And to top it all, Maureen's washing basket makes a welcome reappearance. Sometimes it is the smallest things which cheer a boy's heart.

15: Return from Outer Space
Nice bit of continuity in this episode, harking back to The Sky is Falling in which the Taurons paid a visit. However, they left behind their matter transfer unit, and this provides the catalyst for an excellent adventure here.
Will is zapped off to a town called Hatfield Four Corners in his present day, despite the fact it looks like it's set in late 20th century Tombstone. There, he has a terrible time avoiding being sent to a boys' home before he can contact Alpha Control and let them know what's happened to the Jupiter 2. The frustration Will feels is shared by the viewer, and his constant pleading for permission to "make that phone call" - only to be repeatedly turned down or delayed - is a real wind-up (although if Will hadn't been brought up so damn well he would have just run off and done it anyway instead of obeying his elders!).
The scenes set in Hatfield are lovely, and the bond that develops between Will and Davey Sims is delightful. It wasn't until this point that I realised Will is lacking anyone of his age and gender to relate to on the wonderfully christened Priplanus, and how having Davey would really help Will develop and learn more about himself. In fact, if I knew LiS wasn't so naive I would even suggest Davey might develop a much stronger bond with Will than Will might realise, but maybe that's just me reading too much into Donald Losby's yearning performance.
It's great to have a change of scene and a fresh guest cast for a change, and this Christmas sojourn provides Will and the viewer with a different perspective on the Robinsons' situation, as well as some welcome location filming.
Also lost in space: Reta Shaw (1912-82) will be best remembered as housekeeper Martha in The Ghost and Mrs Muir on US TV, but she also appeared as one of the singing nannies in Mary Poppins and Mrs Grindley in Disney's Escape to Witch Mountain (film and series); Sheila Allen (1929- ) appeared in two further LiS episodes under the name Sheila Matthews and was also co-executive producer of Lost in Space Forever in 1998; Robert Easton (1930- ) continues to have a long and varied career, and should next appear in the film Horrorwe'en in 2007; Helen Kleeb (1907-2003) had a long-running role as Miss Mamie in The Waltons, but also appeared in many headline US TV series of their time such as Gunsmoke, Bonanza, CHiPs and Little House on the Prairie; Walter Sande (1906-1971) had a long career before his LiS appearance, but sadly died a few years later of a heart attack, although he had a couple of running roles in various Western TV series; Keith Taylor reappeared in another LiS episode in 1968, but his career has been fitful from then on, most recently appearing in an episode of Rumpole of the Bailey in 1983; finally we have Donald Losby (1947- ) who had appeared before LiS in many TV series, but whose acting career came to a halt in 1970. At the age of 23, maybe he discovered acting wasn't for him... ?

Lost in Space: Season 1, Episodes 10-12

10: The Sky is Falling
"It's positively raining aliens!"
An alien family transmats down onto the planet and set up what looks like a bar area and some kind of research tool, but they don't bother saying hello because they seem to have no recognisable language.
This episode revolves around the Robinsons addressing their preconceived ideas and prejudices about alien life, and more particularly alien life they cannot communicate with, and on their planet as well!
The moral issue of facing up to "otherness" is addressed well and quite subtley here, and it is interesting to see how John and Don's plan to steer clear of the aliens and assume they're peace loving turns around when pressure is brought to bear from the women in the camp, who just want their son/ brother back.
Jonathan Harris gives a pretty solid performance, especially in the scene where he is reasoning with the Robinsons around the dinner table. His first reaction is to destroy at will, survival of the fittest, while the Robinsons prefer to let sleeping aliens lie. Having said that, if a big chocolate cake dematerialised from my kitchen table, I'd be baying for blood too!
I have a major niggle with this episode, and one which ruins any of the good I have written about it here. The resolution makes no sense - John refers to Will sneezing and infecting the alien boy, but he would have no idea about that; they refer to some kind of antibiotic which cured the boy, but no such thing happened; and they mention the aliens by name (as Taurons) out of the blue - well, if the aliens cannot communicate, how can they have known their race?
And then the aliens suddenly decamp and disappear and everything's rosy again. Well no, it isn't. It's as if a whole scene of exposition was cut out and the viewer is left reeling and puzzled by what the hell is going on. A poor resolution to an episode which raised some interesting moral questions about identity and trust, transferring the themes from 20th century post-McCarthy America to outer space. Clever, but flawed.
Also lost in space: Don Matheson (1929- ) would appear in a second LiS episode in 1968, as well as other fantasy shows such as Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Land of the Giants and various US TV soaps; Francoise Ruggieri has a small acting CV, and went on to appear in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Mission: Impossible, before her most recent acting role in 1975; Eddie Rosson's acting career never really got beyond this, although he did appear uncredited as Luke's nephew in Cool Hand Luke (1967).

11: Wish Upon a Star
Another nice character piece for Dr Smith, who is quite rightly banished from the camp after endangering somebody else's life for the umpteenth time because of his own lack of consideration. I say quite rightly because the number of terrible things this man has done to the Robinsons, and got away with (largely due to John's annoying tendency to brush things under the carpet) means Smith deserves everything he gets.
Dramatically, Smith's separation from the others enables Jonathan Harris to show a side of the character rarely seen, which is his inability to cope on his own, his lack of independence - almost like a child. When Will comes to help him find a more suitable camp, the chemistry between them is charming, and you can see why Will might have a soft spot for the dastardly doctor. And it's lovely to see Smith acknowledge his affection for Will (indeed, anyone!) for a change.
The dynamics within the group are interesting - both Penny and Will, as well as their mother, seem to regard Smith in a kinder light than John, and certainly Don. This mix of tensions and loyalties should pay dividends in future episodes.
The plot itself, about a wish-granting machine, and how having everything and anything at your fingertips breeds greed and selfishness, is a pleasant enough one, but there's lashings of typical American schmaltz, especially from John.
Highlight of the episode? That bloody scary alien! The moaning, the outstretched arms, the repugnant face... that alien really disturbed me, and as ever with LiS (thus far) is a well realised alien creature. I even liked the flying manta ray that attacks Dr Smith. He looked sweet!

12: The Raft
This a wonderful return to form, with plenty of character development which is really enjoyable to watch. The continuing disintegration of the relationship between Don and Smith is a real feature here, with Smith at one point goading poor Major West and thus exploiting Don's short fuse. It's both laughable and slightly disturbing to see Smith being so actively nasty to Don, who really does not deserve the abuse he gets and is very often the lone voice of reason in the camp, based on experience.
The story sees Will and Smith take off in the raft, only to land back on the same planet (very Twilight Zone!) and get trapped in an overgrown valley and forced into tending the vegetation by a Bush Man, LiS's first poorly realised alien. Harris is very funny in this episode, and it has to be said that Billy Mumy could well be the cutest kid in American TV history! I simply love the exchange between these two when Will asks Smith to be his replacement father. Smith is obviously quite touched by this proposition and this is yet another example of Harris acting rather than camping things up - he does both well, but his acting abilities sometimes get overshadowed by his campery.
There's also a lovely scene between John and Maureen when they sit beneath the stars and talk about how night skies are more beautiful when you have chosen which sky it is yourself. A bit twee, but lovely all the same.
This is one of my favourite episodes so far, purely for its characterisation and some great Don West totty time (lots of bum shots and he gets down to his t-shirt, which I always enjoy because you get tempting peeks at that hairy rug of his!).

Lost in Space: Season 1, Episodes 7-9

7: My Friend, Mr Nobody
"Mother! Cherry pie! How did you do it?"
"On the computer!"
At first I thought I was going to hate this episode. For a start it focuses on Penny, and as much as I welcome individual character development, there's only so much you can do with any of the Robinson kids!
But as the story progressed, and the nature of Penny's friend was revealed, I really got into it. You wonder whether it is an alien hiding in the cave, then perhaps it's all in her head, but by the end you realise you had no idea that it was a "cosmic force" which goes on to develop into some kind of space entity. And there was me putting my money on a sentient cave!
I like the sub-plot afforded Dr Smith and Don, the latter of whom is a little naive here. After all they have been through, Don agrees to drop everything, one hour before dark, to start drilling for diamonds just so that he "can see the look on their faces" when they return to the Jupiter 2 with a few shiny stones. It just seems out of character for Don to be at all bothered by this, and to trust Smith in any way.
The climax of the story, where Mr Nobody begins to rock the planet in reaction to Penny's perceived death, is quite exciting, and the denouement - with Mr Nobody floating off with the new concept of love in his mind - is a little cheesy, but satisfying. And then there's that wonderful cliffhanger at the end, with Dr Smith being observed from above by a mysterious alien creature with long fingers! Love it!
And it's reassuring to know that Maureen found the space and the weight allowance on board the ship for that hairdressing machine!

8: Invaders from the Fifth Dimension
This could have been so much better. What you expect will be a story about aliens from the fifth dimension invading the planet (as the title suggests) is actually just about a couple of lost aliens (from the fifth dimension, I grant you) whose spaceship is bust.
Most of the episode is taken up with Smith and Will trekking to find the hidden spaceship, and the Robinsons agonisingly searching for the lost Will in the Chariot, and Don zipping about in the jet-pack (which I'm sure is re-used footage of John doing just the same in an earlier episode!).
This does not an engaging drama make. For me this is one of the weakest instalments yet, which does not fulfil its potential and doesn't do it particularly interestingly!
The one thing I did love about the story was the realisation of the "invaders" (not that they were invading, they were just visiting!). The floating black heads, devoid of mouths, have a certain nightmarish quality and you don't spot the black bodies of the actors once against the spaceship's black background.
I do wonder where they hid their long-fingered hands in long-shot, though. Maybe they had large pockets...

9: The Oasis
It's hot, there's no water and the Jupiter 2 team is suffering... This can only mean that the Major West undershirt per centage is cranked up to 100%, and what an enjoyable 50 minutes it is too... There were plenty of opportunities to glimpse that heaving rug Mr Goddard sported under that t-shirt, and I was a very happy chappie! I think I'm in love!
The story proper is a little silly, focusing as it does on Smith and that chimp thing growing in size after they eat strange fruit! Harris's acting during his giant scenes is really rather annoying, portraying as he does a childish Smith who whines more annoyingly than usual. The scene with Maureen trying to talk him round is probably the first time the character has had a fair crack of the whip, and it's all too short. Maureen Robinson, along with Judy, is probably the least fleshed out of the regulars to date.
Loved the shower scene, with the Robot singing Figaro along with a camp as Christmas Harris, and the brief scene where the camera follows Maureen as she goes from bottom to top in the spaceship lift is amazing. It's quite incongruous, but wonderfully done.
This episode isn't a favourite of mine for its plot, but it is in first place for Major West totty spotting!

Lost in Space: Season 1, Episodes 4-6

4: There Were Giants in the Earth
It's a bit disjointed this one, but there's lots going on, whether it be earthquakes or lightning storms or killer robots or mysterious ruins or plunging planetary temperatures.
There is a rather twee "relationship" developing between Major West and Judy, and although the overnight camping scene, where Will sings Greensleeves on his guitar, sent me behind the sofa, it's nice to get some characterising interaction at last.
The warmth between the Robinson parents is obvious, and reinforces the fact this would have to be a well adjusted and cohesive family to have been sent into space collectively like this.
Dr Smith's staying behind to face the plunging temperatures of the Jupiter 2's location is an interesting development, and although he has been left with the robot, I believe Will took the power pack with him, so it will be interesting to see where the plot goes next and how the family is reunited with Smith.
Above all else - more distracting than giant killer peas and a murderous rock-throwing cyclops with a bad aim - it is Maureen Robinson's washing basket which makes me smile most.
Surrounded by space-faring technology, multi-tasking robots and a washing machine which folds and shrink-wraps your clothes, there's nothing quite as reassuring as a good ol' plastic washing basket to remind you you're watching B-movie sci-fi from 1965!

5: The Hungry Sea
Now that I know unused pilot footage was fed back into the televised stories I can see why the ongoing storyline which started out so strongly is starting to meander a little, and this is an example of that.
It's all well and good the Robinsons jumping into the Chariot to escape the plunging temperatures of the Jupiter 2's crash site, crossing a frozen ocean to reach warmer climes, but then the temperature begins to hot up and they have to run all the way back again!
It's an episode in which nobody gets anywhere fast - literally. However, the mad science displayed here about planetary orbits had me smiling, while anything that has Major West take items of clothing off has my vote.
Poor Jonathan Harris has to resort to talking to the robot for much of this episode, but the camp dialogue makes up for it and they are all reunited by the end, which bodes well.

6: Welcome, Stranger
The first episode since the opener to feature a character other than the Jupiter 2 crew.
Hapgood has the potential to annoy and come over as an irritating "space cowboy", but thankfully Warren Oates steers clear of the obvious and instead opts for the "bruiser with a heart of gold" portrayal.
Although the dialogue gets a little sickly-sweet at times - when Hapgood ponders the nature of his life among the stars - it doesn't spoil what is an enjoyable episode.
The alien spores that envelop Hapgood's ship are a little superfluous, obviously there only to satisfy younger viewers' need for monsters and action, but the main thrust of the piece is the effect their abandonment on this strange world has on the family unit. At the first opportunity, John and Maureen wish to send their children back to the safety of Earth, and the scene in which they discuss what to do with Penny and Will is lovely.
Elsewhere we have a scheming Dr Smith, who manages a couple of moments of sheer "bastardness" when trying to inveigle his way aboard Hapgood's flight. And I love his operation on the robot, complete with white coat and prophylactic gloves!
Major West is sidelined quite severely here, but then this is a story about the family Robinson, and at least Don gets to have a fist fight with Hapgood to earn his weekly wage!
Also lost in space: Warren Oates (1928-82) appeared in Rawhide, The Virginian and Gunsmoke - perhaps he was typecast?

Lost in Space: Season 1, Episodes 1-3

1: The Reluctant Stowaway
I must say I was surprised by how straight these early episodes were, having been most familiar with the colour episodes when things were a lot madder and camper.
But the B-movie feel to these early episodes is fantastic, and although the Robinson family is a little lacking in personality, it is undoubtedly Dr Zachary Smith who steals the show.
I was also unaware Dr Smith was originally a foreign spy trying to destroy the Jupiter 2 mission, and this adds an edge to him that might influence the way I see the character as time progresses.
The design of the Jupiter 2 is great - sleek and saucer-like from the outside, and a multi-level control/ living area inside, complete with central console!
And to top it all there's a melodramatic cliffhanger! What's not to love?

2: The Derelict
This episode was even better than the first, with the scenes set on the derelict spaceship extremely well directed and lit. It works really well in black and white and reminded me a lot of early Doctor Who, although the amount of aimless wandering/ exploring done by Smith and Will drags a little.
When they finally encounter the "bubble creatures" (as the DVD booklet describes them) things take a dangerous turn. I love the way the creatures try to communicate using electrical charges, I don't think I have seen anything quite like that before, certainly not this early.
The creatures are obviously on wheels, but as they chase the Jupiter 2's crew back to the ship the excitement is cranked up. It's a very exciting and mysterious episode, I love it.

3: Island in the Sky
This is the weakest of the three, but it's still very enjoyable, and boasts some epic location filming in the desert after the ship crash lands.
Just to get the shallowness out of the way first, I must admit to having a huge crush on Major Don West (Mark Goddard) who simply smoulders on screen and is the perfect all-American hero. I do wish they would get out of those Bacofoil space suits soon...
The crash landing is extremely well done and very convincing, and the character progression of Dr Smith very interesting - at the start of the episode he's all set to murder the Robinsons and force West to pilot the ship back to Earth, but after the crash he realises he has to plan very carefully, and uses the robot and plenty of cunning to get his way more subtley.
I love how he realises - to his horror - that the robot is going to kill Will at the end of the episode (on his orders). Smith obviously has an affection for the boy, one he might not admit openly but which will stand him in strong stead for the remainder of the series.
Just a quick mention for the strange chimp-like creature befriended by Judy. Please don't let this be a regular feature of future episodes because the thing looks tatty as hell and I'm sure the poor creature can't enjoy being in hot studios or locations with a woolly hat and padded legs on.