Irwin Allen's 1960's show couldn't seem to decide what it wanted to be. Starting out as a straight adventure tale of survival for a family of space travelers after their craft crash lands on an alien world, the show quickly moved into comic camp, heightened by the over-the-top performance of Jonathan Harris as "Dr. Smith", and then developed an odd blend of farce and fantasy in its third and final season.
It's no wonder than the show has an equal amount of defenders and critics.
The first black and white season, as mentioned earlier, is arguably its best, featuring its strongest episodes that showcased the performers to the best of its ability, based on the story lines. The rarely-seen pilot ("No Place to Hide") sold the show with its state-of-the art special effects, the brilliant use of Bernard Herrmann music (borrowed liberally from the composer's music for the classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still") and its ingenious casting of former "Zorro" Guy Williams, "Lassie" mom June Lockhart, television and movie darling Angela Cartwright, and Billy Mumy, who had appeared in film and a memorable "Twilight Zone" episode. Noticeably absent were Dr. Smith and the Robot, who were added to the cast on the suggestion of studio officials and sponsors.
Also, the pilot reveals that Maureen (Lockhart) was a notable doctor in her own right, but the series never made reference to that, relegating her to a "cookie-baking" mom. Even Judy (Marta Kristen) was supposed to be an aspiring actress that put her career on hold to make the ill-fated space voyage.
Obviously, Allen and company didn't know what to do with "strong women".
Besides the pilot, which would be used to form the basis for the first five episodes of the new season, there were some other standout installments. "Invaders from the Fifth Dimension" features some truly creepy aliens and a wonderful exchange between the Robot and Maureen. Also, the installment allows the viewer to see how really sinister Dr. Smith could be.
Angela Cartwright (Penny) would be showcased in "My Friend, Mr. Nobody," featuring a brilliant John Williams' score, and "The Magic Mirror," co-starring a young pre-"Bonnie and Clyde" Michael J. Pollard. Even the seldom-used Judy (Kristen) gets an episode, "Attack of the Monster Plants." A boyish Kurt Russel would land in "The Challenge" and a strange homage to the popular "Beverly Hillbillies" would be played out in "The Space Croppers, featuring a great turn from Academy Award-winner Mercedes McCambridge.
The season also features the best in the series: the only two-parter, "The Keeper," guest-starring Michael Rennie, star of the aforementioned "The Day the Earth Stood Still". The production staff pulled out all the stops with several stunning scenes, concluding with a fight with a giant spider.
The final installment of the season was "Follow the Leader" wherein John is possessed by an alien spirit that makes life truly miserable for the Robinson family. Williams gets to again show his physical skills in a tense duel with Don (Mark Goddard).
Though the second season would be the series' first in color, it also would be its silliest, with many of the episodes unbearably awful in their execution. There were genies, Vikings, dragons, pirates, and enough silver-faced aliens to start a cosmetics firm. Even with this barrage of silliness, there were a few commendable episodes: "Blast Off Into Space", the first of the season with a good performance from guest Strother Martin and some great pyrotechnics; "The Golden Man," a Penny-inspired episode that involves a war between two alien species; "Cave of the Wizards" wherein Dr. Smith is taken over by an alien computer; "Trip Through the Robot," an interesting journey as Will and Dr. Smith must restore the Robot to normal size after a mysterious gas has caused the machine to grow enormously; "The Astral Traveler" returns Will to Earth and the boy finds himself in a haunted castle' and screen veteran John Carradine appears in the season-ending "The Galaxy Gift", an episode that also marks the return of the black-faced aliens, seen in the earlier "Wreck of the Robot".
Based on cast complaints, the third season would be an unbalanced one, trying to blend the first season adventure with the second season camp, making for a truly schizophrenic blend. While there were commendable episodes as "The Anti-Matter Man," "Space Creature," "Hunter's Moon," the popular "Visit to a Hostile Planet," "Target: Earth," and "Time Merchant," there were turkeys like "A Day at the Zoo," "Collision of Planets" and the politically-INCORRECT "Castles in Space." Season three also had the infamous "The Great Vegetable Rebellion".
All in all, however, "Lost in Space," though not one of the great television shows, still ranks as one of the most memorable, for all its pros and cons.
It's no wonder than the show has an equal amount of defenders and critics.
The first black and white season, as mentioned earlier, is arguably its best, featuring its strongest episodes that showcased the performers to the best of its ability, based on the story lines. The rarely-seen pilot ("No Place to Hide") sold the show with its state-of-the art special effects, the brilliant use of Bernard Herrmann music (borrowed liberally from the composer's music for the classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still") and its ingenious casting of former "Zorro" Guy Williams, "Lassie" mom June Lockhart, television and movie darling Angela Cartwright, and Billy Mumy, who had appeared in film and a memorable "Twilight Zone" episode. Noticeably absent were Dr. Smith and the Robot, who were added to the cast on the suggestion of studio officials and sponsors.
Also, the pilot reveals that Maureen (Lockhart) was a notable doctor in her own right, but the series never made reference to that, relegating her to a "cookie-baking" mom. Even Judy (Marta Kristen) was supposed to be an aspiring actress that put her career on hold to make the ill-fated space voyage.
Obviously, Allen and company didn't know what to do with "strong women".
Besides the pilot, which would be used to form the basis for the first five episodes of the new season, there were some other standout installments. "Invaders from the Fifth Dimension" features some truly creepy aliens and a wonderful exchange between the Robot and Maureen. Also, the installment allows the viewer to see how really sinister Dr. Smith could be.
Angela Cartwright (Penny) would be showcased in "My Friend, Mr. Nobody," featuring a brilliant John Williams' score, and "The Magic Mirror," co-starring a young pre-"Bonnie and Clyde" Michael J. Pollard. Even the seldom-used Judy (Kristen) gets an episode, "Attack of the Monster Plants." A boyish Kurt Russel would land in "The Challenge" and a strange homage to the popular "Beverly Hillbillies" would be played out in "The Space Croppers, featuring a great turn from Academy Award-winner Mercedes McCambridge.
The season also features the best in the series: the only two-parter, "The Keeper," guest-starring Michael Rennie, star of the aforementioned "The Day the Earth Stood Still". The production staff pulled out all the stops with several stunning scenes, concluding with a fight with a giant spider.
The final installment of the season was "Follow the Leader" wherein John is possessed by an alien spirit that makes life truly miserable for the Robinson family. Williams gets to again show his physical skills in a tense duel with Don (Mark Goddard).
Though the second season would be the series' first in color, it also would be its silliest, with many of the episodes unbearably awful in their execution. There were genies, Vikings, dragons, pirates, and enough silver-faced aliens to start a cosmetics firm. Even with this barrage of silliness, there were a few commendable episodes: "Blast Off Into Space", the first of the season with a good performance from guest Strother Martin and some great pyrotechnics; "The Golden Man," a Penny-inspired episode that involves a war between two alien species; "Cave of the Wizards" wherein Dr. Smith is taken over by an alien computer; "Trip Through the Robot," an interesting journey as Will and Dr. Smith must restore the Robot to normal size after a mysterious gas has caused the machine to grow enormously; "The Astral Traveler" returns Will to Earth and the boy finds himself in a haunted castle' and screen veteran John Carradine appears in the season-ending "The Galaxy Gift", an episode that also marks the return of the black-faced aliens, seen in the earlier "Wreck of the Robot".
Based on cast complaints, the third season would be an unbalanced one, trying to blend the first season adventure with the second season camp, making for a truly schizophrenic blend. While there were commendable episodes as "The Anti-Matter Man," "Space Creature," "Hunter's Moon," the popular "Visit to a Hostile Planet," "Target: Earth," and "Time Merchant," there were turkeys like "A Day at the Zoo," "Collision of Planets" and the politically-INCORRECT "Castles in Space." Season three also had the infamous "The Great Vegetable Rebellion".
All in all, however, "Lost in Space," though not one of the great television shows, still ranks as one of the most memorable, for all its pros and cons.