I have mixed feelings about this episode because the episode has two different plot lines present. In the first half of the show, it is all about grandiose engineering efforts from John and Don first regarding plasma fuel (failure) and then producing a sub-ship to send Don back to Earth to get a rescue organized.
Of course that effort is hijacked by Dr Smith who inadvertently traps will to coming along as well. While any chance to see someone get into space is to be applauded, how Will did not notice they were only in a suborbital trajectory is hard to believe. Even harder to believe is that their random flight would bring them back to within a few miles of their campsite. The Skunk Cabbage monster is just the last straw but of course John arrives just in time to rescue them.
I agree that the science in this episode is fatally flawed but you don't watch Lost in Space to gain scientific revelations. Even saying that, the first half of the show has a great conversation between John and Maureen regarding plasma fuel and shortly after that, a probably the best montage of the series showing the preparation of the Space Raft from pulling it out of the engine spaces to outfitting it with instruments and electronics from the Jupiter capped by the John Williams rescue theme from The Derelict. What is really strange is that in ME TV's edited version of the show, ME cuts most of the montage out. I suppose because there is no dialog they considered the section expendable but that is such a huge travesty to the show and to the viewers.
Of course all of this begs the question: if they undoubtedly already had the Space Pod aboard the ship that they would have access to in Season 3, why did they need to create the Space Raft? I guess you could surmise that because of the crashes in the beginning of Seasons 1 and 2, access to the Pod might have been impossible so it might as well have not existed to them in that reality. However, if they had access to the Pod in "Island in the Sky", why did John have to use the Parajets to scout the planet first? Another intriguing possibility is that the Space Raft with further refinements by John and Don off screen became the Space Pod of Season 3.
In any case, I give 8-9 points for the first half of the episode with John and Don doing the best they could to try to save the expedition and 5-6 points for the second half that was a preview of the Dr. Smith and Will centered plots that became the downfall of future seasons of Lost in Space, thus a 7 rating. Also kudos to the thrifty Irwin Allen for re-purposing the VTTBOTS diving bell prop and set to become the Space Raft.
Of course that effort is hijacked by Dr Smith who inadvertently traps will to coming along as well. While any chance to see someone get into space is to be applauded, how Will did not notice they were only in a suborbital trajectory is hard to believe. Even harder to believe is that their random flight would bring them back to within a few miles of their campsite. The Skunk Cabbage monster is just the last straw but of course John arrives just in time to rescue them.
I agree that the science in this episode is fatally flawed but you don't watch Lost in Space to gain scientific revelations. Even saying that, the first half of the show has a great conversation between John and Maureen regarding plasma fuel and shortly after that, a probably the best montage of the series showing the preparation of the Space Raft from pulling it out of the engine spaces to outfitting it with instruments and electronics from the Jupiter capped by the John Williams rescue theme from The Derelict. What is really strange is that in ME TV's edited version of the show, ME cuts most of the montage out. I suppose because there is no dialog they considered the section expendable but that is such a huge travesty to the show and to the viewers.
Of course all of this begs the question: if they undoubtedly already had the Space Pod aboard the ship that they would have access to in Season 3, why did they need to create the Space Raft? I guess you could surmise that because of the crashes in the beginning of Seasons 1 and 2, access to the Pod might have been impossible so it might as well have not existed to them in that reality. However, if they had access to the Pod in "Island in the Sky", why did John have to use the Parajets to scout the planet first? Another intriguing possibility is that the Space Raft with further refinements by John and Don off screen became the Space Pod of Season 3.
In any case, I give 8-9 points for the first half of the episode with John and Don doing the best they could to try to save the expedition and 5-6 points for the second half that was a preview of the Dr. Smith and Will centered plots that became the downfall of future seasons of Lost in Space, thus a 7 rating. Also kudos to the thrifty Irwin Allen for re-purposing the VTTBOTS diving bell prop and set to become the Space Raft.