Dr. Smith (Jonathon Harris) strums a lyre that has inexplicably appeared on the planet and finds himself descending into a sulphurous pit of fire and brimstone where he has to make a deal with ...you know who... if he wants to get out. The episode continues with the campy silliness that marked the series' second two seasons, especially when 'flash-backs' show Smith as a child or a teenager, both played by the greying 52 year-old actor. The series' perennial 'villain' by now is firmly established as a clown rather than a threat, with a history of 'sinning' that includes snitching, pedaling stolen exams, and swiping apples and cake rather than planning to murder the entire Robinson family or, later, repeatedly lying and betraying the family (including the children) to an assortment of evil aliens and monsters. Once again, the plot doesn't make a lot of sense and is replete with inconsistences, suggesting hasty and/or careless writing. Gerald Mohr seems to be having fun as the frequently exasperated Morbus (earning the episode an extra rating star) but Judy (Marta Kristen, who is given more screen time than usual) just comes off as a helpless and childish. Odd how the Robinsons, early explorers of the Universe, never seem surprised when they encounter yet another humanoid alien who speaks English and is familiar with Earth and our customs.
Review of A Visit to Hades
