Danger, Will Robinson
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Lost in Space'' is an American science fiction television series created and produced by
Irwin Allen Irwin Allen (born Irwin O. Cohen; June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991) was an American film and television producer and director, known for his work in science fiction, then later as the "Master of Disaster" for his work in the disaster film genr ...
, which originally aired between 1965 and 1968 on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
. Lightly dramatic, sometimes comedic in tone, the series was inspired by the 1812
Johann David Wyss Johann David Wyss (; 28 May 1743 – 11 January 1818) was a Swiss author, best remembered for his book ''The Swiss Family Robinson'' (''Der schweizerische Robinson'') (1812). He was born and died in Bern. It is said that he was inspired by Dan ...
novel ''
The Swiss Family Robinson ''The Swiss Family Robinson'' (German: ''Der Schweizerische Robinson'', "The Swiss Robinson") is a novel by the Swiss author Johann David Wyss, first published in 1812, about a Swiss family of immigrants whose ship en route to Port Jackson, Aus ...
.'' The series follows the adventures of the Robinsons, a pioneering family of space colonists who struggle to survive in the depths of space. The show ran for 83 episodes over three seasons. The first season comprised 29 one-hour episodes, filmed in black and white. The 29th episode however had a few minutes of color at the end. Seasons 2 and 3 were shot entirely in color.


Series synopsis


Overview

On October 16, 1997, amidst overpopulation on Earth, the United States is gearing up to colonize space. The ''Jupiter 2'', a futuristic saucer-shaped spacecraft, stands on its launchpad undergoing final preparations. Its mission is to take a single family on a five-and-a-half-year journey to an Earth-like planet orbiting the star
Alpha Centauri Alpha Centauri (, α Cen, or Alpha Cen) is a star system in the southern constellation of Centaurus (constellation), Centaurus. It consists of three stars: Rigil Kentaurus (), Toliman (), and Proxima Centauri (). Proxima Centauri ...
. The Robinson family consists of a married couple, John ( Guy Williams) and Maureen (
June Lockhart June Lockhart (born June 25, 1925) is an American retired actress, beginning a film career in the 1930s and 1940s in such films as A Christmas Carol (1938 film), ''A Christmas Carol'' and ''Meet Me in St. Louis''. She appeared primarily in 1950 ...
), and their three children: Judy (
Marta Kristen Marta Kristen is a Norwegian-born American actress. Kristen is best known for her role as Judy Robinson, the oldest child of Professor John Robinson and his wife, Maureen, in the television series ''Lost in Space'' (1965–1968). Her character w ...
); Penny (
Angela Cartwright Angela Margaret Cartwright (born September 9, 1952) is an English-born American actress primarily known for her roles in movies and television. On television, she played Linda Williams, the stepdaughter of Danny Williams (played by Danny Thoma ...
); and Will (
Bill Mumy Charles William Mumy Jr. (; born February 1, 1954) is an American actor, writer, producer, and musician. He came to prominence in the 1960s as a child actor whose work included television appearances on ''Bewitched'', ''I Dream of Jeannie'', ''T ...
). John is a professor. The family is accompanied by U.S. Space Corps Major Donald West (
Mark Goddard Mark Goddard (born Charles Harvey Goddard; July 24, 1936 – October 10, 2023) was an American actor who starred in a number of television programs. He is probably best known for portraying Major Don West in the CBS series ''Lost in Space'' (1 ...
). The Robinsons and Major West are to be
cryogenically frozen Cryopreservation or cryoconservation is a process where biological material - cell (biology), cells, Biological tissue, tissues, or Organ (anatomy), organs - are frozen to preserve the material for an extended period of time. At low temperature ...
for the voyage, and they are set to be unfrozen when the spacecraft approaches its destination. Dr. Zachary Smith (
Jonathan Harris Jonathan Daniel Harris ( Charasuchin; November 6, 1914 – November 3, 2002) was an American character actor whose career included more than 500 television and film appearances, as well as Voice-over, voiceovers. Two of his best-known roles we ...
), a physician working for ''Alpha Control'', which is conducting the launch, is revealed to be a saboteur working on behalf of an unnamed nation or organization, with which he communicated under the code name ''Aeolis-14-Umbra''. After disposing of a guard who catches him aboard the spacecraft, Smith reprograms the ''Jupiter 2''s B-9 environmental control robot ( Bob May, voiced by
Dick Tufeld Richard Norton Tufeld (December 11, 1926 – January 22, 2012) was an American actor, announcer, narrator, and voice actor from the late 1940s until the early 21st century. He worked constantly and continuously throughout this lengthy car ...
) to destroy critical systems on the spaceship eight hours after launch. To his horror, however, Smith becomes trapped aboard, and after launch his extra weight throws the ''Jupiter 2'' off course, causing it to encounter asteroids. This, plus the robot's rampage, causes the ship to prematurely engage its hyperdrive, and the expedition becomes hopelessly lost in the infinite depths of outer space.


Season 1

The first season begins as the Robinson family and their pilot are about to set out from Earth for a planet circling the star Alpha Centauri. Dr. Smith saves himself from the post-launch crisis of his own making by prematurely reviving the crew from
suspended animation Suspended animation is the slowing or stopping of biological function so that physiological capabilities are preserved. States of suspended animation are common in micro-organisms and some plant tissue, such as seeds. Many animals, including l ...
. The ship survives, but the damage caused by Smith's earlier sabotage of the robot leaves the crew lost in space. The ''Jupiter 2'' crash-lands on an alien world, later identified by Will as Priplanus, where they spend the rest of the season and survive a host of adventures. Smith remains with the crew and acts as a source of comedic cowardice and villainy, exploiting the eternally forgiving nature of Professor Robinson.


Season 2

At the start of the second season (from this point on filmed in color), the repaired ''Jupiter 2'' launches into space once more, to escape the destruction of Priplanus following a series of cataclysmic earthquakes. The Robinsons crash-land on a strange new world, to become planet-bound again for another season.


Season 3

In the third season, a format change was introduced. In this season, the ''Jupiter 2'' travels freely in space in seven episodes, visiting a planet but leaving at the end, or encountering an adventure in space. They visit new worlds in several episodes, with both crash and controlled landings, as the family attempts to either return to Earth or else at least reach their original destination in the Alpha Centauri system. A newly introduced "Space Pod" provides a means of transportation between the ship and passing planets, allowing for various escapades. This season had a different set of opening credits and a new theme tune, which had been composed by
John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...
as part of the show's new direction.


Cast and characters


Main cast

* Dr. (Professor) John Robinson ( Guy Williams) – The expedition commander and the father of the Robinson children. Robinson is an astrophysicist who also specializes in applied planetary geology. * Dr. Maureen Robinson (
June Lockhart June Lockhart (born June 25, 1925) is an American retired actress, beginning a film career in the 1930s and 1940s in such films as A Christmas Carol (1938 film), ''A Christmas Carol'' and ''Meet Me in St. Louis''. She appeared primarily in 1950 ...
) – A
biochemist Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and Cell (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...
who is often seen preparing meals, tending the garden, and helping with light construction while adding a voice of compassion. * Major Don West (
Mark Goddard Mark Goddard (born Charles Harvey Goddard; July 24, 1936 – October 10, 2023) was an American actor who starred in a number of television programs. He is probably best known for portraying Major Don West in the CBS series ''Lost in Space'' (1 ...
) – The pilot of the ''Jupiter 2'' whose military training and discipline is relied upon by the castaways. * Judy Robinson (
Marta Kristen Marta Kristen is a Norwegian-born American actress. Kristen is best known for her role as Judy Robinson, the oldest child of Professor John Robinson and his wife, Maureen, in the television series ''Lost in Space'' (1965–1968). Her character w ...
) – The eldest of the Robinson children, she is in her early twenties and shares a mutual attraction with Major West. * Penny Robinson (
Angela Cartwright Angela Margaret Cartwright (born September 9, 1952) is an English-born American actress primarily known for her roles in movies and television. On television, she played Linda Williams, the stepdaughter of Danny Williams (played by Danny Thoma ...
) – The middle child. An imaginative 11-year-old who loves animals and classical music. Early in the series, she acquires a
chimpanzee The chimpanzee (; ''Pan troglodytes''), also simply known as the chimp, is a species of Hominidae, great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed one. When its close rel ...
-like alien pet which she names Debbie and is usually referred to as the "bloop" for the sound it makes. * Will Robinson (
Bill Mumy Charles William Mumy Jr. (; born February 1, 1954) is an American actor, writer, producer, and musician. He came to prominence in the 1960s as a child actor whose work included television appearances on ''Bewitched'', ''I Dream of Jeannie'', ''T ...
) – The youngest child. A precocious 9-year-old in the first season, he is a
child prodigy A child prodigy is, technically, a child under the age of 10 who produces meaningful work in some domain at the level of an adult expert. The term is also applied more broadly to describe young people who are extraordinarily talented in some f ...
in
electronics Electronics is a scientific and engineering discipline that studies and applies the principles of physics to design, create, and operate devices that manipulate electrons and other Electric charge, electrically charged particles. It is a subfield ...
and computer technology. * Dr. (Colonel) Zachary Smith (
Jonathan Harris Jonathan Daniel Harris ( Charasuchin; November 6, 1914 – November 3, 2002) was an American character actor whose career included more than 500 television and film appearances, as well as Voice-over, voiceovers. Two of his best-known roles we ...
) – Acting as Alpha Control's flight surgeon in the first episode, he is later referred to as a "doctor of intergalactic environmental psychology", an expert in
cybernetics Cybernetics is the transdisciplinary study of circular causal processes such as feedback and recursion, where the effects of a system's actions (its outputs) return as inputs to that system, influencing subsequent action. It is concerned with ...
and an enemy agent. Smith's predominantly selfish actions, cowardice, schemes, and laziness frequently endanger the expedition, but his role assumes less sinister overtones in later parts of the series. Young Will and the Robot are often foils to Dr. Smith's outlandish behavior. * The Robot ( Bob May, voiced by
Dick Tufeld Richard Norton Tufeld (December 11, 1926 – January 22, 2012) was an American actor, announcer, narrator, and voice actor from the late 1940s until the early 21st century. He worked constantly and continuously throughout this lengthy car ...
) – A B-9 model, class YM-3, environmental control robot who has no given name. The machine was endowed with superhuman strength and futuristic weaponry, and additionally often displays human emotions. The Robot was designed by
Robert Kinoshita Robert Kinoshita (February 24, 1914 – December 9, 2014) was an American artist, art director, set and production designer who worked in the American film industry, film and television industries from the 1950s through the early 1980s. Biograph ...
.


Guest stars

During its three-season run, a number of actors made guest appearances: Jonathan Harris, although a permanent cast member, was listed in the opening credits as a "special guest star" in every episode of ''Lost in Space''.


Production


Props

Props and monsters were regularly recycled from other
Irwin Allen Irwin Allen (born Irwin O. Cohen; June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991) was an American film and television producer and director, known for his work in science fiction, then later as the "Master of Disaster" for his work in the disaster film genr ...
shows. A sea monster outfit that had been featured on ''
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a 1961 American science fiction disaster film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, and starring Walter Pidgeon and Robert Sterling. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden ...
'' might get a spray paint job for its ''Lost in Space'' appearance, while space monster costumes were reused on ''Voyage'' as sea monsters. The clear round plastic pen holder used as a control surface in the episode "The Derelict" turned up regularly throughout the show's entire run both as primary controls to activate alien machinery (or open doors or cages), and as background set dressing; some primary controls were seen used in episodes such as Season 1's "The Keeper (Parts 1 and 2)", "His Majesty Smith", and Season 3's "A Day At The Zoo", and "The Promised Planet". Computers and tape drives were often depicted in various episodes using the Burroughs 205 commercial products. Spacecraft models were also routinely re-used. The forbidding derelict ship from season 1 was redressed to become the ''Vera Castle'' in season 3. The fuel barge from season 2 became a space lighthouse in season 3. The derelict ship was used again in season 3, with a simple color change. Likewise the alien pursuer's ship in "The Sky Pirate", was lifted from the 1958 film '' War of the Satellites'', and was re-used in the episode "Deadliest of the Species". Filming took place at 20th Century Fox Corp. studios and stages, Los Angeles. For season 1 & 2 Stage 11 (Jupiter 2/Campsite) and Stage 6 (lower deck, planet set and cave) were used. Due to budget cuts in 3rd season the Jupiter 2, campsite and lower deck were shifted to Stage 17 (opened in 1966). Stage 11 was used for planet exterior, cave and various alien planet sets.


Character development

Despite being credited as a "special guest star" in every episode, Smith became the pivotal character of the series. The show's writers expected Smith to be a temporary villain who would only appear in early episodes. Harris, on the other hand, hoped to stay longer on the show, but found his character to be boring, and feared it would also quickly bore viewers. Harris "began rewriting his lines and redefining his character", by playing Smith in an attention-getting, flamboyant style, and ad-libbing his scenes with ripe, colorful dialogue. By the end of the first season, the character was established as a self-serving coward whose moral haughtiness and contrasting deceitfulness, along with his alliterative insults largely aimed at the Robot, were staple elements of each episode.


Catchphrases

''Lost in Space'' is remembered for the Robot's oft-repeated lines such as "Warning! Warning!" and "It does not compute". Smith's frequent put-downs of the Robot were also popular. Harris was proud to talk about how he used to lie in bed at night dreaming them up for use on the show. "You Bubble-headed Booby!", " You Cowardly Clump!", "You Tin-Plated Traitor!", "You Cackling Cacophony", "You Blithering Blatherskyte", and "Traitorous Transistorized Toad" are but a few, alongside his signature lines: "Oh, the pain ... the pain!" and "Never fear, Smith is here!" One of Harris's last roles was providing the voice of the
praying mantis Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 460 genera in 33 families. The largest family is the Mantidae ("mantids"). Mantises are distributed worldwide in temperate ...
Manny in
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
's ''
A Bug's Life ''A Bug's Life'' (stylized in all lowercase) is a 1998 American animated comedy film directed by John Lasseter from a screenplay written by Andrew Stanton, Donald McEnery, and Bob Shaw, and a story conceived by Lasseter, Stanton, and Joe Ran ...
'', who also says the line "Oh, the pain ... the pain!" near the end of the film. The catchphrase "Danger, Will Robinson!" originates with the series, when the Robot warns young Will Robinson about impending threats. It was also used as the slogan of the 1998 film, whose official website had the address "www.dangerwillrobinson.com".


Legal issues

In 1962, Gold Key comics, a division of
Western Publishing Company Western Publishing, also known as Western Printing and Lithographing Company, was an American company founded in 1907 in Racine, Wisconsin, best known for publishing the Little Golden Books. Its Golden Books Family Entertainment division also ...
, began publishing a series of comic books under the title ''
Space Family Robinson ''Space Family Robinson'' was an original science-fiction comic-book series published by Gold Key Comics. It predates the '' Lost in Space'' television series. Both are loosely based on the 1812 novel by Johann David Wyss (and similarly named ...
''. The story was largely inspired by ''The Swiss Family Robinson'' but with a space-age twist. The film and television rights to the comic book were then purchased by noted television writer Hilda Bohem (''
The Cisco Kid The Cisco Kid is a fictional character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in ''Everybody's Maga ...
''), who created a treatment under the title ''Space Family 3000''. Intended as a follow-up to his first successful television venture, ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'', Allen quickly sold his concept for a television series to CBS. Concerned about confusion with the Gold Key comic book, CBS requested that Allen come up with a new title. Nevertheless, Hilda Bohem filed a claim against Allen and CBS Television shortly before the series premiered in 1965. An agreement was reached with Gold Key which allowed them to subtitle their comic "Lost in Space". Additional legal challenges appeared in 1995, when Prelude Pictures announced its intention to turn ''Lost in Space'' into a motion picture.


Series history

The show was conceptualized in 1965 with the filming of an unaired pilot episode titled " No Place to Hide". The plot of the pilot episode followed the mission of a ship called the ''Gemini 12,'' which was to take a single family on a 98-year journey to an Earth-like planet orbiting the star
Alpha Centauri Alpha Centauri (, α Cen, or Alpha Cen) is a star system in the southern constellation of Centaurus (constellation), Centaurus. It consists of three stars: Rigil Kentaurus (), Toliman (), and Proxima Centauri (). Proxima Centauri ...
. The ''Gemini 12'' was pushed off course due to an encounter with an asteroid, and the story centered on the adventures of the Robinson family, depicting them as a happy crew without internal conflicts. While many storylines in the later series focused primarily on Dr. Zachary Smith, a stowaway and saboteur played by Jonathan Harris, he was absent from the unaired pilot. His character was added after the series was commissioned for production. The pilot episode was first aired on television during a 1997 retrospective. CBS bought the series, turning down ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' in favor of ''Lost in Space''. Before the first episode was filmed, the characters Smith and the Robot were added, and the spaceship, originally named ''Gemini 12'', was renamed the ''Jupiter 2'' and redesigned. For budget considerations, a good part of the footage included in the pilot episode was reused, being carefully worked into the early series episodes. The first season emphasized the daily adventures of the Robinsons. The first half of season 1 dealt with the Robinson party trekking around the rocky terrain and stormy inland oceans of Priplanus in the Chariot to avoid extreme temperatures. However, the format of the show later changed to a "Monster of the Week" style, where stories were loosely based on fantasy and fairy tales. In January 1966,
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
scheduled ''
Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
'' in the same time slot as ''Lost in Space''. Season 2 imitated ''Batman''s
campy Camp is an aesthetic and sensibility that regards something as appealing or amusing because of its heightened level of artifice, affectation and exaggeration, especially when there is also a playful or ironic element. ''Camp'' is historically ...
humor to compete against that show's enormous success."Science Fiction". ''Pioneers of Television'', January 18, 2011. Bright outfits, over-the-top action, and outrageous villains came to the fore in outlandish stories. Stories giving all characters focus were sacrificed in favor of a growing emphasis on Smith, Will, and the Robot. According to Bill Mumy, Mark Goddard and Guy Williams both disliked the shift away from serious science fiction. The third season had more adventure, but also episodes like "The Great Vegetable Rebellion" with actor Stanley Adams as Tybo, the talking carrot. With the reputation of being "the most insipid and bizarre episode in television history", Kristen recalled that Goddard complained that "seven years of
Stanislavski Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski ( rus, Константин Сергеевич Станиславский, p=kənstɐnʲˈtʲin sʲɪrˈɡʲejɪvʲɪtɕ stənʲɪˈslafskʲɪj, links=yes; ; 7 August 1938) was a seminal Russian and Sovie ...
method acting Method acting, known as the Method, is a range of rehearsal techniques, as formulated by a number of different theatre practitioners, that seeks to encourage sincere and expressive performances through identifying with, understanding, and expe ...
had led to his talking to a carrot." The ''Jupiter 2'' was now functional and traveled from planet to planet, but the episodes still tended to be whimsical and to emphasize humor, including fanciful space hippies, more pirates, offbeat intergalactic zoos, ice princesses, and a galactic beauty pageant. During the first two seasons, episodes concluded in a "live action freeze" anticipating the following week, with a cliff-hanger caption, "To be continued next week! Same time, same channel!" For the third season, each episode's conclusion was immediately followed by a vocal "teaser" from the Robot (Dick Tufeld), advising viewers to "Stay tuned for scenes from next week's exciting adventure!". Scenes from the next episode were then presented, followed by the closing credits. There was little continuity between each episode, except for the aspiration of reaching a large goal, ''i.e.'', enough fuel to travel from planet to planet. After cancellation, the show was successful in reruns and in syndication for many years, appearing on the
USA Network USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
(in the mid-to-late 1980s) and on FX, Syfy,
ALN Aln, ALN, or AlN may refer to: Organizations Paramilitary * Ação Libertadora Nacional, a Brazilian Marxist–Leninist guerrilla movement * Armée de Libération Nationale, the armed wing of the nationalist National Liberation Front of Alge ...
,
MeTV MeTV, an acronym for Memorable Entertainment Television, is an American broadcast television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Marketed as "The Definitive Destination for Classic TV", the network airs a variety of classic television progra ...
and
Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
.


Episodes


Cancellation

In early 1968, after the final third-season episode "Junkyard in Space" completed filming, the cast and crew were informally led to believe the series had been renewed for a fourth season. Allen had ordered new scripts for the coming season. A few weeks later, however, CBS announced the complete list of returning television series for the 1968–69 season, and ''Lost in Space'' was not included. CBS executives failed to offer any reasons why ''Lost in Space'' was canceled. The most likely reason the show was canceled was its increasingly high cost. The cost per episode had grown from $130,980 during the first season to $164,788 during the third season, and the actors' salaries nearly doubled during that time. Further, the interior of the ''Jupiter 2'' was the most expensive set for a television show at the time, at a cost of $350,000. 20th Century Fox had also recently incurred huge budget overruns for the film ''
Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...
,'' which are believed to have caused budget cuts. Allen claimed the series could not continue with a reduced budget. During a negotiating conference regarding the series direction for the fourth season with CBS chief executive
Bill Paley William Samuel Paley (September 28, 1901 – October 26, 1990) was an American businessman, primarily involved in the media, and best known as the chief executive who built the Columbia Broadcasting System ( CBS) from a small radio network into ...
, Allen became furious when told the budget would be reduced up to 15% of the Season Three budget. The ''Lost in Space Forever'' DVD cites declining ratings and escalating costs as the reasons for cancellation. Irwin Allen admitted that the Season 3 ratings showed an increasing percentage of children among the total viewers, meaning a drop in the "quality audience" that advertisers preferred. Guy Williams had grown embittered with his role on the show as it became increasingly "campy" in Seasons 2 and 3 while centering squarely on the antics of Harris's Dr. Smith character. Williams retired from acting and relocated to Argentina after the end of the series.


Documentaries


''The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen''

In 1995,
Kevin Burns Kevin Burns (June 18, 1955September 27, 2020) was an American television and film producer, director, and screenwriter. His work can be seen on A&E, National Geographic Channel, E!, Animal Planet, AMC, Bravo, WE tv, Travel Channel, Lifetime, ...
produced a documentary showcasing the career of Irwin Allen, hosted by Bill Mumy and June Lockhart in a recreation of the ''Jupiter 2'' exterior set. Mumy and Lockhart utilize the "Celestial Department Store Ordering Machine" as a temporal conduit to show information and clips on Allen's history. Clips from Allen's various productions as well as pilots for his unproduced series were presented along with new interviews with cast members of Allen's shows. Mumy and Lockhart complete their presentation and enter the ''Jupiter 2'', following which Jonathan Harris appears in character as Smith and instructs the Robot once again to destroy the ship as per his original instructions "... and this time get it right, you bubble-headed booby".


''Lost in Space Forever''

In 1998, to promote the film version of Lost in Space, Burns produced a television special about the series which was hosted by
John Larroquette John Bernard Larroquette (; born November 25, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for his starring roles in the NBC military drama series '' Baa Baa Black Sheep'' (1976–1978), the NBC sitcom ''Night Court'' (1984–1992; 2023–2025) for ...
and the Robot (performed by actor Bob May and voice actor Dick Tufeld). The special was hosted within a recreation of the ''Jupiter 2'' upper deck set. The program ends with Laroquette mockingly pressing a button on the Amulet from "The Galaxy Gift" episode, disappearing and being replaced by Mumy and Harris who play an older Will Robinson and an older Zachary Smith. They attempt to return to Earth one more time but they find out that they are "Lost in Space ... Forever!"


Technology and equipment


Transportation

''Lost in Space'' showcased a variety of transportation methods in the series. The ''Jupiter 2'' is a two- deck, nuclear powered
flying saucer A flying saucer, or flying disc, is a purported type of disc-shaped unidentified flying object (UFO). The term was coined in 1947 by the United States (US) news media for the objects pilot Kenneth Arnold UFO sighting, Kenneth Arnold claimed fl ...
spacecraft. The version seen in the series was depicted with a lower level and landing legs. On the lower level were the atomic motors, which use a fictional substance called "deutronium" for fuel. The ship's living quarters feature
Murphy bed A Murphy bed (also known as a pull-down bed, fold-down bed, or wall bed) is a bed (furniture), bed that is hinged at one end to store vertically against the wall, or inside a closet or Cabinet (furniture), cabinet. Since they often can be used as ...
s, a
galley A galley is a type of ship optimised for propulsion by oars. Galleys were historically used for naval warfare, warfare, Maritime transport, trade, and piracy mostly in the seas surrounding Europe. It developed in the Mediterranean world during ...
, a laboratory, and the robot's "magnetic lock". On the upper level were the guidance control system and suspended animation "freezing tubes" necessary for non-relativistic
interstellar travel Interstellar travel is the hypothetical travel of spacecraft between star systems. Due to the vast distances between the Solar System and nearby stars, interstellar travel is not practicable with current propulsion technologies. To travel between ...
. The two levels were connected by both an electronic glide tube
elevator An elevator (American English) or lift (Commonwealth English) is a machine that vertically transports people or freight between levels. They are typically powered by electric motors that drive traction cables and counterweight systems suc ...
and a
fixed ladder A fixed ladder is a vertical ladder mounted permanently to a structure. These ladders are primarily used to access roofs or other structures for industrial purposes. In the United States, these ladders are covered by OSHA and ANSI standards. C ...
. The ''Jupiter 2'' explicitly had
artificial gravity Artificial gravity is the creation of an inertial force that mimics the effects of a gravitational force, usually by rotation. Artificial gravity, or rotational gravity, is thus the appearance of a centrifugal force in a rotating frame of ...
. Entrances and exits to the ship were via the main airlock on the upper level, or via the landing struts from the lower deck, and, according to one season 2 episode, a back door. The spacecraft was also intended to serve as home to the Robinsons once it had landed on the destination planet orbiting Alpha Centauri. "The Chariot" was an all-terrain,
amphibious Amphibious means able to use either land or water. In particular it may refer to: Animals * Amphibian, a vertebrate animal of the class Amphibia (many of which live on land and breed in water) * Amphibious caterpillar * Amphibious fish, a fish ...
tracked vehicle Continuous track or tracked treads are a system of vehicle propulsion used in tracked vehicles, running on a continuous band of treads or track plates driven by two or more wheels. The large surface area of the tracks distributes the we ...
that the crew used for ground transport when they were on a planet. The Chariot existed in a disassembled state during flight, to be re-assembled once on the ground. The Chariot was actually an operational cannibalized version of a
Thiokol Thiokol was an American corporation concerned initially with rubber and related chemicals, and later with rocket and missile propulsion systems. Its name is a portmanteau of the Greek words for sulfur () and glue (), an allusion to the company ...
Snowcat A snowcat (a portmanteau of snow and caterpillar) is an enclosed-cab, truck-sized, fully tracked vehicle designed to travel over snow. Major manufacturers are PistenBully (Germany), Prinoth (Italy), and Tucker (United States). Snow groomer ...
Spryte, with a Ford 170-cubic-inch (3 L) inline-6, 101 horsepower engine with a 4-speed
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving conditions. The 1904 ...
including reverse. Test footage filmed of the Chariot for the first season of the series can be seen on YouTube. Most of the Chariot's body panels were clear, including the roof and its
dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
-shaped "gun hatch". Both a
roof rack A roof rack is a set of bars secured to the roof of an automobile. It is used to carry bulky items such as luggage, bicycles, canoes, kayaks, skis, or various carriers and containers. They allow users of an automobile to transport objects o ...
for
luggage Baggage, or luggage, consists of bags, cases, and containers which hold a traveler's personal articles while the traveler is in transport, transit. A modern tourist, traveler can be expected to have packages containing clothing, toiletries, sma ...
and roof mounted "solar batteries" were accessible by exterior fixed ladders on either side of the vehicle. The vehicle had dual
headlights A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...
and dual auxiliary area lights beneath the front and rear bumpers. The roof also had swivel-mounted, interior controllable spotlights located near each front corner, with a small
parabolic antenna A parabolic antenna is an antenna that uses a parabolic reflector, a curved surface with the cross-sectional shape of a parabola, to direct the radio waves. The most common form is shaped like a dish and is popularly called a dish antenna or p ...
mounted between them. The Chariot had six
bucket seat A bucket seat is a car seat contoured to hold one person, distinct from a flat bench seat designed to fit multiple people. In its simplest form, it contours somewhat to the human body, but may have a deep seat and exaggerated sides that partially ...
s (three rows of two seats) for passengers. The interior featured retractable metallized fabric curtains for privacy, a
seismograph A seismometer is an instrument that responds to ground displacement and shaking such as caused by quakes, volcanic eruptions, and explosions. They are usually combined with a timing device and a recording device to form a seismograph. The out ...
, a scanner with
infrared Infrared (IR; sometimes called infrared light) is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than that of visible light but shorter than microwaves. The infrared spectral band begins with the waves that are just longer than those ...
capability, a
radio transceiver In radio communication, a transceiver is an electronic device which is a combination of a radio ''trans''mitter and a re''ceiver'', hence the name. It can both transmit and receive radio waves using an antenna, for communication purposes. The ...
, a
public address system A public address system (or PA system) is an electronic system comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. It increases the apparent volume (loudness) of a human voice, musical instrument, or other acoustic sound sou ...
, and a rifle rack that held four
laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...
rifles vertically near the inside of the left rear corner body panel. A
jet pack A jet pack, rocket belt, rocket pack or flight pack is a device worn as a backpack which uses jets to propel the wearer through the air. The concept has been present in science fiction for almost a century and the first working experimental d ...
, specifically a
Bell Rocket Belt The Bell Rocket Belt is a low-power rocket propulsion device that allows an individual to safely travel or leap over small distances. It is a type of rocket pack. Overview Bell Aerosystems began development of a rocket pack which it called the ...
, was used occasionally by Professor Robinson or Major West. The "Space Pod" was a small spacecraft first shown in the third and final season, which was modeled on the
Apollo Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...
Lunar Module The Apollo Lunar Module (LM ), originally designated the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM), was the lunar lander spacecraft that was flown between lunar orbit and the Moon's surface during the United States' Apollo program. It was the first crewed s ...
. The Pod was used to travel from its bay in the ''Jupiter 2'' to destinations either on a nearby planet or in space, and the pod apparently had artificial gravity and an auto-return mechanism.


Other technology

For self-defense, the crew of the ''Jupiter 2'' had an arsenal of
laser guns A laser weapon is a type of directed-energy weapon that uses lasers to inflict damage. Whether they will be deployed as practical, high-performance military weapons remains to be seen. One of the major issues with laser weapons is atmospheric ...
at their disposal, including sling-carried rifles and holstered pistols. The first season's personal issue laser gun was a film prop modified from a toy
semi-automatic pistol A semi-automatic pistol (also called a self-loading pistol, autopistol, or autoloading pistol) is a repeating firearm, repeating handgun that automatically ejects and loads cartridge (firearms), cartridges in its chamber (firearms), chamber afte ...
made by
Remco Remco Industries Inc. was an American toy company. Founded in 1949, it is known for toys integrating technology and innovation from their inception. The company's slogan in its early TV commercials was, "Every Boy Wants a Remco Toy...And So Do ...
. The crew also employed a force field around the ''Jupiter 2'' for protection while on alien planets. The force shield generator was able to protect the campsite and in one season 3 episode was able to shield the entire planet. For communication, the crew used small transceivers to communicate with each other, the Chariot, and the ship. In "The Raft", Will improvised several miniature
rockoon A rockoon (from ''rocket'' and ''balloon'') is a sounding rocket that, rather than being lit immediately while still on the ground, is first carried into the upper atmosphere by a gas-filled balloon, then separated from the balloon and ignited. ...
s in an attempt to send an interstellar "
message in a bottle A message in a bottle (abbrev. MIB) is a form of communication in which a message is sealed in a container (typically a bottle) and released into a conveyance medium (typically a body of water). Messages in bottles have been used to send distres ...
"
distress signal A distress signal, also known as a distress call, is an internationally recognized means for obtaining help. Distress signals are communicated by transmitting radio signals, displaying a visually observable item or illumination, or making a sou ...
. In season 2 a set of relay stations was built to further extend communications while planet-bound. Their environmental control Robot B-9 ran air and soil tests, and was able to discharge strong
electrostatic Electrostatics is a branch of physics that studies slow-moving or stationary electric charges. Since classical times, it has been known that some materials, such as amber, attract lightweight particles after rubbing. The Greek word (), mean ...
charges from his claws, detect threats with his scanner and could produce a defensive
smoke screen A smoke screen is smoke released to mask the movement or location of military units such as infantry, tanks, aircraft, or ships. Smoke screens are commonly deployed either by a canister (such as a grenade) or generated by a vehicle (such as ...
. The Robot could detect faint smells and could both understand speech and speak in its own right. The Robot claimed the ability to read human minds by translating emitted thought waves back into words. The ''Jupiter 2'' had some unexplained advanced technology that simplified or did away with mundane tasks. The "auto-matic laundry" took seconds to clean, iron, fold, and package clothes in clear plastic bags. Similarly, the "dishwasher" would clean, wash, and dry dishes in just seconds. Technology in the show reflected contemporary real-world developments. Silver reflective
space blanket A space blanket (also known as a Mylar blanket, emergency blanket, first aid blanket, safety blanket, thermal blanket, weather blanket, heat sheet, foil blanket, or shock blanket) is an especially low-weight, low-bulk blanket made of heat-refl ...
s, a then new invention developed by NASA in 1964, were used in the episode titled "The Hungry Sea" and "Attack of the Monster Plants". The crew's
spacesuit A space suit (or spacesuit) is an environmental suit used for protection from the harsh Space environment, environment of outer space, mainly from its Vacuum (outer space), vacuum as a highly specialized pressure suit, but also its temperatu ...
s were made with aluminum-coated fabric, like NASA's Mercury spacesuits, and had
Velcro Velcro IP Holdings LLC, trading as Velcro Companies and commonly referred to as Velcro (pronounced ), is a British privately held company, founded by Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral in the 1950s. It is the original manufacturer of ho ...
fasteners, which NASA first used during the
Apollo program The Apollo program, also known as Project Apollo, was the United States human spaceflight program led by NASA, which Moon landing, landed the first humans on the Moon in 1969. Apollo followed Project Mercury that put the first Americans in sp ...
(1961–1972). While the crew normally grew a
hydroponic Hydroponics is a type of horticulture and a subset of hydroculture which involves growing plants, usually crops or medicinal plants, without soil, by using water-based mineral nutrient solutions in an artificial environment. Terrestrial or ...
garden on a planet as an intermediate step before cultivating the soil of a planet, they also had "protein pills", which was a complete nutritional substitute for normal foods, in cases of emergency.


Reception


Ratings

Some members within the science-fiction community have pointed to ''Lost in Space'' as an example of early television's perceived poor record at producing science-fiction. The series' deliberate fantasy elements were perhaps overlooked as it drew comparisons to its supposed rival, ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
''. However, ''Lost in Space'' was a mild ratings success, unlike ''Star Trek'', which received relatively poor ratings during its original network television run. The more cerebral ''Star Trek'' never averaged higher than 52nd in the ratings during its three seasons, while ''Lost in Space'' finished season one 35th in the Nielsen ratings, season two in 44th place, and the third and final season in 53rd place. ''Lost in Space'' also ranked third as one of the top five favorite new shows for the 1965–1966 season in a viewer TVQ poll. The other top contenders were ''
The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour epis ...
'', ''
Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the Spy fiction, secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Bu ...
'', ''
I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy sitcom television series created by Sidney Sheldon and starring Barbara Eden as a beautiful but guileless 2,000-year-old Jinn, genie and Larry Hagman as an astronaut with whom s ...
'' and ''
F Troop ''F Troop'' is a satirical American television Western sitcom about U.S. soldiers and American Indians in the Wild West during the 1860s. The series originally aired for two seasons on ABC. It debuted in the United States on September 14, 1965 ...
''. ''Lost in Space'' was the favorite show of
John F. Kennedy Jr. John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr. (November 25, 1960 – July 16, 1999), often referred to as John-John or JFK Jr., was an American socialite, attorney, magazine publisher, and journalist. He was a son of 35th United States president John F. K ...
while he was growing up in the 1960s.


Awards

''Lost in Space'' received a 1966
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
nomination for Cinematography-Special Photographic Effects but did not win, and again in 1968 for Achievement in Visual Arts & Makeup but did not win. In 2005, it was nominated for a
Saturn Award The Saturn Awards are American awards presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The awards were created to honor science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, but have since grown to reward other films bel ...
for Best DVD Retro Television Release, but did not win. In 2008,
TVLand TV Land is an American pay television channel owned by Paramount Global through its networks division's MTV Entertainment Group. It was originally launched as Nick at Nite’s TV Land as a spinoff of Nick at Nite programing block consisting exc ...
nominated and awarded the series for Awesomest Robot.


Music


Theme music

The open and closing theme music was written by John Williams, listed in the credits as "Johnny Williams". The original pilot and much of Season One reused
Bernard Herrmann Bernard Herrmann (born Maximillian Herman; June 29, 1911December 24, 1975) was an American composer and conductor best known for his work in film scoring. As a conductor, he championed the music of lesser-known composers. He is widely regarde ...
's eerie score from the classic sci-fi film ''
The Day the Earth Stood Still ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' is a 1951 American science fiction film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Julian Blaustein and directed by Robert Wise. It stars Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, F ...
'' (1951). Season three featured a new score which was considered more exciting and faster tempo. The opening music was accompanied by live action shots of the cast, featuring a pumped-up countdown from seven to one to launch each week's episode.


Incidental music

Much of the incidental music in the series was written by Williams who scored four episodes. These scores helped Williams gain credibility as a composer. Other notable film and television composers who worked on the music for ''Lost in Space'' included
Alexander Courage Alexander Mair Courage Jr. (December 10, 1919May 15, 2008) familiarly known as "Sandy" Courage, was an American orchestrator, arranger, and composer of music, primarily for television and film. He is best known as the composer of the theme mus ...
, who contributed six scores to the series.


Discography

There have been a number of ''Lost in Space'' soundtrack CDs released.


Syndication

''Lost in Space'' was picked up for syndication in most major U.S. markets. The program did not have the staying power throughout the 1970s of its rival ''Star Trek''. Part of the reason for the show's obsolescence was that the first season of ''Lost in Space'' was in black-and-white, while a majority of American households at the time had a color television receiver. By 1975, many markets began removing ''Lost in Space'' from daily schedules or moving it to less desirable time slots. The series experienced a revival when
Ted Turner Robert Edward Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and Philanthropy, philanthropist. He founded the CNN, Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour United States cable news, ...
acquired it for his growing WTBS "superstation" in 1979. Viewer response was positive, and it became a WTBS mainstay for the next five years. The OTT video streaming platform
Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
(of which 70% of its service is owned by the ''Lost in Space'' distributor
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
) has consistently carried the show over the years. The show also airs on the classic television
digital Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits. Businesses *Digital bank, a form of financial institution *Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) or Digital, a computer company *Digital Research (DR or DRI), a software ...
broadcast Broadcasting is the data distribution, distribution of sound, audio audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via a electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), ...
network Network, networking and networked may refer to: Science and technology * Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects * Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks Mathematics ...
MeTV MeTV, an acronym for Memorable Entertainment Television, is an American broadcast television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Marketed as "The Definitive Destination for Classic TV", the network airs a variety of classic television progra ...
as part of their Super Sci-Fi Saturday Night block.


Remakes


Cast comparison

Notes: : Cameo, not part of the main cast : Poses as "Dr. Smith"


''Lost in Space: The Epilogue''

In 1978, Bill Mumy, Brian Grier, & Paul Gordon wrote a
spec script A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned and unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or ...
for a made for television reunion movie called Lost in Space: The Epilogue. Mumy sent it to the entire cast & CBS who both expressed interest. The project was halted when Irwin Allen refused to even read Mumy's sreenplay, not wanting to hand Lost in Space to anyone else. The project was eventually filmed as a cast table reading for the 50th anniversary blu ray set. Bringing the series to a close by having the characters return to earth.


''Lost in Space: The Journey Home''

In the early 2000s,
Kevin Burns Kevin Burns (June 18, 1955September 27, 2020) was an American television and film producer, director, and screenwriter. His work can be seen on A&E, National Geographic Channel, E!, Animal Planet, AMC, Bravo, WE tv, Travel Channel, Lifetime, ...
attempted to produce a tv reunion film called Lost in Space: The Journey Home. Focusing on a new group of characters who become lost in space themselves and find The Robinsons cryogenically frozen. It was hoped that the film would be a pilot for a revival focused on the new characters. Jonathan Harris' death, (which occurred four months before shooting was to begin) halted the project. Though the studio did suggest recasting the role with
Christopher Lloyd Christopher Allen Lloyd (born October 22, 1938) is an American actor. He has appeared in many theater productions, films, and television shows since the 1960s. He is known for portraying Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future (franchise), ''B ...
or
John Lithgow John Arthur Lithgow ( ; born , 1945) is an American actor. He studied at Harvard University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before becoming known for his John Lithgow filmography, diverse work on stage and screen. He has rece ...
.


''Lost in Space'' (1998 film)

In 1998, New Line Cinema produced a
film adaptation A film adaptation transfers the details or story of an existing source text, such as a novel, into a feature film. This transfer can involve adapting most details of the source text closely, including characters or plot points, or the original sou ...
. The 1998 film includes a number of homages to the original television series. These include cameos and story details from the original TV-series, including: Additional cameo appearances of actors from the original series were considered, but not included in the film: * Jonathan Harris was offered a cameo appearance, not as Smith (performed by actor Gary Oldman in the film), but as the Global Sedition leader who hires, then betrays, Smith. Harris turned down the role, reportedly saying, "I play Smith or I don't play" and "I've never played a bit part in my life and I'm not going to start now!" The role of the Sedition leader was eventually performed by actor Edward Fox. Many years later, Harris appeared on ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the second installment of the ''Late Night (franchise), Late Night'' franchise originally established by David Letterman. Hosted by Conan O'Brie ...
'', mentioning the role offered to him: "Yes, they offered me a part in the new movie; six lines!" * Bill Mumy was likewise offered a cameo, but turned it down after being told he would not be considered for the part he wanted — the role of the older Will Robinson — because, he was told, that would "confuse the audience." The film used a number of ideas familiar to viewers from the original show: Smith reprogramming the robot and its subsequent rampage ("Reluctant Stowaway"), near miss with the Sun ("Wild Adventure"), the derelict spaceship ("The Derelict"), discovery of the Blawp and the crash ("Island in the Sky") and an attempt to change history by returning to the beginning ("The Time Merchant"). Also a scene-stealing 'Goodnight' homage to the Waltons was included. Something fans of the original always wanted to see happen was finally realized when Don knocks out an annoyingly complaining Smith at the end of the film, saying, "That felt good!"


''The Robinsons: Lost in Space'' (2004)

In 2004, a television series titled "The Robinsons: Lost in Space" was developed in the U.S. A pilot for the series was filmed; however, the series was ultimately never produced. The series originally was intended to emulate the ''Lost in Space'' unaired pilot. The 2004 show did feature the unnamed robot, and an additional older Robinson child named David. Penny, who had been depicted as a preteen in the original series was depicted as an infant in the 2004 remake. The pilot was titled "The Robinsons: Lost in Space" and was commissioned by
The WB The WB Television Network (shortened to The WB, stylized as "THE WB", and nicknamed the "Frog Network" and/or "The Frog" for its former mascot Michigan J. Frog) was an American television network that ran from 1995 to 2006. It launched on ter ...
. The pilot was directed by
John Woo John Woo Yu-sen ( zh, t= ; born 22 September 1946) is a Hongkongers, Hong Kong film director known as a highly influential figure in the action film genre. The recipient of various accolades, including a Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Film Award ...
and produced by Synthesis Entertainment, Irwin Allen Productions, Twentieth Century Fox Television and
Regency Television New Regency Productions is an American-British-Luxembourgish entertainment company formed by Arnon Milchan. It was founded in 1991 as the successor to Regency International Pictures (formerly known as Embassy International Pictures N.V.). His ...
. The ''Jupiter 2'' interstellar flying-saucer spacecraft of the original series was depicted as a planet-landing craft, deployed from a larger inter-stellar
mothership A mother ship, mothership or mother-ship is a large vehicle that leads, serves, or carries other smaller vehicles. A mother ship may be a maritime ship, aircraft, or spacecraft. Examples include bomber aircraft, bombers converted to carry exp ...
. The plot of the series followed John Robinson, a retiring war hero of an alien invasion who had decided to take his family to another colony elsewhere in space. The Robinson's ship is attacked and the Robinsons are forced to escape in the small ''Jupiter 2'' "Space Pod" of the mothership. The show was not among the network's series pickups confirmed later that year. Looking back at the pilot when the 2018 Netflix reboot was aired, Neil Calloway of Flickering Myth said, "you're hardly on the edge of your seat." He continued, "You start to wonder where the $2 million went, and then you question why something directed by John Woo is so pedestrian." The producers of the new ''Battlestar Galactica'' show bought the show's sets. They were redesigned the next year and used for scenes on the Battlestar ''Pegasus''. Dick Tufeld reprised his role as voice of the robot for the third time.


''Lost in Space'' (2018–2021)

On October 10, 2014, it was announced that Legendary TV was developing a new reboot of ''Lost in Space'' for
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
with ''
Dracula Untold ''Dracula Untold'' is a 2014 American action horror film directed by Gary Shore in his feature film debut and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. The plot creates an origin story for the title character, rather than using the storylin ...
'' screenwriters
Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless are American writers best known for writing films together. After box office successes like '' Dracula Untold'' (2014) and '' The Last Witch Hunter'' (2015), Sazama and Sharpless wrote '' Gods of Egypt'' (2016), '' ...
attached to write. On June 29, 2016, Netflix ordered the series with 10 episodes. The series debuted on Netflix on April 13, 2018. It was renewed for a second season on May 13, 2018, which aired on December 24, 2019. On March 9, 2020, the series was renewed for a third and final season. The
Robot A robot is a machine—especially one Computer program, programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions Automation, automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the robot control, co ...
also appears in the series in a modified form.


In other media


Comics

Before the television series was developed, a comic book named ''Space Family Robinson'' was published by Gold Key Comics, written by
Gaylord Du Bois Gaylord McIlvaine Du Bois (; sometimes written DuBois; August 24, 1899 – October 20, 1993) was an American writer of comic book stories and comic strips, as well as Big Little Books and juvenile adventure novels. Du Bois wrote ''Tarzan'' for De ...
and illustrated by
Dan Spiegle Dan Spiegle (December 10, 1920 – January 28, 2017) was an American comics artist and cartoonist best known for comics based on movie and television characters across a variety of companies, including Dell Comics, DC Comics, and Marvel Comics ...
. The comic book series had been loosely based on an 1812 novel by
Johann David Wyss Johann David Wyss (; 28 May 1743 – 11 January 1818) was a Swiss author, best remembered for his book ''The Swiss Family Robinson'' (''Der schweizerische Robinson'') (1812). He was born and died in Bern. It is said that he was inspired by Dan ...
, ''
The Swiss Family Robinson ''The Swiss Family Robinson'' (German: ''Der Schweizerische Robinson'', "The Swiss Robinson") is a novel by the Swiss author Johann David Wyss, first published in 1812, about a Swiss family of immigrants whose ship en route to Port Jackson, Aus ...
''. Du Bois became the sole writer of the series once he began chronicling the Robinsons' adventures with "Peril on Planet Four" in issue #8. Due to a deal worked out with Gold Key, the title of the comic later incorporated the ''Lost in Space'' sub-title. The comic book featured different characters and a unique H-shaped spacecraft rather than one of a saucer shape. In 1991, Bill Mumy provided "Alpha Control Guidance" for a ''Lost in Space'' revival in comic book form Lost in Space (comic), ''Lost in Space'' comic book for Innovation Comics, writing six of the issues. The first officially licensed comic to be based on the TV series, the series was set several years after the show. The kids were now teenagers, and the stories attempted to return the series to its straight adventure roots with one story even explaining the camp / farce episodes of the series as fanciful entries in Penny's Space Diary. Complex adult-themed story concepts were introduced and the story included a love triangle developing between Penny, Judy and Don. The ''Jupiter 2'' had various interior designs in the first year. The first year had an arc ultimately leading the travelers to Alpha Centauri with Smith contacting his former alien masters along the way. Aeolis 14 Umbra were furious with Smith for not having succeeded in his mission to prevent the ''Jupiter 2'', built with technology from a crashed ship of their race, from reaching the star system they had claimed as their own. The year ended with Smith caught out for his traitorous associations and imprisoned in a freezing tube for the ''Jupiter''s final journey to the Promised Planet. Year two was to be Mumy's own full season story of a complex adventure following the Robinson's arrival at their destination and capture by the Aoleans. Innovation folded in 1993 with the story only halfway through and it wasn't until 2005 that Mumy was able to present his story to Lost in Space fandom as a complete graphic novel via Bubblehead Publishing. The theme of an adult Will Robinson was also explored in the film and in the song "The Ballad of Will Robinson" (written and recorded by Mumy; see "''Music''" below). In 1998, Dark Horse Comics published a three-part story chronicling the Robinson Clan as depicted in the film. In 1990, Bill Mumy and Peter David co-wrote ''Star Trek: The Return of the Worthy'', a three-part story that was essentially a crossover between ''Lost in Space'' and ''Star Trek'' with the ''Enterprise'' crew encountering a Robinson-like expedition among the stars, though with different characters. In 2016, American Gothic Press published a six-issue miniseries titled ''Irwin Allen's Lost in Space, the Lost Adventures'', based on unfilmed scripts from the series. The scripts "The Curious Galactics" and "Malice in Wonderland" were written by Carey Wilber. The first script was adapted as issues 1 – 3 of the series, with the adapted script written by Holly Interlandi and drawn by Kostas Pantaulas, with Patrick McEvoy doing coloring and covers. The second script was adapted as issues 4 – 6 of the series, again adapted by Interlandi, with McEvoy providing pencil art, coloring and covers.


Novel

In 1967, a novel based on the series, with significant changes to the personalities of the characters and the design of the ship, was published by Pyramid Books, and written by Dave Van Arnam and Ted White (author), Ted White (as "Ron Archer"). A scene in the book correctly predicts Richard Nixon winning the Presidency after Lyndon Johnson.


Cartoon

In the 1972–1973 television season, ABC produced ''The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie'', a weekly collection of 60-minute animated films, pilots and specials from various production companies, such as Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, and Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, Rankin/Bass. Hanna-Barbera Productions contributed animated work based on such television series as ''Gidget (TV series), Gidget'', ''The Yogi Bear Show, Yogi Bear'', ''Tabitha (TV series), Tabitha'', ''Oliver and the Artful Dodger, Oliver Twist'', ''The Banana Splits'', and ''Lost in Space''. The ''Lost in Space'' episode aired on September 8, 1973. Dr. Smith (voiced by Jonathan Harris) was the only character from the original program to appear in the special, along with the Robot (who was named Robon and employed in flight control rather than a support activity). The spacecraft was launched vertically by rocket, and Smith was a passenger rather than a stowaway and a saboteur (though his greed, selfishness, and cowardice is the same as his live action counterpart). The pilot for the animated ''Lost in Space'' series was not picked up as a series, and only this episode was produced. This cartoon was included in the Blu-ray release of the entire original television series on September 15, 2015.


Games

Two board games were published based on the show. A self titled game was released in 1965 by Milton Bradley Company, and the Lost in Space 3D Action Fun Game in 1966 by
Remco Remco Industries Inc. was an American toy company. Founded in 1949, it is known for toys integrating technology and innovation from their inception. The company's slogan in its early TV commercials was, "Every Boy Wants a Remco Toy...And So Do ...
.


Music

As part of his 1997 album ''Dying To Be Heard'' (Infinite Visions), Bill Mumy recorded "The Ballad of William Robinson", in which a now 42-year-old Will Robinson recounts the premise of ''Lost in Space'', the current state of his family (his father Professor John Robinson has died five years previously) and his despair at "still [being] Lost in Space." The song can also be found as a track on ''Dr. Demento's Hits From Outer Space'' (Laughs.com - LGH1137, 2002).


Home media

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox has released the entire series on DVD in DVD region code#1, Region 1. Several of the releases contain bonus features including interviews, episodic promos, video stills and the original un-aired pilot episode. All episodes of ''Lost in Space'' were remastered and released on a Blu-ray disc set on September 15, 2015 (the 50th anniversary of the premiere on the CBS TV Network). All episodes of ''Lost in Space'' were reformatted (from the Blu-ray video masters) to 16:9 widescreen and released on a 17 disc DVD set on February 5, 2019.


References


External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lost in Space Lost in Space, 1960s American science fiction television series 1965 American television series debuts 1968 American television series endings CBS television dramas Fiction about stowaways Fiction set around Alpha Centauri Overpopulation fiction Space adventure television series Television series about being lost from home Television series about families Television series about robots Television series by 20th Century Fox Television Television series by Irwin Allen Television Productions Television series created by Irwin Allen Television series set in 1997 Television series set in 1998 Television series set in the future Television series set on fictional planets Television shows adapted into comics Television shows adapted into films Television shows adapted into novels