| Lost in Space | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Created by | Irwin Allen |
| Starring | |
| Narrated by | Dick Tufeld |
| Theme music composer | John Williams |
| Composers |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 83 (29 in black-and-white, 54 in color)(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Producer | Irwin Allen |
| Cinematography |
|
| Running time | 51 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | September 15, 1965 (1965-09-15) – March 6, 1968 (1968-03-06) |
| Related | |
Lost in Space is an American science fiction television series created and produced byIrwin Allen, which originally aired between 1965 and 1968 onCBS.[1] Lightly dramatic, sometimes comedic in tone, the series was inspired by the 1812Johann David Wyss novelThe Swiss Family Robinson. 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.
On October 16, 1997, amidst overpopulation on Earth, the United States is gearing up to colonize space. TheJupiter 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 starAlpha Centauri.
The Robinson family consists of a married couple, John (Guy Williams) and Maureen (June Lockhart), and their three children: Judy (Marta Kristen); Penny (Angela Cartwright); and Will (Bill Mumy). John is a professor. The family is accompanied by U.S. Space Corps Major Donald West (Mark Goddard). The Robinsons and Major West are to becryogenically frozen for the voyage, and they are set to be unfrozen when the spacecraft approaches its destination.
Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris), a physician working forAlpha 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 nameAeolis-14-Umbra. After disposing of a guard who catches him aboard the spacecraft, Smith reprograms theJupiter 2'sB-9 environmental control robot (Bob May, voiced byDick Tufeld) 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 theJupiter 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.
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 fromsuspended animation. The ship survives, but the damage caused by Smith's earlier sabotage of the robot leaves the crew lost in space. TheJupiter 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.
At the start of the second season (from this point on filmed in color), the repairedJupiter 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.
In the third season, a format change was introduced. In this season, theJupiter 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 byJohn Williams as part of the show's new direction.[2]
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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 ofLost in Space.
Props and monsters were regularly recycled from otherIrwin Allen shows. A sea monster outfit that had been featured onVoyage to the Bottom of the Sea might get a spray paint job for itsLost in Space appearance, while space monster costumes were reused onVoyage as sea monsters.[8] 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 theBurroughs 205 commercial products. Spacecraft models were also routinely re-used. The forbidding derelict ship from season 1 was redressed to become theVera 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 filmWar of the Satellites, and was re-used in the episode "Deadliest of the Species".[citation needed]
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.[9]
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.[10]
Lost in Space is remembered for the Robot's oft-repeated lines such as "Warning! Warning!" and "It does not compute".[11] 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 thepraying mantis Manny inDisney'sA Bug's Life, who also says the line "Oh, the pain ... the pain!" near the end of the film.[12]
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".[13]
In 1962, Gold Key comics, a division ofWestern Publishing Company, began publishing a series of comic books under the titleSpace Family Robinson. The story was largely inspired byThe 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), who created a treatment under the titleSpace 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.[14]
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 turnLost in Space into a motion picture.[15][16]
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 theGemini 12, which was to take a single family on a 98-year journey to an Earth-like planet orbiting the starAlpha Centauri. TheGemini 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.[17] 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.[17] The pilot episode was first aired on television during a 1997 retrospective.[17]
CBS bought the series, turning downStar Trek in favor ofLost in Space. Before the first episode was filmed, the characters Smith and the Robot were added, and the spaceship, originally namedGemini 12, was renamed theJupiter 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.[17]
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 scheduledBatman in the same time slot asLost in Space. Season 2 imitatedBatman'scampy humor to compete against that show's enormous success.[10] 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.[18]
The third season had more adventure, but also episodes like "The Great Vegetable Rebellion" with actorStanley 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 ofStanislavskimethod acting had led to his talking to a carrot.[10]" TheJupiter 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 theUSA Network (in the mid-to-late 1980s) and onFX,Syfy,ALN,MeTV andHulu.
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| Pilot | 1 | Unaired | ||
| 1 | 29 | September 15, 1965 | April 27, 1966 | |
| 2 | 30 | September 14, 1966 | April 26, 1967 | |
| 3 | 24 | September 6, 1967 | March 6, 1968 | |
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, andLost in Space was not included. CBS executives failed to offer any reasons whyLost 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.[19] Further, the interior of theJupiter 2 was the most expensive set for a television show at the time, at a cost of $350,000.[20] 20th Century Fox had also recently incurred hugebudget overruns for the filmCleopatra, which are believed to have caused budget cuts.[21] 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 executiveBill Paley, Allen became furious when told the budget would be reduced up to 15% of the Season Three budget.[22]
TheLost in Space Forever DVD cites declining ratings and escalating costs as the reasons for cancellation.[23] 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.[24]
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.[25]
In 1995,Kevin Burns produced a documentary showcasing the career of Irwin Allen, hosted by Bill Mumy and June Lockhart in a recreation of theJupiter 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 theJupiter 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".
In 1998, to promote thefilm version of Lost in Space, Burns produced a television special about the series which was hosted byJohn Larroquette and the Robot (performed by actor Bob May and voice actor Dick Tufeld). The special was hosted within a recreation of theJupiter 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!"
Lost in Space showcased a variety of transportation methods in the series. TheJupiter 2 is a two-deck,nuclear poweredflying saucer 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 featureMurphy beds, agalley, 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-relativisticinterstellar travel. The two levels were connected by both an electronic glide tubeelevator and afixed ladder. TheJupiter 2 explicitly hadartificial gravity. 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,amphibioustracked vehicle 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 operationalcannibalized version of aThiokolSnowcat Spryte,[26] with a Ford 170-cubic-inch (3 L) inline-6, 101 horsepower engine with a 4-speedautomatic transmission including reverse. Test footage filmed of the Chariot for the first season of the series can be seen on YouTube.[27]
Most of the Chariot's body panels were clear, including the roof and itsdome-shaped "gun hatch". Both aroof rack forluggage and roof mounted "solar batteries" were accessible by exterior fixed ladders on either side of the vehicle. The vehicle had dualheadlights and dual auxiliary area lights beneath the front and rear bumpers. The roof also had swivel-mounted, interior controllablespotlights located near each front corner, with a smallparabolic antenna mounted between them. The Chariot had sixbucket seats (three rows of two seats) for passengers. The interior featured retractablemetallized fabric curtains for privacy, aseismograph, ascanner withinfrared capability, aradio transceiver, apublic address system, and arifle rack that held fourlaser rifles vertically near the inside of the left rear corner body panel.
Ajet pack, specifically aBell Rocket Belt, 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 theApolloLunar Module. The Pod was used to travel from its bay in theJupiter 2 to destinations either on a nearby planet or in space, and the pod apparently had artificial gravity and an auto-return mechanism.
For self-defense, the crew of theJupiter 2 had an arsenal oflaser guns at their disposal, includingsling-carried rifles and holstered pistols. The first season's personal issue laser gun was a film prop modified from a toysemi-automatic pistol made byRemco.[28] The crew also employed aforce field around theJupiter 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.[citation needed]
For communication, the crew usedsmall transceivers to communicate with each other, the Chariot, and the ship. In "The Raft", Will improvised several miniaturerockoons in an attempt to send an interstellar "message in a bottle"distress signal. In season 2 a set of relay stations was built to further extend communications while planet-bound.[citation needed]
Their environmental control Robot B-9 ran air and soil tests, and was able to discharge strongelectrostatic charges from his claws, detect threats with his scanner and could produce a defensivesmoke screen. 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.
TheJupiter 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 reflectivespace blankets, 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'sspacesuits were made withaluminum-coated fabric, like NASA'sMercury spacesuits, and hadVelcro fasteners, which NASA first used during theApollo program (1961–1972).[29]
While the crew normally grew ahydroponic 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.
Some members within the science-fiction community have pointed toLost in Space as an example of early television's perceived poor record at producing science-fiction.[30] The series' deliberate fantasy elements were perhaps overlooked as it drew comparisons to its supposed rival,Star Trek. However,Lost in Space was a mild ratings success, unlikeStar Trek, which received relatively poor ratings during its original network television run. The more cerebralStar Trek never averaged higher than 52nd in the ratings during its three seasons,[31][32] whileLost in Space finished season one 35th in the Nielsen ratings, season two in 44th place, and the third and final season in 53rd place.[33]
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 wereThe Big Valley,Get Smart,I Dream of Jeannie andF Troop.Lost in Space was the favorite show ofJohn F. Kennedy, Jr. while he was growing up in the 1960s.[34][better source needed]
Lost in Space received a 1966Emmy Award 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 aSaturn Award for Best DVD Retro Television Release, but did not win. In 2008,TVLand nominated and awarded the series for Awesomest Robot.
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 reusedBernard Herrmann's eerie score from the classic sci-fi filmThe Day the Earth Stood Still (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.
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 forLost in Space includedAlexander Courage, who contributed six scores to the series.
There have been a number ofLost in Space soundtrack CDs released.
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 rivalStar Trek. Part of the reason for the show's obsolescence was that the first season ofLost 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 removingLost in Space from daily schedules or moving it to less desirable time slots. The series experienced a revival whenTed Turner acquired it for his growingWTBS "superstation" in 1979. Viewer response was positive, and it became a WTBS mainstay for the next five years.[24]
TheOTT video streaming platformHulu (of which 70% of its service is owned by theLost in Space distributorThe Walt Disney Company) has consistently carried the show over the years.[35] The show also airs on the classic televisiondigitalbroadcastnetworkMeTV as part of their Super Sci-Fi Saturday Night block.
| Television series | Films | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost in Space | The Robinsons: Lost in Space | Lost in Space (2018 TV series) | Lost in Space (film) | |
| Year of Release | 1965-1968 | 2004 | 2018-2021 | 1998 |
| John Robinson | Guy Williams | Brad Johnson | Toby Stephens[36] | William Hurt |
| Maureen Robinson | June Lockhart | Jayne Brook | Molly Parker[37] | Mimi Rogers |
| Don West | Mark Goddard | Mike Erwin | Ignacio Serricchio[38] | Matt LeBlanc |
| Judy Robinson | Marta Kristen | Adrianne Palicki | Taylor Russell[39] | Heather Graham |
| Penny Robinson | Angela Cartwright | Mina Sundwall[40] | Lacey Chabert | |
| Will Robinson | Billy Mumy | Ryan Malgarini | Maxwell Jenkins[36] | Jack Johnson Jared Harris (adult Will) |
| Dr. Zachary Smith | Jonathan Harris | Bill Mumya | Gary Oldman | |
| TheRobot | Bob May Dick Tufeld (voice) | Dick Tufeld (voice) | Brian Steele | Dick Tufeld (voice) |
| David Robinson | Gil McKinney | |||
| June Harrisb | Parker Posey[41] | |||
| Victor Dhar | Raza Jaffrey | |||
| Jeb Walker | Lennie James | |||
| Businessman | Edward Fox | |||
Notes:
In 1978, Bill Mumy, Brian Grier, &Paul Gordon wrote aspec script 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.[42] 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.[43]
In the early 2000s,Kevin Burns 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 withChristopher Lloyd orJohn Lithgow.[44]
In 1998, New Line Cinema produced afilm adaptation. 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:
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!"
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 theLost 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 byThe WB. The pilot was directed byJohn Woo and produced by Synthesis Entertainment, Irwin Allen Productions, Twentieth Century Fox Television andRegency Television.
TheJupiter 2interstellar flying-saucer spacecraft of the original series was depicted as aplanet-landing craft, deployed from a larger inter-stellarmothership.
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 smallJupiter 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 the2018 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."[45]
The producers of thenewBattlestar Galactica show bought the show's sets. They were redesigned the next year and used for scenes on the BattlestarPegasus.[46]
Dick Tufeld reprised his role as voice of the robot for the third time.
On October 10, 2014, it was announced that Legendary TV was developing a new reboot ofLost in Space forNetflix withDracula Untold screenwritersMatt Sazama and Burk Sharpless attached to write.[47][48] On June 29, 2016, Netflix ordered the series with 10 episodes.[49][50] 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.[51][52]
TheRobot also appears in the series in a modified form.[53]
Before the television series was developed, a comic book namedSpace Family Robinson was published by Gold Key Comics, written byGaylord Du Bois and illustrated byDan Spiegle. The comic book series had been loosely based on an 1812 novel byJohann David Wyss,The Swiss Family Robinson. 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 theLost 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 aLost in Space revival in comic book formLost in Space comic book forInnovation 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. TheJupiter 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 theJupiter 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 theJupiter'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-wroteStar Trek: The Return of the Worthy, a three-part story that was essentially a crossover betweenLost in Space andStar Trek with theEnterprise crew encountering a Robinson-like expedition among the stars, though with different characters.
In 2016,American Gothic Press published a six-issue miniseries titledIrwin 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 byCarey 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.[54]
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 byPyramid Books, and written by Dave Van Arnam andTed White (as "Ron Archer"). A scene in the book correctly predicts Richard Nixon winning the Presidency after Lyndon Johnson.
In the 1972–1973 television season, ABC producedThe ABC Saturday Superstar Movie, a weekly collection of 60-minute animated films, pilots and specials from various production companies, such asHanna-Barbera,Filmation, andRankin/Bass. Hanna-Barbera Productions contributed animated work based on such television series asGidget,Yogi Bear,Tabitha,Oliver Twist,The Banana Splits, andLost in Space.[55]
TheLost 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 inflight control rather than a support activity). The spacecraft was launched vertically byrocket, 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 animatedLost 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.
Two board games were published based on the show. A self titled game was released in 1965 byMilton Bradley Company, and the Lost in Space 3D Action Fun Game in 1966 byRemco.[56][57]
As part of his 1997 albumDying 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 ofLost 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."[58] The song can also be found as a track onDr. Demento's Hits From Outer Space (Laughs.com - LGH1137, 2002).[59]
20th Century Fox has released the entire series on DVD inRegion 1. Several of the releases contain bonus features including interviews, episodic promos, video stills and the original un-aired pilot episode.
| DVD name | Ep# | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 30 | January 13, 2004 |
| Season 2 Volume 1 | 16 | September 14, 2004 |
| Season 2 Volume 2 | 14 | November 30, 2004 |
| Season 3 Volume 1 | 15 | March 1, 2005 |
| Season 3 Volume 2 | 9 | July 19, 2005 |
All episodes ofLost 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 ofLost 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.
Some of us remember hearing the phrase 'It does not compute' used by the robot from the hit 1960s television series Lost in Space. When it comes to contemplating what a computer really is, I think many of us can honestly say 'It does not compute' or even 'Danger, Will Robinson!'
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