Island in the Sky

No Doubt About It... An Excellent Serious LOST IN SPACE early episode... Dr. Smith is a serious murderous threat and everyone struggling for survival.. all played very serious (and probably the ONLY basis for the entire 2020 reboot Netflix series) HOWEVER, just like in the Netflix cancelled series, THIS KIND OF HUMORLESS THING CANNOT LAST FOR 100 HOURS OF TV SERIES the way this classic original series did... Which is who only after 25 or so hours of the new series reboot it was cancelled ... A series need COMEDY RELIEF in between danger and death to sustain ENTERTAINMENT and GETTING DEVOTED and ADDICTED to it... You must learn to LOVE the characters and root for them (even Dr. Smith) if you are going to get hooked to watching... So this original show LEARNED THAT EARLY and started lightening the mood and that's what made it last... While looking back at these excellent serious grim episodes you realize they are good... Very Good.. But the series did the right thing as it got lighter, with WILL and THE ROBOT and DR SMITH bonding and becoming more light hearted... Because it made the show a COMFORT to watch... The new reboot cancelled series NEVER WAS and suffered for it.

This being the third episode, we already see the Robot falling out of Dr Smith's good graces. It's interesting, how the concept apparently changed within the first few episodes of the show. At first, Dr Smith and the Robot were not part of the show. When these two characters were introduced, it was Smith and the Robot against everyone else. Very shortly, the Robot started to move away from Smith, and towards the Robinsons. This episode also marked the introduction of the Bloop (although the Bloop did appear in the unaired pilot episode). Also curious is how Penny first referred to the Bloop as "him." Two minutes later, she says: "I'm going to call you Debbie." Penny always was a little genius, wasn't she? The humorous exchanges between Smith and the Robot were great (as well as when Smith tries to convince Prof Robinson and Major West of his sudden "reformation."

While undertaking a one-man reconnaissance of a potential habitable planet, John losses control of his personal rockets and is forced to land. In the meantime, Smith attempts to take over the Jupiter 2 using the robot as an enforcer. Drastic maneuvers by Major West thwarts the planned hijacking but Smith's earlier sabotage of the ship's rockets forces the Jupitar 2 to crash-land on the mysterious planet. The rest of season's episodes take place on this strange world, which is inhabited by an incredibly diverse host of malignant lifeforms as well as Bloops, chimp-like beasts with ears like donkeys. This episode maintains the serious tone that marked the first few episodes of the series (and which are generally considered the best) before 'Lost in Space' descended to the colourful, ridiculous, camp silliness that many people remember. 'Island in the Sky' has some nice special effects and is a solid season-one entry as well as an introduction to the scenario that would influence the plots of the ensuing 25 season 1 outings.

The Jupiter 2 crash lands on an alien planet.

Another totally outstanding episode of Lost In Space. Just a tiny drop in quality compared to the last two episodes (The Reluctant Stowaway and The Derelict) as the really big events have happened now...the ship has blasted off, it got lost in space, they all found out that Smith is a creep and they had their first encounter with space aliens.

But don't worry, there are still more things to happen...a Jupiter 2 crash landing on an alien planet and the Robot starts talking a lot more. Jonathan Harris as Smith continues to be outstanding.

More wonderful John Williams music as well.

Fans of Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea will get a thrill out of the Jupiter 2 crash as it was filmed exactly the same way as the endless flying sub footage in Voyage...in real daylight. Effects man Howard Lydecker is the man responsible for the flying sub/Jupiter 2 effects.

Dr. Smith breaks down the rocket boosters that John Robinson will use to leave the ship into space, when the rope that connects him to the ship is cut, he is left adrift, Smith's intention is that one of the members of the family dies and thus return to the original weight and undertake the return to Earth. Far from it, Major West manages to get Smith into the freezer tube and the Jupiter II lands on the unknown planet. They finally find Professor Robinson alive. Dr. Smith launches a new plan, he orders the Robot to eliminate the members of the group one by one. This was a true series of adventures, Smith was really diabolical and his interaction with the robot was scary. A great episode.