Netflix developing 'Lost in Space' remake!

[Drone]

The "serious first season" was really just the first half dozen episodes or so, which was basically the original pilot, expanded with new scenes. That's the real reason that Smith stayed with the ship while the family went South-- he wasn't in the original pilot.

As Christopher points out below, the immediate following episodes are serious and diverting shows, for vastly different reasons. Additionally, there are about 8-10 other episodes that I think are worthwhile within reasonable bounds or more. They can be highlighted for how they reinforce the importance of family bonds, make plain the depths of Smith's perfidy, point out in a non-hysterical manner the impact of an alien race's close contact with the Robinson's and its aftermath, are pretty funny (will eviscerating Smith), or just plain eerie or weird.

These include Invaders from the Fifth Dimension, The Sky is Falling, Wish Upon a Star, Attack of the Monster Plants, Return from Outer Space, All That Glitters, A Change of Space, and even the finale, Follow the Leader. We also get to see Michael Rennie, regardless of the story and effects, in a 2-parter yet, The Keeper. Last but not least, an episode that has been critically pointed to for its psychs-sexual undertones and dark subtext, The Magic Mirror, with Michael J. Pollard.

One can certainly make the case that parts of the first season represented clear turns to the garish silliness that pervaded the second season, But I think that interspersed were productions that could quite reasonably be taken at face value while remaining within the spirit of the original framework of the show without going too far out on a limb..

 

[Mr. Adventure]

This "serious" 1st season included embarrassing disasters such as <snip> "Welcome Stranger," with a lost astronaut in a cowboy hat--and this was episode six. Six.

Being Warren Oates that episode almost gets a pass.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Space Cowboys are a real thing.

 

[Christopher]

This "serious" 1st season included embarrassing disasters such as "The Space Croppers" (space hillbillies--as 20th century exaggerated as The Beverly Hillbillies), "His Majesty Smith," "The Sky Pirate," or "Welcome Stranger," with a lost astronaut in a cowboy hat--and this was episode six. Six. The Allen formula for junk/kiddie material hit LiS long before the excesses of season 2.

It was always a family show from the beginning, obviously. Being accessible for children doesn't make something bad in and of itself. Shows don't have to be adult and grim and humorless to be good. Nobody's saying that season 1 had no humorous or silly or child-friendly elements -- just that they were nowhere near as bad, excessive, and annoying as the ones in seasons 2 & 3.

And "Welcome, Stranger" is one of the most effective dramatic episodes of the series, because of the scenes where John and Maureen agonize over whether to send the children home or keep the family together. Too many people assume that effective drama requires dysfunctional families and screwed-up, ill-intentioned people (the LiS movie was certainly guilty of that), but "Welcome, Stranger" shows how it's possible to create genuine, potent dramatic conflict between decent, loving characters with only the best of intentions, by placing them in a situation with no easy answers.

And what's so horrible about an astronaut wearing a cowboy hat? There's a longstanding association of astronauts with cowboys, because of the pioneer angle and the macho imagery associated with the type. And of course this was the 1960s, when Westerns were all over the TV dial. It was perfectly natural that a character created to be an intrepid pioneer and roguish loner on the new frontier of space would be modeled on the cowboy archetype that was so familiar to audiences at the time.

 

[Drone]

Another salient thing about the episode, although not as crucial to the plot, is the examination of Hapgood's character, why he abandoned the original mission, why he really doesn't want to return to Earth, etc.. Of course, having Oates in the role makes the revelation of some of those answers all the more interesting.

 

[JRoss]

Do any of the "older" folks here remember how even as late as the mid 90s there was a sizable contingent of Lost in Space fans as well as fairly regular mentions in pop culture?

Also, I have long believed that JJ Abrams is going to eventually be remembered as this generation's Irwin Allen, at least for his TV work. That's a little unfair to Allen because he gets a bad rap, but he was a fantastic entertainer.

 

[Redfern]

the 90s were certainly a wellspring of LiS memorabilia. The Aurora model kit of "the Robot" was re-reissued as well as the Cyclops and Chariot. Finally a model of the Jupiter 2 itself. TrendMasters released several toy versions of "the Robot". There were action figures of the Robinsons and Dr. Smith as well as a "playset" of the J2 with a pretty accurate exterior. And all that is not even counting the tie-ins for the movie adaptation.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Galileo7]

the 90s were certainly a wellspring of LiS memorabilia. The Aurora model kit of "the Robot" was re-reissued as well as the Cyclops and Chariot. Finally a model of the Jupiter 2 itself. TrendMasters released several toy versions of "the Robot". There were action figures of the Robinsons and Dr. Smith as well as a "playset" of the J2 with a pretty accurate exterior. And all that is not even counting the tie-ins for the movie adaptation.

Sincerely,

Bill

Yes, I believe due to the 1998 LIS reboot film merchandise being released the classic original LIS 1965-68 television series had new merchandise released too. I remember Jonathan Harris even appearing on QVC in 1998. I know I purchased an assortment of it all.

 

[Morpheus 02]

One of my favorite episodes was the one with the "anti-Matter"/evil universe versions of the Robot (with green instead of orange speaking lights) and others. That'd be a great one for a remake. (Involve more than a couple of characters)

i'm surprised no one has mentioned the Melted Pumpkinhead.... wasn't it featured in more than one episode?. I forget the context (LiS airs too late on MeTV for me to watch with my kids), but that to me as a kid, was just ridiculous.

Someone had mentioned using the set of another show... I wouldn't mind that type of cost sharing...just no pumkinheads!

 

[Drone]

I only rarely watch any of the episodes anymore, although over the years I saw them all as many times as the most dedicated Trekker, but for the life of me I can't recall an object that looked anything like what you're describing in any episode, let alone multiple ones.
I don't for a second doubt your memory, but can you pull any kernels at all from the one show you do remember? Now, this is killing me!!!

 

[Guy Gardener]

Okay.

Matt LeBlanc is old.

How old is he?

Old enough to play John Robinson, or old enough to play Dr Smith?

You hear leading men talking about starting with Romeo, moving to Hamlet and then finishing as Lear as their life cycle cycles.

Why not the same with Lost in Space too?

 

[lurok]

I quite liked the nu-robot - and a lot of other things in movie - but the Smith/spider sh*t just threw me out.

More of the camp, and this, and I will be very happy bunny.

 

[RJDiogenes]

One of my favorite episodes was the one with the "anti-Matter"/evil universe versions of the Robot (with green instead of orange speaking lights) and others.

I loved that episode, too.

i'm surprised no one has mentioned the Melted Pumpkinhead.... wasn't it featured in more than one episode?. I forget the context (LiS airs too late on MeTV for me to watch with my kids), but that to me as a kid, was just ridiculous.

I remember that. They used that mask a few times. They must have had it in the back room and grabbed it whenever they needed an alien.

I don't for a second doubt your memory, but can you pull any kernels at all from the one show you do remember? Now, this is killing me!!!

I know what he means. I'll see what I can find.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Here he is:

 

[Reverend]

Okay.

Matt LeBlanc is old.

How old is he?

Old enough to play John Robinson, or old enough to play Dr Smith?

You hear leading men talking about starting with Romeo, moving to Hamlet and then finishing as Lear as their life cycle cycles.

Why not the same with Lost in Space too?

Forget Joey, I want to see Bill Mumy camp it up as the new Smith. That'd be oddly poetic I think.

 

[Drone]

Here he is:

Yeah, funnily enough when you mentioned mask, I remembered. I just took Morpheus 02's description as being an object not an alien mask. I'd have to do some digging on another episode in which it was used, but I know John Carradine!!!! donned the costume in The Galaxy Gift

John Carradine. He did a good job of playing a friendly alien, who helped the Robinsons ward off the Saticons, who were truly creepy looking creations, quite well done.

But John Carradine reduced to this.

 

[RJDiogenes]

True. Kind of a waste to put an actor like him in a mask.

 

[Guy Gardener]

The mask would have been made before the story was written?

(Definitely before the actor was cast.)

Do they make props to service scripts or scripts to service props?

Ed Wood knew how to come in under budget.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Yeah, so did Roger Corman. Some do it better than others.

 

[Drone]

The mask would have been made before the story was written?

(Definitely before the actor was cast.)

Do they make props to service scripts or scripts to service props?

Ed Wood knew how to come in under budget.

I was just thinking of the sorrow for an actor of his caliber to have the need to appear in LIS, though for what it's worth one of the better episodes of Season 2 (I know not saying much), mask or not, almost certainly for the money I guess he may have desperately needed. Certainly though, not unknown to have occurred in that era for a number of former stars going back as far as the early days of talkies.