General Information

Director: Nathan Juran

Writer: Peter Packer

Cast: Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen, Billy Mumy, Angela Cartwright, Jonathan Harris, and Strother Martin

Composer: Leith Stevens

Air Date: 9/14/1966

Production #: 9501

Overview

While preparing to depart from Priplanus, the Robinsons encounter violent planet quakes caused by the drilling of Nerim (Strother Martin)—miner of cosmonium, quintessence of the living force. Motivated by greed, Dr. Smith gambles one of the Jupiter 2’s thruster controls in a card game with Nerim—with a devastating outcome.

An action-packed offering, “Blast Off Into Space” is an exciting premiere to the second season of Lost in Space. Certain logical and character inconsistencies do, however, prevent this episode from attaining the status of a true series classic.

Pros

By posing an existential threat to the Robinson family, the reckless behavior of Nerim compels each main character (with the obvious exception of Dr. Smith) to waste no time whatsoever while making arrangements to abandon Priplanus—an aspect that allows “Blast Off Into Space” to maintain a swift and absorbing pace from start to finish, much in contrast to the majority of season-two episodes.

Cons

Despite risking his life in order to obtain a small sample of cosmonium, Dr. Smith makes little effort to acquire the diamonds scattered throughout Nerim’s cave—a bizarre reaction, especially considering the relative ease with which Dr. Smith could collect said diamonds.

After cracking a vial of cosmonium on a fallen monument, Will and Dr. Smith accidentally bring to life a humanoid creature made of stone. Though somewhat frightening, the presence of a “statue monster” stretches the boundaries of credibility beyond acceptable limits.

Analysis

Before helping Major West pilot the Jupiter 2 to safety, Professor Robinson shares a variety of heartfelt exchanges with his wife and children—interactions that, when complemented by the touching musical arrangement of Leith Stevens, will appeal to those who admire the Robinsons for their poignant family relationships.

Concluding Comments

The first episode of Lost in Space filmed in color, “Blast Off Into Space” benefits from a compelling, adventure-themed story. Nevertheless, this entry suffers from the antics of Dr. Smith and Nerim—whose resemblance to a 19^th century gold miner from Earth is never explained.

Overall Quality: 6/10

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