Lost in Space Episode 52: Treasure of the Lost Planet

General Information

Director: Harry Harris

Writer: Carey Wilber

Cast: Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen, Billy Mumy, Angela Cartwright, Jonathan Harris, Albert Salmi, and Jim Boles

Composer: None (Stock Music)

Air Date: 3/1/1967

Production #: 9521

 

Overview

With the help of scallywags Deek, Smeek (Jim Boles), and Izralim, Captain Alonzo P. Tucker searches for the lost treasure of Beelibones. Having discovered alost-in-space-treasure-of-the-lost-planet doodlebug (actually a talking, disembodied head), Dr. Smith is kidnapped by Tucker’s motley crew and forced to cooperate with them.

“Treasure of the Lost Planet” is an underwhelming sequel to “The Sky Pirate.” Specifically, Carey Wilber’s narrative lacks an adequate balance of humor, action, and adventure—all essential factors in a pirate-themed episode for children.

 

Pros

The comedic nature of Captain Tucker serves to complement the campy, lighthearted tone adopted by the second season of Lost in Space—in contrast to lost-in-space-treasure-of-the-lost-planetTucker’s presence in “The Sky Pirate,” which clashes with the dark and serious subject matter featured throughout most of season one.

Also worth commending, Will and Tucker share a natural chemistry with each other this time around—another improvement over “The Sky Pirate,” which fails to sell the audience on Will’s unlikely friendship with Tucker.

 

Cons

lost-in-space-treasure-of-the-planetIn addition to its plodding and uninspired execution, “Treasure of the Lost Planet” is marred by one major flaw. Notably, none of the characters in Tucker’s gang possess interesting, let alone human-like, qualities with which the average person can relate. Therefore, the majority of viewers—including those from a young age group—may struggle to invest in the motivations (i.e., treasure hunting) of all four crew members.

 

Analysis

Never trust a pirate.

 

Concluding Comments

Though mildly amusing, “Treasure of the Lost Planet” should be avoided by pirate enthusiasts and science fiction fans alike. The interactions between Will and Tucker do, however, deserve praise for showcasing the talents of Billy Mumy and Albert Salmi, respectively.

 

Overall Quality: 3/10

 

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Categories: Season Two, Lost in Space

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2 thoughts on “Lost in Space Episode 52: Treasure of the Lost Planet”

  1. This is my number twenty-one ranked episode for the classic down home, cozy and fun, colored mid season..my second favorite season of the series, despite its much maligned and unwarranted status.. :-]

  2. Captain Tucker is back! I think you either love the captain or you hate him. As for me, I love him. This one, of course, cannot compare to the first B&W warm classic, but I love this story just fine. It does not stand out too much. It is just sort of ‘there,’ but it is just fine. I do like the story and I do like the captain’s motley crew.

    The old 1998 trivia book Season Two rankings had this episode dead last on the year. Yeah right. As for me, look above for my official ranking. Captain Tucker, although maybe not your classic ‘science fiction’ character, is back..and the lovable character deserved it..

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