General Information
Director: Nathan Juran
Writer: Peter Packer
Cast: Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen, Billy Mumy, Angela Cartwright, Jonathan Harris, and Marcel Hillaire
Composer: None (Stock Music)
Air Date: 9/6/1967
Production #: 1501
Overview
Threatened by an approaching comet, the Robinsons are forced to evacuate the season-two planet. Thereafter, Dr. Smith accidentally ejects the Robot from the Jupiter 2, requiring Professor Robinson and Major West to explore an automated prison
ship while searching for their mechanical companion. Complications arise when Dr. Smith, tampering with alien controls, releases a dangerous criminal named Phanzig (Marcel Hillaire) from confinement.
A loose remake of “The Derelict,” “Condemned of Space” provides a thrilling, memorable introduction to the third and final season of Lost in Space. Especially captivating are the creative concepts (e.g., space travel, suspended animation, and robotic prison guards) presented in this episode, the futuristic vision of which will appeal to science fiction fans.
Pros
By progressing at a swift and compelling pace from start to finish, “Condemned of Space” delivers an adventurous, riveting, action-packed story that viewers of all ages can easily enjoy. Specifically, the Robinsons evade a fiery collision, chase the Robot B-9 throughout the cosmos, discover an alien vessel containing frozen convicts, encounter Robby the Robot for the second time, and quell a ship-wide rebellion before returning to outer space—events that establish an exciting new course for Lost in Space after its plodding and repetitive second season.
Also worth praising are the set designs featured in this episode, which provide the Vera Castle Penitentiary with a haunting and surreal atmosphere. Upon entering the prison, for example, Major West and Professor Robinson traverse an empty, icy-blue corridor that serves to enhance the underlying themes of loneliness, isolation, and societal abandonment found in Peter Packer’s narrative.
Cons
Though quite menacing, the character of Phanzig comes across as slightly cartoonish during his interactions with Dr. Smith.
Analysis
Confronted by a horde of angry prisoners, John risks his life to repair a mechanism that could save every person aboard Vera Castle—a testament to the noble, self-sacrificing nature of Professor Robinson.
Concluding Comments
“Condemned of Space” deserves its reputation as a rousing, iconic, and visually striking episode. Therefore, enthusiasts of the sci-fi/adventure crossover genre would be wise to view this classic installment of Lost in Space.
Overall Quality: 9/10
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I love, love, love the new opening. The countdown, the music, the images of the cast. I also love that they are traveling in space. The planet bound episodes tend to be more campy and juvenile to the point of offensiveness as early as the first pirate episode in season one (you can make juvenile shows that aren’t stupid. The Sarah Jane Adventures, for example) . At the time I loved the new costumes. Now, it looks like they fell out of an Easter basket. Even as a kid I didn’t understand where the pod was on the ship.
This is my number six ranked episode for the psychedelic and far out, all over the place, highly inconsistent and relatively overrated, shortest final colored season..
Just like with all seasons, the opener to the final season begins in rousing fashion with a solid winner. This one is played pretty much all serious. Of course, this is not nearly your original LOST IN SPACE anymore. It is too far removed from the original, and the kids (Penny and William) are too old now.
And that is one of my personal drawbacks to final Season Three, which cannot be blamed on the stories themselves. I prefer Penny and William the more, the younger they were. I do not care for their ‘overacting’ this season. That being said, Ms. Penny looks mighty good in her silver flight suit once again.
The new musical opening, the characters’ pastel-colored costumes and the group finally leaving the second season’s dreadful planet made for an exciting third season opener. Just two things I found ridiculous about this episode: all the ‘stuff’ they had to leave behind – tennis rackets, fishing poles, etc – in order to lighten the load for liftoff (They were allowed to bring all that ‘stuff’ with them when they left Earth two year before?) and Judy saying brightly “I’ll starting packing,” after Professor Robinson said the comet was on a collision course with the planet and their lives were in danger if they didn’t leave quickly.
I must correct my August 31st post. It was the season two opener that had the group preparing to leave the planet before it disintegrated into ‘cosmic dust’ due to Nerim’s drilling for cosmonium. This episode is where they had to leave a lot of ‘stuff’ behind in order to lighten the load for liftoff. I was correct about Judy’s quote for the season three opener of her saying brightly “I’ll starting packing,” after Professor Robinson said the comet was on a collision course with the planet and their lives were in danger if they didn’t leave quickly. In the season three opener, they had one hour to lift off before the comet struck; in season two, Professor Robinson stated they had 12 hours, 15 on the outside, to leave.