Customer Reviews

Lost in Space Collector's Edition (Attack of the Monster Plants / Return From Outer Space)

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This would be the 8th volume in the "'Lost in Space' Collector's Edition," offering up a pair of above average episodes from the show's first season. Episode 14, "Attack of the Monster Plants" (Written by William Read Woodfield & Alan Balter, First aired December 15, 1965), is actually remembered by fans as the attack of the evil Judy. You see there are this giant cyclamen plants that can duplicate whatever is put into them (although the duplicates are plants themselves). The plants want to get what is left of the Jupiter II's supply of deutronium fuel (Will used up most of the fuel reserves a couple of weeks early with his little rockets). This episode just underscores how much trouble they had figuring out what to do with Judy on this show. It was always Dr. Smith or Will or Penny that was getting the space family Robinson in trouble. Of course, that is what happens in this episode since Don cracks a stupid joke about leaving Smith behind when they return to Earth. Smith had already been banished from the camp (again) for having chickened out (again) when Professor Robinson was first attacked by the giant plants. The next thing we know we end up with a evil duplicate of Judy and the Jupiter II is going to be overrun by these second-rate Trifids and Dr. Smith actually has a chance to redeem himself with the Robinsons.

Episode 15, "Return From Outer Space" (Written by Peter Packer, First aired December 29, 1965) is a memorable episode in which Will Robinson using the alien matter transfer device to transport himself back to Earth (this is a machine that the Taurons left behind in the episode "The Sky Is Falling"). The only problem is that once he is back home nobody will believe he is one of the space family Robinson or that they are lost in space. I remember the first time I watched this as a kid and being horrified by the idea that those stupid adults would not believe the kid. Of course, Will gets locked up and is going to be sent to a home for wayward boys. Meanwhile, back on Priplanis, Dr. Smith has used by the last of the carbon tetrachloride that makes the food processor work, which means they are all going to starve to death. I understand now that this was actually intended to be a Chirstmas episode, which makes sense when you look at the present that Will finds to bring home to his family on Priplanis. With most of the action in this one taking place back on Earth and all those guest stars, this is quite an atypical episode for the series. Then another alien lands in a space ship and you had been come back next week, same time, same channel, because we are up to the classic two-part episode of "The Watcher."