Visit to a Hostile Planet is excellent with just a couple of minor issues.
After passing through a time warp, the Jupiter Two lands back on earth in the small town of Manitou Junction, Michigan- but back in time 50 years to 1947!
Although they are back in 1947, Dr. Smith insists on staying. He bamboozles the locals into believing he is a fire chief from a nearby town. His "local" impersonation is outstanding. We have Jonathan Harris playing Dr. Smith playing a Hee Haw-type fire chief! A gem of a moment.
A little later he changes back to his proper Dr. Smith voice and is questioned by the local. This provides an insight into how Dr. Smith is a con man because he is deliberately ACTING like a buffoon (as opposed to being a real buffoon).
It amazes me how these excellent nuances are incorporated into the story that also allows an idiotic scene with The Robot as a scarecrow.
Dr. Smith tries everything he can to get the Robinsons to stay to no avail.
The is one of the very best post-Season One episodes. I would rate this a "10" except for a couple of minor issues. First, the locals are played as total idiots. If they were more like the locals from Season One's "Return From Outer Space", it would have worked much better. Also, the part where Will and The Robot escape is imbecilic and unnecessary. Nobody could possibly believe The Robot was a scarecrow!!!
PS: Interesting thought, they are back in 1947 (about 52 years in the past). At one point Prof Robinson explains to Dr. Smith "...we haven't even been born yet...". However, although that would have been correct for the Robinsons and Major West, Dr. Smith would have been a small child or baby in 1947.
After passing through a time warp, the Jupiter Two lands back on earth in the small town of Manitou Junction, Michigan- but back in time 50 years to 1947!
Although they are back in 1947, Dr. Smith insists on staying. He bamboozles the locals into believing he is a fire chief from a nearby town. His "local" impersonation is outstanding. We have Jonathan Harris playing Dr. Smith playing a Hee Haw-type fire chief! A gem of a moment.
A little later he changes back to his proper Dr. Smith voice and is questioned by the local. This provides an insight into how Dr. Smith is a con man because he is deliberately ACTING like a buffoon (as opposed to being a real buffoon).
It amazes me how these excellent nuances are incorporated into the story that also allows an idiotic scene with The Robot as a scarecrow.
Dr. Smith tries everything he can to get the Robinsons to stay to no avail.
The is one of the very best post-Season One episodes. I would rate this a "10" except for a couple of minor issues. First, the locals are played as total idiots. If they were more like the locals from Season One's "Return From Outer Space", it would have worked much better. Also, the part where Will and The Robot escape is imbecilic and unnecessary. Nobody could possibly believe The Robot was a scarecrow!!!
PS: Interesting thought, they are back in 1947 (about 52 years in the past). At one point Prof Robinson explains to Dr. Smith "...we haven't even been born yet...". However, although that would have been correct for the Robinsons and Major West, Dr. Smith would have been a small child or baby in 1947.