Lost In Space (1965) s01e03 Episode Script
Island in the Sky
[ Man Narrating .]
Last week, our space family aboard the crippled Jupiter 2 prepared to make a landing on an unknown planet far beyond our galaxies.
A landing that would allow them time to make desperately needed repairs on their spaceship.
To learn more about the mysterious surface of the planet below Professor Robinson had planned to send their environmental controlled robot down to investigate.
Unbeknownst to him, however, the nefarious Dr.
Zachary Smith had other plans for the mechanical marvel.
We can't let them drop you over the side, can we? You're far too valuable to me right here.
But don't you worry.
As long as you remember to accept orders from my voice only we'll be all right.
- [ Footsteps Approaching .]
- Won't we? - What's the delay? Is he checked? - Yes, indeed.
A simple chess game serves to check all circuits.
- Good.
We're ready to drop him.
- Not so good, I'm afraid.
- You can't.
- Something wrong? He's still malfunctioning.
I'm afraid we have a very sick Robot on our hands.
He looks all right.
And we must have that information.
I'm willing to take a chance on him.
I wouldn't advise that.
He's completely undependable.
You remember he ran amuck once and very nearly wrecked the ship.
Yes, but he's worked properly ever since.
You think so? Give him an order.
Go back to your pedestal.
You see? Nothing.
No, Dr.
Robinson.
I'm afraid he's not yet ready to tackle this job.
I guess you're right.
Yet, someone has to go down and scout around.
- I can do it.
- Don, your job is here with the ship.
We have an environmental control expert on board.
Why don't we send him? Quite right, Mrs.
Robinson.
I'd be the perfect choice.
Unfortunately, my acute batophobia.
- What's that? - An incurable fear of heights.
- Got it? - Think so.
Don't worry.
If I don't like the looks of the place, I'll check right out-- by jet.
Just make sure you come back to the right airport.
- All right.
- [ Chuckles .]
- All set.
- Okay.
Now, once you're clear of the ship, give one burst from your parajet thrusters.
One burst.
That'll slow you down enough to get you out of the orbit.
Right.
How many bursts for a safe entry into the atmosphere? I'll track you on the scanner and let you know.
I wanna make sure you've got plenty of fuel left to blast off again if you have to.
Now, if it isn't safe for us to land give us the word and proceed according to rendezvous plan "A.
" - Check.
- Check.
- Can you hear me? - Loud and clear.
- Roger.
Good luck.
- All right, now.
Don't forget to wave.
We will, Daddy.
Still some interference.
Hold on.
Adjusting frequency.
- [ John .]
Out of orbit.
Gravity pull now being felt.
- I can hear you.
Acceleration rate still safe.
John, you're doing fine.
[ John .]
Still can't see anything.
Must be approaching first atmosphere layer.
What was it they said about the fallen sparrow? William Shakespeare, "There's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow.
" My, you are a many-splendored thing.
They even programmed you with Shakespeare.
Don't you ever stop to think? This is a complex game.
One must look before one leaps.
Samuel Butler, 1600-1680.
"And look before you ere you leap For as you sow, ye are like to reap.
" Sometimes I wonder about you.
If I didn't know better I'd think some form of morality was accidentally programmed into you.
[ Don .]
John, you're passing through a heavy atmosphere layer.
Get ready to fire parajet thrusters to ease up on the acceleration rate.
[ John .]
Roger, ready to fire.
It shouldn't be too long now.
Meanwhile, with regard to that last quotation I think it might be wise for you to periodically check on my safety in the future.
Shall we say every hour on the hour.
Is that firmly implanted in your obedience cells? Affirmative.
Dad oughta be touching down anytime now.
Then we'll really find out what's down there.
A true trailblazer on the frontiers of space.
I only wish I could be there with him.
I thought you said he couldn't play chess.
Ah, yes.
That's what I've been working on all this time, my boy.
I brought him along to where he knows the basic rudiments of the game.
Naturally, he won't be able to play a creditable game until all of his circuits are operative.
- Looks like he's doing kind of good to me.
- Really? I hadn't noticed.
Ah, yes, he does seem to have happened upon a few fortunate moves.
Of course, my attention has always been with your dear father and his brave venture.
Actually, I think a few simple moves will quickly extricate me from this situation.
[ John .]
Seem to be heading for what looks like crater vegetation.
[ Don .]
You're at 40,000 and accelerating too fast.
Fire parajets.
[ John .]
Not yet.
Closer.
Better chance to observe.
Negative.
Negative.
That move does not compute.
A stupid oversight on my part.
- Release.
Release.
- It does not compute.
All right, all right.
There.
All right, all right.
There.
You're at 10,000 feet.
Fire parajets to decrease acceleration.
Roger.
Firing parajets.
- [ Exhales .]
- [ Rapid Beeping .]
You're still accelerating.
Fire parajets.
Fire 'em now! Not working.
Jets not functioning.
- Out of fuel.
- [ Don .]
That's impossible.
Keep trying.
John, can you hear me? Use your auxiliary power tank.
Use your auxiliary power tank.
[ John .]
Fast.
Too fast, can't.
Can't! Keep trying! Keep trying! John.
I can't.
I can't.
Can't! Time to offer my condolences to the widow.
Keep your pilot light burning.
I'll be needing you quite soon now.
It's impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
There, there, my boy.
You must learn to take your misfortunes like a man.
What are any of us but expendable pawns in this great cosmic game of chess.
- I'm trying, Colonel Smith.
- Good boy.
Maureen, there was no reason for the parajets to run out of fuel.
- I just can't understand it.
- I can.
Are you forgetting the meteor storm this ship passed through? And the Robot going berserk? Undoubtedly, much equipment was damaged.
I checked everything out after that.
The parajets were in perfect working order.
- Unless-- - You looked at them too, Dr.
Smith.
- What? - I saw him.
Wait a minute.
You tampered with the parajets? Now, now, Major.
Let's not be hasty with our suspicions.
Our real concern should lie with that unfortunate gentleman down there.
Don, can't we do something? I've got a fix on where he should've landed if-- - lf? - Not if, when, when he'd get the parajets going.
On the next orbit, I'll try to set down as close as I can to it.
Judy, get the children below.
Secure for a landing.
Bring the coolant system up five points.
- How close are we to touchdown? - Final approach orbit.
May I interject? I've given this tragedy a great deal of soul-searching thought.
- It's not a tragedy yet, Doctor.
- The eternal optimist.
Nevertheless, there is a bright side to this, uh this, shall we say, unfortunate occurrence.
- What are you trying to say? - Only that I've done a little quick calculating and I find that with the loss of some 200 pounds in weight-- I trust 200 pounds is an honest estimate.
With the loss of this excess weight we now have a reasonably good chance of making our way back to the green hills of Earth.
I think we should at least discuss it.
I've got a lot of things to discuss with you, Doctor, once we set down.
Keep an eye on that gauge.
If it passes into the red zone on the approach, call out.
Perhaps in the true democratic process, we should put it to a vote.
- Give me an E.
T.
A.
reading.
- Four-fifty to touchdown.
I demand that this be put to a vote while we can get away.
- All right.
I vote no.
- So do I.
- You're outvoted.
- Not quite yet.
I have a proxy.
Come here.
No, stop.
Go back.
Stop! I think a small demonstration will convince you of my voting strength.
This helmet-- a marvelous piece of work-- constructed, I believe, to withstand the pressure of 10,000 pounds per square inch.
Tell me, my friend, do you think you're robot enough to crush this helmet? - Affirmative.
- You have my permission to do so.
Much as I detest violence it can be done just as easily with your head inside.
Now, you will fire all rockets and we shall leave this vale of tears and head back to Earth.
- There's nothing I can do.
- A very sensible attitude.
My dear, I want you to know that when we return to Earth I shall be among the first to sponsor a rescue mission to this forgotten planet.
to this forgotten planet.
Maureen, the stabilizer.
- Robot-- [ Grunts .]
- You're not giving any orders to that Robot except one.
When I tell you to, you'll say exactly six words-- "Robot, go back to your compartment.
" Deviate by one syllable, one breath, and it'll be your last.
"Robot, go back to your compartment.
" You got that? Nod if you understand me.
All right.
Say it now.
Robot, go back to your compartment.
Okay, buster, into the freezing tube.
- March.
- No.
Wait! [ Dr.
Smith .]
No, no.
Wait! - Wait! - You're going into cold storage for a while.
- Don't freeze me.
You're making a mistake.
- Shut up.
You must listen to me.
It concerns all our lives! Yours as well as mine! The rockets-- We're starting to hit heavy atmosphere.
If I don't slow us down, we'll burn.
Help me fire the braking rockets.
Push those buttons as I call them out.
Fire rocket one.
She's not braking.
Fire two.
- [ Panel Beeping .]
- Three, four.
- [ Buttons Clicking .]
- All of 'em! The rockets are malfunctioning.
He's done something to the controls! That's what he was trying to tell us.
We'll have to let him out.
- [ Controls Whirring .]
- No time! Go below and make sure everyone's strapped in! It's gonna be a rough one.
- What about you? - I'll stay with the controls as long as I can.
Then I'll ride the landing out in one of the freezing tubes.
Go on! - Are you all right? - [ Together .]
Yes, Mom.
[ Spaceship Crashing .]
[ Sizzling .]
[ Sizzling Continues .]
- [ Exhales Loudly .]
- Wow, what a landing.
Well, at least we're all in one piece.
Oh, my.
Penny? Here.
Up you go.
- That wasn't too bad, was it? - No.
Don! Don? Don! Don, can you hear me? Are you all right? - Can you hear me? - Loud and clear.
They say any landing you can walk away from 's a good one.
[ Exhales .]
Mom, look! - Don, are you all right? - Fine.
- Where are we? - Can't say for sure.
Are we anywhere near where John landed? Should be in the same general area.
- Can I go outside and look? - No.
Hold it! We don't know what the atmosphere's like out there.
Could be lethal.
- Can't the Robot test it? - I wish it could, Penny, but only Dr.
Smith seems to be able to control that thing and I'm not ready to unfreeze him yet.
Hey, I just thought of something.
Once before I figured out a way how to make the Robot obey.
I bet I could do it again.
If nobody else can do it, what makes you think you can? You just watch me.
Come on.
[ Clears Throat .]
[ Mimicking Dr.
Smith .]
Step forward, my mechanical friend.
Good boy, Will.
- How did he do that? - I don't know.
Possibly something in the quality of his voice strikes a responsive chord.
Will, tell him to go out and make an environmental estimate.
Sure.
[ As Dr.
Smith .]
We need an environmental estimate, my good man.
- Go out and make it.
- Affirmative.
[ Whirring .]
Well, suppose the atmosphere is poisonous.
Now let's not borrow trouble.
We'll have the report in a matter of minutes.
Radiation content of soil: negative.
Atmospheric pressure: - So far, so good.
- Temperature: 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
Air composition: nitrogen, 83% by volume.
Oxygen, 15.
5% by volume.
Argon, carbon dioxide, methane and neon.
- Is it okay? - It's not exactly a tropical paradise, Penny.
- Better break out the parkas.
- Conclusion-- environment can sustain human life.
- End of report.
- Nice work.
That does not compute.
- Well, what do we do now? - [ Sighs .]
Normally, I'd recommend we go through a week of thorough testing before venturing outside, but, uh, if we hope to find John alive-- - We better start searching immediately.
- We'll assemble the Chariot.
- That'll get us over this rough terrain.
- All right.
Come on.
Let's help Don.
Maureen, we'll comb the area in circles.
Maureen, we'll comb the area in circles.
Judy, I want you to keep your eyes glued to the infrared scanner.
- Check.
- I'll monitor the radio.
Let's go.
[ Engine Starts .]
- [ Beeping .]
- We picked something up on the scanner.
- Great.
What direction? - [ Rapid Beeping .]
Just as we're going.
That way.
- How am I doing? - Zeroing in.
We're getting there.
Closer.
Closer.
It's just up ahead.
[ Engine Off .]
- Will, hand me a laser rifle.
- My good man.
Maureen, it may be John, and I hope so.
Then again, it might not.
[ Rustling .]
- John? - [ Rustling Stops .]
- [ Rustling .]
- John? [ Warbles .]
[ Warbling Continues .]
For Pete's sake, what's that? This is what we picked up on the scanner.
- I'm sorry, Maureen.
- Oh, he's darling.
May I have him? - No, you may not.
- Come on.
Come on, fellow.
Beat it.
Penny, you may have it if you wish.
No, Mom.
I don't want him.
Really, I don't.
Get it for her, will you, Don? It's all right, dear.
You may have it.
Come on, Charlie.
Looks like you found yourself a home.
I'm gonna call you Debbie.
[ Don .]
Come on, kids.
Let's go.
Come on.
John, if you can hear me, we've all landed and everyone's safe.
And we're searching for you now.
John, if you can hear me we've all landed, and everyone is safe and-- We'll find you soon.
Maureen, it's no use.
Maybe I'd have better luck if I went searching with the parajets.
I was just so sure.
[ Starts Engine .]
- Don, look at this.
- [ Scanner Beeping .]
The blip is still on the scanner.
Do you suppose that-- John! John! John, you all right? I think so.
There's something weird going on down here.
The whole face of the cliff-- it's charged with some wild, electrical force.
Maureen! Maureen, I found him.
He's all right.
Send the Robot out.
- I need some rope.
- Will.
Take this rope up to Don.
You've gotta help my father.
[ As Dr.
Smith .]
Fetch the rope and do what you can for the old boy.
- Well, what's the matter with it? - I don't know.
- Where are you going? - Every hour on the hour, check on safety.
Come back here.
Judy.
- Don? Don? - Over here.
[ Electricity Crackling .]
Judy, be careful.
- Where's the Robot? - He just took off.
Where's Father? [ Crackling Intensifies .]
He's okay.
I'll have him up in a minute.
- [ Grunting .]
- Is he all right? Yeah.
Almost.
Careful, now.
Oh, I'm-- Oh, Daddy.
- Oh, John.
- That was worth the climb.
- Judy.
Judy.
- Oh, Daddy.
What happened? Well, I must have got to within about a hundred feet above the ground before I could get the parajets to working.
I fell into that pit, just caught hold before I passed out.
How is everybody? Well, everybody's fine.
We had a bit of a rough landing too though.
We had trouble with our rockets too.
Same as you.
- Dr.
Smith? - Uh-huh.
- I thought so.
- Come on.
The reception committee's waiting.
- [ Chuckling .]
- All right.
Uh-oh, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
What did you do with the doctor? Don't worry about Dr.
Smith.
He's in the deep, deep freeze.
Operation rescue.
Operation rescue.
Operation rescue.
Respiration, start breathing.
Circulation, make blood circulate.
What are you doing? Take your claws off me, you idiot! Still stiff.
Could have broken my leg.
We landed.
Where are the others? Probably dead.
Others in party? Are they alive? Affirmative.
- Are they on ship? - Negative.
Excellent.
Now where were we when we were so rudely interrupted? I believe we had just taken a vote to leave this distasteful place.
I think it's safe to say that the two of us now constitute a voting majority.
I do not vote.
I am not programmed for free choice.
Don't worry about it.
It's vastly overrated.
And so, my metallic friend, with you as my personal chauffeur we shall now say farewell to this colorful island in space and head back to Earth.
Our spaceship should be over the next hill.
He must have gone back there.
There's no other place he could've gone.
- Who? - The Robot, of course.
That's where he's gotta be, isn't it, Don? Back to his master, Dr.
Smith.
- When I get back to that spaceship, I'm-- - Don! Cover your eyes! [ Crackling .]
Everything's dead.
The whole electrical system.
It's as if whatever that was just sucked all the electricity right out of us.
I bet it only blew out the main generator fuses.
We could try wiring past 'em-- We're not going to try anything.
We're gonna get out and walk the rest of the way.
But it'd only take a half an hour or so just to try it.
I want us all safely back in the ship before nightfall.
[ Maureen .]
Come on now.
Let's go now.
Everybody out.
Pick up your parkas.
- Come on, Debbie.
Come on.
Come on, Debbie.
- Thank you.
- Debbie? - All right, let's go.
[ Maureen .]
All right.
You tin-plated fraud! You worthless electronic scrap heap! You tin-plated fraud! You worthless electronic scrap heap! You've got to know how to fly this spaceship! Space flight is not a function of environmental control robots.
Function? I'll function you right down to a bunch of melted transistors.
- Where is that laser gun? - Warning! Warning! Warning! Emergency protective circuit activated.
Warning! Forty thousand volts now in circuit.
Temper, temper, temper.
Emergency protective circuit activated.
Warning! Warning! But you misinterpreted me.
Warning! Warning! Warning! I'm your trusted master.
My impetuous friend would I want to hurt you? There, there.
It's all right now.
Naturally, I couldn't expect you to fly the spaceship.
You have far too many more fascinating talents.
Emergency protective circuits deactivated.
Who wouldn't love you? But, now on to the practicalities.
Only one person is currently of use to us-- Major Don West.
Useful because he's the only one who can pilot this spaceship.
Since the others serve no purpose, they must be liquidated.
When we have learned what we need to know from Major West he will be liquidated as well.
- With me so far? - Affirmative.
Destroy everyone.
Well, now, that's hardly a delicate way of putting it.
I prefer the term "eliminate.
" It's so much tidier.
"Eliminate" means destroy.
Have it your way.
But to return to business.
Major West is, as I happen to know a rather violent and stubborn type.
To obtain his cooperation, we must convince him that we have undergone a complete change of heart.
That we are, in a word, friendly.
- Latch on? - Latch on.
Too bad about young Will though.
The only agreeable companion I've found on this ghastly trip.
No offense, my glass-headed friend.
I just thought that sometime the boy and I might match wits in a chess game.
- I play chess.
- You're a machine.
No one can beat you.
When I play, I like to win.
But to return to phase one: liquidation of unessential personnel.
Since we must nip them off one by one each liquidation must appear to be accidental.
A strong jolt of electricity for instance.
We can always explain it away as metabolic failure due to unknown elements in the atmosphere.
Remember that when you find yourself alone with any one of them.
Others return.
Robinson alive? Impossible.
But no matter, it may actually make it easier for them to believe in my sudden reformation.
Watch and learn.
Saint Zachary the first.
From the look of things, your landing wasn't much easier than mine.
I'll check the Chariot out in the morning.
I'd like to get a look at that upper deck.
Well, then, while you do that, the girls and I will get dinner started.
Come on.
I still bet I can fix those Chariot fuses in less than an hour.
- You might.
- Can I try? It'd be real easy.
It would also be real easy for you to be lost in this monotonous terrain.
- Especially at night.
- But-- End of conversation.
Go on.
- Smith.
Hold it! - What do you mean, hold it? - He controls the Robot.
- Believe me, gentlemen, there's no cause for alarm.
- He controls the Robot.
- Believe me, gentlemen, there's no cause for alarm.
My dear Dr.
Robinson, I can't begin to describe how happy I am at finding you alive.
- Now I'll tell one.
- I don't blame you for being skeptical.
- How did you get out? - A leak in the freezing element, no doubt.
The door opened automatically.
But take my word for it, I was frozen long enough.
- What's that supposed to mean? - I know that this may sound strange but the experience had a curious effect.
It was as though I saw my whole life frozen as it were, before me.
That must have been a pretty gory spectacle.
I asked myself, "Why all this bitterness and strife? Why all this intense rivalry?" After all, we all belong to the same race uh, the human race.
Embarked on an exploration of that greatest of mysteries-- the unknown universe.
I had a moment of weakness in wanting to return to our mother planet.
Do you expect us to fall for this hogwash? Consider this a moment.
I could've had the Robot kill you just now as you came in.
But thank heaven I saw the light.
And speaking of light, there's very little of it left.
Have you considered what drastic atmospheric changes could take place on this planet? We've already had the Robot check out the conditions here.
But not at night.
Everything could change then.
- He's got a point there.
- Exactly.
And I can help thereby proving my complete reformation.
Don't trust him.
He's as slippery as a bucket of eels.
Just how can you help? My friend here was built to test atmospheric conditions.
I'll send him out to investigate.
- And leave yourself defenseless? - The virtuous need no defense.
All right.
We'll take you up on it.
Scout around outside and bring me a full atmospheric report.
Affirmative.
[ Thinking .]
We have now come to the end of our first day on this alien and perhaps hostile, planet.
What lies ahead we have no way of knowing but we're all still together.
There is air to breathe, shelter against the cold and food to sustain us.
All of us feel somehow akin to those hardy souls who first came to the lonely shores of America so many centuries ago.
And who found it in their hearts to give thanks to providence for their blessings.
- Where's Will? - I imagine he went to his compartment.
- I'll get him.
- You know he might have been right about that short in the Chariot's ignition system.
- Look at this.
- Will? - Well, he's not here.
- He told me he had an idea on how to fix the Chariot.
Now, I left strict orders that no one leaves the ship at night.
That's just what I told him.
What's he doing out there alone? Now of all times.
- What's the matter with now? - But you don't understand.
- The Robot is out there.
- We know that.
Now tell us what we don't understand.
He's just liable to find Will.
- And? - And-- I suppose he'll bring him back.
Guess I was wrong.
I really thought I could fix it.
Boy, it's cold.
I gotta get back to the ship.
[ Mechanical Whirring .]
A light.
I wanna talk to you about the way you ran off.
Phase one, when unessential personnel are found alone, destroy.
Go back! You hear me? G-G-Go back.
Keep away from me.
Go back! Go back! Go back!
Last week, our space family aboard the crippled Jupiter 2 prepared to make a landing on an unknown planet far beyond our galaxies.
A landing that would allow them time to make desperately needed repairs on their spaceship.
To learn more about the mysterious surface of the planet below Professor Robinson had planned to send their environmental controlled robot down to investigate.
Unbeknownst to him, however, the nefarious Dr.
Zachary Smith had other plans for the mechanical marvel.
We can't let them drop you over the side, can we? You're far too valuable to me right here.
But don't you worry.
As long as you remember to accept orders from my voice only we'll be all right.
- [ Footsteps Approaching .]
- Won't we? - What's the delay? Is he checked? - Yes, indeed.
A simple chess game serves to check all circuits.
- Good.
We're ready to drop him.
- Not so good, I'm afraid.
- You can't.
- Something wrong? He's still malfunctioning.
I'm afraid we have a very sick Robot on our hands.
He looks all right.
And we must have that information.
I'm willing to take a chance on him.
I wouldn't advise that.
He's completely undependable.
You remember he ran amuck once and very nearly wrecked the ship.
Yes, but he's worked properly ever since.
You think so? Give him an order.
Go back to your pedestal.
You see? Nothing.
No, Dr.
Robinson.
I'm afraid he's not yet ready to tackle this job.
I guess you're right.
Yet, someone has to go down and scout around.
- I can do it.
- Don, your job is here with the ship.
We have an environmental control expert on board.
Why don't we send him? Quite right, Mrs.
Robinson.
I'd be the perfect choice.
Unfortunately, my acute batophobia.
- What's that? - An incurable fear of heights.
- Got it? - Think so.
Don't worry.
If I don't like the looks of the place, I'll check right out-- by jet.
Just make sure you come back to the right airport.
- All right.
- [ Chuckles .]
- All set.
- Okay.
Now, once you're clear of the ship, give one burst from your parajet thrusters.
One burst.
That'll slow you down enough to get you out of the orbit.
Right.
How many bursts for a safe entry into the atmosphere? I'll track you on the scanner and let you know.
I wanna make sure you've got plenty of fuel left to blast off again if you have to.
Now, if it isn't safe for us to land give us the word and proceed according to rendezvous plan "A.
" - Check.
- Check.
- Can you hear me? - Loud and clear.
- Roger.
Good luck.
- All right, now.
Don't forget to wave.
We will, Daddy.
Still some interference.
Hold on.
Adjusting frequency.
- [ John .]
Out of orbit.
Gravity pull now being felt.
- I can hear you.
Acceleration rate still safe.
John, you're doing fine.
[ John .]
Still can't see anything.
Must be approaching first atmosphere layer.
What was it they said about the fallen sparrow? William Shakespeare, "There's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow.
" My, you are a many-splendored thing.
They even programmed you with Shakespeare.
Don't you ever stop to think? This is a complex game.
One must look before one leaps.
Samuel Butler, 1600-1680.
"And look before you ere you leap For as you sow, ye are like to reap.
" Sometimes I wonder about you.
If I didn't know better I'd think some form of morality was accidentally programmed into you.
[ Don .]
John, you're passing through a heavy atmosphere layer.
Get ready to fire parajet thrusters to ease up on the acceleration rate.
[ John .]
Roger, ready to fire.
It shouldn't be too long now.
Meanwhile, with regard to that last quotation I think it might be wise for you to periodically check on my safety in the future.
Shall we say every hour on the hour.
Is that firmly implanted in your obedience cells? Affirmative.
Dad oughta be touching down anytime now.
Then we'll really find out what's down there.
A true trailblazer on the frontiers of space.
I only wish I could be there with him.
I thought you said he couldn't play chess.
Ah, yes.
That's what I've been working on all this time, my boy.
I brought him along to where he knows the basic rudiments of the game.
Naturally, he won't be able to play a creditable game until all of his circuits are operative.
- Looks like he's doing kind of good to me.
- Really? I hadn't noticed.
Ah, yes, he does seem to have happened upon a few fortunate moves.
Of course, my attention has always been with your dear father and his brave venture.
Actually, I think a few simple moves will quickly extricate me from this situation.
[ John .]
Seem to be heading for what looks like crater vegetation.
[ Don .]
You're at 40,000 and accelerating too fast.
Fire parajets.
[ John .]
Not yet.
Closer.
Better chance to observe.
Negative.
Negative.
That move does not compute.
A stupid oversight on my part.
- Release.
Release.
- It does not compute.
All right, all right.
There.
All right, all right.
There.
You're at 10,000 feet.
Fire parajets to decrease acceleration.
Roger.
Firing parajets.
- [ Exhales .]
- [ Rapid Beeping .]
You're still accelerating.
Fire parajets.
Fire 'em now! Not working.
Jets not functioning.
- Out of fuel.
- [ Don .]
That's impossible.
Keep trying.
John, can you hear me? Use your auxiliary power tank.
Use your auxiliary power tank.
[ John .]
Fast.
Too fast, can't.
Can't! Keep trying! Keep trying! John.
I can't.
I can't.
Can't! Time to offer my condolences to the widow.
Keep your pilot light burning.
I'll be needing you quite soon now.
It's impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
There, there, my boy.
You must learn to take your misfortunes like a man.
What are any of us but expendable pawns in this great cosmic game of chess.
- I'm trying, Colonel Smith.
- Good boy.
Maureen, there was no reason for the parajets to run out of fuel.
- I just can't understand it.
- I can.
Are you forgetting the meteor storm this ship passed through? And the Robot going berserk? Undoubtedly, much equipment was damaged.
I checked everything out after that.
The parajets were in perfect working order.
- Unless-- - You looked at them too, Dr.
Smith.
- What? - I saw him.
Wait a minute.
You tampered with the parajets? Now, now, Major.
Let's not be hasty with our suspicions.
Our real concern should lie with that unfortunate gentleman down there.
Don, can't we do something? I've got a fix on where he should've landed if-- - lf? - Not if, when, when he'd get the parajets going.
On the next orbit, I'll try to set down as close as I can to it.
Judy, get the children below.
Secure for a landing.
Bring the coolant system up five points.
- How close are we to touchdown? - Final approach orbit.
May I interject? I've given this tragedy a great deal of soul-searching thought.
- It's not a tragedy yet, Doctor.
- The eternal optimist.
Nevertheless, there is a bright side to this, uh this, shall we say, unfortunate occurrence.
- What are you trying to say? - Only that I've done a little quick calculating and I find that with the loss of some 200 pounds in weight-- I trust 200 pounds is an honest estimate.
With the loss of this excess weight we now have a reasonably good chance of making our way back to the green hills of Earth.
I think we should at least discuss it.
I've got a lot of things to discuss with you, Doctor, once we set down.
Keep an eye on that gauge.
If it passes into the red zone on the approach, call out.
Perhaps in the true democratic process, we should put it to a vote.
- Give me an E.
T.
A.
reading.
- Four-fifty to touchdown.
I demand that this be put to a vote while we can get away.
- All right.
I vote no.
- So do I.
- You're outvoted.
- Not quite yet.
I have a proxy.
Come here.
No, stop.
Go back.
Stop! I think a small demonstration will convince you of my voting strength.
This helmet-- a marvelous piece of work-- constructed, I believe, to withstand the pressure of 10,000 pounds per square inch.
Tell me, my friend, do you think you're robot enough to crush this helmet? - Affirmative.
- You have my permission to do so.
Much as I detest violence it can be done just as easily with your head inside.
Now, you will fire all rockets and we shall leave this vale of tears and head back to Earth.
- There's nothing I can do.
- A very sensible attitude.
My dear, I want you to know that when we return to Earth I shall be among the first to sponsor a rescue mission to this forgotten planet.
to this forgotten planet.
Maureen, the stabilizer.
- Robot-- [ Grunts .]
- You're not giving any orders to that Robot except one.
When I tell you to, you'll say exactly six words-- "Robot, go back to your compartment.
" Deviate by one syllable, one breath, and it'll be your last.
"Robot, go back to your compartment.
" You got that? Nod if you understand me.
All right.
Say it now.
Robot, go back to your compartment.
Okay, buster, into the freezing tube.
- March.
- No.
Wait! [ Dr.
Smith .]
No, no.
Wait! - Wait! - You're going into cold storage for a while.
- Don't freeze me.
You're making a mistake.
- Shut up.
You must listen to me.
It concerns all our lives! Yours as well as mine! The rockets-- We're starting to hit heavy atmosphere.
If I don't slow us down, we'll burn.
Help me fire the braking rockets.
Push those buttons as I call them out.
Fire rocket one.
She's not braking.
Fire two.
- [ Panel Beeping .]
- Three, four.
- [ Buttons Clicking .]
- All of 'em! The rockets are malfunctioning.
He's done something to the controls! That's what he was trying to tell us.
We'll have to let him out.
- [ Controls Whirring .]
- No time! Go below and make sure everyone's strapped in! It's gonna be a rough one.
- What about you? - I'll stay with the controls as long as I can.
Then I'll ride the landing out in one of the freezing tubes.
Go on! - Are you all right? - [ Together .]
Yes, Mom.
[ Spaceship Crashing .]
[ Sizzling .]
[ Sizzling Continues .]
- [ Exhales Loudly .]
- Wow, what a landing.
Well, at least we're all in one piece.
Oh, my.
Penny? Here.
Up you go.
- That wasn't too bad, was it? - No.
Don! Don? Don! Don, can you hear me? Are you all right? - Can you hear me? - Loud and clear.
They say any landing you can walk away from 's a good one.
[ Exhales .]
Mom, look! - Don, are you all right? - Fine.
- Where are we? - Can't say for sure.
Are we anywhere near where John landed? Should be in the same general area.
- Can I go outside and look? - No.
Hold it! We don't know what the atmosphere's like out there.
Could be lethal.
- Can't the Robot test it? - I wish it could, Penny, but only Dr.
Smith seems to be able to control that thing and I'm not ready to unfreeze him yet.
Hey, I just thought of something.
Once before I figured out a way how to make the Robot obey.
I bet I could do it again.
If nobody else can do it, what makes you think you can? You just watch me.
Come on.
[ Clears Throat .]
[ Mimicking Dr.
Smith .]
Step forward, my mechanical friend.
Good boy, Will.
- How did he do that? - I don't know.
Possibly something in the quality of his voice strikes a responsive chord.
Will, tell him to go out and make an environmental estimate.
Sure.
[ As Dr.
Smith .]
We need an environmental estimate, my good man.
- Go out and make it.
- Affirmative.
[ Whirring .]
Well, suppose the atmosphere is poisonous.
Now let's not borrow trouble.
We'll have the report in a matter of minutes.
Radiation content of soil: negative.
Atmospheric pressure: - So far, so good.
- Temperature: 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
Air composition: nitrogen, 83% by volume.
Oxygen, 15.
5% by volume.
Argon, carbon dioxide, methane and neon.
- Is it okay? - It's not exactly a tropical paradise, Penny.
- Better break out the parkas.
- Conclusion-- environment can sustain human life.
- End of report.
- Nice work.
That does not compute.
- Well, what do we do now? - [ Sighs .]
Normally, I'd recommend we go through a week of thorough testing before venturing outside, but, uh, if we hope to find John alive-- - We better start searching immediately.
- We'll assemble the Chariot.
- That'll get us over this rough terrain.
- All right.
Come on.
Let's help Don.
Maureen, we'll comb the area in circles.
Maureen, we'll comb the area in circles.
Judy, I want you to keep your eyes glued to the infrared scanner.
- Check.
- I'll monitor the radio.
Let's go.
[ Engine Starts .]
- [ Beeping .]
- We picked something up on the scanner.
- Great.
What direction? - [ Rapid Beeping .]
Just as we're going.
That way.
- How am I doing? - Zeroing in.
We're getting there.
Closer.
Closer.
It's just up ahead.
[ Engine Off .]
- Will, hand me a laser rifle.
- My good man.
Maureen, it may be John, and I hope so.
Then again, it might not.
[ Rustling .]
- John? - [ Rustling Stops .]
- [ Rustling .]
- John? [ Warbles .]
[ Warbling Continues .]
For Pete's sake, what's that? This is what we picked up on the scanner.
- I'm sorry, Maureen.
- Oh, he's darling.
May I have him? - No, you may not.
- Come on.
Come on, fellow.
Beat it.
Penny, you may have it if you wish.
No, Mom.
I don't want him.
Really, I don't.
Get it for her, will you, Don? It's all right, dear.
You may have it.
Come on, Charlie.
Looks like you found yourself a home.
I'm gonna call you Debbie.
[ Don .]
Come on, kids.
Let's go.
Come on.
John, if you can hear me, we've all landed and everyone's safe.
And we're searching for you now.
John, if you can hear me we've all landed, and everyone is safe and-- We'll find you soon.
Maureen, it's no use.
Maybe I'd have better luck if I went searching with the parajets.
I was just so sure.
[ Starts Engine .]
- Don, look at this.
- [ Scanner Beeping .]
The blip is still on the scanner.
Do you suppose that-- John! John! John, you all right? I think so.
There's something weird going on down here.
The whole face of the cliff-- it's charged with some wild, electrical force.
Maureen! Maureen, I found him.
He's all right.
Send the Robot out.
- I need some rope.
- Will.
Take this rope up to Don.
You've gotta help my father.
[ As Dr.
Smith .]
Fetch the rope and do what you can for the old boy.
- Well, what's the matter with it? - I don't know.
- Where are you going? - Every hour on the hour, check on safety.
Come back here.
Judy.
- Don? Don? - Over here.
[ Electricity Crackling .]
Judy, be careful.
- Where's the Robot? - He just took off.
Where's Father? [ Crackling Intensifies .]
He's okay.
I'll have him up in a minute.
- [ Grunting .]
- Is he all right? Yeah.
Almost.
Careful, now.
Oh, I'm-- Oh, Daddy.
- Oh, John.
- That was worth the climb.
- Judy.
Judy.
- Oh, Daddy.
What happened? Well, I must have got to within about a hundred feet above the ground before I could get the parajets to working.
I fell into that pit, just caught hold before I passed out.
How is everybody? Well, everybody's fine.
We had a bit of a rough landing too though.
We had trouble with our rockets too.
Same as you.
- Dr.
Smith? - Uh-huh.
- I thought so.
- Come on.
The reception committee's waiting.
- [ Chuckling .]
- All right.
Uh-oh, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
What did you do with the doctor? Don't worry about Dr.
Smith.
He's in the deep, deep freeze.
Operation rescue.
Operation rescue.
Operation rescue.
Respiration, start breathing.
Circulation, make blood circulate.
What are you doing? Take your claws off me, you idiot! Still stiff.
Could have broken my leg.
We landed.
Where are the others? Probably dead.
Others in party? Are they alive? Affirmative.
- Are they on ship? - Negative.
Excellent.
Now where were we when we were so rudely interrupted? I believe we had just taken a vote to leave this distasteful place.
I think it's safe to say that the two of us now constitute a voting majority.
I do not vote.
I am not programmed for free choice.
Don't worry about it.
It's vastly overrated.
And so, my metallic friend, with you as my personal chauffeur we shall now say farewell to this colorful island in space and head back to Earth.
Our spaceship should be over the next hill.
He must have gone back there.
There's no other place he could've gone.
- Who? - The Robot, of course.
That's where he's gotta be, isn't it, Don? Back to his master, Dr.
Smith.
- When I get back to that spaceship, I'm-- - Don! Cover your eyes! [ Crackling .]
Everything's dead.
The whole electrical system.
It's as if whatever that was just sucked all the electricity right out of us.
I bet it only blew out the main generator fuses.
We could try wiring past 'em-- We're not going to try anything.
We're gonna get out and walk the rest of the way.
But it'd only take a half an hour or so just to try it.
I want us all safely back in the ship before nightfall.
[ Maureen .]
Come on now.
Let's go now.
Everybody out.
Pick up your parkas.
- Come on, Debbie.
Come on.
Come on, Debbie.
- Thank you.
- Debbie? - All right, let's go.
[ Maureen .]
All right.
You tin-plated fraud! You worthless electronic scrap heap! You tin-plated fraud! You worthless electronic scrap heap! You've got to know how to fly this spaceship! Space flight is not a function of environmental control robots.
Function? I'll function you right down to a bunch of melted transistors.
- Where is that laser gun? - Warning! Warning! Warning! Emergency protective circuit activated.
Warning! Forty thousand volts now in circuit.
Temper, temper, temper.
Emergency protective circuit activated.
Warning! Warning! But you misinterpreted me.
Warning! Warning! Warning! I'm your trusted master.
My impetuous friend would I want to hurt you? There, there.
It's all right now.
Naturally, I couldn't expect you to fly the spaceship.
You have far too many more fascinating talents.
Emergency protective circuits deactivated.
Who wouldn't love you? But, now on to the practicalities.
Only one person is currently of use to us-- Major Don West.
Useful because he's the only one who can pilot this spaceship.
Since the others serve no purpose, they must be liquidated.
When we have learned what we need to know from Major West he will be liquidated as well.
- With me so far? - Affirmative.
Destroy everyone.
Well, now, that's hardly a delicate way of putting it.
I prefer the term "eliminate.
" It's so much tidier.
"Eliminate" means destroy.
Have it your way.
But to return to business.
Major West is, as I happen to know a rather violent and stubborn type.
To obtain his cooperation, we must convince him that we have undergone a complete change of heart.
That we are, in a word, friendly.
- Latch on? - Latch on.
Too bad about young Will though.
The only agreeable companion I've found on this ghastly trip.
No offense, my glass-headed friend.
I just thought that sometime the boy and I might match wits in a chess game.
- I play chess.
- You're a machine.
No one can beat you.
When I play, I like to win.
But to return to phase one: liquidation of unessential personnel.
Since we must nip them off one by one each liquidation must appear to be accidental.
A strong jolt of electricity for instance.
We can always explain it away as metabolic failure due to unknown elements in the atmosphere.
Remember that when you find yourself alone with any one of them.
Others return.
Robinson alive? Impossible.
But no matter, it may actually make it easier for them to believe in my sudden reformation.
Watch and learn.
Saint Zachary the first.
From the look of things, your landing wasn't much easier than mine.
I'll check the Chariot out in the morning.
I'd like to get a look at that upper deck.
Well, then, while you do that, the girls and I will get dinner started.
Come on.
I still bet I can fix those Chariot fuses in less than an hour.
- You might.
- Can I try? It'd be real easy.
It would also be real easy for you to be lost in this monotonous terrain.
- Especially at night.
- But-- End of conversation.
Go on.
- Smith.
Hold it! - What do you mean, hold it? - He controls the Robot.
- Believe me, gentlemen, there's no cause for alarm.
- He controls the Robot.
- Believe me, gentlemen, there's no cause for alarm.
My dear Dr.
Robinson, I can't begin to describe how happy I am at finding you alive.
- Now I'll tell one.
- I don't blame you for being skeptical.
- How did you get out? - A leak in the freezing element, no doubt.
The door opened automatically.
But take my word for it, I was frozen long enough.
- What's that supposed to mean? - I know that this may sound strange but the experience had a curious effect.
It was as though I saw my whole life frozen as it were, before me.
That must have been a pretty gory spectacle.
I asked myself, "Why all this bitterness and strife? Why all this intense rivalry?" After all, we all belong to the same race uh, the human race.
Embarked on an exploration of that greatest of mysteries-- the unknown universe.
I had a moment of weakness in wanting to return to our mother planet.
Do you expect us to fall for this hogwash? Consider this a moment.
I could've had the Robot kill you just now as you came in.
But thank heaven I saw the light.
And speaking of light, there's very little of it left.
Have you considered what drastic atmospheric changes could take place on this planet? We've already had the Robot check out the conditions here.
But not at night.
Everything could change then.
- He's got a point there.
- Exactly.
And I can help thereby proving my complete reformation.
Don't trust him.
He's as slippery as a bucket of eels.
Just how can you help? My friend here was built to test atmospheric conditions.
I'll send him out to investigate.
- And leave yourself defenseless? - The virtuous need no defense.
All right.
We'll take you up on it.
Scout around outside and bring me a full atmospheric report.
Affirmative.
[ Thinking .]
We have now come to the end of our first day on this alien and perhaps hostile, planet.
What lies ahead we have no way of knowing but we're all still together.
There is air to breathe, shelter against the cold and food to sustain us.
All of us feel somehow akin to those hardy souls who first came to the lonely shores of America so many centuries ago.
And who found it in their hearts to give thanks to providence for their blessings.
- Where's Will? - I imagine he went to his compartment.
- I'll get him.
- You know he might have been right about that short in the Chariot's ignition system.
- Look at this.
- Will? - Well, he's not here.
- He told me he had an idea on how to fix the Chariot.
Now, I left strict orders that no one leaves the ship at night.
That's just what I told him.
What's he doing out there alone? Now of all times.
- What's the matter with now? - But you don't understand.
- The Robot is out there.
- We know that.
Now tell us what we don't understand.
He's just liable to find Will.
- And? - And-- I suppose he'll bring him back.
Guess I was wrong.
I really thought I could fix it.
Boy, it's cold.
I gotta get back to the ship.
[ Mechanical Whirring .]
A light.
I wanna talk to you about the way you ran off.
Phase one, when unessential personnel are found alone, destroy.
Go back! You hear me? G-G-Go back.
Keep away from me.
Go back! Go back! Go back!