History Series / LostInSpace

* AdaptationDistillation: The short-lived [[{{Comics}} comic book]] written by Bill Mumy is remarkably well done. It assumes that the transition to {{Camp}} reflects the [[UnreliableNarrator embellishments young Penny]] used when recording the crew's adventures in her diary, and that the tone of their adventures actually stayed much truer to the tone of the early episodes. It's set several years after the last episode, with Will in his teens and Penny now a blossoming young woman. The Robot is scaled back to his original portrayal of being [[SlidingScaleOfRobotIntelligence mostly nonsentient,]] but is slowly developing self-awareness as more and more alien components have been added to him over the years. All the characters' personalities are explored in depth, and the art is wonderful. One jarring element, however, is the shamelessly [[FanService cheesecake]] style that grown-up Penny is drawn in (well, it was [[MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks the Nineties,]] after all). Other ''Lost in Space'' adaptations changed the premise significantly, though these qualify more as a reboot than a continuation.

* AdaptationDistillation: The short-lived [[{{Comics}} comic book]] written by Bill Mumy is remarkably well done. It assumes that the transition to {{Camp}} reflects the [[UnreliableNarrator embellishments young Penny]] used when recording the crew's adventures in her diary, and that the tone of their adventures actually stayed much truer to the tone of the early episodes. It's set several years after the last episode, with Will in his teens and Penny now a blossoming young woman. The Robot is scaled back to his original portrayal of being [[SlidingScaleOfRobotIntelligence mostly nonsentient,]] but is slowly developing self-awareness as more and more alien components have been added to him over the years. All the characters' personalities are explored in depth, and the art is wonderful. One jarring element, however, is the shamelessly [[FanService cheesecake]] style that grown-up Penny is drawn in (well, it was [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks the Nineties,]] after all). Other ''Lost in Space'' adaptations changed the premise significantly, though these qualify more as a reboot than a continuation.

* '''Judy Robinson -''' DistressedDamsel and perpetual [[LoveInterests love interest]] to Major West. In the series played by Marta Kristen, in the film by Creator/HeatherGraham. The would-be revival cast Creator/AdriannePalicki in the role. In the film, Marta was one of the reporters at the pre-launch press briefing.

* YouCantGoHomeAgain: The series premise. Although they do make it back to Earth an awful lot...

* CloningBlues: The cast were cloned by exotic means far too many ways to list. Most clones were bad but a few were good.

* LeftHanging: Like most high-concept SitComs of the era it was canceled without advance warning, with the last episode "in the can" at the time becoming the Last Episode, because that's how the business was done at the time. The same can also be said of the aborted pilot for a new series, which also ends without resolution. The comics sort of conclude the series, but they too where left hanging until the "Voyage to the Bottom of the Soul" graphic novel finished the story, but it too ended on a cliffhanger. Bill Mumy later wrote a song about his character as the group's now middle-aged sole survivor still out there with only the Robot for companionship, that qualifies as a semi-{{Canon}} [[WMG/PoisonOakEpilepticTrees Poison Oak Epileptic Tree]], and it was a plot point in TheMovie. Eventually however, the Lost in Space reunion "The Epilogue" gave the show a happy ending.

* WhatMeasureIsANonCute: The frog creature from "The Golden Man".

''Lost in Space'' was a rival for ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' in the realm of serious sci-fi, which might explain the show's turn from serious SpeculativeFiction into FantasticComedy to keep a share of the viewing audience. Ratings wise, ''Lost in Space'' was actually the more popular series ''by far'' during their original run. Notable for its beautiful music (including ''two'' opening themes by [[Music/JohnWilliams Johnny Williams]], sets, [[LatexSpaceSuit skin tight ski-spacesuits]], aliens, inventive and surreal plots, and highly articulated Robot, itself a "cousin" of JustForFun/RobbyTheRobot from the film ''Film/ForbiddenPlanet'' (who also guest starred on the show). The original plot had the Robinsons as explorer/settlers, with Dr. Smith as a saboteur paid by an unseen agency to program The Robot to kill the Robinsons and ruin their mission. This show is often mocked by those who only remember the comedy and talking carrots of the later seasons, but is actually an often well-written show suitable for all age groups. It has a loyal fanbase, and inspired many. The first episodes were in black and white and involved exploring the planet they crash-landed on. When the show shifted to {{camp}} it involved their conflicts with resident or visiting aliens of all sorts. In the 3rd season, the formula was altered to feature more actual space travel, as well as a more action based format.

* FateWorseThanDeath: What nearly pushes John over the edge into banishing Smith from the family. John notes that one of Smith's antics nearly got everyone killed, but John was horrified that Will was almost turned into an immortal slave to a computer.

* FakeGuestStar: Jonathan Harris, who plays Dr. Smith. He was originally going to be killed off after the first few episodes, but he was such a fun character that they decided to keep him around and left him with the "Guest Starring" billing in the credits.

* AliensSpeakingEnglish: All the time, but in the early episodes this was always explained somehow, later not so much. Notably averted in "The Derelict".

* {{Corpsing}}: The whole cast, but especially Billy Mumy and Angela Cartwright, have trouble holding in their laughter when Jonathan Harris starts ChewingTheScenery. And as noted above, the ridiculous villain in "The Great Vegetable Rebellion" provoked this reaction in more than one cast-member.

* HumanZoo: In the two-parter "The Keeper", the titular alien (played by Creator/MichaelRennie) wants Penny and Will for his interplanetary zoo, which naturally causes John and Maureen some distress. Making it more disturbing (possibly even more than the show's creators realized) is The Keeper's method of taking them -- he has a staff that emits a signal that makes Penny and Will ''want'' to go to him. It's ''deeply'' creepy to hear the kids, in flat voices, tell John they want to go for a walk, with him knowing what's waiting for them outside. If he lets down his guard for even a moment...

* AdultFear: In the two-parter "The Keeper", the titular alien (played by Creator/MichaelRennie) wants Penny and Will for his interplanetary zoo, which naturally causes John and Maureen some distress. Making it more disturbing (possibly even more than the show's creators realized) is The Keeper's method of taking them -- he has a staff that emits a signal that makes Penny and Will ''want'' to go to him. It's ''deeply'' creepy to hear the kids, in flat voices, tell John they want to go for a walk, with him knowing what's waiting for them outside. If he lets down his guard for even a moment...

* HateSink: Dr. Smith.

[[quoteright:234:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/LiS.jpg]]

* AbsenteeActor: Guy Williams doesn't appear in "A Day at the Zoo". His and June Lockhart's {{Corpsing}} tendencies during making of "The Great Vegetable Rebellion" are why they're missing from "Space Beauty" and "Fugitives in Space" and the latter also lacks Marta Kristen and Angela Cartwright.[[note]]Lockhart, Kristen, Cartwright and Mark Goddard only appear in flashbacks in "Time Merchant" rather than new material.[[/note]]

''Lost in Space'' was a rival for ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' in the realm of serious sci-fi, which might explain the show's turn from serious SpeculativeFiction into FantasticComedy to keep a share of the viewing audience. Ratings wise, ''Lost in Space'' was actually the more popular series ''by far'' during their original run. Notable for its beautiful music (including ''two'' opening themes by Johnny Williams (as Music/JohnWilliams was then known), sets, [[LatexSpaceSuit skin tight ski-spacesuits]], aliens, inventive and surreal plots, and highly articulated Robot, itself a "cousin" of JustForFun/RobbyTheRobot from the film ''Film/ForbiddenPlanet'' (who also guest starred on the show). The original plot had the Robinsons as explorer/settlers, with Dr. Smith as a saboteur paid by an unseen agency to program The Robot to kill the Robinsons and ruin their mission. This show is often mocked by those who only remember the comedy and talking carrots of the later seasons, but is actually an often well-written show suitable for all age groups. It has a loyal fanbase, and inspired many. The first episodes were in black and white and involved exploring the planet they crash-landed on. When the show shifted to {{camp}} it involved their conflicts with resident or visiting aliens of all sorts. In the 3rd season, the formula was altered to feature more actual space travel, as well as a more action based format.

* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: In "The Challenge", Quano (Creator/KurtRussell) and his father, "The Ruler" (Michael Ansara), are totally focused on making sure Quano can prove himself to be strong and brave by defeating Will in a competition and facing other dangers. They're also completely dismissive of women (which annoys Penny in particular).