Rating: 
Summary: Lost in Space- Season 1
Review: I just got my season 1, Lost in Space. I loved Lost in Space as a kid and love it today. The quality of the dvds is excellent. There have been scences cut when the Sci-Fi channel ran this series, you might not notice until you watch the dvds. I think season 1 is the best, but I am hoping for the rest to come out on
dvds. This is a great addition to anyones dvd collection.
Rating:
Summary: I am glad that it was not LOST to chopped-up syndication!
Review: I cannot really express what it was like to open this DVD set and play the pilot episode of "The Reluctant Stowaway". I have seen the pilot 3 or 4 times, and every time the Robot came up the elevator to wreak havoc on the upper deck, the episode cut to a commercial! Most annoying...! You may note the blooper in this episode where you hear the Robot yell "Destroy! Destroy!" and his "voice light" fails to light up. Also note that the spaceship whines and roars as if the engines are on in certain parts, but the bottom whirling engine lights are not on! If you pay attention, you will realize that there are actually 3 different Jupiter 2's in this one episode: the lift-off Jupiter 2, the "landing gear" Jupiter 2, and the crashed Jupiter 2...none of which have the same hull shape!The picture quality of the DVD is impeccable. The sound, of course, is only mediocre as it can only be as good as what was originally recorded. Unfortunately, the sound on these black and white episodes is not the best. I am imagining that when Fox releases the 2nd and 3rd colour seasons that the sound will vastly improve, as you can already hear the difference on cable. The primary reason to buy these sets is to be able to watch them UNCUT. The syndicated episodes often have the best parts completely deleted...ostensibly for additional advertising time. WARNING! WARNING! If you are looking for serious sci-fi adventure, forget about this one. We all know that this series became the first ever sci-fi situation comedy. Watch LOST IN SPACE for the histrionics and comedy, which any fan of good theatre and character acting can appreciate. Your children may become quite literate watching this show actually, as its dialogue is often padded with polysyllabic words that makes one want to grab a dictionary or ask for definitions. You will, of course, have to ignore the fact that 1997 has come and gone and we have not gone to explore the stars yet. Have fun with this set.
Rating:
Summary: A "Must Have" for all Science Fiction Fans
Review: I am a lifelong Lost in Space Fan of the Classic Television series who, like many reviewers here, grew up loving this show in the 1960s. In my opinion, this DVD box set in an excellent value for the money, and I recommend it for all LIS fans (even if you already own all the Columbia House LIS Videos like I do) as well as anyone into Science Fiction. There are 8 DVDs in the set that span the entire first television season of Lost in Space. Each individual DVD Jacket has a very nicely done portrait of each member of the Robinson family, including Robot B9. The entire box set measures just a little over 2 inches thick, so (if you are like me) you can take it with you on vacation as it tucks away nicely into a laptop PC carrying case! The theme of this box set focuses on the episodes themselves. If you are interested in behind the scenes stuff or the making of Lost in Space, I recommend you also purchase the "Lost in Space Forever" DVD which makes for a nice companion to the box set. In my opinion, the picture quality of the box set is very good and is equivalent to broadcast television and good VHS; however, according to http://www.jup2.com, these DVDs WERE NOT "digitally remastered" from the original fine grain 35mm negative film...they were instead generated from the 1" analog video tape masters that were created in the late 1980s. The 1" analog video tape masters have been used as the baseline for all Lost in Space broadcasts and VHS tapes since the late 80s and was the best mastering technology of that timeframe, but it would be nice if sometime in the future, Fox could follow up with a special "digitally remastered DVD edition" using the latest digital remastering technology to provide a superior picture quality over broadcast television and VHS tape. I am hoping that the DVD box set sells well, and that Fox will follow up with the Second and Third seasons of Lost in Space on DVD. While some LIS fans feel that the first season was the best, I regularly watch and enjoy very much the second and third seasons from my Lost in Space Columbia House VHS collection, and would definitely buy DVD editions of the second and third seasons.
Rating:
Summary: Great Job packaging a classic SF TV Show.
Review: It is great to see these shows complete and uncut in their original broadcast order with the "Continued Next Week" cliff hanger titles preserved along with the "... last week as you recall..." opening narration. I am very glad they kept that in. It wouldn't be Lost in Space without that. The box set packaging is something new and nearly ideal -- There are 8 single-sided discs in 8 individual packages -- far better than some silly fold out packaging or two-sided disc packaging I've seen in other box sets. Seven discs with four episodes each and the 8th disc has one episode and the original version of the pilot "No Place to Hide" and a "CBS Advertiser Pitch" feature used to sell the show to advertisers. Although the first pilot was shot in color, the DVD has the black and white version rescued from the trash bin by video pirates several years ago that was sold at conventions and broadcast once on the SCI-FI Channel. I don't believe an intact color copy exists, but we can always hope one is found for a later special edition DVD. Dr. Smith and the Robot were not a part of the original concept and the Jupiter 2 was originally called the Gemini 12. The video transfer is an "accurate" film transfer with no edge enhancement which might explain why some other reviewers said the transfer quality was less than perfect. On a regular TV, it looks perfect. On an HDTV monitor it looks like film. Good contrast and black levels. The DVD copy is equal to the source film. Even the original pilot looks clean. This is a definite buy. The season holds together as good SF - unlike the camp of seasons 2 and 3. This is the Lost in Space we all remember and like best. Nothing to criticize here. Great job all around. I'm glad it is finally available. Thank you 20th Century Fox.
Rating: 
Summary: A good first season before the series went bad.
Review: As a child I loved the first season of Lost In Space with the Doctor Smith character a highlight. Despite the clunky production values(check out the tin foil meteors in the first episode)there were some good adventure episodes. The two-parter called "The Keeper" guest-starred Michael Rennie(Klaatu in "The Day The Earth Stood Still")playing the keeper.
But then the show went strange and campy. My brothers and sister looked at each other in puzzlement and frustation as in season two and three we had hillbillies,giant talking carrots,space cowboys,Dr Smith go go dancing as a hippie and singing space sirens ruining what had been a good show.
It was awful stuff! So bad that it was jaw-dropping.
It turned out that Lost In Space was put against the very campy Batman series and Irwin Allen,in a monumental case of misjudgement,turned Lost In Space into the very same sort of ridiculous campy show. Irwin,by doing this,had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and disappointed fans around the world. Dr Smith star Jonathan Harris moaned on cancellation "we had another two seasons in us". Well so they would have had it not been for the most incompetent scriptwriting and producing of a series in the history of television.
So enjoy the first season as that is the only season worth getting.
Check out the last three minutes of episode 29 called "Follow The Leader" to see this black and white first season suddenly bloom into full color. It would be a good idea if sometime later they could release a best of Lost In Space DVD for fans that only want the very few good episodes of seasons 2 and 3. A single DVD should do it!
Rating:
Summary: "Lost In Space" is An All-Time Classic TV Series!
Review: This is a great collection of a wonderfully entertaining series. God bless Jonathan Harris. He was a mesmerizing talent. Was there a boy or girl in 1965 who wasn't enchanted by his "Dr. Smith" character? All I can say is: "It's about time!" Now maybe seasons two and three will also be released on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: "Danger Will Robinson!"
Review: In 1965, U.S. television viewers were treated to a new Irwin Allen sci-fi production entitled "Lost In Space". Irwin Allen took his inspiration from the 1960 Disney Studios film "Swiss Family Robinson", which was based upon the 1812 children's novel "The Swiss Family Robinson" written by Johann David Wyss (1743-1818) and edited by his son Johann Rudolf Wyss (1781-1830), who also composed the Swiss National Anthem. Johann David Wyss based his book upon the 1719 classic novel "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe (1660-1731). However, Irwin Allen was not the first man to transplant the Robinson family from a desert island to outer space. That credit goes to Gold Key Comics who introduced their "Space Family Robinson" comic book in 1962, but the Robinson family in the comic differed considerably from Irwin Allen's TV show. (Before its TV debut, the first working title for "Lost In Space" had been "Space Family Robinson".) Since Gold Key Comics had working relationships with several TV producers, they didn't sue Irwin Allen. Instead, they modified the name of their comic book in 1966 to "Space Family Robinson Lost In Space", which was in print through 1969, and licensed two other Irwin Allen productions. Irwin Allen's Robinson family had five members: Prof. John Robinson (Guy Williams, 1924-1989), Maureen Robinson (June Lockhart), Judy Robinson (Marta Kristen), Will Robinson (Billy Mummy, who later played Lennier in the 1994-1998 sci-fi TV series "Babylon 5") and Penny Robinson (Angela Cartwright, who had previously played the daughter Brigitta in the 1965 "The Sound of Music"). To assist piloting their spaceship, a flying saucer called the Jupter-2, they included a pilot named Maj. Donald 'Don' West (Mark Goddard) so that they could colonize a planet located in the Alpha Centauri star system. (Beyond the Sun, Alpha Centauri is Earth's nearest interstellar neighbor.) They also enlisted the assistance of a robot (played by Bob May with Dick Tufeld doing the voice). Since the journey to Alpha Centauri would take several years, everyone onboard the Jupiter-2 would be placed into suspended animation for the duration of the flight. However, not everyone on Earth was happy with the Robinson's plans, so a clandestine plot to sabotage the ship after launch was hatched. The would-be saboteur, Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris, 1914-2002), snuck onboard the Jupiter-2 shortly before launch and reprogrammed the robot to destroy the ship after launch, but he didn't get off before launch. When the robot started to run amuck, he revived everyone to help stop the robot, but not before it damaged the ships navigational system, leaving everyone lost in space. During the show's first season of 29 episodes, which were filmed in black & white, the Robinson, Maj. West, Dr. Smith and the robot encounter a myriad of aliens, monsters and alien technology ranging from the benign to the outright malicious. Some of the first season's guest appearances include Reta Shaw (1912-1982) in episode "Return from Outer Space", Michael Rennie (1909-1971, who played Klaatu in the 1951 classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still") in the two-part "Keeper" episode, Kurt Russell in episode "The Challenge" and Werner Klemperer (1920-2000, known for playing "Col. Klink" in the 1960's sitcom "Hogan's Heroes") in episode "All That Glitters". Only the first few episodes of the first season have the Jupiter-2 in space. After that, the rest of the season's episodes takes place upon an alien planet. (The Jupiter-2 doesn't go back into space until the beginning of the second season.) Overall, I rate first season of "Lost In Space" with 5 out of 5 stars. Though the monsters were a bit campy in their rubber suits, the story lines for most of the episodes were quite good with only a few exceptions. An attempt to revive the show after 30 years with the 1998 big screen film (which featured cameos of several original TV cast members) did not do well at the box office. A later attempt to have a special reunion show was cancelled after Jonathan Harris passed away. The best episodes of the first season include "The Reluctant Stowaway" (pilot), "The Derelict", "Island in the Sky", "There Were Giants in the Earth", "The Hungry Sea", "My Friend, Mr. Nobody", "Invaders from the Fifth Dimension", "The Sky Is Falling", "Wish Upon a Star", "Attack of the Monster Plants", "Return from Outer Space", "The Keeper", "The Magic Mirror", "The Lost Civilization" and the unaired pilot called "No Place to Hide". The second season overall wasn't quite as good as the first, and the third was worse.
Rating:
Summary: Lost in Space DVD Season 1
Review: I am glad to have this opportunity to share and read opinions about the release of the DVD.
'Lost in Space' meant the world to me as a kid, and strangely, continued to obsess me into Adulthood, when others around me were heading in the opposite direction.
I kept the secret faith burning, fiercely within, gathering momentum with each passing year, now fueled by the Internet. Evidently, my secret passion is shared all over the world.
I am a self confessed, fully -fledged, 'Lost in Space' Nut!
and am proud of it! The release is testament to all us fans, worldwide, who have contributed in its success story ; and who are now, finally rewarded, with this glorious slice of television history. Guy Williams and June Lockhart are superbly cast. Mark Goddard is solid from the outset, with great energy and truth in his performance. The Family unit works perfectly and of course we all know what transpired following the huge popularity of Dr Smith and the Robot.
But for most of us, I guess it was the kids that we identified with. 'Return from Outer Space' was my first choice to view, after ripping open the tight plastic seal of the inner box (at one point, using my teeth, I was in that much of a hurry!)
I had very vaugue memories of it and is one of 4/5, which sadly I missed on the VCR during it's re run on Channel 4, here in the UK in 1987, so I chose it first, It was my earliest memory of Billy Mumy. He is gifted,charming actor and the shows' hero. It is a very gentle but nonetheless riveting episode , that moved me to a tear, as did "My Friend Mr Nobody",which I chose to watch next.
Obviously the episode when I must have first engaged with Angela Cartwright!? I liked Penny and often hoped she would have been featured more regularly. When she was, she impressed. Considered in order of transmission, is evidence that the quality and tone of the show initially, were indeed top knotch and the performances, although tentative at times, are immediately engaging. The exterior planet sequences are a rare visual treat, and remind us of how budget cut backs and network dabbling changed the look of the show. But, hey! That's television!? Lost in Space was undoubtedly at it's most innovative and exciting in this season, but what was to follow was the BEST! I can completely comprehend now, why I remained gripped in its charms for so long.
The Jupiter 2 was the essence of security for me and the family were vital and imperative. This show literally welcomed me to 'PLaneT EaRtH' and has haunted me all my life and, almost 40 years on, it will influence a new audience, because it is a Classic.
Perhaps now, more than ever, this planet could benefit from it's charms again. I salute Fox.
It has been a dream come true fro me and this product justifies the devotion and patience of the fans. It has been worth the wait!
Seasons 2&3 are a MUST! Lets hope that in a few 'light years' time, our next generation will be sharing their reviews of the NEW series of 'Lost in Space' (cerca 2004) the pilot of which, I understand is in production for the WB channel. Congratualtions again, to those who made this happen. I trust Jonathan Harris is grinning down on us!
Long may he Sneer....and Long live The Robinsons!" " LEAD ON! You Bubble headed BOOBY!"
Rating:
Summary: Sci Fi Noir?
Review: When most people think of Lost In Space, cheesy sets and campy plots come to mind. However, this was not how the series started out. The fact that this DVD edition of the first season is in black and white ( as were the original shows) defies that presumption. The moody "Space Noir" cinematography of the first four episodes look fantastic on DVD. Equally intriguing is the plot driven by Dr. Smith's plans to murder the whole Robinson family in their sleep! He's creepy here, and the stark cinematography of season 1 is more reminiscent of a dark western set in space. As the season progesses you'll see Dr. Smith's character soften and become more comic relief than Noir Villain. But the first season's writers achieved a balance between goofy humor and decent sci-fi plots. Watch for the brilliant Alice In Wonderland fairy tale re-telling entitled "Mr. Nobody". This is one of the best coming of age stories ever broadcast on TV! My daughter really got into it, and now I have a new generation of LIS fans running around the house yelling: "DANGER WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!!"
Rating:
Summary: AWESOME BOX SET!!
Review: Lost in Space Season one on DVD!! AWESOME is the only word to describe it!! The episodes look terrific, and there's not too much grain in the picture. The episodes are just as great in this set as they were several years ago when I first saw these on tv in the late 70's.
My favorites from the first year are "The Oasis", Where Smith eats an alien fruit, grows to be the size of a giant, and then catches a cold. "The Raft" Which shows the family's struggle to survive as they build a space raft to attempt to return to earth.
The Keeper Parts 1 and 2 as well as Return from Outer Space where Will returns to Earth at christmas in the year 1998. This is one box set that no LiS fan should be without.
I can't wait for the second and third seasons. Hopefully Fox will release those as well.
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