# 1960's TV Series "Lost In Space"-How Does It End? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 3, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561 "2012-09-03T18:08:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/1 "2012-09-03T18:08:19Z")
I saw an episode of this dreadful TV show-it is essentially a fantasy series-very little SciFi about it. The one I saw featured Dr. Smith and the boy getting shanghied aboard a spaceship (commanded by an admiral in 18th century dress). How this admiral came upon the family on an unknown planet is anybodie’s guess. But anyway-how did the series end? Did they get back to earth? What happened to Dr. Smith? Hey, at least those velour clothes were cool:D ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/2 "2012-09-03T18:11:07Z")
The series was dropped with no resolution. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/3 "2012-09-03T18:20:25Z")
I was about to say the same thing. I found an [episode guide](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lost_in_Space_episodes) on Wikipedia that gives a bit more detail. It says that a fourth season was planned, but that the show was then canceled after the third season finale was shot. That’s actually how I remember most TV shows being done in that era. There were no storylines spanning multiple episodes; each one had to be self-contained and no matter what happened the characters would end up just about where they started. And it was rare for a show to do a final episode that offered any resolution. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/4 "2012-09-03T19:10:40Z")
Apropos of nothing, a poker buddy piped up in the middle of our last game, “Doctor Smith!” “Huh?” said we. “The first openly gay, or at least over-the-top effeminate character on TV!” And then he bet a couple of bucks on an inside straight, and we moved on to the next topic. But I later brought up the fact that I absolutely loved Lost In Space as a kid (I mean, it had the guy who used to be Zorro as the dad!). And then I brought up Paul Lynde as Uncle Arthur on Bewitched, but we weren’t sure who was on screen first. Okay, I guess this is apropos of nothing, too. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/5 "2012-09-03T19:15:44Z")
DEATH! The same as every other story. ---
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/6 "2012-09-03T19:17:20Z")
I actually did enjoy the show but I’m sure Penny and Judy had a lot to do with that reason. That being said, the final episode was called “The Great Vegetable Rebellion” about a man-like carrot that attacks Dr. Smith. It’s considered one of the worst episodes of the series. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/7 "2012-09-03T19:18:11Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Apropos of nothing, a poker buddy piped up in the middle of our last game, “Doctor Smith!” “Huh?” said we. “The first openly gay, or at least over-the-top effeminate character on TV!” Wasn’t Snagglepuss kind of light in the loafers? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/8 "2012-09-03T19:19:31Z")
> [@digs](#): > > “The first openly gay, or at least over-the-top effeminate character on TV!” Only if you stipulate _fictional_ character. Liberace had his own TV series in the early '50s. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/9 "2012-09-03T19:39:17Z")
Didn’t Charles Nelson Reilly beat Lynde to the airwaves with all of his “What’s My Line?” and “Match Game” appearances? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/10 "2012-09-03T19:42:08Z")
> [@Hottius\_Maximus](#): > > I actually did enjoy the show but I’m sure Penny and Judy had a lot to do with that reason. That being said, the final episode was called “The Great Vegetable Rebellion” about a man-like carrot that attacks Dr. Smith. It’s considered one of the worst episodes of the series. In the 50s version of The Thing, the creature was more akin to vegetable matter. One of the characters says something like: “A walking carrot?” As a young child, this traumatized me for many years against being able to eat carrots. Or brussel sprouts. ---
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/11 "2012-09-03T19:43:47Z")
@NoClueBoy: Actually the TASTE of brussel sprouts traumatized me enough to avoid them. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/12 "2012-09-03T19:45:38Z")
Bugs Bunny would dress up like a woman and kiss Elmer Fudd. Would that be the first bestial relationship portrayed in film? Or does Disney’s Fantasia have Bugs beat? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/13 "2012-09-03T20:02:23Z")
> [@Hottius\_Maximus](#): > > It’s considered one of the worst episodes of the series. An accomplishment in its own right, given the competing candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/14 "2012-09-03T20:03:27Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Didn’t Charles Nelson Reilly beat Lynde to the airwaves with all of his “What’s My Line?” and “Match Game” appearances? His earliest _Match Game_ appearances were in the 70’s. He did appear on _What’s My Line_ once in 1964, but by that time, he had already guested on \*The Patty Duke Show, The Farmer’s Daughter, \*and _Car 54, Where Are You?._ > **[Charles Nelson Reilly | Actor, Director, Writer](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0717650/)** > > Known for: Millennium, All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Wind in the Willows ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/15 "2012-09-03T20:18:05Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I was about to say the same thing. I found an [episode guide](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lost_in_Space_episodes) on Wikipedia that gives a bit more detail. It says that a fourth season was planned, but that the show was then canceled after the third season finale was shot. > > That’s actually how I remember most TV shows being done in that era. There were no storylines spanning multiple episodes; each one had to be self-contained and no matter what happened the characters would end up just about where they started. And it was rare for a show to do a final episode that offered any resolution. But _LiS_ did have episode-spanning stories. E.g., starting with Season 2 they had to flee their current exploding planet, encountered some odd stuff in space, landed on another planet, etc. Since the show relied on some elements of old movie serials, cliff hangars at the end of episodes did happen, esp. in Season 1. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/16 "2012-09-03T20:22:29Z")
> [@Hottius\_Maximus](#): > > I actually did enjoy the show but I’m sure Penny and Judy had a lot to do with that reason. That being said, the final episode was called “The Great Vegetable Rebellion” about a man-like carrot that attacks Dr. Smith. It’s considered one of the worst episodes of the series. Next to last episode. The actual last one was “Junkyard in Space”. Few television shows back then ended with resolution. “The Fugitive” in 1967 with the two parter where Dr Kimble is finally cleared, is an exception. When you consider the huge ratings that got, I wonder what took television so long to make “final episodes” into a huge, must see event. Perhaps decisions to renew or not were made after filming was stopped for a particular season. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/17 "2012-09-03T20:37:36Z")
This video reveals what happens:[Lost in Space…Forever!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjH8pA46tLk&feature=related)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/18 "2012-09-03T20:44:03Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Only if you stipulate _fictional_ character. Liberace had his own TV series in the early '50s. Liberace was gay? Wow, the ladies _loved_ him! 🙂 The previous poster had said openly gay, which Liberace was not publicly in the 50’s. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/19 "2012-09-03T20:49:01Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > In the 50s version of The Thing, the creature was more akin to vegetable matter. One of the characters says something like: “A walking carrot?” > > As a young child, this traumatized me for many years against being able to eat carrots. Or brussel sprouts. I woulda thought of it as revenge on the evil aliens… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561/20 "2012-09-03T20:51:05Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Apropos of nothing, a poker buddy piped up in the middle of our last game, “Doctor Smith!” “Huh?” said we. “The first openly gay, or at least over-the-top effeminate character on TV!” FWIW, Jonathan Harris married his high school sweetheart in 1938 and they remained together until his death in 2002. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1960s-tv-series-lost-in-space-how-does-it-end/633561.md?page=2)