There’s a great interview with Harris in ehich he talks about “The Great Vegetable Rebellion” (the one with the 6’ carrot man).
The show’s writer, Peter Packer (great name, byw) had gone to Harris’ dressing room with a draft of the script. He didn’t want to show it to Harris at first. Harris asked him why. Packer said that he had just plain run out of ideas. Harris read the script and pretty much agreed. That didn’t stop him from turning in a classic performance of Dr. Smith turning into a plant.
As the story goes, John Williams, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard, and Marta Kristen could barely contain themselves. They kept blowing takes by laughing. Irwin Allen was furious and wrote them out of the show (except for the obligatory “We’re to explore the other side of the planet, try not to get into trouble while we’re gone” and “Well, we’re back, did anything happen?” scenes) for the next 2 or 3 episodes - at full pay!
Supposedly the WB was working on a remake of the show (not based on the movie), but it appears to have stalled.
John Robinson: Harvey Fierstein
Maureen Robinson: Lypsinka
Don: this week’s hot gay porn star
Dr. Smith: Paul Reubens
Will Robinson: one of the Olsen twins in drag
Judy: The Lady Bunny
Penny: Liza Minnelli in pigtails
Voice of the Robot: any good Tallulah Bankhead impersonator
The actors and writers might have been in on the joke, but I’ve heard that people who knew Irwin Allen say he never thought of any of his shows or movies as camp or satire. He really thought he was making serious action-adventures and dramas and was consistently surprised when audiences laughed at them.
The writers may well have confused psychologists with psychiatrists, who do go to med school. Most of the audience probably never noticed; most people conflate the two.
Maybe they could get Joss Whedon!