Wild Adventure

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Wild Adventure
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Prod No: 9502
Season: 2
Air Date: 09/21/1966
Writers: Allan Balter
Director: Don Richardson
Principal Cast: John Robinson (Guy Williams)

Maureen Robinson (June Lockhart)

Judy Robinson (Marta Kristen)

Penny Robinson (Angela Cartwright)

Will Robinson (Billy Mumy)

Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris)

Robot B-9 (Bob May Dick Tufeld (voice))

Supporting Cast: Vitina Marcus as Lorelei (Athena)
Preceded By: Blast Off Into Space
Followed By: The Ghost Planet

Wild Adventure is an episode of Lost In Space.

Synopsis

John Robinson saves the day when Dr. Smith inadvertently sets the Jupiter 2 on a direct course towards the sun — but not before Smith can be enticed by a seductive interstellar Lorelei.

Setting course once more for Alpha Centauri, the Robinson's journey is again hampered by Smith, who first dumps the ship's fuel into space, then almost pilots the Jupiter 2 into a sun. Then Athena, the Green Girl who wants the Jupiter 2's deutronium fuel for food, hypnotises Smith into going into space. The Robinson's rescue of him once again throws the ship off course, and they are again lost in space.

Plot

"Last week, as you'll recall, we left the Jupiter 2 and our space pioneers contentedly streaking through the heavens, unaware that a giant space mass was even now hurtling out of the blackness directly towards them."

After having escaped the destruction of Priplanus, the castaways are once again space-bound. At this point they have no idea where they are until they can find a "familiar" star and get a fix on it. The ship approaches what appears to be a giant flaming object. Without enough time to steer clear of it, it appears that they have "had it" as John says. However, as the ship approaches, it starts to pass right through it. John tells Will to switch on the analyzers. Will reports that it's just a big ball of "cosmic dust".

After studying the information from the astrogator, Dr. Smith claims that he has determined where they are and where Earth is. He claims that the robot has verified his calculations. If they reset their course now, they could be back to earth in 4 days, seven hours and forty-three minutes! (If this is correct, they are very close to Earth. This comes out to be about 746 AU. That roughly only 25 times the distance from Neptune to the Sun. Whereas Alpha Centauri is about 271209.6 AU from Earth. They are basically in Earth's neighborhood already!)

John reiterates to Smith that there destination is and has always been Alpha Centauri. Smith threatens to swallow the paper on which he has written his findings. Knowing that if Smith, has indeed determined their current position relative to Earth, they can calculate the route to Alpha Centauri, John agrees to change the course to Earth

Smith tries to reset the astrogator, disobeying John's orders that they are heading for Alpha Centauri. Smith's actions send the Jupiter 2 hurtling out of control.

The robot made the calculations. The Jupiter will pass too close to the sun, however to attempt the journey. john sets the astrogator for Alpha Centauri.

Smith uses a magnetic ring to reset the astrogator for Earth. while attempting to reprogram the computer for the new fuel consumption required, Smith jettisons all the reserve fuel cells. John remembers that fuel barges had previously been launched. They find a barge, dock and replenish theitr fuel. Unknown to the crew, there are humanoids near the barges that feed on the fuel.

After getting underway, Smith tricks Penny into resetting the astrogator for Earth.

Smith is lured outside the ship by a humanoid that has been drawn away by the ship.

According to the robot, there are exactly 37 ways to skin a cat.

The ship approaches sol. Don and John steer the ship away and avoid destruction. Being so close to Earth, they decide to return. However, they have only enough fuel to make one course correction.

The family can choose to either save Smith or go to Earth. they opt to save smith and they go flying off again into space.

don mentions that are passing Uranus and Arcturus.

Notes

Will says they must be a million miles in outer space. John says it's closer to two million. I'm not sure if Will is talking about being a million miles from where Priplanus was or from Earth. Either one is unrealistic considering the vast distances in space. The moon is only about a quarter of a million miles from Earth and the Sun is 93 million miles from it.

Will also says they must be travelling close to the speed of light. I should hope so! Their original destination was Alpha Centauri, which is about 4.5 light years from Earth. The trip was supposed to take 5 years. They would have to be travelling at near light speed to get there that quickly.