episode #25 - The Space Croppers

episode #25 / Air Date: 3/30/66
written by Peter Packer; Directed by Sobey Martin
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The Robinsons get new neighbors - croppers yes, but they're also space hillbillies. Smith and the two kids get caught outside at night when they hear a wolf; Smith worries about werewolves and, sure enough, a werewolf pops up (a silly-looking suit). The Robot chases it off with electrical blasts. The next morning, Smith and Will, following the creature's tracks, run into a tall doofus who directs them to the new homesteaders - the matriarch (Mercedes McCambridge) and her knock-out daughter, Effra (Sherry Jackson). They dress like they're on their last bits of clothing (i.e. rags) but Effra is more than easy on the eye.
The croppers/hillbillies make it a practice to plant some strange crop and the climax becomes a redux of the older episode, Attack of the Killer Plants. There is the humor of watching & listening to these backwards hicks from space and Smith tries to romance the mother since he thinks it's a way to get back to Earth. She mostly rolls her eyes at Smith's attempts but soon begins to appreciate all the compliments. But, none of this plot really matters.

No, what really matters is Sherry Jackson as Effra, the first seductive 'alien female' we see on this show - but she's not much of an alien; she is one hot chick! Jackson plays Effra like she is almost always in heat; she even flirts with Will, though her main target is Don. This, predictably, leads to some claws getting bared by Judy; I was almost expecting a catfight... but can't have everything Effra also turns out to be some kind of space witch, but we don't get to see her practice much of this - not that we needed to.

This is silly overall - especially the stuff with the werewolf (Effra's simpleton brother) - but Jackson makes it watchable; McCambridge is also very good as her mom - a naturalistic performance. There are a couple of scenes with Jackson which almost step over a line as far as the TV standards of decency back in the sixties - they pushed it as far as they could go I think.
BoG's Score: 6 out of 10


Lost in Space Trivia: Star Trek TOS actor alert - Jackson played an android later that year in the TOS episode What Are Little Girls Made Of?

Epilogue Tag: the men & Will leave Smith & the women alone again with the ship; an escaped convict is being chased by big hairy creatures and a guard - freeze frame!