episode #60 - Condemned of Space

episode #60 / Air Date: 9/6/67 (episode #1 of 3rd season)
written by Peter Packer; Directed by Nathan Juran

Since a comet might be hitting the planet they've been stuck on, the group decides it's time to take off (the lift off is new but the ascension into the upper atmosphere is a reverse of the usual footage of the ship heading in for a landing, as in an early episode of the 2nd season). Out in space, an early crisis is instigated by Dr. Smith again when the Robot goes hurtling out the airlock; in a deja vu-like repeat of incidents from an early first season episode, The Derelict, John goes out to snag the Robot, while a super-nova poses a danger to the ship
Then, the Jupiter 2 encounters a much larger satellite; it turns out to be some kind of prison ship - the 9847 prisoners (# according to the Robot) are all frozen in place, tended to by none other than Robby the Robot This is intriguing, though it's odd how some prisoners are frozen with working weapons in hand. Also, this episode blows another chance for the two Robots to interact again (see War of the Robots from the first season). John & Don go in to investigate, but (as in previous seasons) Will, Smith and the Robot follow. Smith defrosts a prisoner (Marcel Hillaire) who is playing cats cradle with some string, thinking he's harmless but the convict seems violent anyway.
This actually had some good ideas and the set design appeared to have been upgraded from the previous season, when we kept seeing the same goofy set-ups. But, the story sort of goes nowhere until an abrupt happy denouement which is geared towards little kids. I also have to shake my head at the scene where the Robot supposedly makes his way down a rope ladder; we don't see the Robot do this because, of course, there was no way to show something like that. BoG's Score: 6 out of 10.
Lost in Space Trivia: this was the first episode with the new credits style in the beginning and new music. It was less juvenile and hinted at more of an action style to the space adventure.
Also, there were no Epilogue Tags anymore.