episode #66 - The Haunted Lighthouse

episode #66 / Air Date: 10/18/67 (episode #7 of 3rd season)
written by Jackson Gillis; Directed by Sobey Martin

The Robinson clan are preparing to lift off from their latest planet as a storm whips up (in this 3rd season, their travels would be more diverse, as opposed to being stuck on the same planet for most of the season). Penny encounters an alien elf-like boy named J-5 (Lou Wagner), who says he's the last member of a colony; he also seems to have a little hidden invisible pet which he calls Zaybo and which sounds like a kitten; however, this Zaybo manifests as a threatening lion to Penny. Anyway, J-5 goes along with the group when the Jupiter 2 lifts off.

Will has his suspicions about J-5, who he thinks makes up "stories," but very shortly the Jupiter 2 comes across a big space station, which is like a lighthouse in outer space - a space lightship, F-12. It's manned by a single elderly gentleman who identifies himself as Colonel Fogey (Woodrow Parfrey) of the U.S. Air Force (he also names the galaxy as Y14, whatever that means). Fogey comes across as forgetful and inept, but the group reasons that his 11 years in solitude has unbalanced him somewhat. They accept an invitation to dinner and are able to relax. There's even good news: there's fuel there and they should be able to get back to Earth; only, J-5 is out of luck and will be unable to go to his home.

J-5 does not take this news well and plots payback; his Zaybo is not what it seems - it's all merely his super mind creating images of a person's fears or desires. The foggy-minded Col. Fogey is also not who he seems, but it all turns out rather well in the end, an example of killing two birds with one stone. This was one of those mildly diverting episodes, with a couple of revelations to stir the pot. It's well-paced as are all the episodes which involve take-offs and landings. BoG's Score: 6 out of 10