episode #72 - Two Weeks in Space

episode #72 / Air Date: 12/13/67 (episode #13 of 3rd season)
written by Robert Hamner; Directed by Don Richardson

Most of the Robinson clan have traveled to another part of the planet, mostly so John & Don could do some more work, though Maureen and the girls try to look at it as a vacation. This leaves Smith, Will & the Robot with the ship. Don detects a "B7" ship approaching; the aliens try to pass themselves off as an Earth ship, but John & Don know better; they activate a radiation shield. Indeed, these are aliens who have these pineapple-shaped heads; they then target the Jupiter 2 site.

This also features the 3rd appearance of Zumdish (Fritz Feld, last seen in The Toymaker & The Android Machine); he is now trying his own enterprise, but he's been brainwashed by the aliens, who are intergalactic versions of bank robbers; there are 2 males and 2 females and they pose as space tourists, changing themselves into human form. Smith gets the bright idea to convert the Jupiter 2 site into a space hotel - the "Happy Acres" Hotel (ever the capitalist). The other Robinsons soon return and there's an action finale.
This one was kind of interesting, with the feel of a larger budget - more guest stars than usual and some colorful new costumes. The planet also had more of a lush, tropical jungle look to it here (sort of like the one in the Star Trek TOS episode The Apple, but with less vegetation). Unfortunately, the middle of this episode slows to a crawl, despite the spectacle of a converted Jupiter 2 site. The best sections are the intriguing first act and the exciting climax. BoG's Score: 6 out of 10
Lost in Trivia: one of the alien girls is played by Edy Williams, who had a pretty good career in exploitation films in the late sixties and early seventies, and married Russ Meyer