The Robinsons: Lost in Space

[mrsmallfan]

So, the WB(or is it another network?) is going to have a remake of the Lost in Space tv series. When are they going to produce it? What network? Who is going to star in it?

[ShadowQueen]

The WB has it in development. I haven't kept up with the casting though....

[VersesBatman]

Ugh.

[mrsmallfan]

Originally posted by VersesBatman
Ugh. Come, come now Verses. It wasn't that bad of a tv show. I liked the Robot (danger!danger, Will Robinson!). I watched it. I liked Star Trek better though.

[VersesBatman]

I didn't like it. It was too cheesy and the movie sucked.

[mrsmallfan]

Originally posted by VersesBatman
I didn't like it. It was too cheesy and the movie sucked. NBC is the network that the show is going to be on. They are goin to do it like a family drama, like Irwin Allen intended to be. I remember the last season or two-- yeah, it was campy and fantasy like-- it lost it's original purpose.

[Jupiter-2]

Originally posted by mrsmallfan
NBC is the network that the show is going to be on. They are goin to do it like a family drama, like Irwin Allen intended to be. I remember the last season or two-- yeah, it was campy and fantasy like-- it lost it's original purpose.

Actually , NBC isn't the network , The WB is.

You're confusing an earlier attempt to get a new LIS on the air.

NBC was putting together a TV Movie Reunion of the original LIS cast and get them back to earth , and at the end it would segway into a new LIS series with new cast totally unrelated to the original.

It was called "The Journey Home" (http://jupiter2.freeyellow.com/root/journey.htm)

This project was axed 2 years ago when Jonathan Harris ( Dr. Smith) passed away.

The WB purchased a pilot for a new LIS series back in October , which is a "Remake" (not a "reunion" of the original cast) of the series ... basically meaning most of the same characters , just different actors playing the roles. This pilot has been delivered to the WB a week ago , they should announce their "yea" or "nay" decision on picking up the series by May 18th.

This one is the "new LIS" it is called : "The Robinsons:Lost In Space" (http://jupiter2.freeyellow.com/root/newlis.htm)

Hope this helps clear up any confusion :)

Mike

[mrsmallfan]

Originally posted by Jupiter-2
Actually , NBC isn't the network , The WB is.

You're confusing an earlier attempt to get a new LIS on the air.

NBC was putting together a TV Movie Reunion of the original LIS cast and get them back to earth , and at the end it would segway into a new LIS series with new cast totally unrelated to the original.

It was called "The Journey Home" (http://jupiter2.freeyellow.com/root/journey.htm)

This project was axed 2 years ago when Jonathan Harris ( Dr. Smith) passed away.

The WB purchased a pilot for a new LIS series back in October , which is a "Remake" (not a "reunion" of the original cast) of the series ... basically meaning most of the same characters , just different actors playing the roles. This pilot has been delivered to the WB a week ago , they should announce their "yea" or "nay" decision on picking up the series by May 18th.

This one is the "new LIS" it is called : "The Robinsons:Lost In Space" (http://jupiter2.freeyellow.com/root/newlis.htm)

Hope this helps clear up any confusion :)

Mike If they axed it because Mr. Harris passed away-- What about Guy Williams? I remembered watching the premire episode. I enjoyed the show, until going into it's last season. It started to become more of a fantasy.

Thanks for informing me
Ron

[Jupiter-2]

Hi Ron ! :)

Outside of Season 1 of LIS , most of the stories revolved around Dr. Smith , Will and the Robot.

Seems that the reaction most folks have when they hear "Lost In Space" - is either : " Oh that flailing armed Robot saying DANGER! DANGER! WARNING!WARNING! Or they say " Oh yeah - Will Robinson" or they have some comment about "Dr. Smith".

All around - those three characters seem to have the most lasting impression on folks who recall the original series - with all due respect to Guy Williams , he just didn't seem to define LIS the way Will, Smith & the Robot did.

Take Dr. Smith out of LIS , is kind of like taking J.R. Ewing out of Dallas - atleast with the networks - you gotta have someone to instigate & go against the grain - they didn't think Journey Home could work with out Dr. Smith , apparantly they did think it would without Prof. Robinson.

They did have it in the storyline that Prof. Robinson died in a heroic battle to save his family at least. :\

Mike

[mrsmallfan]

Originally posted by Jupiter-2
Hi Ron ! :)

Outside of Season 1 of LIS , most of the stories revolved around Dr. Smith , Will and the Robot.

Seems that the reaction most folks have when they hear "Lost In Space" - is either : " Oh that flailing armed Robot saying DANGER! DANGER! WARNING!WARNING! Or they say " Oh yeah - Will Robinson" or they have some comment about "Dr. Smith".

All around - those three characters seem to have the most lasting impression on folks who recall the original series - with all due respect to Guy Williams , he just didn't seem to define LIS the way Will, Smith & the Robot did.

Take Dr. Smith out of LIS , is kind of like taking J.R. Ewing out of Dallas - atleast with the networks - you gotta have someone to instigate & go against the grain - they didn't think Journey Home could work with out Dr. Smith , apparantly they did think it would without Prof. Robinson.

They did have it in the storyline that Prof. Robinson died in a heroic battle to save his family at least. :\

Mike For what I seen of the up coming LIS on the WB, They don't have Dr. Smith (or at least casted one-- yet). The Robot dosen't look as good as the one from the original show, or the movie. They don't have a Don West; the Major was a good foil for Dr. Smith! West did not trust Smith at all!!! Judy and Penny Contributed to several story lines. The reason for the Smith/Will/Robot story lines was due in part to the Batman series. But the Smith/Will thing kinda got old.

Thanks again
Ron

[Jupiter-2]

Originally posted by mrsmallfan
For what I seen of the up coming LIS on the WB, They don't have Dr. Smith (or at least casted one-- yet). The Robot dosen't look as good as the one from the original show, or the movie. They don't have a Don West; the Major was a good foil for Dr. Smith! West did not trust Smith at all!!! Judy and Penny Contributed to several story lines. The reason for the Smith/Will/Robot story lines was due in part to the Batman series. But the Smith/Will thing kinda got old.

Thanks again
Ron

Hi again Ron! :)

In the pilot they do not have a Dr. Smith. He is hinted to appear later on ,if the series is picked up , by Executive Producer Kevin Burns - I guess we'll have to wait and see about that. Has to get picked up first! :lol:

The basic difference (aside from visual) between the orig. series robot and the WB version is that the original was designed and built by Alpha Control (aka NASA) engineers. The one in the new series is designed and built in the garage of 9 year old Will Robinson. They intentionally make it look home-made and rudimentary in the pilot , with the intentions of making it more "technical" and "sophisticated" as the series progresses. It is a "work in progress" whereas the original robot was already built, by experts.

But yeah - "Fan Reaction" to the new Robot hasn't been favorable. :eek:

The WB pilot DOES have a Major West and he is played by actor Mike Erwin.
He'll probably be the love interest of Judy (Adrienne Palicki) just as in the original series.

Some of the original series best episodes revolved around Penny. Doubt this would happen in the new series since the Penny character is an "infant" lol - But I imagine (due to the WB's target audience of 18 to 30) that Judy & West (Palicki & Erwin) will be in a lot of the storylines since their ages are in that target audience age-group..

The move from B/W (that's black and white tv for you younger folk here ! :lol: ) to color was large in part to BATMAN and also the "Camp" was due largely to BATMAN and the characters that appeared on that show , led to wackier & wackier aliens.

The reason Will , Smith and the robot became the center focus later on was mainly because LIS was supposed to be a "Kids" show - not targeted at adults mainly. Season 2 was really hard to watch , a few decent episodes in it , but season 3 started to get back more to it's first season roots , but by then it was too late. There was no season 4.

So going back to "target audiences" I suspect the new series ( if picked up ) would focus less on Will & the Robot (and any Dr. Smith that comes along) and focus more on West , Judy and then the whole family.

The philosophy behind this new series was to take LIS in the direction that original creator , Irwin Allen, had envisioned for LIS & that was of a family that was marooned on a desolate planet and had to endure a daily battle for survival against the elements and an alien or two every now and then.

The original series had no Dr. Smith or Robot in Irwin's pilot to the networks - those characters were added after CBS picked up the series on condition of those changes/additions.

To follow this philosophy with the new series , it really isn't all that surprising that there is no Dr. Smith.

At least not in this WB pilot.

If you're still reading this at this point - "Thanks!" for taking such an interest in a 40 year old tv show! :)

Mike

[mrsmallfan]

Thanks for your reply.

You're right about most of the things mentioned. I heard ( this sounds kinda dumb) that the show was canceled due to the lost money on the failed movie epic Cleopatra. There was less funding for season four, due 20th Century Fox's losses, to make their shareholders happy. Heck, The Planet of the Apes, one of 1968's top ten box office hit movies, would of made up for some losses. Wasn't Cleopatra released in 1964, or 1965? Talk about lane excuses.

Ron

[Jupiter-2]

Sorry Ron , dunno about Cleopatra ... :(

The budget had been cut by the studio , for whatever reasons , more and more until Irwin said he could not produce the show on it . Whether he refused to do so and it was cancelled , or it was just cancelled without offering him to take a concession , I don't know.

I've also heard a story that one of the CBS exec's wife liked Bonanza or Rifleman or one of those shows , and that show was picked up over LIS for that reason.

A lot of shows back then had similar problems though (Exec's didn't like them) Gilligan's Island , Beverly Hillbillies , Brady Bunch etc..etc...

I guess LIS just didn't have the ratings to keep it 's head above water versus the network exec's ire as the other mentioned shows kept getting renewals despite exec's dislike for them.

The cancellation came as a shock to cast members as they were preparing to begin season 4 , so it appears that it was a somewhat sudden decision. :confused:

Mike

[mrsmallfan]

Originally posted by Jupiter-2
Sorry Ron , dunno about Cleopatra ... :(

The budget had been cut by the studio , for whatever reasons , more and more until Irwin said he could not produce the show on it . Whether he refused to do so and it was cancelled , or it was just cancelled without offering him to take a concession , I don't know.

I've also heard a story that one of the CBS exec's wife liked Bonanza or Rifleman or one of those shows , and that show was picked up over LIS for that reason.

A lot of shows back then had similar problems though (Exec's didn't like them) Gilligan's Island , Beverly Hillbillies , Brady Bunch etc..etc...

I guess LIS just didn't have the ratings to keep it 's head above water versus the network exec's ire as the other mentioned shows kept getting renewals despite exec's dislike for them.

The cancellation came as a shock to cast members as they were preparing to begin season 4 , so it appears that it was a somewhat sudden decision. :confused:

Mike Cleopatra was about the historical queen of Egypt. It starred Liz Taylor in the title role, along with Rex Harrison and a few other big names. The scenery and costumes were great! The acting sucked (or so I what I read)! Well, anyways, supposely the funding for LIS was cut for that reason. :\

[Jupiter-2]

Ron,

I asked yesterday if there was a "real" reason known for why LIS was cancelled , trying to weed through the rumors , the following is what I got in return - it doesn't sound like Cleopatra was to blame , at least not single-handedly or honorable-mention-worthy..

I asked Kevin Burns of Synthesis Entertainment , present over-see-er of Irwin Allen properties :
( Kevin Burns , Mrs. Irwin Allen & Jon Jashni Recently In Pasadena (http://jupiter2.freeyellow.com/creation/creation.htm) )


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jupiter-2 Jup2.com"
To: "Synthesis"
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 10:13 AM
Subject: LIS The Original Series ... Cancellation


Dear Kevin,

Rumors abound as to the cause of LIS's cancellation after season 3.

Studio budget cuts were too much for Irwin to produce a show , so he
basically quit/refused to try and it was subsequently cancelled ???

The network executives really did not like the series and they cut and cut
intentionally knowing that the show couldn't be made on such a small
budget ???

One of the executive's wife preferred Bonanza or Gunsmoke or Rifleman or
whatever the show was that replaced LIS and THAT particular show got
selected over LIS , for that reason ???

The studio lost so much $$$$ on the movie extravaganza "Cleopatra" that
drastic budget cuts were made at the studio and LIS fell victim to this???

Basically the ratings had fallen to the point where they were losing money
by airing the show ??

Kevin - do you know the "real" reason that LIS was cancelled ?
Was it one of these?
All of these?
A combination of some of them?
Some entirely other reason??

Another case for "Rumor Control Central" ! ;^)

Really , someone asked and I wasn't sure of the exact reason.

Was there an exact reason that you know of?

Thank you Kevin.
Sincerely,
Mike

From : Synthesis
Sent : Tuesday, May 11, 2004 1:57 AM
To : "Jupiter-2 Jup2.com" <jup2_com@hotmail.com>
Subject : Re: LIS The Original Series ... Cancellation

Everyone thought LIS was going to return for a fourth season. Scripts were written, etc. Jonathan Harris was even sent to NYC to meet with sponsors, etc.

I think the simple reason is/was that CBS couldn't/wouldn't give Irwin the
license fee that he needed to continue production. Some execs at CBS hated
the show and called Irwin's bluff. Irwin had a choice, he could cut budgets
to save the show, or he could hold out in hopes that CBS would "cave."

Ratings had slipped and the show was considered too expensive. Irwin
couldn't see a way to produce the show for less than he needed.

It's also a fact that the actor's contracts generally didn't extend beyond three years. Keeping the show on the air would have meant a drawn out and costly re-negotiation with Guy, June and the rest of the cast.

Time was up, I'm afraid.

KB

Mike

[mrsmallfan]

Thanks Mike!

Well you gotta figure scifi shows are the ones to feel the pinch. Star Trek: The Next Generation costed about a million dollars per episode! Of course it was in syndication! UPN's Enterprise is still showing, dispite low ratings(2.0 average).

Hope LIS for the WB has a better showing.

Ron

[Jupiter-2]

You're Welcome Ron - I didn't know the full answer either , so asking was helpful to me too! :)

I hear ya about Sci-Fi always getting the sharp blade on budget axe - another road block on the NBC version of LIS , "The Journey Home" was the lack of committment by the network to supply adequate funds to produce a "quality" tv-movie. I think they need 5 or 6 mill. to produce and NBC wanted to spend only 2 mil... :(

I think The WB , Fox & Twentieth put in 5 mill. for TR:LIS ....

Sounds like the funding was there - hopefully the product was good enough to convince them to go to series. :\

Mike

[mrsmallfan]

Originally posted by Jupiter-2
You're Welcome Ron - I didn't know the full answer either , so asking was helpful to me too! :)

I hear ya about Sci-Fi always getting the sharp blade on budget axe - another road block on the NBC version of LIS , "The Journey Home" was the lack of committment by the network to supply adequate funds to produce a "quality" tv-movie. I think they need 5 or 6 mill. to produce and NBC wanted to spend only 2 mil... :(

I think The WB , Fox & Twentieth put in 5 mill. for TR:LIS ....

Sounds like the funding was there - hopefully the product was good enough to convince them to go to series. :\

Mike Thank you! Glad to have met you.

Ronald G. Simpson

[Jupiter-2]

It's Official

From : Synthesis
Sent : Saturday, May 15, 2004 10:57 AM
To : "Jupiter-2 Jup2.com" , "Ray Dutczak"
CC : "Jon Jashni" , "Scott Hartford"
Subject : It's Official

Mike and Ray --

"The Robinsons: Lost in Space" will not be seen on the WB this fall. The inability to sign a top-flight show runner before the "up-fronts" in NYC next week will keep the show on the shelf, at least for the present.

The WB is still very keen on the series and will work with Fox and Synthesis to find and hire a qualified writer/producer in time for mid-season.

As far as Jon and I are concerned, we'd rather do the show right -- or not at all. The WB's decision to wait until we find the right creative partner is a smart one.

Regards,
Kevin

[mrsmallfan]

Considering what is riding on this project-- yeah, I would say do it right! To start with, how about putting in a robot build by Alpha control!

[Radioflyer]

The original series was pretty stupid especially near the end but that was from network micro managing it. Back then there was only three so it was bound to happen.


I think a LIS series could work if approached seriously. The movie was disappointing but it has its moments. There is currently a sci fi vacuum needing to be filled by something. The movies doctor Smith was interesting and more menacing than the original wimpy doc. When I watch it, I usually skip around especially to the ending for the escape action sequence. Some scenes are unwatchable the second time around. I did like the way they did it design wise but they made some of the characters too obnoxious. They were originally likable people you could care about. Hypothetically speaking, I wouldn't want the movie version characters living next door.

[mrsmallfan]

Hey Jupiter II! They sent me an E-mail that you replied to my post, but I couldn't find it. So what is new?

[Jupiter-2]

Hiya ,

Sorry about that ... nothing new really.

I searched the board yesterday but couldn't find the thread listed any longer... I thought perhaps it had been purged.

So I did a search on all my posts and found the thread (even though it wasn't listed ) so I posted a "?" in respnse and the thread reappeared on the list.

I then paniced (lol) and deleted my post and the thread disappeared again ! lol

I guess it sent out that message to you and anyone else that subscribed to it.

Not to leave you empty handed though ...

If you're interested in Adrianne Palicki ( Kara - Smallvile / Judy R - TR:LIS ) She's in a new non-WB project you can read about here :

Treasure Of Seven Mummies (http://www.bensonnews-sun.com/articles/2004/06/23/news/news9.txt)

Hope your summer is off to a good start! :)

Mike

[mrsmallfan]

Well Mike, it wasn't really that interesting. Well "Kara" is pretty busy actress. It was good to hear from you! Keep in touch and I hope the this thread is still around. By next winter, LIS should premere! Keep in touch!

Ron

[Jupiter-2]

Hey Ron ,

If you receive this notification - it is no mistake this time. lol :lol:

TR:LIS is still in limbo - waiting for a show runner - with time running out.

Adrianne Palicki (Kara wannabe in Smallville's Covenant ) has been working on a new film based on an old west time period with Vampires thrown in.

I know she picked up some fans during her appearance on Smallville so I thought maybe some folks here would be interested in this.
I posted some pics of her from the set of that movie , on my site, Here (http://jup2.com)

Also an update as to what happens with TR:LIS if The WB lets the license to LIS expire.

Hope you and everyone else here is having a great summer! :cool:

Mike

[Jupiter-2]

The entire "The Robinsons:Lost In Space" project has been scrapped! :eek:

We wont be seeing it at all on The WB! :(

Mike

[ShadowQueen]

How do you know it's been scrapped?

[Jupiter-2]

Originally posted by ShadowQueen
How do you know it's been scrapped?



I was told by an Exec. Prod. that once Jordon left - the project was off the block, "scrapped". :(

Mike

[Jupiter-2]

Any one interested in the canned WB pilot "The Robinsons:Lost In Space" and/or Adrianne Palicki , I updated my site with some character bios and some pix from the pilot at The Robinsons: Lost In Space (http://jupiter2.freeyellow.com/root/newlis.htm) plus some stuff on Adrianne too.

Mike

[mrsmallfan]

Thanks for responding! You have to excuse me for not responding for the last couple of days. I have been without electrical power for almost two weeks, due to Hurricane Ivan!

mrsmallfan (Ronald Simpson)

[ImzadiJedi]

As a kid, I watched the original Lost in Space all the time. But thinking about it, it was pretty silly and unbelievable. I also saw the movie, I didn't think it was bad. It just had some unbelievable parts like the whole ending.
As far as the Reunion, why didn't they just recast the Dr. Smith character? So many years have passed, I don't think recasting characters would of upset fans or viewers.
A more serious Lost in Space does have a lot of appeal. Too bad it got axed.

[axisoftime]

They would have to recast professor robinson too-Guy Williams passed away several years ago.I liked Lost in Space-have some eps on tape-when they went more serious it was cool.Remember the negative universe one-or the keeper who collected animals from all over the universe?

[ImzadiJedi]

I remember the robot that kept saying, "Crush, Kill, Destroy" as a kid I found it frightening. But then they would have a Giant Carrot chasing them and it was really silly.

[axisoftime]

The robot was actualy an android called IDAK-i liked that ep.The robinson robot was going to destroy himself to try and save them-the original IDAK android became good and fought off a more powerfull IDAK.Yeh the giant carrot one was not very good and there were several other weak eps-but nearly every show has its weak eps.

[Jupiter-2]

Originally posted by ImzadiJedi
As a kid, I watched the original Lost in Space all the time. But thinking about it, it was pretty silly and unbelievable. I also saw the movie, I didn't think it was bad. It just had some unbelievable parts like the whole ending.
As far as the Reunion, why didn't they just recast the Dr. Smith character? So many years have passed, I don't think recasting characters would of upset fans or viewers.
A more serious Lost in Space does have a lot of appeal. Too bad it got axed.

A lot of LIS was pretty silly and some even very painful to watch. :\ Have to keep in mind though that this was 1964 and that it was targeted as a "kids show" that should have been on Saturday mornings rather than Wednesday evenings prime-time.

The movie grew on me the more times I saw it ... definately some casting mistakes on that one hurt it too.

You talk about a reunion LIS and recasting LIS , but I am not sure if you are talking about one project or two?

There was a few years back a reunion movie in the works by NBC (http://jupiter2.freeyellow.com/root/journey.htm) that was intended to bring the "Original" cast home and to have replaced the characters of Prof. Robinson and Dr. Smith would have been sacreligious to devote LIS fans ( think of it on a lesser scale of two different actors playing Kirk and Spock in a Star Trek reunion ).

The second project (The WB's) was to be a complete recasting of charaters (http://jupiter2.freeyellow.com/trlis/trlispil.htm) which devote LIS fans had no problem with.

Although there is no Dr. Smith in the WB's version , it sure sounds like one would be added at some point.

After having viewed the pilot too , I can say that there really wasn't any place for a Dr. Smith in the story thus far , though again , you can see how it would have been very easy to add such a character later on in an episode.

Yes, too bad it got axed. :(


Originally posted by axisoftime
They would have to recast professor robinson too-Guy Williams passed away several years ago.I liked Lost in Space-have some eps on tape-when they went more serious it was cool.Remember the negative universe one-or the keeper who collected animals from all over the universe?


The AntiMatter Man and ummm.... The Keeper :lol:

Two of the better ,"Classic" LIS episodes! :)

[axisoftime]

Another classic was when they went back in time to 1947 earth and landed in michigan.I always liked that cause i live in mich lol.Not to mention that 1947 was the roswell ufo story too.
Also on 1 ep they were on a planet of illusions where will-dr smith and the robot thought they were many years in the future.They met judys decendent and there was a golden statue of the robot.Pretty funny when the robot wanted will to call him golden boy.

[TheVillian]

I liked the movie, the TV show I'm not so sure about. It'd be kinda hard to do a sequel now. Guess we're stuck with the TV show.