Lost In Space “Precipice”

Well, I knew Dr. Smith was going to be up to no good because, well, everything she does is up to no good.  Sometimes she just isn’t exactly subtle about it.

Let’s take a look at what’s happening in this episode here.  Two things cause problems.

First, as the Jupiter 2 is still stuck on that metal ledge.  They’re not in a bad place to let a bolt of lightning recharge the engines enough to fly off.  But there’s some kelp of some kind holding the ship down.  Don goes to cut it off, but the stuff is tough and, well, it bites him.

Oh, and it’s toxic.  He’ll need a blood transfusion, and Dr. Smith is a match.  So, that’s problem one.

Problem two is Maureen and Penny get washed overboard and fall down into the chasm.  They’re both more or less OK, but there’s no way to climb up

So, that means John has to do some problem solving.  We were told the Jupiter 2‘s general construction will make it safe to be hit by the lightning, but Maureen and Penny down in that metal trench may not be so lucky.

However, Will has an idea.  That involves lowering the chariot on a cable because it’s built the same way, and if the two women can get into the car, they can get hauled inside, hopefully before the lightning recharges the engines.  There’s some teamwork involved, with Judy getting called out of SickBay long enough for Smith to attempt to blackmail Don into helping her.  Don isn’t too worried about what she has because Smith would still need to convince the Robinsons, or at least one of them, and no matter what happens, those people stick together.

Naturally, that means there’s some tension because Will published Penny’s book and Maureen hasn’t read it yet.  Beyond that, while there’s some tension and excitement, the plan does work and Maureen and Penny get inside the chariot just in time for the ship to take off, and somehow the sudden G-forces don’t kill the two of them or snap the cable, allowing John to reel them back inside.

Oh, and there’s an arm from SAR (second alien robot) that starts moving, so John stows it in a large toolbox.  Works for me.

But Smith, well, she does two things we should maybe worry about.

First, she keeps a sample of the toxic kelp.

And second, she goes to see Penny because it turns out Smith actually did read the book.  Impressionable teenagers can be most problematic.

Oh, you bad old Dr. Smith!