The Challenge (2 Mar. 1966)

John and Will fight a battle with an alien father and son that is to the death.

Director:

Don Richardson

Writers:

Irwin Allen (creator), Barney Slater

Stars:

Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Guy Williams	...	Prof. John Robinson
June Lockhart	...	Maureen Robinson
Mark Goddard	...	Maj. Don West
Marta Kristen	...	Judy Robinson
Bill Mumy	...	Will Robinson (as Billy Mumy)
Angela Cartwright	...	Penny Robinson
Jonathan Harris	...	Dr. Zachary Smith
Michael Ansara	...	The Ruler
Kurt Russell	...	Quano

Storyline

The Robinson party meets Quano, a stoic twelve-year-old alien boy from a warrior race who's on the planet for a survival challenge. Since Will is near his age, a fight-challenge is offered. Will has no interest in fighting without reason, but Quano wants the challenge, in part to prove his superiority but also to prove his worthiness as heir apparent to his often-absent father, ruler of their male-dominated race. Quano finally goads Will into accepting, but Will doesn't know that, if he wins, Quano's family with have to destroy him and all witnesses. Dr. Smith surreptitiously learns of this and, threatened into silence, works to wear Will down with over-training before the contest, to save their lives.

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Plot Keywords:

alien boy | contest | heir apparent | ruler | cave | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 March 1966 (USA)

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Irwin Allen Productions, Jodi Productions Inc., Van Bernard Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Part of the costume for the creature in the cave that Quano challenges is obviously the head from 20th Century Fox's earlier The Fly.

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Goofs

During Professor Robinson's "Volta Blade" duel with the Leader, he splits a tree in half with his sword. One half of the large tree falls on the cord of his electronic sword, completely trapping it. In the next shot, the cord has come "untrapped" from the tree and is again swinging freely.

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Quotes

The Ruler: This does not concern you, woman. It is a matter for men to decide.
Maureen Robinson: Well, I don't know about YOUR world, but in ours women are treated as the equals of men.
The Ruler: [laughing heartily] Ah, ha-ha-ho-ho! What a foolish arrangement!
Maureen Robinson: Well, I don't see anything FOOLISH about it.
The Ruler: Women the equal of men? In what way? Are they stronger than men? Do they have more intelligence? Do they make laws or fight wars?
The Ruler: [to John] Ah-ha. This will be an excellent story for me to tell when I return home.
Maj. Don West: [to Maureen] I can ...

User Reviews

Young Kurt Russell

This episode of Lost in Space contains Ansara who is the Ruler that has a son, Quarlo--Kurt Russell. He plays and hunts with Will Robinson then there is a challenge, which Kurt loses. This has apparently happened before and to keep the family name and honor the winner of the contests have been eliminated.

John Robinson intervenes, proves that you don't have to always win but be a father to your son and the Ruler with Kurt go off to fight together against a fierce out-worldly beast.

Another great effort by Mr. Disney Kurt Russell, about the same age as when he did a part for Gilligan's Isle.

A pretty good episode with John Robinson actually having a larger role than Dr. Smith.