Lost in Space (TV Series) The Cave of the Wizards (1967) User Reviews

Could have much better. Horrible use of The Robot.

[bigfrankie-43464 · 5/10 · 9 December 2022]

The Cave of the Wizards is a significant improvement over several of the recent Season Two episodes, but fails due to horrible use of The Robot. Minus the horrible use of The Robot, this could have been a "9" Rating.

Dr. Smith is knocked over while rock hunting and goes into a trance that leads him to the Cave of the Wizards. The poor use of The Robot starts here.

To get Dr. Smith out of the trance, The Robot throws a rock the size of brick against Dr. Smith's head! It could have killed him or at the very least caused significant damage. This attempt at Three Stooges comedy falls flat. And it totally unnecessary. However, if that were the only issue, we would have still be "ok".

Up to that point, The Robot had been played reasonably straight. Then we lose it with The Robot non-sense, that destroys what would have been a strong Season Two episode.

The Robot returns to the Jupiter Two with a Golden torso, singing a painfully terrible version of "Pick a Bale of Cotton". If the song itself is not offensive enough, he butchers it and also demands to be called "Golden Boy". The "Golden Boy" non-sense is repeated through the last half of the episode.

On the plus side, there is a great sequence where Dr. Smith, Will and The Robot return to what they think is the Jupiter Two, only to discover it is a replica. The Wizards created it based on Dr. Smith's request for a spaceship as he was leaving the cave.

Despite the fact that Prof Robinson and Major West are preparing the Jupiter for lift-off, Dr. Smith's greed causes him to go back to the cave and be transformed into the alien leader, with excellent make-up looking like a combination of Dracula and a Vulcan with pointed ears.

The Gold Robot mimicking Dr. Smith is true priceless moment!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 11 April 2023]

What are unusual in this episode quite sure is the Robot behavior and somewhat mimicking Dr. Smith for a while, all remains elements in the plot are the same to fulfil the entire story as a whole, always focusing in the power trio Dr. Smith, Will and the Robot.

Once more the braggart Dr. Smith finds a cave in the outskirts of the Jupiter 2, wherein all members there are working hard to fix the ship aiming for leave the planet for good due in strict time the atmosphere of the planet will give a break to them escape, the countdown is running now in backwards to zero time to take off, meanwhile as said before Dr. Smith and the Robot are arrested by the Draconians's powerful mind stuck in the cave, the Robot also is catch by such Alien and is painted of gold, somehow he starts spoke likewise Dr. Smith in pageantry way.

The time is running to take off, worry about that Dr. Robinson demands to Will looking for Dr. Smith and the Robot to be back right away in order to take off in schedule time, however Will finds them in the cave where the Draconian's brain already had persuade Dr. Smith to escape from there to they planet using Dr. Smith's body and mind as connection to the time machine to work out, Bill also tries sway the gold Robot that all them don't have much time to return in time to Jupiter 2 already has shortest time to take off, although the gold Robot replays if they leave the place they'll lost Dr. Smith that is in brain's process to weird Draconians machine, then came up the unexpected final when after Will begs to Dr. Smith don't do such thing, thus Dr. Smith starts crying.....then.... please see by yourself the magnificent outcome!!

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2023 / Source: DVD / How many: 1 / Rating: 7.

A 'can't miss it' chance to see Dr. Smith with Mr. Spock's ears

[jamesrupert2014 · 6/10 · 26 January 2023]

A mysterious cave houses technology containing the stored memories of the Draconians, an ancient civilisation that attempts to resurrect their long-dead leader in the person of Dr. Smith (but oddly, there are no wizards to be seen). The central premise is moderately interesting and the manipulation of Smith, who slowly morphs into an alien despot, is reasonably well done. Like most episodes, the limited budget is on display, with the cave full of an assortment of left-over props (hence the strange archeological multi-culturalism, a laughable giant eyeball that appears to be partly made of cardboard and a couple of rubbery-looking rock monsters. Jonathon Harris continues to ham-up his increasingly preposterous 'Smith' character as he and robot (who now sings and makes wisecracks) become the 'main characters' in most story-lines (with young Will serving as straight-man). No better but no worse than most of the other season 2 episodes. I suspect that most people watch the old show for nostalgic reasons (as I do) and the sillier episodes may be the most endearing.

How tiresome you Earthlings are!

[gcanfield-29727 · 10/10 · 6 November 2020]

This is one of my favorite episodes. Many people criticize the show for having focused too much on Dr Smith and Will Robinson. I rarely agree with what most people think. The friendship between Dr Smith and Will was strong, and this episode gives a great example of that strength. When Smith becomes "possessed" by the Draconian wizards, he is lost to all of the Robinson party except Will. Only Will cared enough to risk everything in an attempt to save Smith. Will succeeds, as only he was capable of getting Smith to return to his true identity. Some touching moments here, as well as some highly comedic ones. While under the Draconian spell, Smith claims to "know nothing of the 'good times' as Will called them." Apparently, Smith did remember those good times, as his recollection brought him back to his true self. Oh, let's not forget Golden Boy!

A Sight And Sound Thrill Ride

[StuOz · 11 January 2017]

More aliens in a mysterious cave, these ones want Smith.

The second half of season two is generally known as LIS's too silly period but this hour has always thrilled me with outstanding sets, a good Alexander Courage musical score, the rock men from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea's Fossil Men episode, Nero's tomb from The Time Tunnel episode The Ghost Of Nero, mystery concerning a second Jupiter 2 and some touching (if rather corny) moments between Smith and Will.

Alexander Courage is better known for his Star Trek music but he sometimes did outstanding music for LIS (Wild Adventure) and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (Leviathan, The Cyborg).

In a nutshell, Cave Of The Wizards is a sight and sound thrill ride.

The terrible streak finally ends.

[darthquincunx · 8/10 · 5 July 2019]

At last a pretty decent episode which breaks the run of poor to terrible episodes. Dr Smith's silliness and comic villainy is toned down in this episode and Jonathan Harris does well as he is turned into an alien. Infact, I can't recall Jonathan Harris wearing so much make up as this in an episode previous up to now. He is almost unrecognisable. There is still a touch of corniness at the end but well done Jonathan Harris.