"The Forbidden World" takes us right back to the "here we go again" familiar territory of the first season as the Jupiter 2 crashlands upon a new planet thanks to the missile fired by the robot world from the previous episode. The damage is substantial and Dr. Smith is not content to stay cooped up in the Jupiter 2, sending Robot (against John's wishes, of course) out to check the area. Robot encounters "something" and then radio silence. This silence, despite efforts to communicate, has John and Don sending Smith out to find Robot until he goes missing, also resulting in radio silence. Worried about his friends' conditions, Will unwisely leaves the safety of Jupiter 2 to find them, running into a bird monster (an embarrassing creature that will only induce chuckles of amusement) and its owner, a grumpy planet-dweller (Wally Cox, with bushy red hair, wearing caveman rags, and hopping around almost birdlike for some reason) not appreciative of his new visitors (or more appropriate to him the term he uses are "invaders"). All Will wants to do is make Captain Tiabo (Cox) understand that his family do not mean any harm or offer danger to him. Tiabo goes on about a "secret weapon" and being part of an army of thousands clustered throughout the world. Meanwhile, Smith, while held prisoner along with Will and Robot, drinks from a keg a certain liquid that tastes addictive, learning to his horror that he has ingested a highly explosive substance certain to endanger anyone around fifty yards of him! Smith's reaction to this is priceless. I laughed my ass off when Major West tells Smith not to get the hiccups. Anyway, the result of this episode is rather ho-hum, and I never believed many people ever consider Cox a viable threat to the Robinson party, just another goofy character in the Lost in Space cannon. The most memorable scene could be when it appears that Robot is about to "detonate" Smith for the benefit of the Robinson party! Again, Smith's reaction to this news is hilarious. Smith has been reduced by the second season (and the tail end of the first) to a comic foil, good only as an obnoxious nuisance to the others, fainting at the mere sight of danger, delivering performances with a glazed ham, sliced thick.
9 Reviews
Good entertainment
benkidlington14 September 2010
It's easy to nitpick a few plot holes here and there, but overall it's a good episode.
Again, Dr Smith drives the plot forward with his impatience and gets the story moving at a good pace. Without him, you'd wonder how long it'd take the Robinsons to get around to working out the situation. As viewers, we're extremely grateful for his rash if usually disastrous actions.
The travellers make planetfall on yet another mysterious unknown world. A resident hostile army initially seems to present a great danger, but the story contains a nice twist and all is not what it at first seems.
As expected, we get to meet some new and dangerous alien creatures, and there's a memorable scene where the Robot looks as if he's really about to get his revenge on Dr Smith.
I understand this episode (and in particular the "Bird Man" alien) isn't to everyone's taste, but I enjoyed it, so I give it 7 out of 10.
Again, Dr Smith drives the plot forward with his impatience and gets the story moving at a good pace. Without him, you'd wonder how long it'd take the Robinsons to get around to working out the situation. As viewers, we're extremely grateful for his rash if usually disastrous actions.
The travellers make planetfall on yet another mysterious unknown world. A resident hostile army initially seems to present a great danger, but the story contains a nice twist and all is not what it at first seems.
As expected, we get to meet some new and dangerous alien creatures, and there's a memorable scene where the Robot looks as if he's really about to get his revenge on Dr Smith.
I understand this episode (and in particular the "Bird Man" alien) isn't to everyone's taste, but I enjoyed it, so I give it 7 out of 10.
Dr. Smith a human bomb about to explode!!!
elo-equipamentos3 July 2019
A weird episode where appears three big monster on the forbidden world, a big Byrd, the giant Spider and on final something like a Big foot or Yeti, well Saturn 2 crash again on an unknown planet, Smith without permission send the Robot look around for some info about the environment, but the Robot didn't return, actually is missing, so Prof. Robinson taking knowledge that him was the blamed, he demands that Smith looking for him even at night, after a couple hours Will leave the ship to try find both, he did find them, enchained by a lone soldier called Tiabo who live in the planet, he contact to their senior officials to decide what's the next, Smith drink an unknown booze, that later was certified by the Robot as an explosive substance, funny episode centered on the power trio, how was boring could be the show without the hot headed Smith, Will and the Robot???
Resume:
First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7
Resume:
First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7
The Teaser Is One Of My Very Favourite LIS Moments
StuOz7 November 2016
The Jupiter 2 crash lands on an another alien planet.
For years I refused to do IMDb episode reviews of many second season Lost In Space episodes (like this one) because I knew some people would love my reviews while some others (some massive fans) would hate them. How does a middle aged man like me review an hour of TV best known as "The Big Bird Hour"??? Look, I am not even going to go into "The Bird".
Let me centre on the good things in The Forbidden World. Normally, I am not too big on the look of the studio bound second season alien planet set, but the planet actually looks so colourful and nice here: partly because of the dark lighting.
But more importantly than all this, the dramatic spacey teaser of this episode is one of my very favourite moments of the whole Lost In Space series.
For years I refused to do IMDb episode reviews of many second season Lost In Space episodes (like this one) because I knew some people would love my reviews while some others (some massive fans) would hate them. How does a middle aged man like me review an hour of TV best known as "The Big Bird Hour"??? Look, I am not even going to go into "The Bird".
Let me centre on the good things in The Forbidden World. Normally, I am not too big on the look of the studio bound second season alien planet set, but the planet actually looks so colourful and nice here: partly because of the dark lighting.
But more importantly than all this, the dramatic spacey teaser of this episode is one of my very favourite moments of the whole Lost In Space series.
Another solid adventure, a 4.9 on my personal scale, and #23-ranked of the season..
jimbotc20066 October 2012
"Forbidden World" is my lowest ranked of the four Season Two episodes so far, but not by a whole lot really. The episode has one of the very best (perhaps #1) and most intense opening teasers of any episode. Of course, it slows down after that somewhat, but not at all in a bad way. The episode is played quite straight and serious, in keeping with the B&W Season One feel so far. For some reason, "Forbidden World" seems to get kind of a 'bad rap' a lot, and you know the reason.."Big Bird," "The Parrot Creature," "The Chicken Monster." Well, I have seen all three of these terms used. The great costume designer Janos Prohaska designed that bird, and I am assuming it was him in the costume as well. Janos Prohaska designed and played like three creatures in STAR TREK, one from each season, as I recall. Overall, "The Parrot Creature" (take your pick and call it what you will) is not really bad at all. There is nothing really bad or overly 'silly' about the creature. He is kind of cute, actually. These are alien worlds in the sci-fi universe, so who is to say what is out there? Besides, the creature does not talk with a female voice like the pink dragon Gundemar. So, you have got to give him/it credit for that.
"Forbidden World" is Barney Slater's first script this season, and he would be very active this year. Also very active by this time in the series was director Don Richardson, and this was his second input of the season. Guest star Wally Cox as "Tiabo," although nothing to get too scared about, was basically a serious character who meant business. He was just a scared and loner type quirky hermit. Really, LOST IN SPACE is still serious at this point..but it is about to gradually, gradually delve into the BATMAN style more comedic "LIS Lite" episodes.
Robert Drasnin is the guest composer here. The music is obviously not up to Johnny Williams style standards, but it is not bad and it works well with the story and with the quirky guest characters. This is another middle-of-the-road Season Two adventure for me, but slightly down into the lower half here. Season One and Season Two are now both officially 'grounded,' as far as an alien planet goes. But, as you know, the Jupiter Two will clippity-clop all across the heavens during its shorter Season Three run. Speaking of 'clippity-clop,' this is the very first episode where we hear the infamous Robert Drasnin "clippity-clop weeeeeeeeee" music at the very end.
LosT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~jim~~~~~~~~~
iN
SpacE
"Forbidden World" is Barney Slater's first script this season, and he would be very active this year. Also very active by this time in the series was director Don Richardson, and this was his second input of the season. Guest star Wally Cox as "Tiabo," although nothing to get too scared about, was basically a serious character who meant business. He was just a scared and loner type quirky hermit. Really, LOST IN SPACE is still serious at this point..but it is about to gradually, gradually delve into the BATMAN style more comedic "LIS Lite" episodes.
Robert Drasnin is the guest composer here. The music is obviously not up to Johnny Williams style standards, but it is not bad and it works well with the story and with the quirky guest characters. This is another middle-of-the-road Season Two adventure for me, but slightly down into the lower half here. Season One and Season Two are now both officially 'grounded,' as far as an alien planet goes. But, as you know, the Jupiter Two will clippity-clop all across the heavens during its shorter Season Three run. Speaking of 'clippity-clop,' this is the very first episode where we hear the infamous Robert Drasnin "clippity-clop weeeeeeeeee" music at the very end.
LosT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~jim~~~~~~~~~
iN
SpacE
A Great Start and then an ok finish
bigfrankie-434649 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Forbidden World starts out as a great Si-Fi/ Horror when the Jupiter Two lands on an unknown planet.
The creepy fog mist and great music set the tone. If the entire episode was as good as the first third, or so, this would have been a "10". That said, it is still very good.
Prof Robinson instructs everyone to remain in the ship until they can determine it is safe. Dr. Smith, as usual, can't follow instructions and sends The Robot. When The Robot goes missing, Prof Robinson sends Dr. Smith!
The suspense level is very high as cowardly Dr. Smith is in the fog. Will then goes to look for Dr. Smith.
They encounter a soldier Tiabo (Wally Cox) and a dopey looking giant bird. That could have been done much better. Actually, it would have been difficult to do it worse! The back half sputters into a typical Season Two episode. Too bad the first part could not have been maintained. None the less, this is still a very good episode.
The creepy fog mist and great music set the tone. If the entire episode was as good as the first third, or so, this would have been a "10". That said, it is still very good.
Prof Robinson instructs everyone to remain in the ship until they can determine it is safe. Dr. Smith, as usual, can't follow instructions and sends The Robot. When The Robot goes missing, Prof Robinson sends Dr. Smith!
The suspense level is very high as cowardly Dr. Smith is in the fog. Will then goes to look for Dr. Smith.
They encounter a soldier Tiabo (Wally Cox) and a dopey looking giant bird. That could have been done much better. Actually, it would have been difficult to do it worse! The back half sputters into a typical Season Two episode. Too bad the first part could not have been maintained. None the less, this is still a very good episode.
How menacing can Wally Cox be?
jamesrupert201414 September 2022
After John's clever evasive strategy causes the missile fired at them at the end of 'The Ghost Planet' to detonate on another world but damaging the Jupiter 2 and forcing a crash landing, Tiabo (Wally Cox), a bedraggled foot-soldier (accompanied by a giant bird-alien) accuses the Robinsons of deliberately attacking the planet and threatens the family with an army and a deadly secret weapon, the explosive secret of which soon becomes apparent to perennial poltroon Dr. Smith. The story is simplistic and silly but reasonably entertaining and Wally Cox (notable Hollywood Square and voice of 'Underdog') is amusing. The episode ends with the Robinsons stranded on yet another planet, with John and Don fixing the ship's infrastructure and defense systems, while Maureen and Judy are busy trying to scrub the soot off the hull. Even compared to his usual 'Dr. Smith theatrics', Johnathon Harris really hams up his 'Oh woe is me.' scenes. As others have pointed out, the Robot's final test of the supposed secret weapon makes no sense whatsoever. Goofy but fun. The giant alien bird makes Sesame Street's 'Big Bird' seem vérité.
Another brainless episode
telecocydon200330 September 2018
Guest Star: Wally Cox
gregorycanfield13 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The voice of Underdog on Lost in Space. If that matters to anyone other than me. One of the most interesting aspects of Lost in Space was how the show could make a planet seem as small as a neighborhood. This episode is a perfect example of this. Wally Cox's character is all alone on this planet. He doesn't want Intruders because they will bring big cities and noise, and everything he ran away from-whatever that was. Cox plays a few different characters, all very well. Another point of interest: Dr Smith drinks a large jug of liquid explosive, and is almost detonated by the Robot.
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