Remembering Kurt Russell's Instigative Lost In Space Role

The premise of the first season of the seminal 1965 sci-fi series "Lost in Space" (not to be confused with the Netflix reboot) cause the title to be a bit of a misnomer. The Robinson family, fleeing an overpopulated Earth in the distant future of 1997, was thrown off course during the launch of their starship, the Jupiter 2, thanks to the sabotage of a shady villain calling himself Dr. Smith (Jonathan Harris). The Jupiter 2 sped off into the stars without instruction and was deposited far away from Earth in an uncharted part of the galaxy.

The Jupiter 2 crash-landed on a planet called Priplanus, with the bulk of the show's first season taking place there. The Robinsons weren't so much lost in space as they were stranded on a distant world. I understand the difference may be semantic, but the title "Lost in Space" implies a trek through the stars. Show creator Irwin Allen clearly just wanted to call his series "Space Family Robinson," but likely didn't want to license the rights to Johann David Wyss' novel "The Swiss Family Robinson."

In the episode "The Challenge" (March 2, 1966), Dr. Smith and the young Will Robinson (Bill Mumy) are out camping on Priplanus when they encounter a stern, spear-wielding alien teenager named Quano. Quano explains that Priplanus is the site of his species' coming-of-age resting rituals. He is to succeed his stern, warrior father (Michael Ansara) as the ruler of his people and must engage in combat to prove himself. Naturally, Quano and Will would have to fight one another.

Quano was played by a young Kurt Russell, already a rising, recognizable star in 1965 when he was only 13. "Lost in Space" was another feather in his cap, coming right before a glut of popular Disney movies.

It looks as if Quano is poised to murder Will in combat. To add a wrinkle to the plot of "The Challenge," however, Dr. Smith overhears Quano's father, called only the Ruler, admit that if Will Robinson can defeat Quano, then he will kill the Robinson family to eliminate any witnesses of the shameful act. Luckily, Quano and his father have a chance encounter with a bug-like cave monster, a much worthier foe than the freckle-faced moppet Will. Quano and the Ruler fight it together, removing Will from the equation.

Audience just have to accept that an older warrior like Quano wouldn't be a match for the shrimpy Will. Ultimately, however, the episode is about how Will and Quano are merely being raised differently by two very different father figures. Ultimately, it seems to be widely liked, with online fans having given "The Challenge" good reviews.

Russell's first role as an actor came in 1962, playing a character named Kevin in an episode of "Dennis the Menace." He was uncredited. He took to the world of TV very well, soon appearing in various notable TV shows like "The Dick Powell Show" and "Eleventh Hour."  His feature film debut came in 1963 with the release of "It Happened at the World's Fair," wherein the 12-year-old up-and-comer kicked Elvis Presley in the shin. This expanded the actor's career into shows like "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and, yes, "Lost in Space." In 1966, a teen Russell would sign a 10-year contract with Disney, becoming one of the studio's most profitable stars.

Russell grew up on screen, rarely taking breaks from acting. He has appeared on TV or in films pretty consistently ever since. He is currently making a crime movie called "The Rivals of Amziah King" with Matthew McConaughey.