It’s now in release! This is the second of three volumes in this
in-depth series that analyzes Lost in Space, the CBS-TV series
which ran 1965-1968.
What makes
these books the ultimate source for background and information about the
series? Author Marc Cushman achieved
access to the papers of producer Irwin Allen, and interviewed many cast and
crew. In these books he produces Nielsen
and other ratings information for the show, and harvests information from
hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles.
Following the
format of his books on the original Star Trek TV series, Cushman covers
the making of each episode. This
includes the genesis of each story; the production staff’s comments and
changes; casting; special effects; publicity for the episodes; period reviews
or comments; and each episode’s ranking against its competitors.
Season Two
represented a big visual change for Lost in Space. The show made the jump from black-and-white
to color, creating a different stylistic
vibe. Lost in Space brought Pop
Art to life in a manner usually attributed to its competitor, ABC-TV’s Batman.
Allen and the
network had discovered that the camp team of Dr Smith and the Robot brought
viewers and media attention. With Season
Two, the producers amped up this dynamic, at the expense (and sometimes
frustration) of the top-billed stars.
The ever-changing dynamic of stars, staff, critics, and audience is
chronicled throughout the book.
The tale of
this groundbreaking sci-fi series can also be read as a parable of the state of
TV in the 1960s: struggles over time and budget, over aspirations and
possibilities.
Stay tuned
for Volume Three, coming soon!
TRUTH IN REVIEWING: I
am the (enthusiastic!) editor of these volumes.
It’s great to be involved in the production of such interesting books.
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