Lost in Space (TV Series) The Keeper: Part 2 (1966) User Reviews

A classic and influential episode

[benkidlington · 9/10 · 14 September 2010]

The whole two-parter is really good and having sci-fi legend Michael Rennie on-board really makes it work. As an aloof, superior, malevolent alien, with no conscience or heart, he really steals the show.

This episode is no doubt influential on later sci-fi, as the idea of a traveller collecting biological specimens from other worlds has since been done in other shows and movies. For example "Flight of the Navigator" to name just one.

A recurring theme in sci-fi generally is the possibility of alien races who are so intellectually and technologically advanced that to them, we humans just seem on the same level as cattle. Leading us to question our own treatment of intelligent animals - for example chimpanzees in zoos and so on. This is done really well here.

This is apparently the only two-parter in the entire Lost in Space TV series and there is a good reason why I chose to review the second part.

The scene at the beginning of part two has to be one of the most laugh-out-loud hilarious scenes ever made in sci-fi. Literally I was in tears of laughter as the "terrifying" bat-like creature swooped down before being put away by the robot. Well, you really just have to watch it to see how funny it is, a real classic.

I just can't fault the episode at all.

The Keeper Part 2

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 19 November 2011]

The second part of a two part episode, The Keeper, has an "alien collector" (Michael Rennie; The Day the Earth Stood Still) who travels through the galaxies, stopping off on planets, collecting specimens for his spaceship zoo, desiring to add Will and Penny to his collection. When Dr. Smith releases almost all of his monsters (trying to steal his ship), Rennie will demand that the Robinson party give him Will and Penny or else he will not return the creatures to their cages. So Smith decides he might convince either the Robinsons or Will and Penny to do as Rennie asks (Smith would have John try to swallow his attempt at using "the monsters will kill us if we don't do as he asks, perhaps doing so we can, as soon as we get off the planet, go after the kids" as a reason to do so, it is only about saving his own life), as the keeper threatens Zachary's life if he isn't able to get him the children (a clawed giant tarantula monster is the beast Rennie claims will be Smith's fate if he doesn't successfully comply with such demands). Look, I don't think anyone expects that Will and Penny will wind up on Rennie's ship as Earthling exhibits, the key to this episode is how will the Robinsons get out of such a dire situation. I think this episode cops out on the answer, making it too easy on the Robinsons, but, again, we know that the children aren't about to be animals caged in an intergalactic zoo, so the script will find some implausible means to allow our space family a reprieve. What I found quite impressive is Rennie's screen presence, he has a command about him and his character doesn't mince words or make idle chatter. Rennie makes a demand and expects to it to be met. Even more fascinating is seeing how his keeper handles the other pairs, John and Maureen, Don and Judy, asking to replace the children, with intellect and foresight he lays out their strengths and why those very strengths would hinder his use for them as exhibits. It is unfair for Rennie to request such from parents, to let this alien man take their children or suffer the unpredictable hostile forces let loose on their planet, but when he sees something(s) he wants, this alien keeper goes after it/them, not "saddled", it seems, with the idea that what he asks is inhumane. He only wants the children, nothing else matters, not what Maureen, a mother, feels, just that he is able to add new specimens to his zoo.

Smith, the one responsible for this whole ordeal, wants to escape it by giving Rennie what he wants—this guy is a piece of work. The giant iguana and the usual monsters that have made their presence known in other Lost in Space episodes are set free to roam the planet, just more obstacles for our Space Family Robinson to face. There's this great scene where a giant bat monster hovers over a frightened Dr. Smith that is off-the-charts funny. Another memorable scene has Smith, after having Robot delete his involvement (in the release of the animals in an attempt to steal the ship) from its memory banks, trying to defeat a "guilty conscious" device on Rennie's belt, unable to conceal his crime. What I like about Rennie's character, regardless of his viewpoint of humans as such inferior beings, is that he doesn't fool around and is up front, to the point, and authoritative. The fact that a simple act of kindness by Maureen could turn him around is a bit too much for me personally to accept but I guess some proud aliens fold more easily after such an act.

You must fear when Smith is here.

[mark.waltz · 9/10 · 20 June 2020]

If you play a drinking game while watching "Lost in Space" and take a sip every time Jonathan Harris remarks, "Never fear. Smith is Here!", you'll easily regret it, and in this episode (a true classic of the series), he says it twice within a few minutes. The previous episode (part one of the classic "Keeper" episodes with guest star Michael Rennie) ended with Smith accidentally letting go all of Rennie's collection. They are a combination of silly and scary, given more detail in this episode, and there is one creature that is supposed to be even worse than the others. There's a giant owl like creature which looks like it is half kite, half bird, as well as the return of the teletubby like man in a bear suit which could be a long lost relative of the unseen Debbie the Goop. The hideous creature takes care of Rennie in order to escape, a giant arachnid of some kind that seems impossible to have fit on Rennie's space ship.

Still, in spite of those silly moments, this is a nail biting episode because there is absolutely no way that any earthling could escape the power of this creature. Don and Judy, as well as John and Maureen, offer themselves to take Penny and Will's place, and this shakes Rennie up about the Earth people's desire for full freedom. Scenes between Rennie and Jonathan Harris indicate a contempt for Dr. Smith for his disloyalty and selfishness, so this gives Rennie's alien a bit of humanity (or whatever you refer to an alien species of his nature as), and confirms Smith's cowardice and buffonery. When Harris appears in a cap and nightgown in the final scene as a preview of the following week, you have to wonder where Smith hid his suitcase which contained a change of wardrobe.

Part Two Continues To Shine

[StuOz · 13 February 2015]

An alien known as The Keeper (Michael Rennie) wants to add Will and Penny to his collection of space creatures.

Over the decades I have spoken to many Lost In Space fans and I am yet to find someone who dis-likes this two-part adventure.

Some fans have compared it to classic Star Trek's The Cage which was also about humans held captive by aliens. Some fans have compared it to the movie The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951) which also had Rennie playing an alien.

This 100 minute Keeper adventure is close to perfect, with the whole regular cast getting things to do, the only small negative is a two minute bit (in Part Two) where a very fake giant spider attacks the group.

The Keeper Part 1 & Part 2: Season One Gems!

[bigfrankie-43464 · 10/10 · 6 December 2022]

I am combining my Review for The Keeper Part 1 and The Keeper Part 2 into one review, since they should be watch back-to-back. The Keeper is one of the best.

As noted elsewhere, Michael Rennie plays the role of The Keeper and is "as good as it gets".

This is great Si-Fi horror, with great balance between the cast. Dr. Smith, as usual, triggers the problem with his cowardly, greedy, self serving conduct. But he is not a buffoon. He has some great one-liners (i.e. Giving The Robot five seconds to make an evaluation) and a classic Dr. Smith scream!

The Keeper's goal is to obtain two human for his collection. The character of each of the Robinsons, Major West, Dr. Smith and The Keeper are revealed.

Dr. Smith releases The Keeper's collection and chaos ensues.

DESPITE THE LOW BUDGET IT IS A GREAT EPISODE

[asalerno10 · 8/10 · 24 May 2022]

The Keeper discovers that Dr. Smith was responsible for the loss of part of his animal collection and forces him to collaborate with him in his plans to take Will and Penny with him. The final scene of the episode is spectacular seen through the eyes of the 60s, if the series had had a larger budget, a confrontation between the giant spider and the more realistic charriot could have been made, but we must recognize the great creative work of the team to get a lot with so little, the music of the master John Willams raises the tension of this scene a lot.

Entertaining episode with one of show's best 'guest stars' part 2

[jamesrupert2014 · 7/10 · 26 May 2022]

The second half of the show's only 2-parter finds the Robinsons in danger after Smith unwittingly releases the Keeper's menagerie, provoking the angry cosmic zookeeper to demand Will and Penny in exchange for recapturing the various monsters that are now prowling the planet. Michael Rennie is nicely imperious in the title role and the interplay between him and the Robinsons as the latter attempt to bargain for Will and Penny's freedom is pretty well written. The escaped creatures are typical of Irwin Allen's frugal bestiary but the giant bug-like alien that threatens Don and Judy in the chariots must have 'wowed me' when I first saw it back in 1965. Smith is still more of a scoundrel than comic relief and overall the episode is one of the better season one outings.