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Second Season Episodes - The Mechanical Men (episode 57)


Tiny mechanical duplicates of the Robot wish him as their leader, and trade his voice and personality with Doctor Smith. 

Dr. Smith claims to have invented a fuel to return the Jupiter 2 to Earth, which when tested nearly blows up the Robinsons. Discouraged, he lies down for a nap and awakens to find himself tied to a platform, the prisoner of dozens of tiny robots who wheel him off. While Don and John search for him, Smith is inspected by a golden robot, who thinks little of his captor but plans to make use of him. The next day, the Robot begins to act oddly, but denies Smith's involvement.

Soon the little robots arrive and demand that the Robinson's robot be released to them. They demonstrate their power by exploding a series of small bombs. While John ponders the dilemma, the Robot arrives with his bag packed asking only that Will accompany him. It quickly develops that Smith's shrewdness and toughness and the qualities of the Robot are the combination that the robots desire. They put Smith to sleep, deactivate the Robot, and exchange their personalities. When Smith returns to the campsite, not only does he speak in the Robot's voice, but he possesses the industry and conscience of the Robot.

When the Robot appears, he is as vain and pompous as Smith, and says the robots will need the spaceship. Since his family could not survive for two weeks without the spaceship, John again asks for time. Smith, in the Robot's role, says his sensors tell him something is wrong. He valiantly travels to headquarters with Will where they see the tiny men mounting an attack. Smith and Will race back to warn the others. Smith throws himself energetically into defense plans. When the attack comes, the mechanical men are quickly turned aside with laser guns while the Robot is felled by a laser beam and Smith crumples. The mechanical men, without their leader, melt away. Soon Smith and the Robot recover their normal personalities. 

Ray says: Lots of Remco Robots in this episode. Special effects department does a nice job blowing them up. Smith and the Robot change personalities. " Oh The Pain"!

Filming

Cast
Professor John RobinsonGuy Williams
Maureen RobinsonJune Lockhart
Major Don WestMark Goddard
Judy RobinsonMarta Kristen
Penny RobinsonAngela Cartwright
Will RobinsonBilly Mumy
Dr. Zachary SmithJonathan Harris
RobotBob May
Voice of the RobotDick Tufeld
Production
Executive ProducerIrwin Allen
DirectorSeymour Robbie
WriterBarney Slater
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