Character Studies

Analysis by Charles Mento

Maureen Robinson

Maureen Robinson passed the grueling International Space Administration test for intergalactic flight.  She is, the commentator tells us, "...his wife, Dr. Maureen Robinson, the distinguished biochemist of the New Mexico Institute for Space Medicine."  From THE RELUCTANT STOWAWAY script - she carries her head proudly with an alert inquisitive air.

She is a brilliant woman (see ONE OF OUR DOGS IS MISSING?), age 35, of sturdy Western pioneer stock (?), yet possibly just A LITTLE too maternal and feminine for the adventures and ordeals in store (NO PLACE script info).

• She had an adverse reaction to the freezing tube suspended animation and seemingly almost died but Smith brought her out of it
• Maureen once had a teddy bear within which she had an imaginary friend named Mr. Noodles - which Penny once thought was ridiculous
• Maureen wanted to turn back and go to Earth in the first episode just after the meteor storm
• She also seems set in returning to Earth in WILD ADVENTURE, but agrees with John in THE RAFT that Alpha Centauri always was their destination
• She also admits she did not like Priplanus in THE RAFT and would not miss it when they left
• In ATTACK OF THE MONSTER PLANTS, Maureen seems very sad that they won't be leaving the planet
• Maureen does not know how to use an old fashioned telephone (VISIT TO A HOSTILE PLANET), but they are still on Earth (RETURN FROM OUTER SPACE)
• She also found, along with friends, family members, or a combination of the two, a ouija board in her grandmother's attic - and neither she nor her grandmother knew what to do with it (GHOST IN SPACE)
• Keeps an open mind about things and believes there are mysterious unknown forces in space (MY FRIEND MR. NOBODY, GHOST IN SPACE). The strongest force in her world though is love (THE DREAM MONSTER)
• She is also not afraid to tell aliens what she thinks of them (THE KEEPER, Archon and the Saticons in THE GALAXY GIFT, Bolix in ALL THAT GLITTERS)
• Only once is she seen somewhat lying to John - in WRECK OF THE ROBOT she doesn't reveal she knows about John and Don's quest against the evil aliens - and that they may not return from it at all. She overheard it
• Maureen is the first to extend welcome to anyone, even grouchy aliens - THE KEEPER, Quano in THE CHALLENGE, Effra in THE SPACE CROPPERS, Keema in THE GOLDEN MAN (wrongly that time), Ohan in ALL THAT GLITTERS
• She is somewhat of a peace maker - or at least tries to be in THE GOLDEN MAN and keeps both John and Don from physically attacking Smith several times (INVADERS FROM THE 5TH DIMENSION, HIS MAJESTY SMITH), asks Don to bring the old Smith food in A CHANGE OF SPACE, and also tells Will when Will is back talking Smith - even though Will is usually in the right (THERE WERE GIANTS IN THE EARTH)
• She is  also not above telling Smith what she thinks of him (THERE WERE GIANTS, THE DEADLY GAMES OF GAMMA 6 - when he urges John to fight in Myko's games, ONE OF OUR DOGS IS MISSING, A CHANGE OF SPACE, THE SKY PIRATE, GHOST IN SPACE - when he leaves Will out in the bog)
• She may be a softie for the Robot by the time WAR OF THE ROBOTS is finished
• Maureen bakes, cooks, darns socks, makes clothes, serves up dinners, lunches, breakfast, coffee, washes clothes, and bakes cakes
• She is quite gullible (THE CURSE OF COUSIN SMITH)
• Somehow Maureen seems to know a small bit about what Verda is teaching the children in THE ANDROID MACHINE - the history of the universe and Formaral's mission - the first being to leave his home planet and wander the universe.  Maureen felt the children are growing up in this world and perhaps they should learn about it first before learning about the Earth - a very small place and very far away
• Maureen is inept when she is left in charge of the campsite, making awful blunders in ONE OF OUR DOGS IS MISSING, ALL THAT GLITTERS, and THE GOLDEN MAN - and not alone in this, Judy was also quite stupid when helping out in these episodes
• Sometimes Maureen's intuition is right (THE QUESTING BEAST) but often she is fearful of new adventures (THE HAUNTED LIGHTHOUSE) and of taking chances (WRECK OF THE ROBOT where she warns John not to go to the aliens' cave - it is too dangerous).

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