Return to the Lost Planet

Return to the Lost Planet
Episodes:	6
Year:	1955
Country:	United Kingdom
Seasons:	1
Seasons Breakdown:	(1) 6
Category:	Space
Colour:	No
Format:	Serial
Company:	A BBC Production
Creator:	Angus MacVicar (based on novel of the same name)
Run Time (mins):	30
Language:	English
Type of Show:	Live Action
Status:	Ended
Broadcaster:	BBC
First Aired:	January 8, 1955
Last Aired:

Summary

Following the disappearance of Dr. McKinnon, Hermanoff and Stranahan return to the lost planet in an effort to rescue him, but their mission leaves them stranded on Hesikos with provisions sufficient for only four months. Assisted by Andrieff, Hermanoff’s former engineer, Jeremy and his companions undertake the construction of a new rescue vessel.

After launch, a malfunction in the air‑pressure system complicates their flight, yet they reach the lost planet safely after a 60‑hour journey. Upon arrival, Jeremy and his team locate Dr. McKinnon, Hermanoff, and Spike, all of whom have survived. The explorers soon make a significant discovery: evidence suggesting that human‑like life exists on Hesikos. Travelling toward the equatorial regions, they encounter small, tame rodents notable for their short‑sightedness. Near the base of a mountain, they find the entrance to an underground cavern, within which they hear a rhythmic, engine‑like throbbing emanating from deep below the surface.

Inside, the group meets Solveg, ruler and chief historian of Hesikos, his daughter Asa, and Dorman. The Hesikians employ an advanced method of thought transference using a device known as the Electronome, enabling their speech to be perceived by each visitor as his own native language. Through Solveg’s accounts, the explorers learn that thousands of years earlier the Hesikians developed atomic weaponry, but subsequently outlawed all explosives, fostering a long‑standing culture of charity and goodwill.

As Jeremy and his companions prepare to return to Earth, a crisis emerges. An underground river becomes obstructed by a fallen boulder, severing the planet’s electrical supply. With a harsh winter approaching, the Hesikians face a catastrophic shortage of light and heat.

In the novelisation, Jeremy and Spike employ explosives salvaged from an earlier flood to clear the obstruction, restoring the river’s flow and saving Hesikos. The visitors then return to their repaired spacecraft—restored by the Hesikians, and depart for Earth accompanied by Asa, who hopes to share her philosophy of peace with humanity.

Cast

Jeremy Grant PETER KERR, Dr. Lachlan McKinnon JOHN STUART, Madge Smith JOAN ALLEN, Andrieff WOLFE MORRIS, Janet Campbell GRETA WATSON, Prof. Bergman DEREK BENFIELD, Prof. Hermanoff VAN BOLEN, Spike Stranahan MICHAEL ALEXANDRA, Solveg PETER ALEXANDRA, Asa JULIE WEBB, Dorman MICHAEL SEGAL, DONALD MASTERS, C.B. POULTNEY, CHRISTOPHER HODGE, RONALD MARRIOTT, EUGENE LEAHY.