Main cast: Frank Gorshin (Ward Ellers), Peggy Cass (June Ellers), and Mary Griffin (Cindy)
Director: Gerald Cotts

The orphan Cindy is in the process of being adopted by the elderly couple Ward and June Ellers. This isn’t good news for Cindy, because those two assume that having an adopted kid is like having a free in-house maid.

Poor Cindy suffers and in silence, as her social service officer is a dumb twit that is either oblivious to everything or pretends to be that way so that she can have one less case on her pile as soon as possible. Is our poor darling doomed to be an actual Cinderella?

Well, an unlikely hope arrives in the form of two giant rat-like aliens, also an elderly married couple. They have the ability to transfer their consciousness to other people, so they do just that to Ward and June so that they can better find a way to fix their ship and go back home.

They are so kind and nice to Cindy, even saving the poor darling’s pet that is almost killed by the real Ward and June, that she understandably doesn’t want them to leave.

Parents from Space is a cute episode, but the sly and evil sense of humor permeating a sickly sentimental family-hour façade elevates it considerably to something far more dark and amusing.

For example, Cindy’s idea of a “good parent” also sees the Parent in question being easily manipulated, on top of the usual necessary prerequisites like kindness and a caring nature, and perhaps having over-indulgent foster parents may not lead a perfect happy ending like the episode would initially seem to suggest.

Also hilarious is how the little dear shows a pretty good ability to lie and guile her way given the opportunity, and in the end she happily murders the real Ward and June so that the nicer versions will stay with her, all the while letting the latter believe that the whole thing is just an accident. This is so cute, and I adore her for being this sneaky.

A plus is how June and Ward are one-note nasty, but the actors playing them add just enough flavor and drama to their performance without going too over the top. Meanwhile, the young lady playing Cindy is also pretty solid for the most part.

This episode, therefore, is one of the few in this show that doesn’t feel half-baked, poorly acted, or poorly paced—definitely a cause for celebration!

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