I grew up on reruns of the original Lost in Space tv show from the ’60s, and always held a warm spot in my heart for the show; especially for the iconic Jonathan Harris, whose Dr. Smith was a totally original and delightful character. And of course, the dynamic of a boy (geek icon Bill Mumy) and his robot. When the 1998 movie came out, I liked it – it was a nice update on the visuals of the show, but it was too much a blockbuster sci-fi actioner, and missed much of the heart of the old show. Thus, when a new TV series was announced, I kind of let it pass me by.
This weekend, however, we were browsing Netflix to find something to watch, and noticed the show had made it into a second season, which seemed like a sign that it might be better than expected. So, we gave it a shot. Now, halfway through the first season, and we are hooked.
First and foremost, this Lost in Space is a show about a family filled with smart, driven people, dealing with internal struggles while trying to survive in extraordinary situations. I won’t go into too much detail, because I want you to discover as much as possible for yourself, but in broad strokes, the Robinson family has headed out with a large group of colonists to reach Alpha Centauri to start a new life on a new world, and escape the collapsing ecosystem on Earth. Something goes awry on the mothership that was transporting them, and the survivors crash land on a planet in a system that’s a long, long way from where they were supposed to go.
The youngest Robinson, Will, discovers and befriends a damaged alien robot that becomes his protector. There’s a mysterious Dr. Smith, who appears to be some kind of escapee with her own agenda, and a wheeling/dealing pilot named Don West, who seems to be the rogue with a heart of gold. Mom is the driven genius holding everything together, and dad, who was gone a lot helping deal with environmental catastrophes when they were back on Earth, is trying to re-join the family, with awkward results. All the components/characters from the old series are there, but updated nicely and given more to do and deal with. And the science seems pretty well-thought out, which makes me happy as a geek. Indeed, this show makes me think a lot about another stranded-colonists sci-fi show I really enjoyed back in the day: Earth-2. If you remember, and liked, that show, then you’ll be very happy with Lost in Space. But in general, if you’re looking for some enjoyable sci-fi adventure, with strong characters, and a realistic family dynamic, give this show a shot.
Lost in Space has two seasons available now on Netflix.
Yes. Earth 2! Great show. My family is into The Dragon Prince right now, but once we finish that, I’ll keep Lost in Space in mind.