Lost in Space: A Look Back at the Re-Imagined Sci-Fi Series

Netflix brought the 1960’s classic sci-fi series Lost in Space back to the small screen last month, but because of Peak TV – you know all those shows that compete for your viewing time, making it nearly impossible to watch them all let alone write about them all – there is finally time to write about the show.

Unlike many other sci-fi fans who loved the original, I have only seen bits and pieces of the classic series so I don’t have the same connection as many others. Given that fact I was able to watch the 2018 reimagined version with new eyes, and I found myself eager to watch each new episode as quickly as possible.

The basic premise of the series is similar to the original, the Robinson family is lost in space, but there are a lot of events that take place before that eventual outcome. The series is set in 2046 when a celestial object that became known as “The Christmas Star” crashed into the Earth, threatening humanity’s survival. Because of this incident, mankind launches the Resolute, an interstellar spacecraft that would carry selected families to colonize a new world known as Alpha Centauri.

The Robinson family was selected for the 24th mission of the Resolute, but before they reached their destination, the Resolute was badly damaged, forcing many of the families to evacuate in their smaller spacecrafts called Jupiters, crash-landing on a nearby planet [that just so happened to be habitable]. But there they battled strange new environments as well as creatures and their own personal demons while they attempted to discover a way back to the Resolute.

The Robinson family included Molly Parker (Deadwood) as Maureen, an aerospace engineer, mission commander and matriarch of the family; Toby Stephens (Black Sails) as John Robinson, a former Navy SEAL and patriarch of the family; Taylor Russell (Falling Skies) as Judy, the 18-year-old eldest child of the Robinson family [John is her step-father] and mission doctor; relative newcomer Mina Sundwall as Penny, the second-oldest child and Maxwell Jenkins (Sense8) as Will, the 11-year-old youngest child.

The other regular cast members included Ignacio Serricchio (The Young and the Restless) as Don West, a mechanical engineer and smuggler and Parker Posey (Superman Returns) as Dr. Smith [nee June Harris – a tribute to June Lockhart and Jonathan Harris from the original series], who takes on the identity of the real Dr. Smith (Bill Mumy, who played Will Robinson in the original series).

The series consists of 10 episodes that provided flashbacks to the Robinson family and Dr. Smith before they got on the Resolute as well as lots of story while on that habitable planet that included battles with creepy creatures, the family finding themselves in one perilous situation after another, all of the survivors finding the fuel they needed to attempt a daring escape from the planet and a reunion with the Resolute and, naturally, the Robinson family (along with Don West and Dr. Smith) ending up Lost in Space.

Lost in Space debuted on Netflix back on April 13; and it was announced yesterday that the show will return for a second season.