Humankind’s fascination with space will never end, and Netflix’s newest offering, Lost in Space is proof. A Netflix Original, Lost in Space has been adapted from the classic 1960’s science fiction series of the same name and the online streaming service has left no stone unturned in modernising the 60’s classic for the millennial audience. Written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, the show consists of 10 episodes that release on 13 April.
The story is set 30 years into the future. The rapid ecological deterioration of Earth has led humanity to search for Earth-like planets in order to colonise and ensure the survival of humankind. This is where the Robinsons come in - a family of five - that has been selected to be a part of a colony on a different planet. The family comprises parents, John (Toby Stephens) and Maureen (Molly Parker) and kids, Judy (Taylor Russell), Penny (Mina Sundwall), and Will (Max Jenkins).
The show starts smack in the middle of the action. The Resolute, a mothership that houses smaller, family-sized spaceships known as Jupiters, violently suffers a rip in space-time while it is transporting the colonisers to their new planet. As things start to go awry, the Robinsons, aboard their Jupiter, are separated from the rest and crash on an increasingly dangerous planet. Adding to their woes is a sentient alien being, who has taken a keen interest in the youngest Robinson child, Will. As this forms the main crux of the plot, further sub-plots emerge as newer characters come into play.
The writers of Lost in Space have effectively exploited the use of flashbacks (the family’s time back on Earth) to contextualise family conflicts that the Robinsons face on the new planet; and the Robinsons are people with serious issues. Each of the Robinsons is going through his/her own emotional turmoil. The oldest daughter, Judy, doesn’t feel a part of the family, as her birth father is different. Penny displays the classic middle-child syndrome, while Will feels inadequate as he feels he can’t live up to his father’s expectations. The family works through these problems as they are all forced to forge an alliance in the unique conditions of the new planet that keeps unleashing new terrors.
The show wears its inclusivity on its sleeve. Apart from the fact that the oldest Robinson child is coloured, (in an all-white family), Netflix has also tried something new. The makers of this Netflix Original insisted upon switching the main saboteur’s gender from male to female. In the original series, Dr. Smith is played by Jonathan Harris. In this remake, it is the brilliantly talented Parker Posey who plays the shady Dr. Smith.
The visual effects of Lost in Space are absolutely gawk-worthy. Sci-fi geeks would promptly notice similarities with Star Wars, however that doesn’t mean we aren’t in for an adventurous ride aboard the Jupiter. The show does not adhere to the campiness of its 1960’s predecessor of this Netflix Original. It is light-hearted like the original, but a more immersive family drama set in space.
Lost in Space is one of the shows where space becomes its own entity. It is not just in the background - it is constantly referred to and is conspicuous with the perplexities it offers to the Robinsons.
Lost in Space is fortified by a splendid cast and Zack Estrin (Prison Break) serves as the show-runner. All the characters are equipped with their own quirks and tormented by their own secrets, especially the kids. Though the plot is predictable, the actors lend relatability to the characters. The far from perfect Robinsons can strike as their own to viewers.
As a Netflix Original, this retelling of the 1960’s series certainly does justice to the original cult-series, even though there are a lot of changes in the storyline to reflect the millennial mindset. A binge-worthy series, it manages to make you click on the next episode as the visuals more than make up for any holes in the writing.
If you’re looking for something to watch on a lazy Sunday, click on this.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)