Lost in Space Season 2 Review

Possible spoilers ahead!

Those famed space adventurers The Robinsons, along with Don West, Dr. Smith, and a mysterious alien Robot are back for the second season of Netflix’s “Lost in Space.”  This time the Robinson family finds itself battling against hostile alien droids, creepy and corrupt mission officials, all while learning things about each other.

Season 2 follows the season 1 finale cliffhanger, which saw the Robinsons propelled into the great unknown of outer space. The season premiere involves a time jump of a few months, time the family has spent on a desolate planet. The family is stranded because their spaceship has lost power. But by combining their skills and smarts they have managed to survive. John Robinson (Toby Stephens) has come to accept this is where they’ll spend the rest of their lives, but wife Maureen ( Molly Parker) doesn’t want to give up and comes up with a bold plan to get them off the planet.

Seeing Maureen as the restless parent was a surprising change from the previous season when she was the more level headed one and John was the hothead. The friction we see in the season premiere becomes one of the primary sources of conflict for the season, which sees Maureen doing all sorts of things like leading a mutiny, piloting repair vehicles and leading expeditions. This season also has some smaller, episodic conflicts for the family to deal with, like deadly weather phenomenons, a lack of oxygen and water, and, of course, the mystery of what happened to the robot at the end of season 1.

Just like in season 1, the cast is phenomenal, from Toby Stephens and Molly Parker’s John and Maureen to their kids played exceptionally by Maxwell Jenkins, Mina Sundwall, and Taylor Russell. Perhaps the biggest shock of season 2 is how much Maxwell Jenkins grew up between seasons. But his growing up fit nicely with how much the character of Will Robinson has matured. He’s no longer the whiny lost little boy from season one.  He actually added something to the season instead of needing saving or getting in the way.

Also worthy of praise are Mina Sndwall and Taylor Russell as Penny and Judy respectively. Each actress has an episode where they were the focus, in Russell’s case we got to see how Judy joined the Robinson family and what led her to become a medical student. In Penny’s episode, we see her trapped in a classroom with three others with only one option for survival. I loved this episode because it showed that while Penny may not be a genius like her mother, she brings her own set of skills to the group.

As the season unfolds, “Lost in Space” manages to introduce some interesting new elements to the mythology of the robot and the alien civilization that made him.  Show also features a growing bond between Penny and the untrustworthy Dr. Smith (Parker Posey). I wouldn’t call the two friends, but I think the two begin to respect one and other abilities.  Dr. Smith remains the show’s wildcard, but surprisingly she is not the main antagonist in season two. However, this season explores who she really is and gives us a glimpse into her past. Many of her actions are still diabolical, but you also can’t help but like her thanks to Parker Posey’s portrayal.

Meanwhile, Don West (Ignacio Serricchio) serves as the series comic relief. He definitely gets the funniest lines of dialogue and the episode where he’s sick showcased how funny Serricchio can be. But he’s on this show for more than laughs, and this season Don West also gets to save the day a couple of times and we get to see him at his regular work. From season one I thought he had a thing with Judy Robinson, but that’s not really touched upon this season which surprised me.

 

Overall I enjoyed “Lost in Space” season two more than the last season. Maybe that’s because this season is less land-locked and takes more advantage of the outer space setting. But for the most part, I think it’s because I really like this cast. Every character got moments to shine this season, and all of them felt as important to the show as the Robinson parents.

Time and time again season two surprised me with twists and turns and by the things characters did. Every time I thought I’d figured things out, the show again found a way to surprise me. The season finale is epic and has me hoping season three dops soon!

“Lost in Space” season 2 score: A

Lost in Space Review

Possible spoilers ahead!

Netflix’s “Lost in Space” is based on the classic 1960s family sci-fi series created by Irwin Allen. The series saw a family of castaways thrown into deep space along with a manipulative old doctor, a young hot-shot pilot, and an overprotective robot. The premise was the same for a 1998 film version, but the execution was flawed to say the least. The new “Lost In Space” on the other hand, is rather good.

The series premiere and follow-up episodes deliver an exciting, fun, and surprisingly dramatic, re-imagining of the original series. In the new “Lost in Space,” Toby Stephens stars as John Robinson. He’s a Marine and absentee father trying to re-connect with his wife and kids after spending years away from home.

His estranged wife Maureen is played by the always great Molly Parker. Maureen is a genius-level engineer and with John gone most of the time, she became the primary caregiver to their three children: Penny Robinson (Mina Sundwall) is the wild child, Judy (Taylor Russell) is only 18 but already a doctor, and finally there is Will (Maxwell Jenkins), the youngest member of the family, and the center of most of the action.

I wasn’t sure how the whole estranged family angle would work, but I found it to be quite effective and one of the show’s best plotlines. Having a divided family gave the Robinson kids the opportunity to develop rather quickly. By episode two we know plenty about each of the Robinson kids, including their strengths and weaknesses and their individual personalities. We also see how their parents fractured relationship is affectiong each kid.

In this “Lost in Space, the Robinson family find themselves on a distant planet, however, they are not alone. Along for the adventure are, Parker Posey as the new Dr. Smith (with a nice little twist), and Ignacio Serricchio as Don West. Unlike previous versions, this Don West is not a hotshot pilot, but a mechanic with a fondness for smuggling and a chicken named Debbie. Watch the show, I promise the chicken thing will all make sense.

But that’s not everyone stranded on the planet. The new series sees the family as one of many survivors of a colonization effort set for Alpha Centauri. When their space station is attacked, many families escape in their Jupiter lifeboats. Many survive the crash landing, but have no way to contact the space station.

This is a big change from the old tv show and the 1998 movie. I don’t know how long time fans will feel about this, but for me, the change works. It works in large part because it gives the Robinsons other people to interact with. Therefore, new relationships are formed; Doctor Smith can play more mind games; and new adventures are launched.

In the acting department, Toby Stephens is very good as John Robinson. Stephens has really improved as an actor since his dreadful work in “Die Another Day.” His character here is a complex one, but the actor delivers a solid performance as a never-say-die soldier. John is also well aware of his failures as a father, and is trying to make amends.

Meanwhile, Molly Parker’s Maureen is fiercely independent and easily the smartest person in the family. Quite often, we see Maureen working out a problem while at the same team teaching her children how she’s doing something. It becomes clear from early on that the kids have much more in common with her, than with John. However, Maureen is also willing to break the rules, if it can ensure a better future for her children.

I should also mention that Parker and Stephens have great chemistry even when their characters are bickering with one another. But the two were at their best when they find themselves stuck in one of the Chariots.

The same can be said of the Robinson children, especially in later episodes when situations force each of them to carry the weight of an episode. The standouts for me were Penny Robinson (Mina Sundwall), and Judy (Taylor Russell). Will on the other hand, got annoying. However, I don’t blame Maxwell Jenkins for this. I think the blame goes to the script which made Will extremely naive and borderline stupid. But I will say that the character improved in the last couple of episodes.

The cast is solid for the most part, even the other survivors were surprisingly strong in supporting roles. But when it’s all said and done, Parker Posey steals the show in “Lost in Space.” She is awesome as Doctor Smith, and she’s scary too. Posey had this look in her eyes that makes you believe she would kill anyone to achieve her goals.

For the most part, “Lost In Space” impressed me with its unique take on a classic. The character development was strong, as was the world building, not just on the planet, but for the space station too. With this show, Netflix has delivered a fun sci-fi family adventure that had plenty of twists and turns that left me wanting more.

“Lost in Space” score: A-