Sci-Fi Lost in Space (Netflix reboot, 2018)

Just finished watching 10 episodes.
At first, after the 4th episode I was going to shut it off but I stuck with it.
It grew on me as it progressed.
Not really Lost In Space.
More like Stuck On A Planet.
However, the final episode gave promise

The family dynamic is still a bit off.
There is still a lot of ho-hum dialog and touchy/feely stuff
but the space scenes are pretty good.
In general, I felt it had too many flashbacks.
Something that might be important if the series contines past 4 seasons.
The flashbacks are really ho-hum and meh but do provide key backstory stuff that is important, in a way.

The series has all the components of modern television drama effects.
Got a 'been there, saw that' feeling from it.
Its like the writers and director have the TV Show handbook and are making sure they get all the key components in place.
Most of the episodes are meh but the final episode really makes up for the rest and works better because of the earlier stuff.

All in all, I will be watching the next season but it really isn't as high on my list of favorites as the original was.
Hopefully, they had to get season one stuff out of the way so the second season will be more on target.
 
Tom. I find your initial review interesting and I'm looking forward to Kevin's review.


>Its like the writers and director have the TV Show handbook and are making sure they get all the key >components in place.

Yep, that's about what I would expect. As the muse of a writer and a beta reader, I have learned the first few chapters/episodes have more to do with establishing the parameters of the series, than the main story line, but that is needed for viewers who haven't seen the original. Often that's done with flashbacks but as you say too many tend to make things drag and after 6-8 segments they should be moving more fluidly. I have not and probably will not watch it, but I can certainly give the writers credit for taking on a task that requires a miracle to accomplish. Most likely, they aren't exactly sure which way the characters will develop as they write, and until they are sure, fluidity is difficult to achieve. That's what I hear you describing, lack of fluidity.

If you look back at most series the first season is rarely the best and the initial episodes seem stiff by comparison to later episodes. The main characters of the original ST were much more "comfortable" with themselves and to us by the 3rd season. They had greatly developed personalities by the time the movies began and we knew them almost like TV family. Spock was actually very human by the last movie. It just takes some time and frequent exposure to grow any relationship, and that is after all what a series of movies or books does; grow relationships, either for the cast or viewers, and most times, both.
 
Is there going to be a next season?
Well if the last episode is any indication I expect it but that is not always the case for whether a series gets a new season. What matters the most is if it makes money.
If I were watching this week to week, one episode at a time, I would have abandoned it around the 4th episode. The main reason I watched all 10 episodes is because I could play them one after another.
It wasn't till the 10th, final episode, that I really got interested. For me, that was what I expected from a show called Lost In Space.
If I had only watched the 10th episode it wouldn't have the impact it did after watching the whole season.
IT doesn't play like an episode show. It plays more like a long movie. You could easily edit out the tiles and credits and make it one long movie.
Its like the writers and director have the TV Show handbook
Falls in love but doesn't but might.
Dies but doesn't but might.
Bad then good then bad again.
Good then bad then good again.
Forgive when they shouldn't, don't forgive when they should.
Political disgust. Political support.
Conspiracies, government cover-ups.
Feelings, lots and lots of feelings.
Planet with 5 or 6 life forms, half of which are dangerous.
Hint of xenobiology, physical sciences and psychology.
Hint of plausibility as long as you are not too intelligent.
Miracle 'save the day' moments.
Another soap opera, basically.
Till the last episode...then,
"Danger"

My passion for science fiction hopes for a great season 2.
Episode 10 hints at the possibility but if they deliver another season of "Stuck on a Planet" I'll lose interest completely.
Technically, they are not Lost in Space. They are hijacked. They just don't know yet.

This next part has spoilers, I can't give my opinion without spoiling something. I'll try to keep it vague but certain words are very descriptive and will spoil it for some. If you haven't watched it yet, don't reveal the spoiler.
Concerning the 10th episode and hints for season 2:
Is the 'stolen' engine from the alien craft sentient or acting on orders when it merges with the ship?
Is the 'robot' the lifeform or a construct of a 'not yet seen' alien species?
Is "Danger" the alien home system or a stop along the way?
Does Dr. Smith possess God-like powers?
Will season 2 be "Stuck on a Ship" or will they figure out how to
a; control the alien 'stolen' engine
b; disable the alien 'stolen' engine
c; convince 'Robot' to take control of the alien 'stolen' engine
d; Eject the alien 'stolen' engine
or cause the J2 to crash on another sustainable Earth-like planet and have a last minute 'save the day' moment.
Edit to add: The J2 is out of fuel. They cannot move without the Alien 'stolen' engine.
There are only two possible solutions to this problem.
1. Find a way to harness the alien 'stolen' engine and make it part of the J2 forever more
2. Find a way to harvest liquid methane
At which point, the fuel tanks on the J2 have been damaged. First they will need to be repaired so they can hold a full tank of methane and a reserve tank. At which point another important obstacle arises.
The J2 is not capable of light speed jumps on its own, it needs its mother ship to do that.
The methane fuel will only provide for sub-light inter-system travel.
According to Robot's crude drawing, the "Danger" system only has 5 planets.
The system is a yellow-white binary system indicating high gravitational forces.
Maneuvering the J2 within such a system would use a lot of fuel compensating for gravitational differences.
One work around would be the possibility of multiple life sustaining moons but while hoping from world to world could create a series, its called "Lost in Space" not "Lost in an Alien Star System".
They must incorporate the alien 'stolen' engine for the series to make sense.
It has the ability to open FTL gateways.
End of edit addition
After seeing the alien 'stolen' engine merging with the ship systems I wonder why "Robot" doesn't also merge with the ship so it can effectively communicate with the human element.
Mannerisms and body language is only slightly effective for a sentient alien robotic lifeform.
"Robot" is a vital character of Lost in Space. It needs to be able to have dialog with people.
We know it can talk "Danger, Will Robinson...Danger, Dr Smith"
I feel its silence takes away from the human dynamics previous renditions have embraced successfully.

As they explore "Danger", a system the Robot obviously knows about, Its communication will be vital to plot and story. It knows things the others don't. Things that can't be communicated with gestures. It will have to communicate.
Second edit add:
The J2 is not equipped with a food replicator.
In the first season we see the survivors eating and managing MREs. The fact that they bring food with them indicates that any long duration away from a food source will quickly become life threatening.
Additionally, we don't know where they get their potable water? The methane used for fuel indicates they won't be harvesting it from engine byproducts like if using hydrogen based fuel. That means they must have water tanks built into the ship.
We don't know where they get their oxygen either. Oxygen supply is a plot element already. Are they using their water supply to maintain oxygen? Can the J2 harvest ice clouds and clean the water?
Every survival scenario depends on the 3's (Air, Shelter, Water & food)
You can survive for 3 Weeks without food (if you have water and shelter)
You can survive for 3 Days without water (if sheltered from a harsh environment)
You can survive for 3 Hours without shelter in a harsh environment (unless in icy water or in space)
You can survive for 3 Minutes without air (oxygen)
End second edit addition

They wrote Dr Smith too vile. Dr Smith is a threat to everything. Any isolated group would kill or eject the Dr from the group. In the original series, the Dr was endured because there was a limit to how vile and treacherous that Dr would be. This one has no limits. The writers think it is a threat but writing the Dr in such fashion is too extreme for any survival scenario. It makes no sense to preserve the association.
Dr Smith needs to get a lot softer, fast. Episode 10 hints that will not happen.

Once again, I am facing a situation where my imagination greatly exceeds the writing ability of a show.
I feel another disappointment coming.
Its what I have learned to expect from modern television shows.
I wanted to feel excited about this but I expect more of the same ole, same ole tired writing and lack of imagination.
But, I feel the same lack of excitement in movies too.
Maybe I should take up gardening?
 
Last edited:
Is there going to be a next season?
There will always be a next season with Sci-fi dude.
0.jpg
Beep, boop, bop!
 
I finally saw the new lost n space, it was cute, but during the crash scene I notice there were no pilots to take the helm the ship was on auto pilot. hmmm, no robot b-1, just a odd alien robot that has healing qualities. hmm. I liked the original where Don and pops take the helm of the ship during landing sequences and scary flight sequences. I miss robot b-1, and for Pete sake, why is everyone sad in these films, even the 90's film the music and the actors were upset bout' every dang thing. sigh, People , people go back to the original for ideas, because these new films aren't interesting anymore....
lost_in_space_67774.jpg
thLEVQVXM4.jpg
<<<<Don't mess with Angus!
Lost_in_Space_Jonathan_Harris_1966.jpg
Zeno!
 
I saw the second and third one. The chariot is pretty cool. The characters are coming together, very opposite of the first one. Its like the J-J Abrams, I don't want my films to look like my "dads" films. LOL! In the magazines they call em' alternate universe films. I reckon this series in in the opposite universe series. Its not too bad. But its not true to the original.;)
 
I rewatched episode 10 tonight after I watched Star Trek Beyond.
Reminded me of being 8 and watching tv at night on the black & white in the dining room.
The episode gets better the more times I watch it.
Too bad all the episodes are not as good.
I hope season 2 uses episode 10 as the model.
Plus, I now want to get a good look at the alien ship.
 
I'm at the tar pit scene, its not too bad. It has exceptional graphics, and its getting a good plot, I wonder if will is going to build another robot?
 
I wonder if will is going to build another robot?
Will didn't build the robot. Will built the robot in the movie Lost In Space but in this reboot series the robot is of alien origin/design. Will saves it in the forest fire in episode one.
 
I'm at the cave part, The fake Dr. Smith popped June on the head during a critical time during take off to get Don and pops into space. Its getting pretty interesting....:cool:
 
Just announced, Netflix has ordered a second season of Lost in Space.

I'm kind of ambivalent on this one. If you ignore the "Lost in Space" name and take a look at what is left, it is a show about an extremely dysfunctional family being forced to work together after a disaster during their migration to a new planet. Oh, and there are alien robots tossed in the fun as well as alien power sources that are more than they appear to be.

At face value it's not a bad sci-fi show if not a bit, for me, boring. When the lives of the main cast characters are in danger you know that they'll come out of it fine. When the surprise 'reveal' of the Resolute power source is revealed can anybody really say that they didn't see it coming?

One of the things that makes a great villain is that they don't know that they are the villain, that they think they are really the heroes of the story to the point where you start to sympathize for them. Dr. Smith, in this case, doesn't come off as the least bit likable and certainly not somebody you could sympathize with. Every scene with her has the character being deceitful, trying to play a con job on whoever is within earshot. I would think that in this case with Parker Posey being the only 'big name' actor on the show that the writers tried to make her character over-the-top on purpose but at some point the 'crazy' needs to be turned off lest the character just becomes a gimmick.

But let's get back to the fact that this is supposed to be a Lost in Space series based on the original. This is where, again, for me, it falls apart. The original show centered on the family and the family sticking together. They were the prototypical American nuclear family of the time. The show wasn't about survival, the aliens, and, originally, not about Dr. Smith. It was family. By having the Robinson's depicted as being so dysfunctional it runs contrary to the original show. It is one of the big things that the 1998 movie got wrong and is something repeated in this version. Then there is the basic premise of the show itself. A family lost in space. But that isn't the case here, here it is the remnants of an entire colony and, apparently, though they are thrown off course the Resolute apparently knows how to get back to their original course. From the last 60 seconds of the last episode of S1 it looks like maybe S2 will actually be about a family a "lost in space" because in this season they were neither lost nor in space.

It is a big budget sci-fi show and would normally be something I'd be excited about but it isn't a show for me, at least not S1. At the moment I'd rather watch something like The Expanse.
 
Just announced, Netflix has ordered a second season of Lost in Space.

I'm kind of ambivalent on this one. If you ignore the "Lost in Space" name and take a look at what is left, it is a show about an extremely dysfunctional family being forced to work together after a disaster during their migration to a new planet. Oh, and there are alien robots tossed in the fun as well as alien power sources that are more than they appear to be.

At face value it's not a bad sci-fi show if not a bit, for me, boring. When the lives of the main cast characters are in danger you know that they'll come out of it fine. When the surprise 'reveal' of the Resolute power source is revealed can anybody really say that they didn't see it coming?

One of the things that makes a great villain is that they don't know that they are the villain, that they think they are really the heroes of the story to the point where you start to sympathize for them. Dr. Smith, in this case, doesn't come off as the least bit likable and certainly not somebody you could sympathize with. Every scene with her has the character being deceitful, trying to play a con job on whoever is within earshot. I would think that in this case with Parker Posey being the only 'big name' actor on the show that the writers tried to make her character over-the-top on purpose but at some point the 'crazy' needs to be turned off lest the character just becomes a gimmick.

But let's get back to the fact that this is supposed to be a Lost in Space series based on the original. This is where, again, for me, it falls apart. The original show centered on the family and the family sticking together. They were the prototypical American nuclear family of the time. The show wasn't about survival, the aliens, and, originally, not about Dr. Smith. It was family. By having the Robinson's depicted as being so dysfunctional it runs contrary to the original show. It is one of the big things that the 1998 movie got wrong and is something repeated in this version. Then there is the basic premise of the show itself. A family lost in space. But that isn't the case here, here it is the remnants of an entire colony and, apparently, though they are thrown off course the Resolute apparently knows how to get back to their original course. From the last 60 seconds of the last episode of S1 it looks like maybe S2 will actually be about a family a "lost in space" because in this season they were neither lost nor in space.

It is a big budget sci-fi show and would normally be something I'd be excited about but it isn't a show for me, at least not S1. At the moment I'd rather watch something like The Expanse.
Its a pretty good show, the thing is the original series always had some alien messing with the Robinsons, crazy music, and scary situations that you think they wont get out of, the new show needs to focus on the original to keep folks interested...
 
Just announced, Netflix has ordered a second season of Lost in Space.
It's been some time but the S2 trailers are finally starting to drop. S2 will be released in its entirety on December 24. Guess I know what I'll be doing Christmas Eve this year while Mrs. Kevin is at Church. 🎅

 
Last I heard was that S3 was ordered by Netflix to air in 2021 but, with the pandemic shutting down a lot of productions, I haven't seen any follow-up talk about whether production has actually started or if it's been delayed.
 
Thanx, Kevin.
I don't follow many TV shows, I'm a movie person.
I have noticed, NCISNO, Star Trek: Discovery and The Expanse now has episodes out.

Are there many shows stuck in limbo like Lost In Space?
The only other two shows I follow are The Orville and Star Trek: Picard.

Which shows are everyone impatiently waiting for?
 
Not sure about Picard and the others but Orville was supposed to start production right around now for their 3rd season to be aired on Hulu with a late 2021 expected date.
 
I wonder if there has been a shift in how TV episodes are shot?
Back in the 'day', each week, a new episode was shot.
I wonder if studios are shooting multiple episodes at once.
Its a logical move. All the key personnel are at the studio, have been screened for covid and working within established protocols.
To go thru the clearing process each week would eat into their productivity.
I wonder if we will see snafus corresponding to this change.
Elements from one episode leaking into another?

Like in one episode, a blaster burns a wall. Then a scene from an earlier episode is shot at the same location and angle and you can see scorch marks near that wall. Since the blaster hit was in a later episode, why would there be scorch marks if it hasn't happened yet.
Another example might be bruise and cut makeup.
These snafus will mess with the continuity of the episodes.
I've seen it before in movies but I believe it could become more commonplace in TV shows.

I remember when Lost In Space first hit the web. One day, no episodes then bam! the whole season available.
I wonder if this will become the norm?
I noticed three episodes of Star Trek: Discovery hit the web in one day.
Its entirely possible the studio shoots three episodes at a time.
I wonder if actor fatigue will play a part in the quality of episodes?

Yes, I think weird.
 

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