Lost In Space (S3 E1): Danger, Danger Will Robinson

The danger with some of the streaming shows is that there can be light years before seasons, and it is hard to remember what actually happen the seasons before (Yes!  I know light years are a measure of distance and not time but allow me some creative license). Lost in Space premiered in 2018 and had its second season in 2019, we are now two years later, and I really had to search my data banks to remember what the hell was going on.  But the upside with streaming shows is you can watch them whenever you want.  The other danger that pops up with shows that have a long hiatus, is how the actor’s age.  This is especially apparent with children.  Season 3 takes place about a year after the events of season 2, but Will Robinson (Maxwell Jenkins) looks a bit older than a single year passing.   Children’s appearance of age is much harder to hide, but at least with a year having passed, there is some suspension of disbelief that is credible.

For those just joining us, Lost in Space (2021) is based off of a 1965 Irwin Allen television series of the same name (which is a modernization of The Swiss Family Robinson an 1812 novel by David Wyss).  The Lost in Space plot is simple.  A family traveling to Alpha Centauri to find a better life, for various reasons gets lost and is continually trying to find their way to their final destination.  At the end of season 2 of the latest incarnation of the show, the children of the remaining survivors of the Resolute, are stranded on an unknown planet with only a pocket of atmosphere able to sustain life.  Will is attempting to fix the Jupiter ship that brought them there, so they can reunite with their parents, who went through a rift in space and are trying to survive on and above the Robot’s home world.  Judy (Taylor Russell) is the “Captain” of the children and strives to keep everyone alive and safe, where Penny (Mina Sundwall) is rebelling against this because she blames her sister for their current situation.  Maureen (Molly Parker) and John (Toby Stephens) are both mourning the year spent without their children and the worry of what became of them.

The first episode of season 3 is very “Kids” focused.  We do see what has become of the surviving adults, but the real story is how the kids are surviving on the world they landed on.  The episode not only gives you the updates needed to further the plot, but also is chock full of action and suspense.  Not the adrenaline rush that some of the previous seasons have been, this was a good starting point to bridge the gap between seasons and to help jog one’s memories of what lead up to their current situation.

The series continues to have very high production values.  Great special effects and breathtaking locales. The scripts are well written and the story flows nicely with smooth transitions between scenes.  The plot is interesting and full of action and suspense.  The music is updated, but reminiscent of the unmistakable John Williams theme from the original series as a base (giving us old fans a great feeling of nostalgia).  The acting is also worth noting.  The sadness John and Maureen feel and how they manifest that sadness is palpable.  And the pride that the children have from not only surviving but thriving on a strange new world is also nicely portrayed, intermixed are feelings of jealousy, anger, and young love.  I can’t wait to see how this final season plays out, and since it is a Netflix show, I don’t have to wait, as they release all the episodes at once.