No, no, and no: I’m not going to spend the bulk of this review opining about the lack of originality in the wide, wide entertainment industry because each and every one of us knows that such diatribes really go nowhere. I’ve often said that I – as a longtime consumer of genre projects – am perfectly ok with storytellers bringing a show back from the dead; I just have a few requirements that I feel are necessary to distinguish it from what came before as well as justify the remake. First, it should seek to honor the themes of the original. Second, it should respectfully add something to that legacy. And third, it should – wherever prudent – set out on its own course to bring something new to the universe.
Need a bit more explanation? How about a few examples?
On the plus side of things: Syfy’s reboot of Glen A. Larson’s fabulous space saga – Battlestar Galactica – ran on the network from 2004 through 2009. While it’s safe to say that the program met with some limited controversy over small things like creating an all-new iteration of Cylons (basically human clones) and changing the gender of a fan favorite (the cocky star pilot Starbuck turns from a man to a woman), the narrative run of the show both stayed true to the current of the original. In fact, both shows were centered entirely around the idea of the last remnants of a distant civilization searching out their human counterparts on Earth. Though I’m not exactly well known as being a huge fan of the reboot, I respect it – even embrace it in some ways – for being one of the best examples of what quality genre programming can look like when translating it into a nearly all-new experience.
On the negative: Paramount+’s horrifically rejiggering of Star Trek from a franchise revolving around morality tales into … well, I don’t know what other than a huge, huge mess that resulted in Star Trek: Discovery (2017-2024), a show more properly referred to as ‘STD’ amongst those ‘in the know.’ Creators Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman lacked any compelling reason to ignore so much of established Trek lore and continuity other than to usurp the Trek name for their own nefarious purposes, morphing the intellectual property into a confusing miasma of cardboard heroes and villains all wanting to talk about how they feel. Gone were the days when Starfleet stood up for the best moral choices in the galaxy; and – in its place – audiences were given sermons about white privilege, how governments are evil, and (gasp!) pronoun usage. In a galaxy of black-and-white, Discovery set out to be gray at all costs; and viewers largely ignored the series as a consequence.
So … the decision for any studio or production company to pick up Irwin Allen’s Lost In Space kinda/sorta begs one to ask, “Why?”
Now, bear with me a moment, as some of this may sound a bit disrespectful but is not intended as such. What follows are facts, people, and they’re not intended as an critical assessment necessarily.
But as I said above, Hollywood does what Hollywood wants, and Netflix along with several production partners invested a good sum in an all-new adaptation.
Was it worth it?
Well, I guess that’s where I come in as the resident critic. Today, I’m taking a look at the series’ pilot – “Impact” – which first streamed on the platform on April 13, 2018.
Strap in, astronauts: we’re heading to the stars.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few honest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the episode’s IMDB.com page citation:
“On the way to a space colony, a crisis sends the Robinsons hurtling towards an unfamiliar planet, where they struggle to survive a harrowing night.”
The nuclear family today is not what the nuclear family was in the late 1960’s when the original Lost In Space sent the Robinson family packing into the Final Frontier; and – if anything – the Netflix iteration sought to make that perfectly clear in its pilot episode. Mom and dad are estranged; the kids are not all – ahem – the same color; and family dynamics seem to almost encourage more than a bit of healthy disagreement in several places. While Dr. Smith isn’t yet part of the cast (he – now she! – shows up late in the hour, as does the seminal Robot), it’s still crystal clear that long gone are the days when dad laid out the marching orders, mom divvied up the chores, and the kids did what they could to stay out of trouble … well, at least so much that it didn’t fully derail whatever mission was being explored in an hour of network entertainment.
In this new era of discovery, John Robinson (played by Toby Stephens) is a hardened military man who’s lost favor with his wife Maureen (Molly Parker) and kinda/sorta fallen out of favor with his children Judy (Taylor Russell), Penny (Mina Sundwall), and Will (Maxwell Jenkins). By contrast, Maureen is the consummate professional, one who is loved by peers and her children; though there are hints that she may very well have gamed the political system to secure seats on the Jupiter 2 for the entire family, it’s blatantly obvious that the script from Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless are painting her as the hero figure for modern audiences.
And why shouldn’t they?
Still … you know what?
I’ve always said that – when it comes to evaluating scripted entertainment – I can set aside my own perspective if a story is compelling captured; and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t smitten just a bit with this new version of the classic show.
“Impact” rather effectively and easily introduces us to the Robinson family. They’re all gathered around the dining table of their Jupiter 2 spacecraft playing a game of Go Fish just the way mom, dad, and the kids would (or, at least, used to do); and they’re doing their best to both handle the stress of space flight and sibling rivalries as best they can. When Star Trek: The Next Generation took seven seasons to get its ‘family’ together for a card game, Lost In Space did it right out of the gate; and – in a small way – I think that speaks to the great ideas that these writers might have for what’s the come. Even though this Will, Maureen, Judy, Penny, and John have been drawn up decades after Irwin Allen conceived the original idea of sending a family into space, the hour has an incredible sense of togetherness that pervades the atmosphere. They may be crafted for today; but there’s still a strong sense of knowing what drew viewers to the original, and I’m willing to remain thankful for that.
Additionally, this iteration of Lost really went all-in on the idea of presenting the real dangers awaiting those who venture into this wild frontier. Without spoiling all of the particulars, this Jupiter 2 isn’t alone – there’s a veritable fleet of ships making the journey to Alpha Centauri; and it’s this small armada that’s attacked by an unseen force for reasons unknown. Instead of pitting only the Robinsons against such galactic elements in a bid for survival, it definitely appears as if there will be others involved, along with an incredible number of dangers that might spell doom at every turn. We’re not talking about the garden variety monsters in a rubber suit that made so much of the 1960’s version into a camp classic; and this pilot underscores that all involved might need to do a bit of growing up to face what’s to come in the episodes ahead.
Lost In Space’s “Impact” (S01E01) was produced by Legendary Television, Synthesis Entertainment, Applebox Pictures, Cinesite, and Clickety-Clack Productions. The episode is presently available for streaming on Netflix. As for the technical specifications? Wow. While I’m no trained video expert, I can assure you that this show both looks and sounds phenomenal, if not downright theatrical in spots. As can happen, there are a few mildly undercooked effects bits here and there, but none of them seriously distract from anything capture on the screen. This is some fabulous work, and it deserves to be commended. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I viewed this via streaming, there were no special features under consideration.
Highly recommended.
Generally, I’m not one who likes ideology so brazen inserted into mythmaking, but once Lost In Space’s “Impact” really gets going at full speed it grows harder to notice it (unless you’re watching for it, as I do from time-to-time). At sheer entertainment value, I’d still have to give this launch high marks as it very efficiently introduces the Robinsons (and a few others) to a new audience and delivers a compelling story with action, suspense, and intrigue. That rarely happens as expeditiously, so hats off to all involved. This one proves that viewers might still get ‘Lost’ if the going continues to be this engrossing.
In the interests of fairness, I’ve access to streaming Lost In Space (2018-2021) via my own personal subscription to Netflix, making me beholden to no one for my thoughts and observations on it.
-- EZ