Lost in Space: Season 1 (4/5)
Is it fair to call Lost in Space (the original) and Star Trek TOS rivals, considering that they were both soft sci-fi shows that aired at around the same time? If so, it's fair to say that Star Trek won the battle, as it went on to become a blockbuster franchise, while Lost in Space...didn't, to say the least. Still, come today, and the tables have turned a bit. Because on one hand, we've got Star Trek: Discovery, which is flawed in a number of areas. Then you've got the Netflix reboot of Lost in Space, which while not without flaws of its own, is easily superior to DIscovery in my eyes. So, let's get into how and why.
First thing to note, this isn't anything like the original, or so I'm guessing - like, I've never seen it, but I'm aware of its place in pop culture. So, when we're thinking of stuff like "the pain, the pain!" or "danger, danger!," then sorry, you won't find any of that here. This is a serious show - kind of like how Battlestar Galactica 2003 differs from the original. Whether that's good or bad is up to you, but in of itself, it's good. Also, this veers a lot towards the "hard" end of the sci-fi spectrum, as in, the solutions to problems feel scientifially plausible as opposed to technobabble. What also helps is that all of the characters, even the supporting ones, feel fleshed out. No-one's a stereotype, every member of the Robinsons has distinct character traits, and even the supporting cast feel real. I will admit that the show's Dr. Smith/June Harris is a bit off, like, not off in the way the show wants her to be. I can see what they're going for, as she tries to manipulate everyone around her, but it comes off as iffy. Also, sometimes, it feels like the characters are holding the idiot ball in regards to her manipulating them. But her aside, the characters are nice to be around. Even the robot gets something of a personality/character arc, but if you're guessing the arc is based around discovering its 'humanity,' then congratulations, you're not an idiot.
So, that aside, what about the season's downsides? Well, something to note is that this is very much a slow burn show. Like, every episode flows into the one after it, but the rate of flow isn't that constant, and at times the show can drag. Also, the show suffers a bit from a lack of worldbuilding, as we get vague allusions to what life's like back on Earth, but they remain just that - allusions. We know a meteor's hit the planet (though it's implied towards the end it might have been an alien spacecraft) that's coated the planet in dust, but there's reference to it being a "dying world." Also, Alpha Centauri. That's a colony that exists. Don't know how, don't know when, but the crew's part of the 24th Colonist Group. How did groups 1-23 fare beforehand? No idea. Was Alpha Centauri terraformed? No idea. When does this show take place? No idea. These are arguably minor gripes, but what amplifies them is that the show will use flashbacks, but irreguarly. Like, if I'm thinking of the gold standard of flashbacks in a TV series, Lost comes to mind, but here, it's not nearly as well integrated with the plot. Lost's flashbacks could payoff seasons later, and while that's a possibility that remains here, I'm skeptical that'll be the case. I guess a thing to keep in mind that you need to be patient with this show, because at times, it can drag. Worth it in the end, but still, slow at times.
Also note that the show's arguably a case of false advertising. Like, for the entirety of season 1, the Robinsons and all their fellow colonists are stuck on the one planet. So, not so much "Lost in Space," but "Lost on alien planet that's a lot like Earth in terms of flora, if not fauna." Trying to evade spoilers, but the characters don't really become "lost in space" until the final minutes of the season. I've got the sense that season 1 is kind of set up as a prologue, whereas the rest of the story will be more "lost in space," so to speak. If it's the job of season 1 to flesh out the characters of the Jupiter 2 before casting them out into the unknown, it does a good job. But if that's the case, I'm left to ask what happens to the other characters who aren't, ahem, "lost in space" as well. Like, will the show cut between the Jupiter 2 and the Resolute, or will they just appear at the end?
Dunno. But I'm eager to find out. Because while the season isn't without its flaws, it's certainly a solid start.
