‘Lost in Space’ Season 2: 5 Things We Have to See

The original show was basically Lassie in space, a family-friendly adventure series starring a boy and his robot. The original Lost in Space wisely added the cowardly schemer Dr. Smith to the mix, creating a lead trio that propelled the plot of pretty much every episode. The Netflix update wisely readjusted the show’s dynamics, shifting plenty of focus to the characters the original series underused (Maureen, Penny, and Judy). The new Will, the Robot, and Smith all got plenty to do, but the show never fell into a repetitive rut of Robot/Will/Smith hijinks.

I want the show to remain balanced in Season 2 but, I gotta admit, I kinda want to see how the new versions of these characters work together. We got plenty of Will and the Robot, and the Robot falls under Smith’s control at the end of the season, and we even got to watch Smith work her manipulative charm on Will. In Season 2, we need to see all three of these characters come together on at least one ill-advised away mission, for old time’s sake.

In its first season, Netflix’s update threaded the needle well. The new show was nowhere near as campy as the ’60s series, but it also avoided becoming a dreary slog like the 1998 feature film. It balanced the light and the dark, with most of that hard work falling on Mina Sundwall’s shoulders. Sundwall’s Penny called out the ridiculous left and right and undercut potentially harrowing moments with some snarky levity. Ignacio Serricchio also helped lighten the mood as the utter cad Don West, a scoundrel with what ends up being an emotional support chicken.

I think the show’s tone is on the right track, so I don’t want it to veer towards total camp (no walking talking carrots, please). But the show’s dramatic moments are so strong that the show could easily carry a few more pallets of humor (and okay, a light load of camp–Parker Posey knows what she’s doing).

As I mentioned, the original Lost in Space got downright goofy with its extraterrestrials. Lumbering minotaurs and hairy monsters, the ’60s show had more guys in fur-suits than the average comic con panel room. The Netflix update featured a few creatures, like the fuel-sucking eels and those giant lizard beasts. Even the Robot has been reimagined as a techno-organic alien and not a manmade security bot. But aside from that, the threats posed in the first season are all environmental as the Robinsons and the rest of the human survivors try to escape a dying planet.

Since Season 2 is venturing into uncharted territory, we gotta see way, way more alien life. Let’s see the Robinsons make first contact after first contact as they explore an alien solar system. And if any of those critters happen to be totally adorable, then we’re here for it. Give us an updated version of Debbie the Bloop!

On that note, while I’m open to adding mischievous pets to the Jupiter 2, the show needs to pump the brakes on adding more human characters to the main cast. Having the Robinsons merely be one family amongst a raft of survivors was an interesting wrinkle in Season 1, but it also kept the show from really embracing its concept of a lone family lost in space. The Robinsons were yanked light years beyond the Resolute in the season finale, and that’s where they should stay. This family, plus Smith and Don, are entertaining enough without intervention from other human travelers or survivors or bad boys (Vijay, you were in over your head!).

The best thing about Season 1, aside from Dr. Smith’s glorious hair, was the way it handled mysteries. The show wisely made the audience wonder what was going to happen instead of making them puzzled about what had happened. We didn’t wait a whole season to find out that the Robot attacked the space shuttle, and “Dr. Smith’s” origin story wasn’t doled out in chunks across multiple episodes. Instead, the show jumped from problem to problem, with tensions arriving from escalating danger in the present. I don’t want Lost in Space to pull a Lost and prioritize mystery over clear storytelling.

Going into Season 2, we already have all the mystery we’ll need: what’s up with Robot and his species? Exploring this new sector of space will provide more than enough fodder for thrills. We don’t need to learn about, like, Don’s ex-wife or John’s super-soldier programming or Judy’s long lost father or any other totally made-up and/or bad non-suggestion I could write right here. Focus on the Robinsons in the here and now as they bond and band together to survive the wild west of outer space. There’s a great show in that.

Where to stream Lost in Space