‘Lost in Space’ Recap: ‘Shipwrecked’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

I think it is safe to say, that season one of Netflix’s Lost in Space turned out to be one of the most refreshing reboots in recent years. Because not only did this new iteration of the series evoke the spirit of adventure and wonder of the original, it did so in uplifting fashion, bucking the current trend in the science fiction genre wherein shows in this vein are more or less required to be dark and gritty and challenging. But what’s truly made this reboot worth our while, are the characters. Because the Robinson family finally has depth at last and their struggle and their plight and their intelligence allows for us to relate to them and cheer for them at every turn and seeing them come together in the season one finale really did make for a satisfying end to a satisfying season.
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But while that was lovely in its own right, it truly left us hungry for more. We had to know more about where the Robinson family was headed and why it was dangerous, according to Will’s robot buddy, and thankfully, our long wait to see what comes next for space family Robinson has come to an end. For Netflix released the long awaited second season of this series over the holiday break and well, the time has come to properly dive into year two of their adventures and thus far I have to say, I am quite impressed with this particular start. For ‘Shipwrecked’ really did offer up a unique season two premiere, simply because it took the time to really slow things down and allow for us to get to know the Robinson family all over again.

All thanks to the fact that the Robinsons took the time to land on that planet, and for the past seven months, they made it their home since their fuel was exhausted once again. And during this quiet time on a world where methane is the primary element in the atmosphere, and the sun barely shines, this family made do just fine. They figured out how to grow crops, and they got to finally feel the connection they’d been lacking back on Earth. If anything, it was nice to see them as a cohesive unit at last, and to see them adopt Don and treat Smith with care. But despite the warm fuzzies present in this part of the story, Maureen had concerns for her children’s future. Because there would never be an opportunity for them to properly grow up on this desolate world, and she wanted nothing more than to get off this rock and get to Alpha Centauri so they could all live, something that John wasn’t in a hurry to make happen.

But fate always toys around with good people in stories such as this, and a broken patch in the greenhouse changed the family’s fortune. For now their future food supply was gone and that prompted John to let Maureen do her thing and enact a wild plan, one where the Jupiter 2 would be outfitted with sails and lifted across to the sea to an area where lightning storms were in high supply, all in the hopes of using those storms to charge the ship’s power supply so they could leave and this led to some fascinating moments. For there was danger and risk everywhere to be found and they needed another set of eyes on the water, which meant Smith was set free and she was actually helpful in getting the family through the more treacherous parts of this unknown sea. But just when it seemed the family was home free and, on their way back to space, they ran aground at the end of a cliff, and have come to discover that something else was here before them since it seems a massive structure is beneath their vessel.

If anything, this really was quite the wonderful season premiere. Because it really did immerse us back into this world in wonderful fashion and I really did find myself growing comfortable with the family and their situation all over again as the hour rolled on. Which made the action sequences all the more harrowing and intense. But what matters more about this premiere, is the sheer fact that it did a fine job in building up some juicy mysteries for us. Because once again, it would seem that Smith has a plan and we simply cannot tell if she is learning how the navigation console works for her own gain, or to prove her worth and the fact that she helped to sabotage the food supply only keeps an air of the unknown surrounding her. Plus, that massive structure is ominous and fascinating all at once and it should be interesting to see if it belongs to a new species we haven’t seen yet, or if the robots created it. Either way, it is obvious that season two has a grand plan in mind, one that will entertain us to no end and well, I’m quite curious to see what that plan is. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to my Netflix app, to see what awaits the Robinson family at the bottom of that trench. Until next time. 

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