‘Lost in Space’ Recap: ‘Three Little Birds’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for the season three premiere of ‘Lost in Space’.

When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous Netflix series, Lost in Space, the situation was grim. After all, the Resolute lay in near ruin after squaring off with the Robot armada and to make matters worse… all of the kids that lived aboard this ship, including the Robinsons… were lost to the solar winds in an attempt to escape a horrific fate and well… that’s about as epic and harrowing a cliffhanger as it gets. Since we hadn’t a clue if anyone would be safe after that fight, nor did we have any idea of what this bold storytelling move would mean for the Robinson family in the third and final season of this series and well… the good news is, we no longer have to wait to find out. For earlier today, season three dropped on Netflix and the good news is that the season three premiere wastes little time in answering one of those two lingering questions.

For we immediately come to learn in ‘Three Little Birds’ that the kids are safe and exploring the Fortuna in the hopes of getting some answers as to what happened to this intrepid and heroic crew. But before they can garner said answers (which might be a good thing, considering what was revealed to us), they’re forced to crash land and that’s when the series makes quite the bold move… by thrusting us a year into the future. Where it turns out that the kids are indeed surviving and thriving and trying to repair the ship so they can make their way to Alpha Centauri and their journey is far less harrowing than Will and Maureen’s. For when we catch up with them, they’re doing their best to just survive and avoid the angry and evil robots that are hell-bent on hunting down the colonists and well, that’s about all we are going to talk about today when it comes to the plot.

Because there are a lot of little twists and turns we don’t want to spoil on premiere day, instead… it is best we take a moment to celebrate a few different storytelling elements in this tale that were supremely special. Such as the fact that this episode allows for the Robinson children to really come into their own and that’s huge. Because for the past two seasons, they’ve needed mom and dad to step in and protect them every step of the way. Which is fine because that is what parents are indeed supposed to do. But obviously, the kids are older here and wiser and there comes a point where children step out from under their parents’ wings and forge their own way in the world. So, to see that happen here is quite magical for certain and fulfilling since it means this final season is going to break from its own formula and offer up new paths for these characters.

But what truly allowed for this episode to shine, was its overall themes regarding growth and confrontation. Not in the negative way mind you, but how confrontation can be positive and motivate us to be more and that’s of note because you don’t see that kind of theme pop up all that often in science fiction stories in this vein. So to see the characters confront inner and external demons and long standing issues, really does add a level of depth to this series that hasn’t been present before, adding a human element to the story that will undoubtedly enhance the challenges that await this family and the colonists that are eager to get to Alpha Centauri, and it will in fact, allow for everyone to grow like never before and become complete characters that finish a journey.

How exactly that will come together, likely awaits us in the series finale. But before we arrive at that point, we can celebrate one smart season premiere. One that is setting the stage for a story that is likely going to do a wonderful job of bringing this long and winding adventure to a close in a satisfying manner and well, that’s a wonderful thing since this franchise has never enjoyed such a thing. For the original series ended well before the Robinson’s found Alpha Centauri and the same goes for the film franchise that never was. Which means this final season is going to be something quite special and we here at Nerds That Geek cannot wait to geek out about every last step of this final leg of the journey with all of you, in the weeks to come. Until next time.   

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