Summary
Lost in Space Season 2 is a healthy continuation to the story, which intensifies the family dynamics and heightens the goal they are trying to achieve for the sake of humanity.
This review of Netflix Series Lost in Space Season 2 contains no spoilers.
I’ll admit I was wrong. I gave the first season of Lost in Space a bad rap; in fact I quote, “it’s just a dumb, family orientated, space adventure series and I could not help but hate myself watching it”. I genuinely was under the impression that it had zero longevity and I felt it belonged on TV for those lazy Sundays. I knew after Episode 3 of Lost in Space Season 2 that my suspicions were proven wrong. This is good; the Netflix series still has its flaws, but even its imperfections are something you can sweetly forgive. Season 2 is a show that is not lost anymore.
Following on from Season 1, Lost in Space Season 2 puts the Robinson family in a more precarious position. Life stuck on a planet suddenly wears thin; John and Maureen wish for a better life for their children, and with Alpha Centauri now a brochure-dream, they are desperate for solutions. There is no power, no robots, and they still have Dr. Smith lurking in the corner with the inability to trust. The Robinson family feels much more ambitious to overcome a bad state of affairs in Season 2.
And while Lost in Space Season 2 is still heavy on the family orientation, and lacks realism in the sci-fi aspect, the family genuinely feels like everything in the second installment. It’s intensified; the cast has had time to gel and to further demonstrate the selling point of the story. As a collective, there is development in their characters. Will (Maxwell Jenkins) has matured slightly, Judy years more family responsibility and Penny is determined to discover who she is. Lost in Space Season 2 still develops John and Maureen, but their children feel like a steady base, molding their story together.
As Season 2 progresses, it’s clear that the stakes are higher; there is a real sense of opportunity, but at the same time, a sniff of doubt that anything could fall apart at any moment. I guess that’s where my criticism comes in; Lost in Space loves problems. Every episode is laced in “something” happening where a mere simple solution is ready to land on its head due to an unexpected, unforeseen problem. I get it; I imagine outer space will conjure many unknown problems, but it seems to be the core of writing each episode script.
It would be good to have some heavy character-centric episodes to layer the development. We never really get to explore each character. Instead, we are forced to learn about them in snippets with the odd flashback or an evolved character trait. That’s what prevents Lost in Space Season 2 from going to good to great. Often it gets lost in the action and the over-reliance of “family is everything” to really secure a character you’d love to support.
At the same time, the action is great in Lost in Space Season 2. The dangerous scenarios and the solution-solving are highly creative and thought through. Season 2 often leads audiences down paths only to be surprised by the outcomes at the end of a chapter. The family selling point forces the audience to care, and every situation where there is a danger to life leaves you agonizingly watching the screen, praying the outcome is different.
Netflix’s Lost in Space Season 2 is certainly a stronger installment, and dare I say it — give us season 3?
