Lost in Space is Netflix’s latest science fiction series. It is a modern reimagining of the classic 1960s series from Irwin Allen. This is not the first time that Lost in Space has been rebooted – there was the 1998 movie, and a TV pilot that never went to series was produced in 2004.
Showrunner Zack Estrin (Prison Break) says the new series is true to what came before but tailored for today’s fans. “We’ve kept the core emotional content and values of the original Lost in Space series, but updated it for today,” says Estrin. “We explore relationships that are a bit more complicated, and there are going to be some questions from the original series that get answered.”
The series is set 30 years in the future, at a time when mankind is sending their best and brightest on missions to colonize other planets. Among them are the Robinson family, who plan to make a fresh start on a new world. But when the new colonists find themselves abruptly torn off course en route to their new home they must forge new alliances and work together to survive in a dangerous alien environment, lightyears from their original destination.
John and Maureen Robinson (Toby Stephens and Molly Parker) are the family’s parental leaders, struggling with their estranged relationship in the midst of trying to keep the family safe. John is a born leader and combat veteran who wants to protect his family as they start their new life. Maureen is an aerospace engineer and the driving force behind the family. It was her decision for the family to join the colonization program.
The Robinsons have three children. The eldest is Judy (Taylor Russell). Athletic and confident, she is the only trained doctor among the survivors. Judy will have her work cut out for her in the adventure to come. Penny (Mina Sundwall) is the middle child. Quick-witted and sarcastic, her tough exterior hides a more romantic soul. Penny never wanted to leave Earth in the first place. Will (Max Jenkins) is the youngest Robinson. Creative and sensitive, he is also a likable and curious child. Will suffers from panic attacks and doesn’t want to let his family down, forcing him to find the courage he never knew he had.
“The Robinsons are unique because each one of them is a hero in their own story,” adds Estrin. “They all have different skills, strengths, and weaknesses – but it’s about the way they all come together to work as a team.” But the Robinsons aren’t the only survivors…
The mysterious Dr. Smith (Parker Posey) is a stowaway aboard the mission — she may even be the reason for the accident. Part villain, part anti-hero, and all troublemaker, Dr. Smith is a master manipulator who plays everyone against each other in order to come out on top.
The roguish Don West (Ignacio Serricchio) is only part of the mission for financial gain. A well-paid roughneck with a smuggling side-business, Don is cynical about the entire colonization program — he’s convinced blue-collar people like him will never make it there.
And then there’s the Robot, a sentient machine made of shapeshifting alien metal with organic thought patterns.
“When we first saw the Robot it was pretty incredible because we viewed it through the eyes of Max Jenkins who pays Will Robinson,” says Estrin. “We wanted him to be there the first time the Robot came out in all his glory. I have never seen a boy light up like that. It was this really genuine reaction to everything that Will Robinson would have felt. It was this mix of awe and wonder and a little bit of fear, and ‘I’m a little unsure about what this thing is’. And it was all right there.”
“What’s great about Lost in Space is that anything is possible,” says Estrin. “You never know what challenges are going to be there. And you never know what you can find inside of yourself to survive.”
All episodes of Lost in Space are now streaming, only on Netflix.
