Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Remake of 1960s sci-fi series is classic fun; some violence.
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Lost in Space
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 53 parent reviews
Parents say this show starts weak but improves significantly, becoming a family-friendly favorite with strong themes of survival and loyalty, although some earlier episodes contain questionable writing. Many reviewers find it exciting and well-acted, featuring diverse characters and a compelling storyline, but warn that it contains violence, occasional swearing, and intense scenes which may not be suitable for younger children.
- strong family themes
- exciting and engaging
- age-appropriate concerns
- mild violence present
- language may be inappropriate
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 79 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Based on the TV series of the same name that ran for three seasons in the 1960s, LOST IN SPACE is set in a future reality when space colonization has begun, and the Robinson family is among those selected to leave Earth and make a new home on a faraway planet. But when John (Toby Stephens), Maureen (Molly Parker), and their children -- Judy (Taylor Russell), Penny (Mina Sundwall), and Will (Max Jenkins) -- run into some problems in transit and wind up crashing on a threatening new planet, it takes everything they have to keep safe. Meanwhile, stranded with the Robinsons are the duplicitous Dr. Smith (Parker Posey) and the charming Don West (Ignacio Serricchio), both of whom have agendas of their own -- which may or may not conflict with those of the Robinsons. Warning, Will Robinson: Everything is not as it seems in your strange new home.
Is It Any Good?
Zippy, zesty, and full of classic cliffhanger-style suspense, this remake of the 1960s series of the same name is much better than it has to be. One of the things this series gets right (and the original never did) is the sheer grandeur of space travel. Will, newly crash-landed on a mysterious planet, perches atop an icy hill and looks at the enormous snowy mountains that surround him, letting out one breathy "Wow." And we feel it too: the horror of being lost in a strange place, the thrill of leaving everything safe and secure to explore new frontiers. These characters feel, act, and sound like actual people, which makes watching them struggle through otherworldly trials quite the thrill.
The new Lost in Space has also made a number of pivotal character shifts that are an improvement on both the original and the 1998 movie remake of it: Penny and Judy are younger, and John and Maureen are given meaty backstories of their own instead of being asked to play heroic stereotypes, and Parker Posey makes a terrific gender-flipped Dr. Smith (though fans of the original may miss Jonathan Harris' camp-classic delivery of his trademark tongue-twisting insults). There's an awful lot of sci-fi clichés -- if you were wondering if they might try something to get out of danger that's crazy but just might work, you would be correct -- but this remake is lots of fun, and a great whole-family viewing choice for sci-fi fans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about remakes and nostalgia. Why make a new show that essentially reproduces a TV show that was popular when many of today's parents were kids? Do you think it's harder or easier than creating new characters, new themes, new stories? Is it safer to remake a once popular movie or TV series?
What is science fiction? Does it invariably involve space travel? When did the genre arise, and what about that particular era made writers want to speculate on the future and what might happen? Is this a futuristic series? Which elements of it seem futuristic and which seem in line with present capabilities?
How do the characters in Lost in Space demonstrate courage and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 13, 2018
- Cast : Molly Parker , Toby Stephens , Parker Posey
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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