Space family Robinson

Do you ever wonder if there are any truly new TV or movie plots? Producers of the new Netflix series Lost in Space reused characters and plotlines from the 1960s series of the same name, which in turn was based loosely on the 1812 novel The Swiss Family Robinson, written by a pastor, Johann David Wyss. Wyss was inspired by Daniel Defoe’s 1719 classic, Robinson Crusoe. That’s a lot of recycling!

In 2048, the Resolute blasts off from a dying, polluted earth. Authorities have chosen the most capable and intelligent volunteers to colonize a distant planet. Suddenly, an alien robot is inside the ship, killing and maiming everyone in its path. Several smaller spacecraft launch away from the mother ship and crash onto the surface of a mysterious, hostile planet—far from their intended destination.

John and Maureen Robinson and their three children, Judy, Penny, and Will, persevere through a series of incredible adventures, linking up with fellow scattered survivors, adopting the same alien robot as their now-friendly protector, and eventually finding a way to escape this new planet, which is also dying.

If that sounds hackneyed or predictable, you’re in for a surprise. The episodes contain unexpected twists, and producers invest time into character development: John and Maureen’s marriage is nearly over, but their love for their children, and for each other, reconnects them. One exception might be the villainous Dr. Smith, an impostor among the colonists whose evil nature so far is one-dimensional.

In The Swiss Family Robinson, Wyss praised the virtues of thrift, self-sufficiency, and loyalty. 2018’s Lost in Space also lauds noble traits, especially self-sacrificial love. John Robinson is ready to lay down his life for his family, and demonstrates this often.

Viewers apparently don’t care if a premise is recycled, as long as the show is well-done, and Netflix has already renewed Lost in Space for a second season. Its PG rating is appropriate: Parents should be aware some scenes are too frightening for children.