Netflix’s 3-Season Hard Sci-Fi ‘Lost in Space’ Remains the Best Reboot of the Century

Nine times out of ten, reboots of beloved IP, especially those in the sci-fi genre, are maligned by fans of the original before they’ve even been released. After all, who wants to watch a tired re-tread of a classic series or movie when the original was so good? Well, somehow, Netflix cracked the formula in 2018 with its hard sci-fi reboot of a 1960s American classic. Not only was it a great series across its three seasons, but it also remained one of Netflix’s most consistently good shows. We’re, of course, talking about Lost in Space.

All three seasons of Lost in Space are streaming on Netflix — you’d hope so, considering the streamer probably could have built its own rocket ship with the show’s budget. If you’re not old enough to know what a VCR or a DVD is, Lost in Space was a dramatized reboot of the 1965 American sci-fi comedy series… Lost in Space (who’d have guessed?). The series follows the Robinsons, a space-faring family who were supposed to spend five years exploring a distant planet. But after their mission is sabotaged, they traverse the outer reaches of space, trying to find a way to return to Earth.

Both shows follow a similar story. Although, they take two very different approaches. While it wasn’t technically a sitcom, the 1965 version was a wacky comedy with dramatic moments. However, the 2018 Netflix reboot upped the dramatic stakes and mostly did away with the comedic elements. As a result, 2018’s Lost in Space is almost incomparable to the original. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless created the new series (before potentially destroying their careers by writing Morbius and Madame Web). The reboot also featured a tremendous cast, including Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, Parker Posey, Ignacio Serricchio, Taylor Russell, Maxwell Jenkins, and Mina Sundwall.

‘Lost in Space’ Kept Getting Better

It’s one thing to pull off a successful reboot, it’s another for that new series to continually improve and pull in greater reviews and ratings from audiences and critics. When Season 1 debuted in 2018, the series was met with decent reviews from critics, resulting in a 67% Rotten Tomatoes score. Audiences enjoyed the viewing experience slightly more, bestowing the movie with a 74% user rating. “This reboot is exactly that — a reinvention of all of the ideas and tropes, quirks and corn, reinterpreted for an audience 50 years on,” wrote one user after watching the first season.

That 67% critics’ score jumped to 85% for Season 2, with an 84% user rating. By the third and final season, which dropped on Netflix in 2021, critics unanimously loved the show, giving it a perfect 100% rating. While some audiences thought the series fell off in its third season, it still held a strong 77% audience rating.

Some audiences liken Lost in Space‘s three-season run to the likes of Glow being canceled after three seasons, yet the hit sci-fi series wasn’t axed by the streamer. Lost in Space was always intended to be a three-season show. Despite the show receiving a satisfying conclusion, there will always be those who want more. Fortunately, Will Robinson doesn’t appear to be in danger of being rebooted again anytime soon.

‘Lost In Space’ Blends Campy Drama With Heavy Sci-Fi

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A show can have the best writers, actors, and directors in the world, and a budget that would rival the GDP of a small nation, but if it doesn’t know what it’s trying to be, then it’s doomed from the start. Much of Netflix’s Lost In Space feels unrecognizable from the original series. However, that genre-bending spark remains.

Yes, Netflix’s Lost in Space is a heavy sci-fi series. The cinematography and CGI lend themselves to the darker aesthetic and dramatic, and often very emotional stories. However, nestled amongst the mature drama is a smidge of that campy magic that people loved in the original. The plots just toe the line between drama and melodrama. As a result, Lost in Space is a phenomenal series, and undoubtedly one of Netflix’s best sci-fi shows to date, but it’s also an incredibly easy binge-watch.