The Super Powered Fancast

Lost in Space

Netflix

Season 1 Episode 5

Transmission

The surviving colonists have gathered at the Robinson’s Jupiter in order to find a way to contact The Resolute in orbit. Without the ship’s communication array, they have decided to fashion a makeshift solar tower to get the ship’s attention from space. At the same time, Maureen leaves the camp in order to determine why the planet seems to be getting hotter and the days longer. Her discovery makes the group’s escape from the planet that much more urgent. Doctor Smith is confronted by Don about the flare gun she took and an attack on the array brings the Robot back to camp and reveals it to the rest of the colonists.

Maureen definitely had the stronger story in this episode. It was fine overall, but her story was the more compelling. Her drive to determine what is going on with the planet helps solidify the overall plot of the series and gives more urgency to the episode as well as the rest of the series by raising the stakes for everyone. Will confiding in his father was another good character moment that served to elevate John’s story more. It gave him the opportunity to show that he is more than the bad-ass soldier and that the time he’s spending with his family is having and effect.

Penny’s side story is the lighter side of the episode and it works as a means of giving the main stories time to gestate with the audience and realize that these kids are kids. Penny’s presence on the show is still under utilized in my opinion because her interactions with everyone are one of the highlights.

The weak point in the episode came from Don’s confrontation of Smith. Parker Posey does a great job as Smith for the most part, but this interaction seemed weak. I expected more from Don, who recognizes something is wrong. I would have liked to see his suspicions form in that moment, but the scene just fell flat for the most part.