TV reboots will likely never go away as a trend, and so we must simply be optimistic that each and every example is the best that it can possibly be. Older sci-fi shows are theoretically always worth returning to, since progress in science, technology and culture can spin a central concept in a completely different way for modern audience. And so we hope that'll be the case with the upcoming reboot for Lost in Space, which has been given an official series order at the streaming giant Netflix. So we can probably expect to see between three and 30 seasons of the Robinsons' danger-filled journey.
When Lost in Space returns to TV around 50 years since the original series' final episode aired, Netflix will be blasting ten episodes into viewers' consciousnesses, and one has to assume that quite a bit of money will be poured into this project to give it a slick sci-fi sheen that the classic show couldn't possibly have pulled off in the 1960s. Lost in Space probably wasn't anyone's first guess for what Netflix's first foray into live-action spacefaring would be, but now that it's all set in stone, I cannot wait to see how pretty this thing will be.
The new Lost in Space set-up won't make too many changes to the initial story, and audiences will watch the Robinson family banding together during a particularly troublesome time as they're stranded light years from where they're supposed to be. Not only will they have to face their own personal demons on this adventure, but they'll also have to figure out how to survive in an unfamiliar and strange environment. Aliens, yo.
Irwin Allen, a powerhouse Hollywood producer known for his sci-fi and disaster genre projects, was the man behind the original Lost in Space, and the reboot is being handled by writers known for...other things. Heading up the reimagining's creative team will be Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, the screenwriters behind such films as The Last Witch Hunter, Dracula Untold and Gods of Egypt, not to mention the upcoming Power Rangers reboot. Showrunner duties will be handled by Zack Estrin, a writer and producer best known for his work on Prison Break.
Unfortunately, no casting has been announced just yet, which is relatively rare for a show getting a full pick-up. No pilot seasons at Netflix, though, where trust is high, though it seems like some actor or actress would have gotten attached in the year or so that it's been in development. We have to assume that one or two huge names will be a part of this, though, as such a high-profile reboot calls for some quality casting. Here's hoping there are absolutely no changes to The Robot, though, because some things just shouldn't be messed with.
While not all science fiction returns work that well, it'll be kind of spectacular to live in a world where Star Wars is in theaters on a yearly basis, with a new Star Trek TV series and a new Lost in Space series streaming. If that rumored Blake's 7 reboot happens, I may never leave my house.
We won't get to see Lost in Space on Netflix until 2018, so I wouldn't suggest preparing your binge session snackage just yet. But there's a lot coming to Netflix in the meantime, and you can check it all out on our premiere schedule.
