The colonists build a light beacon to catch the attention of the Resolute, while Maureen Robinson investigates the strange lunar cycle of their adoptive planet.

I was really looking forward to the confrontation between Smith and West, the former having stolen his flare gun and effectively left him to die in the storm, and yet when this moment happens… it’s the dampest of squibs. Really, you’re going to accept that explanation? You’re dafter than you look, Mr West.

There’s flashbacks to Will as a sickly baby, giving time for Maureen to reflect on her timid son, though there’s not the most obvious filling in of information that most of the other flashbacks satisfy. Maureen herself embarks on her own hot air ballooning, though nearly gets dragged off the edge of a cliff due to some careless prep. It’s a recurring theme on this show – the planet is admittedly full of perils, but allegedly smart people keep doing dumb things.

Strongest element in this episode is Robot’s transformation back to the lithe fighting machine Will discovered in the first instalment. The youngest Robinson has done a lot of work in tempering the mechanoid’s behaviour, so much so that he just lies there passively while being savaged by the indigenous beasts. When Will encourages him to wake up, the colonists recognise the whirling dervish that ran amok on their station, and are now terrified of him. Poor guy really can’t win.

Verdict: We get a better understanding of the dynamic of the colony, which is existing in something far less than a utopia, and Smith continues to sow her seeds of dissent while other plot threads begin to flourish.  7/10

Nick Joy