The Robinsons regroup following Penny’s rescue, but where do they go now?

While narratively the episode picks up from exactly where the first ended, we start with a scene where a pilot and his companion awake in their crashed ship. And while he’s not formally name-checked yet, this is series regular Don West (Ignacio Sericchio). He’s brought the cowardly and duplicitous Dr Smith (Parker Posey) to the planet, and before the episode is up he’ll discover just how ruthless she is. It’s a fun dynamic, though West does veer into roguish Han Solo / Poe Dameron mode – although to be fair, Don West basically was Han Solo / Poe Dameron before there was a Han Solo..

Elsewhere, Penny tries out the Jupiter’s ground vehicle, the Chariot, a nifty little bit of tech that is likely to be employed regularly to pluck members of the family from the jaws of terror. It’s reminiscent of the Prometheus landing craft, and convinces as realistic rather than a modern day car with some body wrap.

Less impressive, after some great CGI acrobatics in episode one, is Robot, who is now a man in a suit, with the face portal augmented with special effects. It’s a great suit, and I appreciate that a practical effect keeps the costs down, but I hope he still gets the chance to showcase some cool abilities as the series progresses.

The friction between parents John and Maureen is ongoing, and it’ll be interesting to see if this is tempered or whether they’ll keep on bickering – which will become tiresome. The peril of the week is a giant storm and some vicious hail, but that really just exists as a means to rescue Smith and remind us of the hostile environment.

Verdict: Solid, though uninspiring after the exciting season opener. The budget continues to impress and the kids are starting to grow on me. 6/10

Nick Joy