TV Review: Pratt’s Performance Elevates Visceral “The Terminal List”

By Jon Brooks

“This is Antoine Fuqua meets Alfred Hitchcock...” — Jack Carr recounting showrunner David DiGilio’s description of Amazon Prime Video’s “The Terminal List” 

In early 2018, I started seeing mention on Twitter of a new thriller novel titled “The Terminal List” by an author named Jack Carr (a former Navy SEAL). 

Many of the people I interact with on Twitter were looking forward to Carr’s debut novel. It sounded like something I would be interested in reading. I’ve long been a fan of the thriller genre, and the premise seemed intriguing. 

So I pre-ordered a copy and set my sights on reviewing it. 

When you start a blog — or any sort of creative pursuit — your main hope is that people will enjoy it. Throughout 363 posts (as of this writing), I'm primarily fueled by feedback and interest from readers. 

When I reviewed Carr's “The Terminal List,” I never imagined it would become my most viewed blog post. But as the years have progressed — and as Carr has built a legion of loyal followers — the review steadily rose and has become the top performing post on my blog (read my review). 

In my review, I described the novel as “a story that stings the throat and clears the sinuses — bold, brutal, and unwavering.” 

Carr does a terrific job marketing his books — and his love of pop culture is evident. I am the same age as the author, and grew up with many of the same influences.

My mom and dad took me to the theater to see most of the macho military action movies of that era. I fondly remember seeing movies like “Rambo: First Blood Part II,” “Commando,” “The Delta Force,” and “Invasion U.S.A.,” with my parents at our local multiplexes. 

I was also a fan of the TV series “Magnum, P.I.” as a kid, and remember watching it with my parents on Thursday nights (keen-eyed readers will find several references to the show in Carr’s work). 

My love of mystery and thriller novels began at a young age. I remember loving “The Hardy Boys” series during elementary school, reading WWII-related children’s books like Bernard Glemser’s “Radar Commandos,” and later developed a passion for "grown up thrillers" when a high school literature teacher gave our class the assignment of reading a Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum novel (I chose Clancy’s “Patriot Games”). 

When news started percolating about a filmed adaptation of “The Terminal List,” I was curious to see how Hollywood would interpret Carr's well-drawn thriller. 

And, when it was announced that Chris Pratt would star in a series adaptation of the novel on Amazon Prime, my initial curiosity transformed into pure excitement. A multi-episode series would allow the filmmakers to dive into the story and explore the characters in a more significant manner. 

“The Terminal List” chronicles the exploits of Lieutenant Commander James Reece (Pratt) here on the home front in Coronando, California, after his SEAL team (operating out of Incirlik Air Base in Turkey) conducts an ill-fated mission in Syria (Operation Odin’s Sword) to eliminate a chemical weapons specialist known as “Chemical Kahani.”  

In the aftermath, Reece questions his recollection of the particulars that transpired during the covert mission, and starts to question his own judgment as the leader of Alpha Team. 

Moreover, when a surviving team member mysteriously dies stateside (of a suspected suicide), Reece believes the cause of death isn’t a cut-and-dry case. 

Is Reece paranoid, or is he on the right track? 

He worries that Kahani is targeting his men, but soon learns there is a greater conspiracy afoot — a conspiracy that puts our protagonist, his wife Lauren (Riley Keough), and daughter Lucy (Arlo Mertz) in extreme danger. 

With the help of intrepid reporter Katie Buranek (Constance Wu), Reece starts to put the pieces together. 

Things are not as they seem, and Reece soon finds himself in the center of a maelstrom that reaches the highest corridors of power. 

Somewhere, somehow, someone is going to pay. 

The eight-episode series manages to imbue the spirit of Carr’s novel, and Pratt (a surprisingly versatile actor) becomes the embodiment of Carr’s protagonist. 

As is the case with many page-to-screen adaptations, there are a number of differences between the book and the movie — far too many to highlight in this review. 

In general, I was fine with the changes made to the story and its various settings. Producer/director Antoine Fuqua (“Olympus Has Fallen,” “The Equalizer”) and showrunner David DiGilio (along with his writing team, who worked on much of the production via Zoom due to the pandemic) do a yeoman’s job navigating these intricacies, and create a compelling narrative for the screen. 

One interesting stylistic choice was the show’s moody production design. 

“The Terminal List” is a dark revenge tale. The production employed a dim, dreary, and desaturated color palette (and lighting scheme) to hammer that point home. 

Characters are often lit in shadow, giving things a “noirish” feel. Some viewers might question the aesthetic. Taken in total, I think the effect largely worked. 

There are also moments in the story where Reece questions his sanity — stylized flashback/hallucination/dream sequences are utilized and allow for additional nuggets in Reece’s backstory, giving the character more texture in the process. 

For me, the highlight episode of the season was the sixth, titled “Transience.” 

I won’t go into any specifics, but I found it to be an entertaining chapter. I’ll simply say that it had sequences that reminded me of the 1982 film “First Blood.”  

(By the way, if you haven’t listened to Jack Carr's podcast interview with “First Blood” scribe David Morrell, it is well worth your time!) 

There are also various “easter eggs” from the novels strewn throughout the eight episodes of “The Terminal List.”  

For example, @Marc_Harris3 on Twitter pointed out a shot in the series where a bottle of honey and a small box of half-and-half sits in front of Reece and his coffee mug: 

Small @TerminalListPV detail I haven't seen anybody talk about yet but is that Honey is see with his Coffee. 👀👀

What do you think @ThrillerPodcast pic.twitter.com/8PFyVJ3uTf

— Marc Harris (@Marc_Harris3) July 6, 2022

For those who haven’t read the books, Reece (and Jack Carr) prefers coffee with a little honey and half-and-half milk. 

Another detail from this book is the inclusion of Reece’s 1988 Toyota FJ62 Land Cruiser. In this video, Carr (a Land Cruiser aficionado) gives us a tour of the actual vehicle used in the series: 

Small details like that illustrate the care the filmmakers put into the series. 

In addition to Pratt — who gives his most nuanced performance to date — there are a number of notable performances in “The Terminal List.”  

In particular, some of the smaller roles stood out to me. 

I really enjoyed Tyner Rushing as pilot and former Army Aviation Branch Warrant Officer Liz Riley. While there wasn’t much meat to the role, the filmmakers did a solid job giving the character some nice morsels as they outlined her background and friendship with Reece. 

Former Navy SEAL Jared Shaw plays Special Warfare Operator First Class Ernest “Boozer” Vickers, a member of Reece’s team. Again, it wasn’t a big role, but the character is memorable. 

Shaw (who also serves as a technical advisor on the show) received a pre-release copy of “The Terminal List” back in 2017, and gave it to Chris Pratt (who optioned it soon thereafter). 

I also enjoyed seeing Jai Courtney in action as antagonist Steve Horn, head of Captstone Industries. He’s familiar with this territory, and I’ve enjoyed the actor’s work since his roles in “Jack Reacher” and “A Good Day to Die Hard.”  

There are also some small cameos of note in the series (including an entertaining appearance by Carr himself in the third episode). I enjoyed seeing former Navy SEAL Remi Adeleke make a brief appearance in “The Terminal List” as well.  

I first became familiar with Adeleke when Bridget ordered me one of his KEJO Wear t-shirts — a design we saw Neil Brown Jr. wearing on an episode of the CBS series “SEAL Team”: 

Overall, I had a good time watching Amazon’s adaptation of “The Terminal List.” The episodes move at a brisk pace, and Pratt’s performance elevates the narrative. 

As a longtime fan of this brand of thriller, I was heartened to see the care and craftsmanship that was put into the eight-episode season. 

There are so many wonderful print properties waiting to be developed. I hope the success of “The Terminal List” paves the way for more of these stories to make it to the screen. 

“The Terminal List” sets a new standard for thriller adaptations. Even if you haven't yet read Carr’s novels, I think you’ll find a lot to like in this series. 

If you want to learn more about “The Terminal List” on Amazon Prime Video, visit the show’s official website here. 

To learn more about author Jack Carr and his novels, visit his website at www.officialjackcarr.com. 

>> If you enjoyed my review of Chris Pratt’s “The Terminal List” series, please follow me on Twitter/X – @TheJonCrunch 

Related posts on Jack Carr: 

> Book Review: “Cry Havoc” By Jack Carr 

> Book Review: Jack Carr’s “The Devil’s Hand” is an Infectious Thriller 

> Book Review: “The Terminal List” By Jack Carr 

> Book Review: “True Believer” By Jack Carr 

> Book Review: Jack Carr’s “Savage Son” is a Modern Thriller With Retro Flair 

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TV Review: “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” Finds the Right Beat

When it comes to televised content, musicals can be a tough sell. 

Many of you will remember the ill-fated ABC series “Cop Rock” that ABC unleashed on the public in 1990. It was a police procedural wrapped in a musical (from the creator of “NYPD Blue”). 

I recently reviewed Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger’s memoir “The Ride of Lifetime” and he talked about his decision to greenlight (and ultimately cancel) “Cop Rock” when he was president of ABC’s entertainment division. 

In recent years, musicals have seen a resurgence at the theatrical box office. Movies like “La La Land” (read my review) and “The Greatest Showman” (read my review) have found enthusiastic audiences at multiplexes around the globe. 

It is in that spirit that NBC has launched the new series “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” 

Bridget and I thought this one looked cute when we saw the promos for it last winter. The pilot episode was on Hulu in January (a month before the show’s launch) and it showed a lot of promise. 

We just sat down and spent the past week finishing the 12-episode first season. 

“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” follows Zoey Clarke (Jane Levy), a coder for smart device company SPRQ Point (located in San Francisco). 

Zoey is gearing up to apply for an engineering manager position at SPRQ Point as the show begins. The self-effacing programmer doesn’t see herself in a managerial role as she interviews with boss Joan Bennett (Lauren Graham). 

“I’m not really comfortable with anything,” Zoey tells Joan. “That’s why I became a coder.”

In addition to her work life, Zoey also juggles family demands. Her father Mitch (Peter Gallagher) suffers from a rare neurological disease called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Her mother  Maggie (Mary Steenburgen) cares for her husband and keeps the family’s landscaping business going. 

On a visit to see her father, Zoey complains of headaches and eye pain to her mother. Maggie suggests Zoey get an MRI to alleviate her concerns. 

So she does. 

During the procedure, an earthquake causes the MRI machine to malfunction. At the same moment, the technician's Spotify playlist goes haywire and plays dozens of songs simultaneously (bookended by the R.E.M. song “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”). 

Afterward, Zoey “sees” other people expressing their emotions through musical performances (featuring pop songs and dance routines). At first, she finds herself experiencing the innermost thoughts of random people. Eventually, her mind hones in on specific targets. 

Levy is no stranger to series television (she starred on the ABC sitcom “Suburgatory”) and crafts a likable protagonist.

It would have been easy for series creator Austin Winsberg to position her as an angst-filled hipster. They manage to avoid millennial cliches. Zoey has a likable vibe and look (her wardrobe includes jean jackets and an endless supply of sweaters). 

“I am a mutant,” Zoey says of her ability. “I am the X-Men meets ‘The Voice.’” 

In many respects, Levy’s character shares a certain kinship with Emma Stone’s character Mia in “La La Land” — a young professional trying to find her place in the world. 

Speaking of “La La Land,” I have to believe that movie served as some sort of inspiration for “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” Whether it was intentional or not, both shows share similar DNA. 

As a result, the show might elicit strong opinions one way or the other. 

The series is planted firmly in the “dramedy” genre, navigating through the show's funny, poignant, and serious moments with relative ease. The writers manage to strike a fairly good balance in this first season. 

An undercurrent flowing through the plot involves Zoey figuring out whether or not she has feelings for co-workers Max Richman (Skylar Astin) and Simon Haynes (John Clarence Stewart). 

One of the better supporting characters is Howie (Zak Orth). The rumpled caregiver of Zoey’s father proves to be grounded and likable (and has a nice little plot thread involving his deaf daughter Abigail — played by Sandra Mae Frank). 

Through all of her musical exploits, Zoey finds a confidante “sounding board” in neighbor Mo (Alex Newell), a DJ who lives across the hall in her apartment complex. 

One of the strengths of the show is the clever way they found to incorporate music into the story. Zoey finds her new ability as awkward as we do, and it allows viewers to willfully suspend their disbelief. The musical numbers make sense in the overall flow, and work better than they did in a show like Fox’s “Glee.” 

The dance scenes are choreographed by Samantha Jo “Mandy” Moore (who also choreographed the dance sequences in “La La Land”). Moore also serves as a producer on the series. 

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but one of the highlights for me was “The Boy is Mine” musical sequence from the 10th episode (“Zoey’s Extraordinary Outburst”). 

Overall, I had a good time watching “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” I thought it was a nice change of pace from the standard network, cable, and streaming fare these days. 

Stay with it. It is a show that takes a few episodes to find its beat, but when it does, it is a pretty compelling mix. 

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Movie Review: “Noelle” (Disney+ Original)

“Oh my garland! This is amazing.”

Noelle Kringle — “Noelle”

I love Christmas movies. 

Many of my favorites tend to be sugary and sentimental. Some are just silly fun. 

I’ve reviewed a number of Christmas movies on this blog. These days, it seems like most of the holiday fare released is either on cable/satellite channels like Hallmark or Lifetime, or on streaming giants like Netflix. 

Last November I reviewed the Netflix original “The Christmas Chronicles” (starring Kurt Russell) and wrote of the movie that it “will never be mistaken for high art, but is likable enough that your family should have a good time with it this holiday season.”

Disney+ has entered the streaming wars, and one of their first original offerings on the service is the Christmas movie “Noelle” starring Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader (as Santa’s kids Noelle and Nick Kringle). 

When the patriarch of the Kringle clan decides its time to think about the future — and time for his son Nick to start his Santa training — things don’t go smoothly.

Young Nick lacks the confidence to be Santa Claus — and the Santa hat he is presented with on Christmas Eve is too big. This concerns Nick, but his father assures, “it will fit you when you fit it.” 

His precocious sister Noelle longs to be more than a player on the sidelines. Young Noelle wants to be like her father. “I would like to do what you do,” she says to her father (not being Santa, per se, but having a greater hand in the Christmas gift process). 

Noelle’s father suggests her ability to make everyone jolly with her cards, Christmas cheer, and support of her brother is a noble task unto itself.

The narrative moves forward to Noelle and Nick as adults. Their father has died, and it is Nick’s time to become the 23rd Kringle to wear the red hat. 

He is uncomfortable flying a sleigh and dealing with all manner of duties related to being Santa Claus. The big question is whether he’ll be ready for Christmas. 

Noelle dutifully makes intricate pop-up cards and spreads Christmas cheer. She likes to eat waffles and has a small, white reindeer named “Snow Cone.” 

Noelle’s mother (Julie Hagerty) insists her daughter do her job and give her “brother some Christmas spirit” — to avoid a Christmas disaster. 

As a result, Noelle does a yeoman’s job trying to tutor her hopeless brother on the intricacies of Christmas gift giving (we learn, among other things, that what all kids want for Christmas is an iPad).  

One day — when brother and sister are enjoying mugs of “double hot chocolate” at the Polar Express Cafe — Nick says, “sometimes I dream about getting out and finding someplace warm, where I can stretch and relax and just breathe, you know?”

Noelle says he should, and suggests, “you can’t be Santa if you’re having a nervous breakdown.” 

So, she encourages him to look for a destination in an issue of “Travel & Leisure” and get away for the weekend — Noelle later discovers it is Phoenix, AZ.

The problem is that he decides he doesn’t want to leave Phoenix (where he becomes a yoga instructor) and Noelle (who has become persona non grata at the North Pole) heads to the desert to fetch him home — with her elf nanny Polly (Shirley MacLaine) in tow. 

In the meantime, tech cousin Gabe (Billy Eichner) is put in place as Santa Claus. 

Interesting setup, right?

The premise is sort of like a cross between Will Ferrell’s “Elf” and the brilliant Aardman Animation movie “Arthur Christmas.” 

Unfortunately, the rest of the story is somewhat uneven. 

Along the way Noelle and Polly strike a business deal with the manager (Diana Maria Riva) at the mall where their sleigh crash lands. They also become friends with a private eye (Kingsley Ben-Adir) and his son (Maceo Smedley), who they “hire” to find Nick. 

Part of me wonders if the “fish out of water” aspects of the story — where Noelle is searching around Phoenix for her brother — would have worked better in a more overwhelming setting — like, say, New York City?

It’s hard to say for sure (and a more urban setting wouldn’t have fit the notion of a “relaxing” getaway for Nick). 

Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader are both likable in the film, and do the best they can with the material given. “Noelle” just has trouble mixing the ingredients together to make a frothy holiday concoction. 

Don’t get me wrong, there are certain charming moments in the film — a particular scene where Noelle visits a young deaf girl is a prime example.

I honestly think they could have snipped and tucked a few things in the last 20 minutes to give the film a stronger ending. I won’t go into spoilers here, but the filmmakers probably could have ended the film at the 1 hour and 22 minute mark and achieved better results.

The message of the film emphasized the notion that anyone — with the right spirit in his/her heart — can be Santa Claus. That was a good message to build the film around. To amplify that message, sometimes a “less is more” approach is a more effective one to take. 

While “Noelle” is a cute diversion for the holidays, it doesn’t quite achieve the quality that contemporary classics like “Elf” and “The Santa Clause” enjoy in the pop culture zeitgeist. 

That said, it’s not often these days that studios release G-rated “live action” movies. 

Check out “Noelle” on Disney+ and let me know what you think! 

>> If you enjoyed my review of “Noell,” follow me on X/Twitter — @TheJonCrunch 

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Review: Amazon’s “Jack Ryan” Series is Flawed, But Entertaining

This is not the review I expected to write. 

When the Super Bowl ad aired for Amazon’s new streaming series “Jack Ryan,” it looked like a slam dunk. 

I started reading Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan novels in 1989. I was a sophomore in high school, and my English teacher (who loosely followed the prescribed curriculum) gave us the option of reading a Clancy or Ludlum novel in the final weeks of the semester. 

I chose to read “Patriot Games”... and the rest is history. Clancy’s novels spurred my passion for reading espionage-related fiction. 

The five theatrical movies based on Clancy’s novels — “The Hunt For Red October,” “Patriot Games,” “Clear and Present Danger,” “The Sum of All Fears,” and “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” — are pretty solid. 

In my opinion, “The Hunt For Red October” is the entry that truly captures the essence of the Jack Ryan character (Alec Baldwin was very good in the movie).  

Amazon’s new entry in the “Ryanverse” is a mixed bag. The first half of the 8-episode season feels uneven and (at times) awkward. 

The setup for the first season of “Jack Ryan” is fairly routine. Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) is a former U.S. Marine and Wall Street analyst who works for the CIA’s T-FAD (Terror, Finance, and Arms Division). 

Ryan is a desk jockey who scrutinizes “money movement” in an effort to track down various “bad actors” around the globe — including potential terror organizations. 

In the first episode, Ryan uncovers millions of dollars in transactions tied to a suspicious player in Yemen named Suleiman. Ryan and new boss James Greer (Wendell Pierce) head overseas to investigate — to an American installation where they’re holding a pair suspected of involvement. 

It turns out one of the men is Suleiman himself — a man with nefarious plans. Unfortunately, Ryan doesn’t realize the man is Suleiman until it’s too late. That sets into motion a tangle of knots our protagonists spend the first season of “Jack Ryan” working to untie. 

We’ve seen these “follow the money” setups a number of times in the geopolitical thriller realm. 

I don’t say that as a criticism. It is just well-worn territory. 

The strongest aspect of “Jack Ryan” is John Krasinski. Some of you will remember Krasinski from the 2016 MIchael Bay movie “13 Hours” (about the 2012 tragedy in Benghazi). In my opinion, that film was basically a “demo reel” for Krasinki’s turn as Jack Ryan (Bay is an executive producer for the series). 

Krasinski is solid in the titular role — bookish, affable, tough, and daring. 

I also liked Abbie Cornish as Dr. Cathy Mueller, an epidemiologist (eye surgeon in the novels) who is Ryan’s love interest in the first season. 

The main rough spot in the first season involves a pointless subplot involving a drone pilot. (I won’t get into spoilers, but I think you’ll understand what I mean after watching the season.) 

There were also a couple of completely unnecessary sex scenes in the first half of the season. I’m not a total prude, but those instances cheapened the overall narrative and at least one was completely gratuitous.

I also have mixed emotions about some of the changes from Clancy’s source material. In particular, the James Greer character is a surly, disgraced intelligence officer in the Amazon series (not the straight shooting former vice admiral seen in the books). 

Wendell Pierce is a terrific actor (who has some great one liners on the show), but I felt the writers tried too hard to give the character a unique "angle."

Ultimately, I think the series will improve in subsequent seasons. 

The reason I say that is because the first season became very compelling by the time the final four episodes rolled around. 

The pacing improved, Krasinski had more screen time (always a good thing), and there were some truly suspenseful moments (the subplot involving Suleiman’s wife Hanin were among the most enjoyable sequences in the first season). 

For my money, the fifth season of “24” serves as the “gold standard” for espionage-related thrillers. 

“Jack Ryan” doesn’t rise to that level, but it is entertaining. If you can get past the flaws — and look at future potential — “Jack Ryan” is a good launching pad for upcoming seasons (it has already been renewed for a season season). 

>> If you enjoyed my review of “Jack Ryan,” consider following me on X/Twitter for more great content — @TheJonCrunch 

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TV Review: Netflix’s “Lost In Space” a Surprisingly Good Adventure

I guess I never should have doubted. 

I should have gone into Netflix’s new “Lost In Space” series brimming with confidence that the streaming giant could make a compelling, family-friendly drama (the 10-episode season is rated “TV-PG”).

When the first trailer for the series was released back in March, I did a blog post about it. The visuals looked handsome, but I was skeptical. 

Bridget and I spent the past few days charging through the first season of “Lost In Space.” 

Color me impressed. 

“Lost In Space” is an entertaining sci-fi adventure — a well-designed reboot of the 1960s series.

It feels like the writers drew inspiration from films like “The Martian” and “Interstellar” — then wrapped it all in a setting that would make Jules Verne proud. 

At its core, “Lost In Space” is a family drama. The story focuses on the Robinson family — 30 years in the future. They are part of the 24th Colonist Group. 

As fate would have it, a mysterious asteroid referred to as “The Christmas Star” hit Earth. The impact creates serious environmental implications.

Through a series of flashbacks strewn throughout the first season, we see the Robinson family as they are living modified life and dealing with our planet’s changed reality. People have to wear gas masks outdoors. Plant life is in danger. The future of mankind is bleak. 

The Robinsons apply — and are accepted — into the 24th mission to a planet called Alpha Centauri. Humans have begun colonizing that world as a future home for our species. 

The Robinsons are led by matriarch Maureen (Molly Parker). She is an aerospace engineer brimming with excitement about taking her family to a new world. 

She is married to John (Toby Stephens). The combat vet (a former Navy SEAL) has been estranged from the family — spending much of his time overseas on vague military missions. 

The couple has three children. The eldest child (daughter of Maureen, step-daughter of John) is Judy Robinson (Taylor Russell). The 18-year-old is a doctor on the mission — whip smart with a strong moral compass. 

The middle child is Penny (Mina Sundwall), a precocious book nerd who aspires to be a writer. 

The youngest member of the brood is 11-year-old Will (Maxwell Jenkins). He is a kid who likes to build models and has an affinity for geology. 

The first season begins with the Robinson family making a crash landing — on an unknown planet — in a space craft referred to as the “Jupiter.” 

Something has happened to the mother ship (the Resolute) carrying the colonists. As a result, the families have to evacuate in the “Jupiter” pods — and escape through a rip in space. 

The first season finds the Robinsons solving all sorts of scientific puzzles to save their ship, save the other colonists, and save themselves.

On the surface, the premise makes it sound like “Lost In Space” treads fairly predictable territory. 

However, the show’s writers have done a good job crafting cliffhanger moments (literally and figuratively) to amp up the drama. This isn’t a show where the action is built on brute force and fisticuffs.

Rather, this incarnation of “Lost In Space” seems operate by Mark Watney’s line in “The Martian” when the stranded astronaut quips, “In the face of overwhelming odds, I’m left with only one option. I’m going to have to science the sh!t out of this.”

While intellect and problem solving are at the show’s core, it never feels like it is pandering or heavy-handed. 

One of the best aspects of Netflix’s “Lost In Space” is the likable cast. In family dramas like this, it is easy to have a situation where the kids grate on your nerves. 

Thankfully, that doesn’t happen here. 

In addition to the familial aspects of the show, “Lost In Space” features a fairly solid supporting cast. 

Among the other survivors is a low-rent Han Solo-type named Don West (Ignacio Serricchio) — a rougish roughneck who refers to Judy Robinson as “princess” and cynically wants to be paid for his services. 

There has been quite a bit of debate on the web about Parker Posey’s portrayal of Dr. Smith. Her character uses “identity theft” to wiggle onto the mission to Alpha Centauri. She is mentally askew, and schemes her way into the Robinson’s world. 

I didn’t have a problem with the character. Posey does creepy quite well (as evidenced in a scene where she sings “This Little Light of Mine” to herself). 

But, like others on the Internet, I wondered why the Robinsons gave her second chance after second chance... 

One of the more interesting characters in the show is the robot Will discovers in the woods — an alien machine who befriends the boy in similar fashion to the way Scharwezenegger’s T-800 befriended John Connor in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

As I mentioned earlier, the show has strong visuals — a top-notch production design. 

The Jupiter pods are a cross between a flying saucer and a spacious RV (the ships even have “pop outs” to extend the livable space). There is an all-terrain vehicle stored in each of the ships called a “Chariot” — allowing the survivors to move about the mystery planet. 

Also of note is the score by composer Christopher Lennertz. The music featured in “Lost In Space” weaves new orchestrations with John Williams’s original 1960s theme song. Lennertz has composed scores for a number of theatrical movies, and his compositions give heft to the story. 

While the show has its imperfections, “Lost In Space” is a fun adventure. It is a solid sci-fi drama that has a look, feel, and style rivaling many Hollywood blockbusters.

“Lost In Space” solidifies the notion that Netflix has range (and illustrates a willingness to pump money into compelling dramas with family appeal). 

As Don West says, “I don’t believe in looking back; that’s how you crash into things.”

If Netflix wants to win the content wars, it needs to stay on a forward trajectory. “Lost In Space” shows promise, and sets a course for the streaming giant’s future...

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