Impact is the series premiere and first episode in the first season of Lost in Space (2018 TV series). The first episode debuted on Netflix on April 13, 2018.
Summary[]
On the way to a space colony, a crisis sends the Robinsons hurtling towards an unfamiliar planet, where they struggle to survive a harrowing night.
Plot[]
The Robinson Family is seen playing a card game, Go Fish, when their ship crash lands on an unknown planet. They manage to evacuate the ship safely but, once they do, the ship sinks. Everyone is okay although Maureen Robinson has broken her leg. They set up camp but realize that without a power source they'll freeze. John Robinson decides that someone needs to swim down to the ship and retrieve a battery. He suggests that Will Robinson go but Judy Robinson beats him to it. She manages to get a chariot battery but as she starts to swim back up the water begins to freeze around her. She manages to escape the ship but ends up getting stuck just below the surface. They try to use a pick to get her out but the ice is too thick.
Will looks up and sees white flames and identifies them as magnesium. John and Will set out to get some to bring back. While they're away, Penny Robinson reads to Judy and Judy helps Penny through a medical procedure she has to do in order to save Maureen's leg. In a flashback, we learn that Maureen traded something so that Will would be approved for the trip. John and Will climb the glacier and find a cave where they are able to harvest some magnesium. Suddenly, the cave shakes and the ledge breaks off causing Will to fall into the crevice. He falls to the bottom of the glacier where he finds a forest filled with alien vegetation. John makes the hard choice and leaves Will behind to go help Judy. Meanwhile, Will goes exploring. He finds an alien ship and runs into an extraterrestrial. Well, the bottom half of one. It gives chase as Will climbs a tree unbeknownst to him that the alien's top half is stuck in the same tree.
John returns to camp with the magnesium. He uses it to burn a hole in the ice. In a flashback, we learn that John and Maureen are separated and that Maureen needs John's permission to take the kids on the trip. Will makes conversation with the alien and learns that he's new to this planet as well. While the magnesium works, it suddenly starts to rain thwarting their efforts to save Judy. She starts to freak out because she thinks that she's going to die today. The forest Will's in catches fire and traps Will up in the tree. He sacrifices himself and uses his tools to free the alien so at least it can survive. Because of this act of kindness, the alien comes back and rescues Will from the fire.
Everyone is holding Judy's hand as she slowly dies. That's when the alien arrives with Will in tow. Will asks the alien if he can do anything to help. It uses its hands to heat up the ice and reaches down to fish out Judy. The family rejoices and huddle around Judy to keep warm. Will asks the alien if there's anything he can do to keep them warm. The alien lifts its hands and uses the heat emitting from them to keep the Robinsons warm.
In a flashback, we learn that the Resolute was attacked by the alien creature which caused the humans to abandon ship. A woman is hiding from the robot when a man falls next to her having been shot. She pretends to take care of him but steals his jacket and his identity and becomes "Dr. Smith." She commandeers a ship and brings along two mechanics desperate to get off the ship as well.
Cast[]
Jupiter 2 crew[]
- Molly Parker as Maureen Robinson
- Toby Stephens as John Robinson
- Maxwell Jenkins as Will Robinson
- Taylor Russell as Judy Robinsin
- Mina Sundwall as Penny Netflix
Jupiter 18 crew[]
- Ignacio Serricchio as Don West
- Parker Posey as June Harris / "Dr. Smith"
- AnnaMaria Demara as Tam Soderquist
Recurring appearances[]
One-off appearances[]
- Bill Mumy as Zachary Smith
- Vanessa Eichhol as News Reporter
- Natasha Quirke as Salesperson
Trivia[]
- Kevin Burns and Jon Jashni stated that they were teary-eyed upon seeing the nearly-finished version of the episode.
- "Drift Away" plays during the card game in the episode's opening. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" is heard during a flashback sequence set at Christmas-time.
- The episode is credited as being based on the original Lost in Space pilot, "No Place to Hide."
- Although the character is not identified by name and seen in person until Season 2, Maureen Robinson is shown in a flashback in this episode communicating with Hastings, bartering classified information to change her son Will's test results.