Lost In Space (2018) (Season 2)

I had to wonder how many seasons Lost in Space would last.  There was only so long before a ship would get fixed.  To have a series of problems would get old quickly, even if each season is only 10 episodes.  In Star Trek: Voyager, there was a 70-year trip ahead of the crew, so there was that.  With Lost in Space, the trip was supposed to be quick and easy.

The second season picks up where the first left off.  The Robinsons are stranded on a planet with Don West and Dr. Smith.  West is a mechanic, which helps.  Smith is their prisoner, which doesn’t help.  Oh, and they can’t breathe the atmosphere for very long.  Plus there are some strange weather patterns.

Fortunately, being stuck on the planet doesn’t last all season this time.  They do get off the planet, only to discover that their main transport, the Resolute, is abandoned.  Why?  The alien robots are still an issue.  At least the Resolute’s pilot is.

You see, it was discovered last season that the Resolute uses faster-than-light technology that was stolen from alien robots.  Whether these robots are a race unto themselves or serve another race is still unclear.  However, it takes a robot to pilot the drive, which is another level of problem, especially if the robot revolts.

The show reminds me of 24 in that the plot can’t go in a straight line.  Every solution has a problem.  Every action has an obstacle.  That’s the problem with a serialized format.

This isn’t to say that it’s bad or feels contrived.  It’s just that some of it seems unnecessary.  You’re trying to stretch maybe two hours of material over 10 episodes.  It might have been easier to just make a couple of movies.

The fact that there will be a third season leaves me wondering.  We were supposed to see Alpha Centauri.  Instead, we get another lost ship.  I’m curious as to what the season would bring us.  Maybe there will be enough of a new element that the episodes won’t seem like filler.

IMDb page

The Equalizer 2 (2018)

I’m not really certain what to make of Equalizer 2.  It seems like some effort was put into writing it, but I still have issues with it.  When the first movie ended, I though that the sequel would be along the same lines.  Not necessarily a remake of the first, but at least McCall helping someone.  In fact, the trailers alluded to this.  We had McCall talking to someone on a train to retrieve a girl abducted by her father.  However, once the girl is returned, this is the end of the character’s involvement in the movie.

The main story is McCall’s friend, Susan, having to investigate the apparent suicide of a CIA operative overseas.  It doesn’t go well, leading McCall to risk exposing that his death was faked.  It’s difficult to go into a lot of details for two reasons.  One, I would have to unnecessarily give away spoilers.  Two, I’m not entirely certain where the plot was going.  It seemed like it was setting up the final fight, yet there really wasn’t a three-act structure.

Add to this several other elements like the girl.  While McCall is working as a Lyft driver, he comes across a woman who he realizes had been sexually assaulted.  He drops her off at a hospital before dealing with the men she was with.  Again, this is only one five-minute stretch of the movie.  Then, there’s a Holocaust survivor who’s trying to prove that a picture was his.  I’m not sure what purpose this has other than to fill in the movie.

The movie wasn’t boring, but it was different.  I spent most of the movie waiting for the action to start.  Once I realized that it wasn’t going to happen, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  It might be that this is serving as a bridge to a third movie.  I’d like to rent the TV series that this is based on.  That might at least shed some light on things.  I remember the TV series being about a man who helped those that couldn’t be helped through traditional channels.  Even after a few days, I’m still sorting through it.  I’m waiting for that moment where it all makes sense, but I expect that won’t happen, either.

IMDb page