New Lost in Space Cast?
In a move that made adults who grew up with the original Lost in Space series say, “yeah, that was a show,” Netflix picked up a reboot of the property for a 10-episode straight-to-series order. The original was the first series ever produced set in space. In fact, the CBS executive who bought the show turned down Gene Rodenberry’s pitch for Star Trek just a couple weeks later thinking Lost in Space was more commercial. Now eighty-three original episodes and one Matt LeBlanc vehicle later, we put together a dream cast of actors regardless of their current commitments.
Professor John Robinson – Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights, Bloodline)
Rumor has it that Kyle Chandler and Orange Cat refused to film scenes together by the end of the first season.
So he hasn’t played the cuddliest of deputy sheriffs on Bloodline. This is Coach Taylor we’re talking about. He exudes charisma with just the right amount of dad humor. I’ve also never seen the CBS show Early Edition from 2000, but since it seems to be about a magic cat that helps Kyle Chandler save lives, I’m voting it for President.
Maureen Robinson – Sarah Paulson (AHS: Coven, ACS: The People v. O.J. Simpson)
Make sure my rotary future phone has a chord attached. We wouldn’t want it to look ridiculous.
Yes, that is Sarah Paulson’s happy face. June Lockhart, the original Maureen Robinson seen above, got her start in an episode of CBS’ Appointment with Adventure which coincidentally sounds like the name of a dirty romance novel for kinky auditors written by Queen Elizabeth. Sarah Paulson would lend “Maureen” some needed edge.
Judy Robinson – Jane Levy (Suburgatory, The Evil Dead)
Jane Levy’s a scene-stealer in her brief arc on Shameless, but more notably played a lead in the 2013 remake of The Evil Dead. Her most remarkable of traits however has got to be her ability to look like a potential offspring of Kyle Chandler and Sarah Paulson. Fine it’s a stretch. She’s just a damn good actress.
Penny Robinson – Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit, Pitch Perfect 2)
Steinfeld is a former Golden Globe presenter and current friend of Taylor Swift. She’s doing way better than you. That’s ok though, because we can’t all be precocious child prodigies. This is the middle Robinson sibling that was promised.
Will Robinson – Ed Oxenbould (The Visit, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible…)
Australian actor Ed Oxenbould had a breakout performance in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Visit, or as I like to call it: Grandparents Say the Darndest Things and May or May Not Be Escaped Mental Patients. Anyway, Oxenbould has a bright career of back talking clueless parents who are not hip to what the kids are into these days.
U.S. Space Corps Major Donald West – Jesse Williams (Grey’s Anatomy, Cabin in the Woods)
Jesse Williams would not have to change much to go from Dr. Good Looking to U.S. Space Corps Major Handsome-Guy. He could use some gritty cable Drama street cred to slap onto his broadcast soap resume.
Dr. Zachary Smith – Gary Oldman/Kenneth Branagh
Two of us are British and therefor extra intimidating
This was a tough one. For all of the 1998 film adaptation’s flaws, casting Gary Oldman as Dr. Zachary Smith wasn’t one of them. Oldman is the scariest part of the entire film even before he mutates into a giant space spider of screenwriting nightmares. But if Oldman didn’t reprise the role, I’d propose Kenneth Branagh as a worthy substitute for the Netflix series.
Bonus: Voice of B-9 Environmental Control Robot – Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Danger, Will Robinson! It’s the catch phrase that will long outlive the show. Who better to deliver it than the voice of Mercedes everywhere, Mr. Jon Hamm. I honestly wish Jon Hamm would narrate every commercial. Including Beyblades.
Leave suggestions for whom you believe should make up the next crew of the Jupiter 2 in the comments below --\/
