Netflix's Lost in Space season 2, episode 2 recap: Precipice

In episode 202 of Netflix series Lost in Space, the Robinsons dangle over a precipice (hence the title), Don gets bit by kelp and June engages in blackmail.

Previously on Lost in Space, the Robinsons converted the Jupiter 2 spacecraft into a boat to leave their new planet. Also, by most appearances, June Harris (Parker Posey) hadn’t truly changed. Now their ship dangles on the edge of an alien waterfall. They quickly draft a plan of action, including siphoning methane from the air while Judy (Taylor Russell) attends to the sails for a makeshift kite.

As Will Robinson (Maxwell Jenkins) ponders who built the mysterious trench in the water, Maureen (Molly Parker) deals with the science of the crisis at hand, hoping that their ship will act as a Faraday cage shelter for the oncoming lightning storm. In contrast to the others, June is told that her job is to do nothing. Unfortunately, she doesn’t take kindly to such advice and it activates her slithery, manipulative instincts. She tries to bond with Will over their shared interest in the missing robot, but Will is wiser now to her nature.

The virtues of underachieving and the alarm of new crises

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After Don West (Ignacio Serricchio) tells Penny (Mina Sundwall) the virtues of underachieving. Unfortunately, as he helps the Robinsons he gets bit by some strange alien kelp, which incapacitates him. While they all risk going over the falls, it is Maureen and Penny who actually take the plunge, although they survive. Although their suits are intact, they still have the problem of freeing themselves. Also, the metal there is a conductor so they must find a way to protect themselves from inevitable lightning strikes. Though they feel the kite can save them, the rigging fails and the kite flies away!

Being the primary planner in Lost in Space, Maureen decides they can use their Chariot rover as an additional Faraday cage. The chariot’s winch cable can be hotwired to its engine. Unfortunately, the chariot is underwater, so John Robinson (Toby Stephens) — a trained Navy Seal — has to get it. As he grapples with the garage door that is stuck on kelp, Maureen consoles a distraught Penny who laments how useless she feels during these problems.

June blackmails Don

Regarding Don’s situation, he ends up needing a blood transfusion from June. Obviously, he could hardly have a worse person to owe his life to. Though she seemed semi-changed in the premiere, she is very quick to resort to her old ways. At first, it seems like chitchat as she discusses Penny’s Lost in Space book with him. However, it’s obvious that she’s using its autobiographical contents to turn them against each other. She notes how he’s actually an outsider, like her, and that his goods smuggling could get him in trouble if he doesn’t stay in line with her.

Don says that, upon going to civilization, he’ll go back to work while she’ll go to jail. However, she notes it won’t be so simple. She reminds him that, on the other planet, he was trying to steal a Jupiter craft, and could get in trouble for aiding and abetting her. He insists that the Robinsons will never trust her and that they stick together, Still, June surely has extra tricks up her sleeves.

While one might consider June’s behavior semi-outlandish, it is true that some derive pleasure from manipulating others and demonstrating their coercive power. Much like in the real world, a lot of this Lost in Space drama is created by the character’s beliefs and behaviors (with June being the main culprit thus far).

Crises averted…for now

They eventually manage to dangle the Chariot over the precipice. However, it doesn’t dangle down far enough due to the cable length. Fortunately, they have a workaround. They use the kite rigging as an impromptu ladder. If that’s not enough good news, the lightning successfully launches their spacecraft, meaning they may be able to safely leave the planet (if they so choose). On top of that, the second alien robot arm is found, which may have some value.

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Still, June threatens to create additional rifts as an agent of chaos and disunion. For example, June reminds Penny that she originally didn’t want to leave earth (as noted in her Lost in Space book). June also gets some alien kelp from the trash and puts it in her copy of the book! Finally, the Robinsons detect the audio signature of the Resolute.

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