For more than 55 years, the space-exploring Robinson family has been a part of pop culture, from the original Lost in Space series (1965–1968) to Netflix’s current run. But while the core family has remained the same, what sent them to space changes each time.

What has remained the same outside of the core family? A troublesome Dr. Smith (or Dr. Smith-like figure) who messes things up, a devoted robot and a future-set timeline.

As for what is different? Well, only one version of the story features space spiders.

Here’s how the two shows, as well as the 1998 film, stack up against each other.

The Original Series:

The Premise:

In 1997, the United States is on the cusp of colonizing space and wants to send a family as their test run. Enter the Robinsons, who agree to a five-year trek to an Earth-like planet. But a foreign nation wanting to thwart the mission sends Dr. Smith to tamper with a robot on board the family’s spacecraft, the Jupiter 2. In the process, Smith becomes trapped, and his added weight, as well as the robot’s malfunction, sends the ship into the unknown. 

The Characters:

Dr. John Robinson (Guy Williams): The Robinson patriarch is also the commander of the family's expedition.

Dr. Maureen Robinson (June Lockhart): The Robinson matriarch is a biochemist who is often seen preparing meals, tending the garden and helping with light construction while adding a voice of compassion.

Major Don West (Mark Goddard): The ship's pilot is a former officer for the US Space Corps.

Judy Robinson (Marta Kristen): The Robinson’s eldest child, who is drawn to Don. 

Penny Robinson (Angela Cartwright): The middle Robinson child, whose love of animals leads to her adopting Debbie, a chimpanzee-like creature.

Will Robinson (Bill Mumy): The youngest Robinson child, who is wise beyond his years.

Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris): A saboteur whose accidental presence on the Jupiter 2 knocks the ship off course.

The Robot (Bob May, voiced by Dick Tufeld): He has super strength and the ability to do complex calculations.  

How it Ends:

Upon landing on a junkyard planet, an inhabitant steals the ship with Dr. Smith as a hostage. Will chases after the captor, hoping to change his mind. 

The Feature Film:

The Premise:

In the year 2058, Earth is dying, so civilization is desperate to find a new home. The Robinson family is chosen to make the trek to a new planet, Alpha Prime, where they will set up a portal that will allow the rest of humanity to follow them. Dr. Smith is hired to foil the journey, but he’s betrayed by his employers, who trap him on the ship. Smith tinkers with the onboard robot and the crew finds itself off course.

The Characters:

Professor John Robinson (William Hurt): The Robinson patriarch, whose creation of the needed Hypergate technology can save humanity.

Professor Maureen Robinson (Mimi Rogers): The Robinson matriarch, whose role is minimal. Dr. Judy Robinson (Heather Graham): The eldest Robinson child, who also serves as the ship’s doctor.

Penny Robinson (Lacey Chabert): The rebellious middle Robinson child.

Will Robinson (Jack Johnson; Jared Harris plays the older version): The youngest Robinson child, who is wise beyond his years.

Major Don West (Matt LeBlanc): The ship’s pilot.

Dr. Zachary Smith (Gary Oldman): A hired gun who sabotages the Robinson family’s planned space journey.

Robot (Voice of Dick Tufeld): An artificial intelligence that is programmed to take care of the Robinsons, until Dr. Smith tinkers with it.

How it Ends:

After defeating space spiders, the family heads on a path toward Alpha Prime.

The Netflix Series:

The Premise:

In the year 2046, the residents of Earth are still trying to cope with the fallout of the changing atmosphere and dangerous living conditions following a meteor-like strike. The Robinson family is among the group of settlers selected to travel, via the ship Resolute, to Alpha Centauri, where civilization can start anew. But a robot invasion on the ship forces the groups into pods, and they crash-land on a neighboring planet.

The Characters:

John Robinson (Toby Stephens): The Robinson patriarch is a former Navy SEAL who has spent much of the recent past away from his wife, Maureen, as well as their kids, Judy, Penny and Will.

Maureen Robinson (Molly Parker): The Robinson matriarch is an engineer who pulled strings to get her family on the mission. 

Judy Robinson (Taylor Russell): The ambitious eldest Robinson daughter serves as a doctor for the family.

Penny Robinson (Mina Sundwall): The middle Robinson child, who struggles to live up to her sister’s success but finds her own voice through writing.

Will Robinson (Maxwell Jenkins): The youngest Robinson, who isn’t quite prepared for the realities of a space mission, until he befriends Robot.  

June Harris/Zoe Smith (Parker Posey): June, a criminal, assumes her sister’s identity to be onboard the Resolute. But when it comes close to falling apart, she steals Dr. Zachary Smith’s ID, calling herself Zoe Smith. 

Don West (Ignacio Serricchio): A mechanic on the Resolute who is fiercely devoted to his pet chicken, Debbie. He’s also a part-time smuggler.

Robot (Brian Steele): An alien robot who quickly bonds with Will after the boy saves his life.

How it Ends:

The family stops the robot invasion and frees themselves. Alpha Centauri is no longer the haven they wanted post-war, but the family is happy: Will and Robot explore space, Penny continues writing, Judy continues her medical career, Smith is locked up for her crimes, John is finally able to slow down and find peace and Maureen works on building a new spaceship.