John Robinson is a main character of the 2004 unaired television pilot The Robinsons: Lost in Space. He is portrayed by Brad Johnson.
Unlike the other versions or adaptions of this character in which John Robinson is a scientist, in this version John Robinson is a war hero, in fact in the first part of the pilot episode he is being honored at a event in Chicago, Illinois in which his military background is mentioned by a highly decorated female officer. Colonel John Robinson is also a highly decorated military leader as well as a Highly honored Military leader. About 15 years prior in 2082, aliens attacked the Earth leaving many major cities burned to the ground. In an attack called "Robinson's Raid" Military Leader Colonel John Robinson defeated the aliens and saved the Earth. Now it is 2097, and John Robinson has chosen to retire from the military and move his family to a colony planet named Nova.
Like in the original series, John Robinson loves his family beyond all else. However, John was rarely with his family due to the alien war. In this version John and Maureen Robinson have four children. Their eldest are a teenage son David, and teenage daughter Judy; their third child is ten-year-old Will, who happens to be a genius; their fourth and last child is an infant girl named Penny. (Note: Both David and Judy Robinson appear to be about the same age. It is possible that they are fraternal twins. However, there is no way to prove this.) John seems very attached and favorable towards his younger son, Will. However, John has a very unstable relationship with his eldest son, David.
Unlike Will, David is of average intelligence and often scores low at school/academy. John doesn't understand this and constantly badgers David about his abilities and grades. John has become estranged with his son David. Maureen tries to push John to confront David and tell him how much David means to him. But John refuses and says David already 'knows' this. After the family boards the Jupiter Mother-Ship, it's discovered that the aliens have returned. Its also discovered that the Alien War is not over. Unlike the other version where the Jupter 2 was either damaged by Doctor Smith or attacked by a terrorist group named the Global Sedition, in this version its attacked by aliens. The aliens fire upon the unarmed Mother Ship and soon the ship is crawling with humanoid-reptilian like aliens "reptilianoids". The Humans deploy several space fighters to stop the aliens and Don West leaves to try get to a Space fighter but before he can he fights a alien in the hallway of the Jupiter Mother ship. The Robinsons eventually rush to their space pod, the Jupiter 2, and soon the pod ejects from the exploding Jupiter Mother Ship.
However in all the confusion David is missing. He had left the pod earlier in an effort to find his father who was missing at the time. The Jupiter Mother Ship soon blows apart. David dies upon the disintegrating ship as his family, including his father, John Robinson, look on in shock. The Jupiter 2 manages to escape the aliens...however now they're lost. John Robinson makes an oath to his grieving family...that he will find a way to bring them back home again. Then he also promises that he will find a way to find David and bring him back to them. John Robinson is especially mournful because he lost his opportunity to right his wrongs with his eldest son.