The Expanse

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I became interested in the series from reading all of your comments, so we started with season 1, and have watched the first 2 eps. I was surprised at the high level of special effects, especially in a TV series. The story is mildly interesting, although I really haven't developed interest in any of the characters.

I suspect the series is very attractive to space opera/Star Wars/Trekkie enthusiasts. Seems like @CitizenRules ought to be following this one. I know he's a big Star Trek fan.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I became interested in the series from reading all of your comments, so we started with season 1, and have watched the first 2 eps. I was surprised at the high level of special effects, especially in a TV series. The story is mildly interesting, although I really haven't developed interest in any of the characters.

I suspect the series is very attractive to space opera/Star Wars/Trekkie enthusiasts. Seems like @CitizenRules ought to be following this one. I know he's a big Star Trek fan.
Pretty much my first impressions. After maybe the third or fourth episode I was hooked. I admit I had to restart it half a year or more later to get into it. Since, I've binged each season that's come except this last one. End of year obligations and such are the only reasons I've not done that yet.
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That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
^I feel uncontrollably obligated to mention that every time I see someone post a comment, being on the fence with this show. Sorry for the reruns



A system of cells interlinked
I became interested in the series from reading all of your comments, so we started with season 1, and have watched the first 2 eps. I was surprised at the high level of special effects, especially in a TV series. The story is mildly interesting, although I really haven't developed interest in any of the characters.

I suspect the series is very attractive to space opera/Star Wars/Trekkie enthusiasts. Seems like @CitizenRules ought to be following this one. I know he's a big Star Trek fan.
It's much more of a political intrigue focused show than the Trek stuff, even if Trek series such as DS9 had some political intrigue throughout.

It takes a bit of time to start developing the characters, but it does develop them, and especially lately, it does so extremely well.

Gets my vote for the best sci-fi show going currently. Give it some time, or at least a few more episodes, to see if you warm to it more.

@John McClane - The latest episode was excellent. I am glad they spent a good portion of the episode focusing on Amos et al., even if it sacrificed time with some of the other characters to do so. I am a big fan of both Amos and Peaches in the novel series, and am so glad they are being done justice in the show. I am trying to think of a more complex character than Amos in really any show currently running, and I can't really come up with one.
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The Adventure Starts Here!
*Waits patiently for @Austruck to check in with her progress...*
Sorry! I'm still on season 1, episode 6. I'm stuck with a huge proofreading project for the next few days more, and then I can binge-watch stuff again. I know if I tell myself, "Just one episode..." that I'll end up bingeing this and will get behind on my work!

I'm also avoiding this thread because it goes so far beyond where I currently am in the series! Soon!! I'll catch up soon!



The Adventure Starts Here!
I'm finishing up season 1, episode 9 (although I should be working!).

This show gives me mixed vibes: the Miller stuff feels like Blade Runner. The rest feels very Battlestar Galactica. Not a bad combination, really. Still not reading any more of this thread until I catch up, though...



A system of cells interlinked
This latest season is cementing The Expanse as the best thing to happen to science fiction in a long time. It exposes other shows' shortcomings by being almost unassailable in its quality. It's complete dedication to realism in its approach to life in space and its extrapolation of realistic future political machinations elevate to new heights in television sci-fi. The Expanse puts a clown suit on pretty much everything else in recent memory. Once the show finds its legs (mid season two, maybe), the actors lock into their roles, and you start to become aware of what a talented and diverse bunch they are. Life in space is given a realism unlike any other show in history. Space is portrayed as vast, lonely, and extremely dangerous. The people that live in the Mars colonies have trouble walking and moving on Earth, as their bodies have trouble adjusting to the gravity here. And the people that live in the belt, out in space itself, can't even go to Earth, as the gravity causes extreme pain or even death.

One reviewer I like to watch said, and I paraphrase... "The Expanse is smart, mature, well-written, shot brilliantly, and perfectly portrayed by a large cast of extremely talented actors, who invest their characters with genuine depth, emotion, and gravitas. It makes an absolute mockery out of the usual shallow, pretentious garbage that passes for sci-fi today, such as Star Trek Discovery."

He's right, and I think that may even apply to historical well-received and good shows, like Star Trek:TNG and BSG. It exposes Star Trek for its silly deus-ex machina driven contrivances, and BSG for its over-reliance on gimmickry such as The Plan and Who are the Cylons? The Expanse doesn't need any of that stuff.

Last night, as I watched yet another absolutely stellar episode chock full of engaging character development and political intrigue, I realized that almost the entire episode had been focused on character, with hardly any plot events, and yet I was on the edge of my seat and just glued to the screen. This show has multiple characters that qualify as some of the most complex and well-developed characters I have seen in a TV show. Then almost as if the show had read my mind, events spun out of control, with an amazing space battle and some jaw-dropping dramatic turns sending my wife and I into fits. The episode faded to black and my wife exclaimed "NOOOOOOOOOO - I need to see what happens!!!"

Best sci-fi show, hands down. I reiterate that it does take some time and unpacking to get going, but it is well worth it.



This latest season is cementing The Expanse as the best thing to happen to science fiction in a long time. It exposes other shows' shortcomings by being almost unassailable in its quality. It's complete dedication to realism in its approach to life in space and its extrapolation of realistic future political machinations elevate to new heights in television sci-fi. The Expanse puts a clown suit on pretty much everything else in recent memory. Once the show finds its legs (mid season two, maybe), the actors lock into their roles, and you start to become aware of what a talented and diverse bunch they are. Life in space is given a realism unlike any other show in history. Space is portrayed as vast, lonely, and extremely dangerous. The people that live in the Mars colonies have trouble walking and moving on Earth, as their bodies have trouble adjusting to the gravity here. And the people that live in the belt, out in space itself, can't even go to Earth, as the gravity causes extreme pain or even death.

One reviewer I like to watch said, and I paraphrase... "The Expanse is smart, mature, well-written, shot brilliantly, and perfectly portrayed by a large cast of extremely talented actors, who invest their characters with genuine depth, emotion, and gravitas. It makes an absolute mockery out of the usual shallow, pretentious garbage that passes for sci-fi today, such as Star Trek Discovery."

He's right, and I think that may even apply to historical well-received and good shows, like Star Trek:TNG and BSG. It exposes Star Trek for its silly deus-ex machina driven contrivances, and BSG for its over-reliance on gimmickry such as The Plan and Who are the Cylons? The Expanse doesn't need any of that stuff.

Last night, as I watched yet another absolutely stellar episode chock full of engaging character development and political intrigue, I realized that almost the entire episode had been focused on character, with hardly any plot events, and yet I was on the edge of my seat and just glued to the screen. This show has multiple characters that qualify as some of the most complex and well-developed characters I have seen in a TV show. Then almost as if the show had read my mind, events spun out of control, with an amazing space battle and some jaw-dropping dramatic turns sending my wife and I into fits. The episode faded to black and my wife exclaimed "NOOOOOOOOOO - I need to see what happens!!!"

Best sci-fi show, hands down. I reiterate that it does take some time and unpacking to get going, but it is well worth it.

Some very pretty visuals in the FX shots as well.


It does strain credulity in that our featured players are always at the center of the most important events for the human race and I can only take so much baby-talk pseudo-Jamaican belter-speak, Boss Manggg.



A system of cells interlinked
It does strain credulity in that our featured players are always at the center of the most important events for the human race and I can only take so much baby-talk pseudo-Jamaican belter-speak, Boss Manggg.
Spoken like a tru Innah!



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I thought I commented on the Blade Runner bit already. I guess I got distracted and closed the browser before I finished. Figures. Yeah. Season 1 was the mystery hook that might make the run more relatable/approachable by those not so into sci-fi stuff. It's a decent missing person mystery. That narrative crutch starts to fade moving into Season 2 when the ...well ...the universe opens up. As Sedai noted, you should be properly invested by mid-Season 2. If you're into it at the moment at all, please do continue. I think you will be pleasantly surprised in the coming development.

In comparisons to Battlestar Gallactica, The Expanse takes that "real feel" of space to the next level. BSG mounted camera points of view to ships, giving us the perspective and physics of non-Starwars physics of space. There are clearly nods to that throughout The Expanse. Aside from hearing turret fire in the vacuum of space, BSG also did a great job of showing how cold, vast, and lonely space is. But where BSG seemed to focus on mysticism and interpersonal relationships between crew and enemies, The Expanse widens our interests from the individual to very large group dynamics. I mean the political play between WORLDs (belters included). Arguably, broader than say Game of Thrones. I mean, GoT was mostly focused on a few individuals too. Ego was the motive. Sure, The Expanse development has to be simplified and an individual face has to placed in lieu of the nameless masses, but the show really does create a "world" that is bigger than a world's perspective. More of what I think BSG was starting with in the mini-series and part of Season 1, but drifted from as Baltar needed more sex. kinda joking. kinda not.

I love me some BSG though, so don't think I'm knocking it (or ST: TNG) as that heathen, Sedai, did earlier.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
lol at that crew being in the middle of everything. Yeah. Fair point. The accent, though annoying in season 1, seems to feel very well established now. I catch myself speaking it from time to time =\



Spoken like a tru Innah!

And you speak like a true outer, or should I say terrorist?



Tell Inaros that Earth is not going to take this lying down.



You ready? You look ready.
Ok, I just realized no one has mentioned this yet.

How about that intro and the theme music? As soon as I typed that my imagination started playing it in my head and I goose fleshed. Just like I do at the start of every episode.

So, so good. This show has ruined me for just about everything else.



You ready? You look ready.
It does strain credulity in that our featured players are always at the center of the most important events for the human race and I can only take so much baby-talk pseudo-Jamaican belter-speak, Boss Manggg.
In the first two seasons it is not so outlandish because they have a warship. No free crew in the outer belt has a warship, so by sheer ownership of a warship they get to be a part of everything. Because no one is going to say “no thanks, we don’t want your warship” or “we don’t have to listen to you”. Warships have their perks.



The Adventure Starts Here!
Still scrolling past any new comments until I catch up...

I'm near the tail end of season 2. My huge proofreading project is finally done so I'll have lots of time to binge my way through and catch up now. In fact, I have episode 9 of season 2 on, on my second monitor right now as I type this. Back to it! I'm finally getting a feel for who belongs to what.



The Adventure Starts Here!
I'm finishing up season 1, episode 9 (although I should be working!).

This show gives me mixed vibes: the Miller stuff feels like Blade Runner. The rest feels very Battlestar Galactica. Not a bad combination, really. Still not reading any more of this thread until I catch up, though...
Oh, I need to amend this. While Joe Miller was still alive and not burned up on Venus, I would have probably added a sort of Firefly vibe too, minus more than half of the humor.



The Adventure Starts Here!
That protomolecule monster...



reminds me a little bit of a blue version of this green guy:

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A system of cells interlinked
@GulfportDoc - Have you watched any more of this series?
@Austruck - And you?


Last night's episode was another fantastic piece of storytelling. This thing is just full steam ahead at this point, right @John McClane?



You ready? You look ready.
Last night's episode was another fantastic piece of storytelling. This thing is just full steam ahead at this point, right @John McClane?
Yeah, that episode really pissed me off. I wanted more of Amos and Peaches, but now that I think about it they actually had right much of the episode. Damn, I didn't realize just how much story they packed into it now that I think about it.

I have been double and triple watching every episode this season, so I will watch it again soon (I always catch it on Tuesday night since they put them up early).

But yo, right now I am knee deep into that Showtime show Your Honor, and not really thinking about The Expanse.
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"This is that human freedom, which all boast that they possess, and which consists solely in the fact, that men are conscious of their own desire, but are ignorant of the causes whereby that desire has been determined." -Baruch Spinoza