The Expanse debuted in 2015, and the first season ended early in
2016. But it was only last December that I got to watch it.
Based on a series of novels by
James S. A. Corey (which I haven’t read), The Expanse is a
science fiction TV series from SyFy (the same network that brought two other
science fiction TV shows I’ve liked in the past few years, 12 Monkeys and Defiance). Fusing the space opera, cyberpunk, political
thriller, and mystery noir genres, its 10-episode debut season features
engaging storytelling, grounded dialogue, believable acting, well thought out
worldbuilding, and impressive production value and cinematography for a TV show.
Set two hundred years in the
future – wherein Earth is totally centralized under a United Nations
government, Mars is colonized and independent, various stations occupy the
Asteroid Belt, and uneasy tension exists between Earth, Mars, and the Belt – The Expanse revolves on three main
plotlines: 1.) A Ceres police detective named Josephus "Joe" Aloisus
Miller’s (Thomas Jane) is investigating the mysterious disappearance of a woman
named Juliette "Julie" Andromeda Mao (Florence Faivre); 2.) James
"Jim" Holden (Steven Strait) and other surviving crewmates from the
ice hauler Canterbury find themselves
being in the center of a plot that could ignite a galactic war; and 3.) Chrisjen
Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo), a UN official, is working on Earth to keep the
peace… by any means necessary. As the
series progresses, pieces from the three gradually converge.
The political intrigue, heavy but
engrossing conversations, and ambience of unpredictability involved in The Expanse somewhat reminds me of Game of Thrones. By that, I don’t mean that The Expanse is the Game of Thrones of science fiction TV (Westworld has a better chance of getting that title). It’s still a long way from that. But the quality of this show inspires such
musing.
The series also has a hardboiled,
down-to-earth feel. Despite being set in
the future, the themes and characters are effectively relatable and relevant to
a modern day angle. Its fascinating
futuristic setting is never a distraction, nor does it overshadow the narrative as
focal point. It means even if you remove
the space ships and gadgets, and bring the story to a different genre context,
it probably will still work. But it
works best as it is – a science
fiction drama set in a futuristic, space setting.
But even with all these good things said, I
understand why there will be others who won’t find it as appealing as I
do. Though it gets its footing, it does
feel wobbly at its early episodes. If
one is turned off at that point, one might find it difficult to get invested
down the line. Also, it does get a bit
tedious and hard to follow sometimes.
In the end, The Expanse probably comes down to having a taste for science
fiction (space opera in particular). I
simply love science fiction, hence, I tremendously appreciate the science
fiction marks it hits – visually, thematically, and narratively. For The
Expanse is a gritty, beautiful-looking, thoughtful show that has a lot
going for it as a work of science fiction to make it a riveting watch for fans of the genre.
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