Author Topic: The Expanse (tv series)  (Read 8534 times)

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Offline Buckshee Rounds

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The Expanse (tv series)
After being somewhat disappointed with Trek's new offering I got to thinking about sci-fi shows that stand out to me and one of them has definitely got to be the Expanse.

I'll confess that I haven't read the books yet (Leviathan Wakes is next on my list), but I really enjoy the show. The premise is that our solar system, 200-something years in the future, has been colonised to the point where Earth and Mars are considered as separate states with the asteroid belt somewhat divided between the two. Humans that grew up on Mars or the asteroid belt are unused to Earth gravity and the 'Belters' in particular have all kinds of physical deformities as a result.

The show really caught me for its faithful depiction of Newtonian physics, the likes of which I can't remember seeing since BSG or Babylon 5. Traveling through space is depicted as being routine enough to support trade and travel, but still quite a big deal - high G burns have to be endured by belting into a seat and pumping drugs into the body. Orbital mechanics are likewise well portrayed, although I'll confess my experience stems from Kerbal Space Program. :)

For all its believable depiction of science however, the Expanse is driven very much by its plot and its characters. Some of the main cast can at times seem a bit wooden, but they're very fleshed out and are portrayed as complimenting each other's strengths and weaknesses to make an effective crew.

Spoiler:
The season 2 finale was something I very much enjoyed - the "oh ****" moment of the science vessel splitting apart and Naomi's speech were very well done. To hear Naomi tell it, it seemed to me like she was essentially getting at the perpetual arms race that humans seem to find themselves in and it actually made me rethink my stance on Nuclear weps. She understands the need for parity and while her actions might have been somewhat impulsive I think she made the right call in delivering the proto-molecule to Fred Johnson.

If someone's already made a discussion thread, then apologies, I couldn't find it. I like this show very much and feel that it deserves its own thread at the very least.

 

Offline The E

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
The Expanse is probably my favourite space opera novel series right now, and to see that it gets a quality treatment on translation to screen makes me happy.
If I'm just aching this can't go on
I came from chasing dreams to feel alone
There must be changes, miss to feel strong
I really need lifе to touch me
--Evergrey, Where August Mourns

 
Re: The Expanse (tv series)
My 2'nd favourite sci-fi lore, right behind Freespace and Mass Effect <impossible question, which one I love more>. Get your hands on the books ASAP! I even heard opinions that Expanse is a space GoT, which is pretty good comparison. Mixture of politics, personal agendas, and fight, seen from many perspectives. So far we have 3'rd season confirmed but there is enough source material for at least twice as many. Series interpretation of the books is very accurate, I found maybe 2 or 3 small differences when it comes to the events. Some characters appear earlier in the series, compared to the book timeline but that's not a problem at all.

BTW. #TeamMCR :P <though Avasarala is my fav character so far. Aghdashloo's acting is simply outstanding>

 

Offline Luis Dias

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
oh **** it has a second season already I missed out on this ****ing hell be right back ;)

 
Re: The Expanse (tv series)
The Expanse is pretty awesome. I'm staying away from the books for now, but I'll be sure to get them once the series concludes.

Spoiler:
I'm waiting on the proto-molecule to go all Beast on everyone and bite them in the ass. I'm also still waiting on practical or theoretical breakthrough coming from the molecule - although Vagabond's (I forget the guy's name) company might have already cashed in on that to some extent.

oh **** it has a second season already I missed out on this ****ing hell be right back ;)
Shame on you !

 

Offline MP-Ryan

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
I haven't watched the show at all, but the books are fantastic and I cannot recommend them enough.  Also, unlike certain fantasy authors - GRRM and Pat Rothfuss, I'm looking at you - they are releasing in a timely fashion.  Regardless, it's really interesting to see a sci-fi work set in a future where space travel is routine but still hard and inconvenient, and humans aren't evolved into a utopian social structure.
"In the beginning, the Universe was created.  This made a lot of people very angry and has widely been regarded as a bad move."  [Douglas Adams]

 

Offline The E

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
I haven't watched the show at all, but the books are fantastic and I cannot recommend them enough.  Also, unlike certain fantasy authors - GRRM and Pat Rothfuss, I'm looking at you - they are releasing in a timely fashion.  Regardless, it's really interesting to see a sci-fi work set in a future where space travel is routine but still hard and inconvenient, and humans aren't evolved into a utopian social structure.

The series deemphasizes that aspect somewhat, simply because it doesn't have the luxury of taking month-long timeouts whenever the Roci or other ships are travelling somewhere (I mean, it could have? But I guess having to bring up the subject of just how much time is spent travelling all the time gets cumbersome after a while). The series hasn't gone full GoT yet in terms of time compression, but I'm reasonably sure that the writers are competent enough to avoid that impression.
If I'm just aching this can't go on
I came from chasing dreams to feel alone
There must be changes, miss to feel strong
I really need lifе to touch me
--Evergrey, Where August Mourns

 

Offline Colonol Dekker

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
Vagabond


 :banghead:




How the ever living flip did I miss that.



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Offline Luis Dias

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
Finished watching the second season.

I can easily conclude that it is, by *far*, the best sci fi show made in 2017. So much better than season 1 it's not even close, it picks up fast and sharp right at the beggining, grabs your attention and never lets it go, until almost the end. The cliffhanger isn't as exciting, but I just can't wait for season 3! It's Games of Thrones in Space and it's so well written!

 

Offline Rhymes

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
So season 3 has started. Just watched the first episode. Loved it, as expected. Frankie Adams has definitely improved from season 2, as has pretty much everybody (except Shoreh Aghdashloo, but she was already great). Super excited for the rest.

If you don't have Knossos, you need it.

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Offline Colonol Dekker

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
On Netflix?
Campaigns I've added my distinctiveness to-
- Blue Planet: Battle Captains
-Battle of Neptune
-Between the Ashes 2
-Blue planet: Age of Aquarius
-FOTG?
-Inferno R1
-Ribos: The aftermath / -Retreat from Deneb
-Sol: A History
-TBP EACW teaser
-Earth Brakiri war
-TBP Fortune Hunters (I think?)
-TBP Relic
-Trancsend (Possibly?)
-Uncharted Territory
-Vassagos Dirge
-War Machine
(Others lost to the mists of time and no discernible audit trail)

Your friendly Orestes tactical controller.

Secret bomb God.
That one time I got permabanned and got to read who was being bitxhy about me :p....
GO GO DEKKER RANGERSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
President of the Scooby Doo Model Appreciation Society
The only good Zod is a dead Zod
NEWGROUNDS COMEDY GOLD, UPDATED DAILY
http://badges.steamprofile.com/profile/default/steam/76561198011784807.png

 

Offline Rhymes

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
Only on Netflix outside of the North America (Amazon gets it in the States), and they won't get the new season for several months, because making the distribution rights simple was apparently beyond Alcon's capabilities.  I'm sure there are alternatives, but those would be illegal, and wrong, and wouldn't support the show.
If you don't have Knossos, you need it.

“There was a button," Holden said. "I pushed it."
"Jesus Christ. That really is how you go through life, isn't it?”

 

Offline MP-Ryan

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
My PVR is now recording season 3 while I locate the first two.  Stupid Syfy and their licensing in North America.  Oh, we'll put it on Netflix everywhere else but if you live here then you can pay for yet another service.  Ridiculous.
"In the beginning, the Universe was created.  This made a lot of people very angry and has widely been regarded as a bad move."  [Douglas Adams]

 

Offline The E

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
And the Netflix release being a few months off doesn't make the rest of the world real happy about this whole stupid licensing thing either.
If I'm just aching this can't go on
I came from chasing dreams to feel alone
There must be changes, miss to feel strong
I really need lifе to touch me
--Evergrey, Where August Mourns

 

Offline Buckshee Rounds

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
I'm confused. Season 3 is not on Netlfix UK, did they pull it or something?

 

Offline Rhymes

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
There's a really long delay before it goes up on Netflix UK--we're talking months. Season 3 is airing in the States right now.
If you don't have Knossos, you need it.

“There was a button," Holden said. "I pushed it."
"Jesus Christ. That really is how you go through life, isn't it?”

 
Re: The Expanse (tv series)
I've read all the Expanse books thus far and watched the series. It got a lot of the original material right but it also took some odd liberties to speed up the plot and some of the casting just doesn't seem right.

Naomi is too short to me, she's supposed to be a tall and gangly Belter, but she's just a mid height, mid build Earther. Considering that they went some way to highlight other Belter's more obviously low-g warped physiques it's a shame that they didn't go the whole way.*shrug*

Holden, Amos and Alex are pretty well cast though.

  

Offline Luis Dias

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
First two episodes of this season are killer. I'm impatiently waiting for the third one!

 

Offline MP-Ryan

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
Okay, found a free trial on a streaming service so I've watched all of season 1/2 in the last week.  This show is great.  It utterly fails to convey the sense of scale and time lapse in trvale like the books does, but I don't care overly much.  It also doesn't really convey the physiological differences between Belters, Martians, and Earthers, though it does try (and I understand why the complexity of that just does not make it worth the expense in production).  I'm just starting season 3 now, and so far it's pretty faithful to the books.  The casting I think is excellent - the characters are not how I picture them, but that's not a bad thing, just different (e.g. isn't Amos bald?  and Alex older?  Holden beefier?  Naomi taller?).  I wasn't sold on Bobbi's casting initially at all, but by the end of season 2 was fully onboard.  And actually, the gem in all the casting is Avasarala.  Despite not being as old as she should be, she's bloody perfect.  The last more hidden gem is Drummer.  Also a fantastic casting choice.

All in all, this series is great and it just makes me want the next book that much sooner.
"In the beginning, the Universe was created.  This made a lot of people very angry and has widely been regarded as a bad move."  [Douglas Adams]

 

Offline The E

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Re: The Expanse (tv series)
Holden is pretty much on-point in terms of casting, Amos and Alex are both younger than their book counterparts (Amos more so than Alex), and Naomi's actress has the drawback of having grown up in an actual 1g environment (some blatant earth-centric casting there, really).

You are right that Drummer is kind of a show-stealer though
If I'm just aching this can't go on
I came from chasing dreams to feel alone
There must be changes, miss to feel strong
I really need lifе to touch me
--Evergrey, Where August Mourns