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LTTP: The Expanse Season 1

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D

Dalek

Member
This show is top notch. I'm not sure why I've waited so long to get into it-but for anyone that's on the fence about watching it I can't recommend it more highly.

At the end of the first episode there is something that happens to a group of people that puts them in a real predicament-and you are hooked. You must watch the next episode to see how they get out of it.

And then the next episode happens and there's just more and more of that. I'm only 4 episodes in and there was just a massive "Holy Shit" moment.
the doctor character gets decapitated out of the middle of nowhere.

It's been a long time since I've had one of these shows where you can't stop binge watching to find out what happens next-but in doing so you just get deeper and deeper into the mystery.

Absolutely love it.
 
E

Extollere

Sucks at poetry
It's awesome. Season 2 is even better. I don't know if this show is being slept on or what, but it doesn't seem like anyone I know is watching it. The pacing is excellent, and it has some really cool characters (Miller, Amos, Chrisjen). The acting can be a little inconsistent with some of the side characters, but I think where this show really shines is in its script. Definitely a show worth watching.
 
metareferential

metareferential

Member
The series is awesome, S2 even more (damn it's already over).

I don't think it's being slept on, it's doing great if I remember correctly.
 
S

Switch Back 9

a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
I couldn't get through the 5th book and dropped the series. Might check out the show though if it's good?
 
J

jerry113

Banned
You're really going to enjoy season 2.

First season is free for viewing on Amazon for anyone who is a Prime member.
 
B

Blargonaut

Banned
One of the most entertaining series on TV right now, didn't realize how much I was aching for a solid sci-fi show like this until it got me, and S2 hasn't let me down so far either :eek:
 
S

SlipperyFishes

Banned
I'm on episode 6 or so and finding the time to enjoy this is tough atm but I've enjoyed every episode so far and would definitely recommend it to lurkers.
 
Jezbollah

Jezbollah

Member
Season 2 should be up on Netflix very soon. I've been waiting for it all to appear to marathon it like I did Season 1. Should be fun :)
 
Y

Yoshi88

Member
I just discovered the books (at book 3 in the moment) and simultaneously saw, that the much lauded "The Expanse" series on Netflix Germany i always get recommended was actually the tv realization of those books. I never made the connection until i saw the subtitle "Part of The Expanse" on the second book title.

With only small changes, the series keeps incredibly much intact from the books and i can't wait to see more. Finally good sci-fi again, it hits just the spots of big sci-fi events like B5, Stargate and BSG for me but with a much more mature and thrilling character.

I love the world-building in the books and i love how much they were able to convey of it in the series. I love the actors, great choices and great performances (Avasarala!!).

It's my GoT and i hope the series survives the whole planned book arc.
 
Grizzlyjin

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
*sigh* Too many good shows. I'm probably going to save this one for rainy days this summer. Maybe Season 2 will be on Amazon Prime by then?
 
NekoFever

NekoFever

Member
SargerusBR said:
US only i guess, because S1 is available in brazilian Netflix.
Click to expand...

Netflix has the rights everywhere outside the US. It's even marketed as a Netflix Original here.

I like both the show and the books. I've only read the first three but I have a couple of 14-hour flights coming up so I might buy the remaining ones.
 
M

Masterblaster

Member
Season 1 was great. Got me to read the 6 books that have been released. I like the books and that said i really did not like season 2.

I wanted to like it since S1 was what got me interested in the first place.
The plots from Book 2 which are about half of the S2 episodes are handled very poorly imho. Story elements are skipped over to include other stuff thats not in the book and don't add to the overall story at all and are just there to give weird ass charactarisations to the characters which then take them to different angles compared to how they are written in the books. Complete episodes are wasted on things like this instead of telling the much more interesting stuff that is already there in the books. This affects the charactarisation of some of the main cast (mainly Holden and Naomi and to a lesser extend Amos) and some of the new additions (Bobby).

Pacing is horrible in season 2 because of the things mentioned above and the CGI effects are sometimes dodgy as hell even compared to S1. And this in a SCI-FI show thats set in space!

So in essence what bugged me personally the most is the shitty charactarisation changes compared to the books and the really stupid added plotlines that are nowhere near to be found in the book and do not add anything to the main narative. My guess is they want to setup things that will mainly happen in book 5 already now but at the expense of stories that could be told from book 2 and 3.

So while you enjoyed S1 i encourage you to rather read the books because the story and characters are better there. But it seems i am a minority in this opinion here so take it with a grain of salt.
 
S

Spikematic

Member
I really need to get on this soon. It's available on Netflix in my region and I see it recommended quite often. Thanks for your impressions OP, you have swayed me!
 
T

Tovarisc

Member
Masterblaster said:
Pacing is horrible in season 2 because of the things mentioned above and the CGI effects are sometimes dodgy as hell even compared to S1. And this in a SCI-FI show thats set in space!
Click to expand...

I didn't find there to be any pacing issues in Season 2. It had few slow burner episodes to set up stuff, but I appreciate that stuff because there is always pay off later on. CGI was worse than in Season 1? wot?

Also keep in mind that creators of book series are closely working with showrunner and writers. They are retooling timelines of events and even some characters to fit better medium that is TV so it could be big reason you feel this weird disconnect between books and series.

P.S. Post any book spoilers here and I hunt you down <.<
 
MaKTaiL

MaKTaiL

Member
I tried watching it. I gave it a 4 episode test but I found it to be too boring. Couldn't go through with it.
 
M

Masterblaster

Member
Tovarisc said:
I didn't find there to be any pacing issues in Season 2. It had few slow burner episodes to set up stuff, but I appreciate that stuff because there is always pay off later on.
Click to expand...

Ep 2x12 was the biggest offender to this in the season. The whole plot of the episodes with Naomi, Amos and the belters was a fucking cringe to watch (mostly because of the dumb execution). Has nothing to do with any plot from the books. Did not do anything for the show. Introduces charactarization to Naomi, Holden that is nowhere near this in the books. It showcases characteristics to these characters that is not how they behave in the books. So that in itself to me is an offence since they change who they are basically with moments like these.

Holden especially in that episode came off as a stupid, aggresive, short sighted idiot. Naomi comes of as a belter with a surviors guilt and martyr complex. This is not how they are written or behave in the books at all!

And also i have to say it again. The way that storyline was handled was attrocious. Episode spoiler
The way that one fricking thug holds back hundreds of panicked people that know they will die was just the cheesiest and most lazily written plot device ever


Tovarisc said:
CGI was worse than in Season 1? wot?
Click to expand...

Just look at some of the shots in ep 3 or 4 (with the Eros mission) and compare those maybe to some of the more lightly but much better used space scenes from S1.

Tovarisc said:
Also keep in mind that creators of book series are closely working with showrunner and writers. They are retooling timelines of events and even some characters to fit better medium that is TV so it could be big reason you feel this weird disconnect between books and series.
Click to expand...

Yeah sure. This is a common tag line these days with shows such as GoT. But there i also remember that GRR Martin got fed up with all the storyline changes the showrunners were making around S4 and stopped participating.

So saying that the writers of the books also take part in some form in the show does not guarantee that you will get the same quality as in the source material especially if studio execs want to make their own changes to appease their tv show demographics and format needs.

Also S2 ended on a whimper and not a proper bang as any respectable season would normally do to get audiences interested more in whats to come.
 
K

kurahador

Member
MaKTaiL said:
I tried watching it. I gave it a 4 episode test but I found it to be too boring. Couldn't go through with it.
Click to expand...

Like I said, Season 1 was all about build ups. Shit only starts coming together in episode 7, and then it's all about payoff onwards.
 
T

Tovarisc

Member
Masterblaster said:
Yeah sure. This is a common tag line these days with shows such as GoT. But there i also remember that GRR Martin got fed up with all the storyline changes the showrunners were making around S4 and stopped participating.

So saying that the writers of the books also take part in some form in the show does not guarantee that you will get the same quality as in the source material especially if studio execs want to make their own changes to appease their tv show demographics and format needs.
Click to expand...

GRRM is so sick and tired of GoT showrunners that it's only reason why he told them exclusively
about Hodor
and basically everything between end latest book and how he intends to end whole book series. Because he isn't and doesn't want to participate he gave them all material ever needed to play off of.

1:1 adaptation from books to TV or movie rarely if never would work, but I get sense it's what you hope Expanse did? They have to build up characters in different ways and build the world in different ways because there isn't this disconnected silent narrator telling you finer details between events where characters themselves interact.

suzu said:
The ratings aren't great. Show doesn't get enough attention.

If only US Netflix could stream it.
Click to expand...

Yep :/

People whine about there not being good sci-fi series and when there is one people won't watch it.

If you are one to complain about not getting good sci-fi on small screen and you aren't watching Expanse you don't have right to bitch about lack of sci-fi!
 
M

Masterblaster

Member
Tovarisc said:
1:1 adaptation from books to TV or movie rarely if never would work, but I get sense it's what you hope Expanse did? They have to build up characters in different ways and build the world in different ways because there isn't this disconnected silent narrator telling you finer details between events where characters themselves interact.
Click to expand...

Again i can say this as someone who did not read the books going into S1 and i felt the character building there was just fine. Then i read the first book and i still thought that they did a very good job compared to the source material. I have lost a ton of that feeling in S2.

I know that you cannot put a book 1:1 into a tv show or a movie because of the difference in formats etc so i am not expecting that here. But when they fundamentally screw around with characters i tend to notice and i tend to care and be annoyed.

Book Holden to me is a bit like a smart Philip J. Fry (yeah weird comparison i know). He is not dumb, he is not a typical hero character but he is a bit naive and full of sense of justice. He is constantly thrust into situations where he is over his head but makes it through via the dynamic and help of his crew and other characters.
TV holden especially in this season (or towards the ends of it) acts like a vengeful aggressive short sighted man with a single purpose to destroy the protomolecule no matter what happens around him because he was scarred of the Eros incident.
This is increadible dumbed down characterisation to me.

Naomi is in a similar situation and the way they build up Bobby as a character i don't agree with either.

They also change shit up without reason or ryhme just because hey its TV and lets add some Character drama.

Some examples to this. S2 TV Show spoilers and comparison to book version

- Naomi hides the protomolecue sample from holden in S2 only to reveal it to him at the end that she gave it to Fred Johnson. In the book the crew argues what to do with the sample and without having a better idea they give it to Fred Johnson for safekeeping as they don't trust Earth or Mars.

So basically the TV version just did an unecessary round so that Naomi could be cranky and secretive towards Holden in the show and add more TV drama between their characters to get to the same exact resolution as the book just with twisting the characters behaviours around

- The twist of Erwinright double crossing Aversala in the show and revealing his true side after feeling remorse over his actions and almost being portrayed as a misunderstood good guy who did what he tought was necessary to protect Earth. Only to be a double cross as has been shown in the show.
In the books this double cross never takes place as he is simply potrayed to be the evil dude working with Mao from the start. So again having about 2 episodes dedicated to portraying him as an almost good guy then to only switch him around AGAIN to the exact same position he is in the books is complete unecessary TV characterisation just to add plottwists for the reason of having plottwists.
 
Cracklox

Cracklox

Member
Same here OP. Heard about it a week ago and carved through season one already and have 2 more episodes to go in season 2 which I'll be watching later on.

I'm not sure what the consensus is but I've enjoyed season 2 a whole lot more and I already liked season 1
 
T

Tovarisc

Member
Masterblaster said:
Again i can say this as someone who did not read the books going into S1 and i felt the character building there was just fine. Then i read the first book and i still thought that they did a very good job compared to the source material. I have lost a ton of that feeling in S2.

I know that you cannot put a book 1:1 into a tv show or a movie because of the difference in formats etc so i am not expecting that here. But when they fundamentally screw around with characters i tend to notice and i tend to care and be annoyed.

Book Holden to me is a bit like a smart Philip J. Fry (yeah weird comparison i know). He is not dumb, he is not a typical hero character but he is a bit naive and full of sense of justice. He is constantly thrust into situations where he is over his head but makes it through via the dynamic and help of his crew and other characters.
TV holden especially in this season (or towards the ends of it) acts like a vengeful aggressive short sighted man with a single purpose to destroy the protomolecule no matter what happens around him because he was scarred of the Eros incident.
This is increadible dumbed down characterisation to me.

Naomi is in a similar situation and the way they build up Bobbi as a character i don't agree with either.
Click to expand...

You may want to tag S2 spoilery stuff as this is LTTP thread, just courtesy thing.

We come from different places on character development and view their actions somewhat differently. I haven't read books, they are on my to-do list. This directly has effect on how characters and their development feels like to me. To me how they have grown and developed over two seasons feels natural and makes sense. I don't have other version to compare them to. Which can be good or bad.

Season 2 Holden:
To me his obsession with destroying proto and experiments done with it was less short sighted rage and anger, but more him feeling responsible about what happened on Eros and not being able to save people in it. Just like he was unable to save his friends at beginning of Season 1. After all he tries to do right thing every time and help people, not being able to is failure for him. I think this is bigger factor him becoming so narrow focused on proto than being this angry brute who seeks vengeance.

Core cast has maintained their core personalities over both seasons like they are in show and build on them, imo.
 
Y

Yoshi88

Member
Masterblaster said:
TV holden especially in this season (or towards the ends of it) acts like a vengeful aggressive short sighted man with a single purpose to destroy the protomolecule no matter what happens around him because he was scarred of the Eros incident. This is increadible dumbed down characterisation to me.
Click to expand...

I haven't seen season 2 yet, but book Holden feels exactly like this for great parts of book 2 imo. It's definitely a prominent part of his character at this point of the story (though not his defining trait overall).
 
S

Shiloa

Member
I have tried and tried and tried to get into it but it's so boring.

I really love scifi but it's so difficult to find anything to care about here. There is such little world-building, such uninteresting characters, horrific acting, dull environments and next to zero plot progression.

Currently on 5th attempt at S1 and I've made it to Episode 7 and I just don't understand what people see in it.

I can only hope there's multiple subtle strands I am missing which end up building into something but I really doubt it.
 
G

GuitarAtomik

Member
Took me a couple episodes to really get in to it but, once the segregated plot threads started coming together, I was all in. Second season is even better.
 
T

tearsintherain

Member
After Black Sails probably the best TV show that has come around in the last 4-5 years, in my opinion.

You can check out the S2 gaf thread too
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=234582873

season 1 is a mystery TV show, you get a lot of crazy things happening and new characters and new mysteries and its very much a noir style show in the future/space with a hard sci fi edge.

season 2 is more action/adventure, the mysteries start getting explained and characters take their agenda into their own hands and do stuff.

The series is based on a book series, the authors are extremely involved in the show (part of the writing room staff since episode 1) and they have cranked out 1 book every year, up to book 6 now out of 9 planned.

I'd say this is the TV show that MOST deserves a much bigger audience on TV. Season 2 just wrapped last week, its already been green lit for season 3.
 
J

JeffZero

Purple Drazi
Season 1 is good. Season 2 is even better. This show's 0.16 ratings average makes the third-season renewal frankly a minor miracle in and of itself, so if you're enjoying The Expanse, get loud. Tell anyone you think might listen. It's not long for this world, otherwise, and that's a crying shame. It's one of television's best right now.

But enough of my usual rhetoric. I'm happy you're enjoying it regardless of its estimated remaining shelf life. It always makes me smile to meet a burgeoning new fan. <3
 
S

Sarek

Member
JeffZero said:
Season 1 is good. Season 2 is even better. This show's 0.16 ratings average makes the third-season renewal frankly a minor miracle in and of itself, so if you're enjoying The Expanse, get loud. Tell anyone you think might listen. It's not long for this world, otherwise, and that's a crying shame. It's one of television's best right now.
Click to expand...

I really don't understand why this show has such poor ratings. It is way better than eg. Battlestar Galactica that had easily 10 times the ratings The Expanse is getting.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
Sarek said:
I really don't understand why this show has such poor ratings. It is way better than eg. Battlestar Galactica that had easily 10 times the ratings The Expanse is getting.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be surprised if FX is stealing live viewers.
 
J

JeffZero

Purple Drazi
Sarek said:
I really don't understand why this show has such poor ratings. It is way better than eg. Battlestar Galactica that had easily 10 times the ratings The Expanse is getting.
Click to expand...

SyFy did this to themselves over the years, I think. I sort of anticipated low ratings going into this new series, although I'm not sure I'd expected them to be quite this... slim.

The reality here is that the network gradually shoved space opera enthusiasts into the ditches. Wrestling delivered decent numbers, and for a while, Warehouse 13 was their answer to providing scripted programming at half the old VFX-heavy price points. Then the Eureka/Warehouse 13 fad died down and even those shows started tanking but they found some respite in stuff like that zombie show.

All-the-while, I spoke with a fair few old-school Sci-Fi Channel fans who were just utterly done with the SyFy rebrand. When Defiance came along, it was giving the network some ~0.7 ratings at first, which in modern cable terms isn't bad at all, but that fell apart quickly when many folks felt like the show wasn't particularly strong, or smart, or anything of the sort. (No offense to Defiance fans, of course. Just what I noticed at the time from people.)

Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO, all these alternative sources becoming increasingly prolific to folks who were already scoffing at SyFy. Granted, there ain't a damn live-action space opera among 'em, not really, but those folks were pretty much just done with the channel. You can find them talking about the glory days of Battlestar Galactica, Stargate, Farscape, but it's quite difficult to convince them The Expanse ought to join those ranks. Couple that with all the cable cord-cutting going on, and the substantial overlap I suspect occurs between cord-cutters and sci-fi fans, and you get a hot new show that's dead in the water.

That's not to say SyFy isn't doing OK elsewhere. The Magicians is faring better. So I think the already-thin margin for Expanse viewers is thinned a bit more so by other factors. I don't think there's much going on here; there's such a small number of people willing to give the show a chance on network first-run to begin with. But I will say that the marketing trailers for new episodes are often kind of silly-looking, IMO.
 
J

Jezan

Member
I watched the first season last month on Netflix and I was hooked, I'm waiting for s2 to be on Netflix cause I have no Amazon. I even told my mom about it and she love it too.

I can't believe people aren't watching this, but watch other shit, then they complain we don't have quality stuff.
 
D

dionysus

Yaldog
JeffZero said:
All-the-while, I spoke with a fair few old-school Sci-Fi Channel fans who were just utterly done with the SyFy rebrand. When Defiance came along, it was giving the network some ~0.7 ratings at first, which in modern cable terms isn't bad at all, but that fell apart quickly when many folks felt like the show wasn't particularly strong, or smart, or anything of the sort. (No offense to Defiance fans, of course. Just what I noticed at the time from people.)

Couple that with all the cable cord-cutting going on, and the substantial overlap I suspect occurs between cord-cutters and sci-fi fans, and you get a hot new show that's dead in the water.
Click to expand...

This would be my theory. A venn diagram of cable cutters and science fiction enthusiasts probably has huge overlap. Also, Syfy systematically destroyed its original audience. I wouldn't blame it on WH 13 and the like though, I would blame it on stupid cheap reality programming that swamped the channel for a while. After Battlestar the channel was more known for Ghost Hunters than anything else.

A cable channel needs cheap programming to fill the time, but they went way too far for about 5 years. Their current lineup is a lot closer to the original mission of Syfy, but they need a breakout hit to get people to come back to the channel.

I also think viewing habits are cyclical, and right now sci-fi is not that popular. Fantasy is more dominant.
 
C

Crispy75

Member
Well personally I watch the hell out of it on streaming platforms, not regular TV> I hope that sort of thing is tracked properly, cos I imagine it's a big chunk of the audience for this sort of show. I think the S3 renewal must be a good sign that the oldschool ratings aren't the only way to judge a show's success.
 
X

Xe4

Banned
Honestly, if the Expanse continues to get ratings like this, and Sci-Fi cancels the show after S3, I can't blame them. They gave it a chance, which is more than most networks could say. Until then though, I'm going to spread the word as much as I can on this show. Man would that suck though.
 
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