The Expanse Season One Review

Weeeee

I first wrote about the expanse about a month and a half ago and while I was intrigued, one or two things about the show didn’t quite do it for me. I thought the premise was great but some of the actors and characters seemed a bit too cliched. I recently finished the entire first season and although everything wasn’t perfect, the show quickly grew into a very compelling science fiction story.

One of my biggest criticisms in my review of the first two episodes was with the actors. I was never a big fan of Thomas Jane and I thought Steven Strait(Jim Holden) wasn’t a terribly convincing commander. The good news is that both have since improved. The bad news is that Strait could improve a little more. He is a competent actor and his acting isn’t too much of a distraction in the overall scheme of things, but, I do find myself thinking there is a little something missing in his performance. Perhaps a little more grit. My initial apprehension with Thomas Jane, on the other hand, has all but faded. He nails his character. It took a few episodes of convincing but I am now a fan.

Miller, Avasarala, Holden

There is still a little room for character development though. Because of it’s genre and network, The Expanse will inevitably be compared to Battlestar Galactica. By that comparison, its character development falls a little short. BSG was able to transcend science fiction(evidenced by its move from Syfy to NBC) and into the mainstream primarily because of its cast and characters. Every role was well cast. The claustrophobic setting put more emphasis on character development. While The Expanse hit a few homeruns with some of its cast(Shohreh Aghdashloo) and characters(Joe Miller) it seems to still be finding it’s footing with others (Jim Holden and Fred Johnson).

The Martians are coming

Where this show does compare favorably to Battlestar is with its premise and setting. The interplanetary cold war between Mars and Earth, the predicament of the belters and the mysterious new substance seen in the first episode are captivating. The premise alone could carry this show for at least another season. There is also an impressive amount of effort put into world building. There are scenes and events that seem relatively minor, but go a long way in developing an immersive and rich universe. I really enjoyed the few episodes involving Mars and its military. I hope they explore the Martian culture a little more in season two.

You can tell Syfy is banking on this show becoming its flagship show. The special effects remain top notch and the practical effects are some of the best currently on TV. There is a lot of setup in the first season and I can’t wait to see the payoff in the second.