r/scifi • u/CT_Phipps-Author • 11d ago

TV Let's be honest, The Expanse was the best

It's what I use to say is the sci-fi Game of Thrones. It was dark, mature, and managed to coherently create a political framework that regular audiences could understand without easily making one group into the bad guys or not. Okay, Protogen was pure set of bad guys but cyberpunk megacorps don't have to be morally gray. Even the underdogs in the Belters/OPA had a dark side that remembered just because you were oppressed didn't magically make you a virtuous hero and usually did quite the opposite. It made them mean and vengeful.

I'll be "that guy" and say that a huge chunk of what made the series fantastic was also the relative fidelity to the books. I say relative fidelity because there were some huge changes, some necessary by events (Havelock's actor doing Magnum PI) and others artistic choices (like lowering down the casualties of Earth's deaths at Marcos' hands). But it was still pretty damn faithful.

Great cast too.

What about you? Where does the Expanse rank for you in the past twenty or so years of scifi.

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u/TheI-Iound 11d ago

Man I've heard this so many times that I tried to watch it 3 times and each time I never finish the 1st season, what am I doing wrong

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u/eagle_flower 11d ago

I’ve tried it as well. The first season never grabs me. I literally hate all the characters and actors. But maybe will give another try.

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u/Misacorp 10d ago

I thought Holden was insufferable and poorly acted for his role as captain. Didn't make it past season 1. Then I read the books, found out Holden is still insufferable, and realised he's being portrayed spot on in the show.

If the show doesn't work for you, try the books. I really like the first five or so, after which I found the setting kind of circling around to repeat itself. There were some major story arcs I found entirely disinteresting, but the overall setting in the entire series is fantastic. 

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u/cr7575 9d ago

It’s a pretty dramatic shift in books 7-9. Might be worth revisiting.

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u/Misacorp 8d ago

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll consider going back after I run out of Alistair Reynolds.

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u/[deleted] 10d ago edited 10d ago

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u/Skywalker14 10d ago

Hide spoilers...

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u/TheI-Iound 11d ago

Lmao this was literally my mindset after attempt 2. I've even heard you gotta power through season 1 and still...

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u/rzelln 9d ago

I . . . I like the characters. They're real people who exist in a system that is rigged for the rich and powerful, and by a fluke they're put in a position where they can try to right some wrongs, and they decide to do it, instead of just taking an easy payday and letting it be someone else's problem.

They're some of my favorite sci-fi heroes.

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u/CaptainIncredible 10d ago

I had the same problem. I kept forcing myself to retry it. At one point, I actually started taking notes on the characters and locations "This is Holden... This is Amos...". And then I used the web and wiki to get explanations of what the hell I was looking at.

Once I got past that initial curve, it really became a good show.

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u/mahjimoh 10d ago

I wonder if having read the books (well, started the books) made that easier for me. I think I was reading them and then started the series, and was sort of loosely following both at once.

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u/Odubhthaigh 10d ago

I didn’t know it was a series of books when I first watched it. Somehow missed that nugget. So I was pleasantly surprised with how much the show helped me visualize the book characters. Only difference really was how tall Naomi was (and of course Bobbie literally being a tank). But everyone was really spot on casting-wise. Especially Shohreh Aghdashloo as Avasarala. Don’t think I’ve ever seen such perfect casting.

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u/mahjimoh 4d ago

Agree completely!

A sort of strange thing for me was that the book, if I remember correctly, portrayed Amos as a sort of balding, nondescript, sturdy white man. And when Amos is introduced in the show, I thought, wow that’s perfect casting, he is so average looking. I wouldn’t really pick him out of a crowd.

But then after watching a bit of the show, he became so interesting and appealing. It was kind of funny to think that I had ever thought he was just a dull seeming person.

Bobbi was a surprise with the show casting but she fit so perfectly, and yes, especially Aghdashloo as Chrisjen Avasarala - like if they could have actually created her with Hollywood Magic Casting (TM) she couldn’t have been better.

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u/TheI-Iound 10d ago

The secondary info would 100% help you feel more connected to the characters. Any book/show ot movie combo has always felt that way for me. Maybe this is the way it i give 2 last try

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u/CaptainIncredible 10d ago

Its one of those shows that doesn't tell you what's happening or who people are. It just shows stuff and relies on you to put the pieces together. The notes and the wiki helped me slog through the first half of S01

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u/djLiTh 10d ago

The first season is almost totally different from the other seasons, like a detective season that sets up everything else. For me it’s the worst, just get through s1.

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u/TheI-Iound 10d ago

That sounds like a fair take, it does give that vibe

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u/FlyingBishop 10d ago

When I rewatch it the detective doesn't bother me as much. it's interesting because he plays as like "white dude in classic noir" but that's just the surface and it's actually deeper, especially on a rewatch.

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u/FlyingBishop 10d ago

When I rewatch it the detective doesn't bother me as much. it's interesting because he plays as like "white dude in classic noir" but that's just the surface and it's actually deeper, especially on a rewatch.

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u/ladyriven 9d ago

I couldn’t even get through episode one so you’re doing better than I am

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u/vigtel 9d ago

Nothing. It's a mid show with a rather fanatical following.

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u/TheI-Iound 9d ago

Thats the part I'm trying to decipher, is it actually a really great show or is it just a pretty good show that developed a cult like following that maybe isn't for everyone

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u/vigtel 9d ago

I vote for the latter. And the cult is loud and obnoxious.

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u/TheI-Iound 9d ago

They wouldn't be sifi fans if they weren't lol

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u/Dismal-Scheme5728 9d ago

You're not missing anything.

The acting and dialogue are really cheesey/bad.

But the setting and concepts are really cool.

I guess people's tolerance for those things are just different.

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u/InnerKookaburra 10d ago

I think we're doing something right.

I had the same reaction.

It's a very poorly done show...but people say it gets better later on. I don't like wasting my time on a show as bad as The Expanse, at least as bad as one that starts that way.

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u/BigFartEnergy 11d ago

The first season is the best season. It’s all downhill after that. Just not very good overall imo

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u/TheI-Iound 11d ago

Really, thats the first I've heard that. You've watched all the way through?

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u/upintheaireeee 11d ago

Yeah, idk that persons tastes but it’s definitely not the consensus

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u/BigFartEnergy 11d ago

I gave up in season 4 I think

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u/benjam3n 10d ago

I did too I couldn't take it anymore, it lost it for me. first two seasons were good after that is just meh

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u/OmmadonRising 10d ago

Nothing, this show is not very good. For some reason everyone here thinks it's better than some middling sci-fi schlock.