Did you watch season 1? Is this just another part of your whole "I love Science Fiction, but not any of it that's not Star Trek TOS (and I secretly have lots of issues with that, to be honest)" campaign? I've read the first 3 (4?) books, plus one of the "side" novellas, and I just love the series. Thought that Season 1 of the TV show was very well done, and fairly true to the books, despite some sequencing differences.
Yes. Too dark figuratively & literally. By the way, I also liked the original Battlestar: Galactica, Babylon-Five, Stargate SG:1, Space: Above & Beyond, and Terra Nova to name just a few science fiction series. Thats a total of 18 seasons of science fiction that is NOT the original Trek series right there.
I'm very excited, this can't come soon enough! Complete agreement with @Nautica that the series was a faithful and complimentary companion to the books. I need to read more of the series and the show is definitely must see TV for me.
I haven't finished season 1 because I was trying to save it, lol. Between, The Expanse, MITHC, Westworld, Timeless & Blacklist I need to get busy.
Stumbled across The Expanse book series and am halfway through book 2. Last week I tweaked to the TV series and wife and I binge watched season 1 and up to the current episode (7) of season 2. I'm gobsmacked how much detail they have in the series. Any rough edges in the books have been corrected. Story lines have been added to give coherence to the plot. Hats off to SyFy, I didn't think they were capable. Wife who isn't an SF fan is enchanted. Thinks this is Game of Thrones in space. I tend to agree with her. TV season 1 doesn't complete even book 1. It took 3 or 4 more of season 2 to get this out. That's 14 hours of fast paced story with a level of visual detail on par with anything I've seen. They've far exceeded the books for narrative and descriptive beauty. I wish though they had gotten Jonathan Banks (Mike, from Breaking Bad and Saul) to play Miller, the tired and worn out cop in The Expanse. Banks actually has 15 second part as the demented XO of the Canterbury in the first episode of Season 1 The Expanse. Too bad. Thomas Jane (HBO's Hung) plays Miller well, but I would have enjoyed Banks more. It's not as dark as Blade Runner but doesn't paint an all-rosy picture of the 23rd century. Politics haven't changed much. There's enough action and smart plot to keep just about anyone entertained. Maybe not enough zero-G sex. Both seasons of The Expanse are on Amazon. Season 1 included for free with Amazon Prime.
I'm impressed also by how much they have endeavored to portray the effects of zero-G, artificial gravity through spin, centripetal (centrifugal?) force complete with coriolis forces, and acceleration through many gravities and switching between all 3. Magnetic boots are there for when this would get tedious. They don't adhere to the 2001 doctrine of "in space no one can hear you scream" (thrusters, rockets, and weapons have very audible effects) except they do demonstrate "touching helmets" throughout. Some of it quite touching. Of course they've thrown out "space is big" and are wallowing in "space is like living in a very small country", like New Jersey. The author makes no apologies for astronomical absurdities in interviews. Miller returning? He hasn't popped up in book 2. Yet. The Angel Moroni on top of the generations starship Nauvoo was a hoot.
mac 25? dunno. acceleration using their Epstein drives seems limited more by human frailty than physics with 15G on "juice" being possible. The detail around Epstein in Season 2 is amusing too. yeah but getting rescued with minutes to spare?
I'm getting bogged down in 2 on political posturing. I need more hot alien action. Tell me it gets better...
I'm enjoying it as much as I've enjoyed any space-based series ever. I put it in the conversation for the best such show ever made.
I still prefer the first couple of seasons of Moore's BSG, but I have a feeling that unlike that series, The Expanse won't flame out.
"Hot alien action"?!? LOL...uh...no. This isn't Captain Kirk with his green-skinned alien fling-of-the-week. Political Posturing has worked quite well for other shows (read: Game of Thrones). Of course, that one also has dragons and sword fights and more nudity, so who knows exactly what viewers tune in for (probably all of the above).
I just loved the scene "under" the station torus, with Amos trying to walk and work without being thrown off, and the coreolis effect on the torch sparks.
Yes! and I've made (or the wife did anyway) the comparison by stating The Expanse is Game of Thrones in Space. Expanse needs more humor and zero-g sex to be up there with GoT. I think the screenwriters of the TV show are doing a good job smoothing out the action. The introduction and events surrounding Prax and Mei were much more grabbing than the book.
This is one place where the screenplay deviated from the book. Johnson wanted to control Holden and the Rocinante. When it was apparent he couldn't without force, he let him go. The book had Holden accuse Johnson of trading the protomolecule that was in the safe (Naomi didn't hide it) for a seat at the table with Earth and Mars. Johnson hadn't and fired him. Either way they part company to follow the storyline that comes.
