The Expanse (Amazon) [ Spoilers ]

Flinty997 · 10-12-2021 4:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301548#Comment_118301548

Same here, I think its more enjoyable than binge watching.

pixelburp · 10-12-2021 4:42pm

Delighted to hear its week to week; binge watching reduces shows and stories to "content", something trivial and without value. Glad Amazon are sticking with a weekly release for their top tier shows.

Savour the season guys, it's only 6 episodes and it's all we'll ever get at this stage.

breezy1985 · 10-12-2021 4:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301797#Comment_118301797

Time to get the campaign started #6seasonsandamovie

Talisman · 10-12-2021 5:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301821#Comment_118301821

I think the opening sequence featuring Laconia might be a hint that there are plans for the later material to be brought to the screen. The "Strange Dogs" novella is set during the 30 year gap between the "Babylon's Ashes" and "Persepolis Rising" books. Given that the season will end with the conclusion of the main story line from "Babylon's Ashes", there was little point to featuring Laconia unless of course it's to lead the TV series fans to the source material but that seems a bit contived.

10-12-2021 6:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118301687#Comment_118301687

I would have thought the majority prefer it all to be released at once

hold my beer · 10-12-2021 6:23pm

I like week by week

pixelburp · 10-12-2021 6:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118302185#Comment_118302185

Amazon have released a bunch of their major shows weekly, so obviously it works for them if they keep doing it. TBH I'd say the preference isn't as clear cut as most prefer X.

10-12-2021 6:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118302019#Comment_118302019

It doesn't bother me cos I've read them all, but that's a bit spoilery for anyone not up to date.

breezy1985 · 10-12-2021 9:41pm

I can't remember the last time an episode of anything flew past that quickly

Homelander · 11-12-2021 12:19am

I will wait until all six are done, subscribe to Prime for a month and binge. Sad that this could be the end, even though the story's not over - not just in terms of the show v books, but the producers themselves said they'd shop around so you have to assume the show does not "end" entirely satisfactorily despite them making out this is the finale season as opposed to simply the last season.

Would be great if they gave it at least a soft ending so that those of us who aren't book readers aren't left hanging at the end of it all.

Talisman · 11-12-2021 12:28am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118302297#Comment_118302297

I'm not sure how my comment spoils anything.

pixelburp · 11-12-2021 5:26pm

Great opening episode, if a little tempered by that feeling the 6 episode total means it'll all be in a bit of a hurry.

The angst over Alex's death also chaffed, only cos I know it wasn't from the books - or a creative decision by the TV producers either. The drama just didn't feel earned because we know it was enforced by the actor being gross.

11-12-2021 8:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118306003#Comment_118306003

I agree about the hurried nature but also considering (real life) sudden deaths, the drama doesn't need to feel earned. It should be jarring, illogical, and misplaced.

Edit: But yeah, **** that guy

breezy1985 · 11-12-2021 9:11pm

What's this earned crap that's been popping up all the time recently. It's all over Discovery criticism too as if every death needs loads of big emotional foreshadowing.

He died in a high G burn which does happen to people in the book it's part of the risk. Why give a sht about why it happened

saneman · 11-12-2021 9:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118306003#Comment_118306003

Tbh I like how they've dealt with it, a member of the Roci family is dead and the resulting loss still effects the rest of the crew weeks/months later. The writers didn't push it under the carpet and move on into the new season like Alex never existed.

I'm also glad Bull hasn't taken over the role of pilot (yet anyway), that would've felt unearned to me

breezy1985 · 11-12-2021 9:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118307029#Comment_118307029

It'll be Bobbi. It was practically hinted at in the last scenes of the episode

pixelburp · 11-12-2021 11:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118307016#Comment_118307016

The manner they did it was Far from the worst, but I know it was only cos Cas Anvar was a effin' creep that Alex was bumped off in the first place. He's still alive and kicking in the books; though what was lucky was that of the Rocinante crew, Alex was the most disposable and least interesting. It just robbed the drama of a little authenticity, for me; that's all.

breezy1985 · 17-12-2021 3:26am

Another excellent episode that had me gripped all the way through and felt like it was only 15 mins long especially compared to some other sci-fi shows right now that seem to just drag along for the hour

Doodah7 · 17-12-2021 3:25pm

Yes another great episode. Couldn't believe it was over, time just flew by watching it.

Also another great webisode to go along with it.

breezy1985 · 17-12-2021 3:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118337591#Comment_118337591

I don't want to go too deep into the Disco bashing but have Expanse air within 24hrs of Discovery really drives home how average the latter is.

With the Expanse I'm always shocked times up and the other I'm checking my phone half way through

Talisman · 18-12-2021 10:12pm

By ignoring the passage of time between events in the episodes the tension level has really been cranked up. Amos is a lot more focused on money matters than I remember from the books but apart from that I think they have done an incredible job with the tweaks to the story lines from the book.

With only four epsodes remaining the tension levels will continue to get cranked up. It's going to be impressive to see the wrap up of the armed conflict and humanitarian crises in the remaining screen time. It'll probably mean that they resolve a separate plot line in each of the episodes and they are going to fly by.

pixelburp · 19-12-2021 6:00pm

Agreed on the above. With 6 episodes there's not an ounce of fat on the story. Not that the 10 we usually got were flabby but things are rocketing along; though sometimes the better episodes were the periods of calm before the shoe(s) dropped. Still, thank goodness if this is the last season they're going out strong. The Laconia stuff continues to intrigue where this might be going, given we know there's a bit of a hard ceiling here.

Sidebar but anyone else notice how sickly and thin Steven Strait looked? Wondering are they just trying to make Holden appear tired and haggard and if Strait himself is ok.

hold my beer · 20-12-2021 1:54pm

I thought similar about Holden at the beginning of the last series. I haven't started watching the final series. Saving it for Christmas.

20-12-2021 3:26pm

Can someone tell The Wheel of Time lads that this is how you adapt a book series to a show, when you have limited screen time!

Talisman · 20-12-2021 4:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118352017#Comment_118352017

The Expanse has a distinct advantage on that front because it was originally intended to be a Massively Multiplayer Online game but the creators couldn't find any backers for the project. They had mapped out multiple paths through the entire game before they ever decided to turn it into a series of books. Some of those alternative paths have been used in the tv series and because both versions come from the same source material it all holds together so well.

In contrast Robert Jordan didn't have such fore thought, he lashed text into a word processor at a phenomenal rate and the publisher was happy to let him do his thing and the process spiraled out of control. The plan for six books ended up with fourteen. I think there's far too much material there for a tv series to do it justice. The series will be a re-imagined version of the source material for this reason.

Apple's Foundation has a similar issue in trying to bring Asimov's books to the screen, the source material doesn't lend itself to being compelling tv and required rework.

20-12-2021 4:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118352488#Comment_118352488

You're right but even Foundation works better than WoT is. Yes book readers are also miffed at that but those books really are not great for a TV narrative yet the show still manages to adapt and still pay some homage, while working as a show and telling a story.

WoT is all over the place with bad pacing, writing, directing, cinematography, and even wardrobe. They spend entire blocks of episodes on characters or stories which do not matter or could be handled in a few moments.

Everything about Expanse is tight, serving the story, moving the plot along, and using the characters to do this (allowing character growth) with minimal exposition dumps.

pixelburp · 20-12-2021 8:13pm

I hadn't realised The Expanse universe was originally meant to be a MMO. Wow. There but for the grace of God n all that. By all accounts the two authors must ultimately be delighted the game project collapsed cos the books have proven a greater success than the video game would surely have been (for those not aware, the Massive Multiplayer Online market has a graveyard full of attempts to wedge into an overcrowded genre).

Would explain why the universe has felt so much more cohesive than other mythologies and series, if it was all planned out prior to the pivot to books.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118352513#Comment_118352513

I don't think the comparison tracks though. The Expanse doesn't really require that much world building when you think about it; or that many concepts or fictions. Humanity is in space, there are factions and exploited underclasses. Fight! It's otherwise extremely grounded and at a human level of experience. Wheel of Time is a bag of High Fantasy tropes, with all the ... and I don't use this word to insult ... waffle to get through before you even get to a plot. It's the curse of any world that's so distanced from our own; it's apples and oranges stuff versus The Expanse.

20-12-2021 8:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118353276#Comment_118353276

Get the exposition over and done with in the opening (ála Galadrial)

Don't run down plot meaningless rabbit holes of one episode characters. Expanse did it with slingshotter into the gate but that was to, again, further the plot.

The very first episode, on the Canterbury, had to introduce Roci crew, set the political scene, introduce stealth tech, define limits of tech (sci fi magic), introduce Miller and the Belters AND have an attack from a surprise force with our heroes running

Light your sets accordingly, don't be shinging stage lights at full beam in a candlelit hallway. Expanse is fantastic as the claustrophobia by sheer use of lighting and sound.

Get you wardrobe right. Expanse production crew have appropriate clothing which looks used.

How long was Rand walking to Tar Valon and his coat/shirt was perfect. Is Morainne using energy to weave her clothes and those of companions clean every morning?

Lord of the Rings shows that it's possible to get the fantasy plots in place early and grow them from there (even the Hobbit managed this, while building on that earlier groundwork)

TheValeyard · 20-12-2021 10:12pm

This show deserves an extra two seasons

pixelburp · 21-12-2021 7:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118353790#Comment_118353790

I have a feeling (maybe only founded by hope and nothing else) we'll get 3 "TV movies" covering the last books; the show has bounced around 3 major stations and can't see who else would take it for a series 7, 8 or 9. Some feature length stories though?

The Expanse (Amazon) [** Spoilers **]

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The Expanse (Amazon) [ Spoilers ]