7.8 /10 1 Votes7.8
65% Metacritic Genre Science fictionDrama Composer(s) Clinton Shorter First episode date 23 November 2015 | 8.2/10 IMDb 85% Rotten Tomatoes Developed by Mark FergusHawk Ostby Country of origin United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Starring Thomas JaneSteven StraitCas AnvarDominique TipperWes ChathamPaulo CostanzoFlorence FaivreShawn DoyleShohreh AghdashlooFrankie Adams Cast Profiles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The expanse trailer
The Expanse is an American science fiction television series on Syfy, developed by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, based on the series of novels by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (writing under the pseudonym James S. A. Corey). Set in a future where humanity has colonized the Solar System, it follows United Nations executive Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo), police detective Josephus Miller (Thomas Jane), and ship's officer Jim Holden (Steven Strait) and his crew as they unravel a conspiracy that threatens peace in the system and the survival of humanity. The series premiered on demand on November 23, 2015, and on Syfy on December 14, 2015. A 13-episode second season premiered on February 1, 2017. In March 2017, Syfy renewed The Expanse for a 13-episode third season to air in 2018.
Contents
Plot
Two hundred years in the future, in a fully colonized Solar System, police detective Josephus Miller (Thomas Jane), born on Ceres in the asteroid belt, is given the assignment to find a missing young woman, Juliette "Julie" Andromeda Mao (Florence Faivre). Meanwhile, James Holden (Steven Strait), the Executive Officer of the ice hauler Canterbury, is involved in a tragic incident that threatens to destabilize the uneasy peace between Earth, Mars and the Belt. On Earth, Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo), a United Nations executive, works to prevent war between Earth and Mars by any means necessary. Soon, the three find out that the missing woman and the ice hauler's fate are part of a vast conspiracy that threatens all humanity.
Main
Recurring
Development
The Expanse is based on the novel series of the same name by James S. A. Corey, a pen name of the authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, who also serve as writers and producers for the show. The first novel, Leviathan Wakes (2011), was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel and Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. On April 11, 2014, Syfy announced a straight-to-series commitment to a television adaptation of the book series, and ordered the production of 10 one-hour-long episodes for the first season. On that date Syfy President Dave Howe commented: "The Expanse is epic in scale and scope and promises to be Syfy's most ambitious series to date".
Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby wrote the pilot, directed by Terry McDonough, and serve as writers and showrunners alongside Naren Shankar. Produced by Alcon Television and The Sean Daniel Company, principal photography started on October 29, 2014, in Toronto. The pilot episode was screened at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2015.
In May 2015, before the first season aired, writing commenced for a second season, which was ordered in December 2015. The second season of The Expanse premiered on February 1, 2017.
Four digital comics based on the books and tying into the television series are to be published by ComiXology and the first comic based on James Holden was released February 1, 2017.
On March 16, 2017, The Expanse was renewed by Syfy for a 13-episode third season set to air in 2018.
Reception
The show has overall been critically well received, with the first season receiving a rating of 65 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a score of 77% with an average rating of 7.12 out of 10 based on 39 reviews which summarized critics' consensus as follows: "The Expanse blends sci-fi elements and detective noir into a visually compelling whole, though it takes a few episodes for the story to capture viewers' intrigue."
Reporting on the pilot screening, io9's Lauren Davis declared herself "blown away" by The Expanse, appreciating its "incredible sense of scale" and its "deeply thought out future world that reflects on our present one, with high production values and characters who speak and act like real people". Max Nicholson of IGN characterized the pilot as "grim and dramatic", and a "very dense hour of television", with the terminology and large cast sometimes difficult to follow for viewers unfamiliar with the novels, but highlighted the pilot's "gorgeous" visuals and effects reminiscent of Battlestar Galactica, Dune and Firefly.
Writing for Variety, Maureen Ryan was unimpressed by the first four episodes "awkwardly linking a series of somewhat muddled stories" and the series' stereotypical characters, but credited it with tackling "issues of class, representation and exploitation", and a convincing design. At Tor.com, Justin Landon highlighted The Expanse's "bold and unique cinematography" and its claustrophobic, discomforting set designs, as well as the "extremely faithful" characterization, but remarked that the patois spoken by the Belters, the natives of the asteroid belt, made the series difficult to follow.
Based on the first two episodes, the second season has received favorable reviews. On Metacritic, the season has a score of 77 out of 100 based on 5 reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a score of 94% with an average rating of 8.79 out of 10 based on 16 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Expanse's second season offers more of the show's excellent signature production values while increasing character development and politically thrilling narratives." Writing for io9, Katherine Trendacosta noted how the show had become "shockingly prescient", insofar as many of the issues and ideas explored by The Expanse mirrored contemporary trends in global politics.
Distribution
In the United States, it is broadcast by Syfy and streams on Amazon Prime. In Canada, the series airs on Space and streams on CraveTV. In New Zealand, the series airs on Sky. In all other countries, the series is available on Netflix.