The outer space sci-fi genre has been dominated by juggernauts likeBattlestar GalacticaorStar Wars, casting such dense shadows that some of the shiniest of hidden gems struggle to become mainstream. One of which isThe Expanse,a masterpiece of a sci-fi show that found its niche but still isn’t talked about enough. Despite its genre, the six-season series actually has more fundamentals in common withGame of Thronesthan its peers, becoming the interstellar equivalent of the politically dense and morally intimate fantasy series. This shouldn’t really be a surprise since the show is based on the book series of the same name byJames S. A. Corey,a collective nom-de-plume for writersDaniel AbrahamandTy Franck, where the latter was a former assistant toGeorge R.R. Martin. Even as the show expands into the zero-G other-worldliness of outer space, it is grounded in nuanced political tensions and character studies any fan ofGame of Throneswill adore.
What Is ‘The Expanse’ About?
The Expanseis set in a futuristic, dystopian universewhere the resources on Earth have been depleted and humanity has expanded to other planets in the solar system. We are tossed intocold war tensions between the people of the Earth, Mars, and the (Asteroid) Belt, which eventually escalate into an all-out war. LikeGame of Thrones, the beginning of the series explores separate parallel storylines, delving into the lives and natures of different characters until they all intertwine in various, usually cataclysmic ways.
The premiere introduces us to three major arcs. One follows a detective (Thomas Jane) who is conducting an investigation on Ceres, a space station in the Belt, into the disappearance of a wealthy Earth-resident’s daughter. Meanwhile, an ice trawler called Canterbury is attacked, and the crew, led by James Holden (Steven Strait), would later steal a ship, rename it Rocinante, and become somewhat the protagonists of the show as we navigate the complex galactic ecosystem through their journey. On top of this, we also see scenes back on Earth, which is ruled by a powerful group called the UN, where an administrator is interrogating a terrorist about the events on Mars and Ceres.As the series unfolds, so doconspiracies, bioterrorism, rebellions, and new discoveries, including an alien protomolecule that becomes a major catalyst in many of the show’s turns.
‘The Expanse’ Delivers the Political Tension of an Interstellar ‘Game of Thrones’
Like howGame of Thronesindulges in mythical elements of high fantasy,The Expanseimmerses us in the stunning techno visuals of neon light strips on command controls and the vast void of a galactic background. But both shows use their fictitious elements to discuss familiar human strife, ranging from personal conflicts to societal uprisings, each deeply relevant and sharp.The Expansehas been dubbed the spiritual successor toBattlestar Galactica, but where the latter eventually lostits strong political commentary to pseudo-religious ideas and melodramatic ambiguity,The Expansemaintained its political tenacity and attention to character conflicts. In this way, it shares the same essence asGame of Thronesrather than its sci-fi predecessor.
Ceres is the main location of socio-political unrest, where the divide between the “belters”, the working class who have spent generations mining the Belt in inhabitable, zero-G conditions, and the “inners”, the representation of the elite class who reside comfortably on Earth and Mars, benefiting off of the belter’s work while treating them poorly. On the cusp of an explosive rebellion,The Expanseconfidently interrogatesthese class divides and power imbalances, the ethics of belter terrorists and their torture, and the ever-present conflict over resource distribution, where ice and water replace gold and diamonds.The show jets off into outer space burdened by ageless human preoccupations and is better for it, just like an interstellarGame of Thrones.
But also, like its fantasy counterpart,The Expansecreatesthis lived-in political ecosystemthrough individual stories, wherecharacters are dynamic and never wholly swing to one side of the good-evil pendulum. Strait’s performance as the Rocinante crew’s leader, James Holden, embodies this notion, as he could easily slip into the role of an arbitrary world-hero, yet adopts the manner of not quite being able to grapple with the weight of the conflict. Instead of purposefully striding to the ethically correct decision, he questions, ponders, and perseveres to do what little good he can, often settling for hope for coexistence rather than triumph. He is joined by three central crew members: Amos Burton (Wes Chatham), Alex Kamal (Cas Anvar), and Naomi Nagata (Dominique Tipper), who are also layered with elements of darkness and hesitation, where each character contributes to the world’s realistic and utterly human feel.
‘The Expanse’ Gets First-Ever Action Figure Collection From Nacelle on Kickstarter
The project was launched by the Nacelle Company and Alcon Entertainment.
Intergalactic Battles Feel High-Stakes and Immersive in ‘The Expanse’
Realism doesn’t just stop at the socio-political environment, made up of wider conflicts and individual characters, ofThe Expanse, and ranges out to the intergalactic atmosphere of the show. The futuristic technology may be dazzling, butlike howGame of Thronesdoesn’t shy away from the dark underbelly of fantasy,The Expanseisn’t afraid todeliver a brutal depiction of space. Flying across the solar system doesn’t consist of casually sitting on the ship and watching the stars go by through the windows; it’s a teeth-gnashing, white-knuckled experience as the characters feel genuine impending danger with each thrust. It allows for a more dramatic and intense mode of storytelling, one that exacerbates the constant political pressure that is always lingering around the corner.
But it is most prominent in action sequences. The battles between spaceships aren’t as glorified as the Space Invader-esque shooting in Star Wars, where deflector shields protect inhabitants from enemy ships. No, in the shieldlessThe Expanse, if you’re shot with your magnetic boots on, your bleeding corpse is left hanging like a static hair, morbidly amusing yet so awfully insignificant. Like how the land is constantlyholding dangers inGame of Thrones, from the winter snows to the arid deserts,space is not merely a background inThe Expanse: it is a volatile, perilous entity that serves to add pressure to the political conflicts, where each battle must be carefully picked and resources are always a concern. So, while sci-fi fans will undoubtedly fall in love with this gripping show,Game of Thronesfans may also find unexpected satisfaction in this intergalactic political and character-driven adventure.
The Expanse
