The Expanse-Syfy

Enjoyable but too early to tell if the crew will jell. I like the teases they gave about the "creature" that ingested the crew of the "abandoned" ship.

See http://www.syfy.com/theexpanse/enterthefuture/ for neat graphics and a short prequel write up.

 

I am in the third book of this (Expanse) series now, and love it, but get the idea of burn-out. I also enjoyed Peter Hamilton's series that began with Pandora's Star. I just programmed the dvr to record The Expanse. They can put people in space, but can't make a dvd easy to navigate and program! maybe getting old. look forward to this...

 

Amazon Video has episodes 1-4 available (all but #1 cost $2.99). I bought all of them last night with the intention of watching one each night. The only one I didn't watch was #4. It was pretty good. There are some changes from the books but the characterizations are mostly accurate. I have never appreciated abrupt scene changes in epic sized books/series and IMO the scene changes in the program are jarring. Not the best CGI but pretty good. I have to say that I am hooked on the series. Good acting, staging and the gestalt of the Expanse "world" is captured.

 

I really liked the second episode too. SyFy has #3 and #4 available On Demand, so I'll catch them shortly.

 

I have first 2 taped and need to watch them.

 

Once they had introduced all the characters, I liked the first episode. I was less impressed by the second episode. I get the feeling that SyFy wants this to be their next Battlestar Galactica.

 

I've seen all four. It's got me interested to see more. I'll give them points for paying attention to zero-g conditions, but take points away because they violate those conditions in various ways almost all the time (like engaging magboots for zero-g, but still having bodies or debris lying on the floor with sparks flying downwards, etc). However, I can overlook that as the story if fairly interesting so far.

The other thing I'll never understand with futuristic depictions is the use of transparent screens. It's not only daft because it's hard to see image details when the background scenery bleeds through the display, but also that when it's on a smartphone, everyone in the street can see what you're looking at through the back of the phone!

The CGI was mostly good and helped to create a sense of scale, while the sets and interiors were also first rate. The space battles etc, did have a BSG-like kinetic quality, which I quite liked.

 

Transparent screens are great for TV and movies as you can see the face of the person using the screen and get a sense of what they are seeing at the same time, but yeah, if they are actually transparent from both sides, they wouldn't be very practical. I guess maybe the screens that do this could be transparent one way (is that possible?) so that someone behind the screen can look through but the one operating it has a background they see the information presented against instead of seeing lights and things on panels across the room.

 

I watched the first episode today. Wasn't bowled over, will probably watch more. I'm going to get very tired of the "color scheme" before a few more episodes are gone through. Really too much! I don't like the cliche' detective. . . the rest is interesting.

 

Has there ever been any original show on syfy that is actually great ? Every once in awhile I try some new series only to be bored or disappointed. Usually bad acting directing or stretching a premise out way too long.

I can't think of great show on Syfy like anything on Showtime HBO AMC or even FX. What gives ?

 

The Battlestar Galactica reboot was one. I think Farscape also originated on that network as well.

 

I sort of enjoyed Farscape but the quality always seems cheap in terms of acting and writing.

 

Watched the pilot and liked it.

 

I'm four episodes in and really enjoying it. I like Thomas Jane's detective character. He's sorta corrupt, but doesn't seem evil. Just shady enough to get things done working where he does. And who would've though Space Mormons to be one of the power (or semi-power) factions in the future?

 

I watched one more episode and i believe I'm done. Cliche after cliche. I watched five episodes of The Leftovers before this second episode of The Expanse, and after such an excellent show this one seemed just fluffy. I may try it out later when the season is ended and I can fast forward through if need be.

 

Was Eureka SyFy, I thought that was a pretty original and fun show, as for The Expanse I'm liking it so far, I think episode 4 was pretty strong.

 

Eureka was SyFy, and that was a good show.

While I find Jay Hernandez about as dull an actor as there is working, I am curious about his relationship with the hooker they visited in the pilot and who he now seems to be getting language lessons from. They way they looked at each other in that first meeting, I wasn't sure if there was already some pre-existing relationship neither of them wanted Miller (Thomas Jane) to know about, or if that was their actual first meeting. When we see him taking the cactus to her in the next episode, she seemed to greet him warmly, but that could just be how she greets supposed clients.

Also, is there a romantic relationship between Miller and Muss (the other female detective) or are they just friendly colleagues?

That guy that lost his head during the attack on the Martian ship - I knew he looked familiar but I couldn't place him. He was one of the main guys in the comedy "Road Trip".

 

Another vote for Eureka. Certainly not the highest caliber of drama, but very fun and interesting. My favorite of all SciFi original shows.

 

I also loved Eureka when it started. Great cast, likable characters, good humor and some sciencey stuff. However, the show fell away the longer it went on. I don't exactly recall when the tipping point occurred - maybe the last 1/3 of its run. At that point the scripts good really, really silly even for a show such as this.

As for The Expanse, I think it's got legs. They really put in a lot work and money into building the detailed sets, which are basically spaceship structures build on a huge sound-stage.

In a podcast I listened to after seeing the first 4 eps, they say there's something like nine books that have been written in the saga (which are well regarded) and many things change over the course of time, including new characters and story plots. They said that the first book (which the show is now doing) is probably the weakest of the series, but that it just gets better and better with subsequent books.

I liked it enough to keep watching as this isn't just a made up story of the week. I hope they get enough time to complete the series, but I guess that will depend on the ratings.

 

A lot of questions are answered by reading the book. Even though there are some substantial departures from it the essence of the book comes through.

The program has been renewed for season two.

 

I'm trying but like all the shows here it's is so drawn out.

I'm just pissed that Thomas Jane didn't get the sheriff role in the walking Dead. He was a great Punisher

 

Josh Zyber at HighDefDigest has been re-capping the episodes (first three so far). No groundbreaking insights, but I find them useful in keeping some of the characters and events straight, so I'm posting them here.

http://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/expanse-pilot-recap/

http://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/expanse-102-recap/

http://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/expanse-103-recap/

 

Farscape was sort of the anti-Trek and that's what I enjoyed about the series. I don't think it came across cheap--the use of puppets certainly gave it a unique feel.

 

http://www.jamessacorey.com/ is interesting. I get the feeling that they want this to become a long running series.

 

Loved the effect in the latest episode "QCB" where the gravity came back on after that very well placed rail gun shot.