Been following this show since season 2. The worst part about this show is how many times it was on the brink of cancellations. I recommend this show to as many people as possible. Easily my favorite
@@yomamma.ismydaddy216 No, it has been officially cancelled twice, once on Syfy and now on Amazon Prime. 6 seasons was not the full plan, it was cut short and they had enough time to adjust for a definitive ending. After Amazon Prime picked it up, the viewership and popularity wasn’t always high enough to guarantee renewal causing much reasonable speculation for cancellation
@@asiantaxevasion1042 the creators of the book and writers of the show said it wasn’t canceled and 6 seasons was always the plan and they were never sure how to proceed after that due to the huge time jump in the books after the events of season 6, so I don’t know where you’re getting your information
@@yomamma.ismydaddy216 nah I think you got false information. The showrunner said it was cancelled and season was cut from 10 episodes due to financial considerations. 6 season was not the plan. The plan was covering the full book series and Amazon decided to end the show.
@@asiantaxevasion1042 it wasn't "canceled" from Amazon. There's a problem in that book 7 has a time-jump several decades. Aging actors convincingly is hard and doing it for something like 20 to 24 episodes is bonkers. The decision to end the (main) show at 6 seasons was NOT about viewer counts or ratings. The shortening of S6 to 6 episodes was made with various factors in mind, budget only being one. It was also a narrative decision.
I finished the last three a few months ago and I am ready to re-read them. Of the books, the last three are the strongest. I'd take more Expanse content in any form, I can't get enough of it.
and given the 20 year time gap, and the fact they DID set it up to come back eventually, it can be forgiven for ending at a natural breaking point in the story.
I'm grateful to anyone who reviews this show. The Expanse is one of the best if not the best Sci Fi show I've ever seen. And it deserves way more recognition then it gets. The Expanse deserves Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek level of recognition. I really hope one day The Expanse will be as famous as these shows.
100% agreed. as someone who's also read the books and has obsessed over the series I feel the exact same 🙏🏻 really hoping it picks up even more of an audience bc its just a superb show and series
It's nowhere near battlestar. It had believable characters. The Expanse does not. Still good without being amazing. It's pretty boring in lots of parts.
@@jallakka7149 I guess we just have differing opinions then. Because for me The Expanse has brilliant characters. And while BSG had some great characters in Adama and Saul Tigh, it also really dropped the ball with characters like Baltar and Kara. The last season of BSG was really underwhelming.
I agree about the consistency of The Expanse. It's pretty incredible that they managed to keep the quality up that high the entire time. The only thing I can compare it to is the first 4 seasons of Game Of Thrones.
The amazing thing for me is how often they would just shift genres and still make it great. I think that is what makes The Expanse such a realistic show: the world isn't made of one thing, one theme or one goal, it's everything all at once.
Interestingly, one of the writers was George RR Martin's personal assistant. The setting was originally conceived for a video game project, but short of that, they developed it as a table top rpg. The characters and general storyline come from their tabletop game sessions, and I've always suspected that George was one of the players.
I love how The Expanse, both the books and the show, has sort of put the rest of sci-fi on notice by saying sci-fi needs to be better. And not only by depicting science more accurately in sci-fi, such as weightlessness, ships behaving more like submarines, warfare being a long-range, missile-heavy fight, but also by saying that sci-fi needs to drop the old clichés and tropes. The Expanse portrays the real diversity of humanity and tells real, human stories that aren't based on millennia-old stereotypes or myth cycles. Honestly, what 2001: A Space Odyssey did for sci-fi in the late 1960's by making it a legitimate and artful genre, The Expanse has once again transformed the genre by forcing sci-fi to grow up, but also while still getting to have spaceships and space marines and cool tech. The Expanse is, I believe, one of the most important works of science fiction ever created and I hope more and more people discover it.
The thing that got me the most is that the show accurately portrayed the experience of a pen and paper RPG campaign. And that's basically because it essentially was a transcript of one in many ways. The original authors started the books based off of a campaign they played. This is why these characters felt so real and memorable. It's because they weren't all written by one or two people. Their backstories were written individually. Their personalities, feelings and emotions all started out from an independent seed of creativity of a number of people to be cultivated and grown into a full story more so by game masters than just writers. This is one of the first times I saw a show where the characters' agency drove the plot forward rather than the plot conveniently making the characters fall back in line. Because as a game master, you can come up with whatever story you want, but it will always ultimately be up to the players' decisions where that story goes, not to the writer. It's so easy to forget about characters' motivations when you have an entire world to keep track of and coordinate. It's easy to make a character fall in line out of convenience or by accident, but not when a player is behind that character. They will fight back and they will forge their own path and I'm so glad that this sentiment carries on so well in this show. Every character is so uncompromisingly true to themselves and their personalities.
Also, because originally it was a pen and paper campaign, when Shed character died early during that campaign, they had to kill him in the books too (and eventually, in series).
I never knew it developed from that. Kinda makes sense though - as almost all characters are equally important and their motivation makes sense. Cool concept, wouldn't necessarily think that could work - but it clearly did inspired a really good story 🥰
His arc was good and finished. I would feel forced to try to keep him on. It would seem wrong for him to, after retrieving his daughter do anything but take her to the safest place he could find and start farming. He was forced into action. As Amos put it when Prax was about to execute a man who sorely deserved it "You're not that guy."
He has more in the books, a whole side plot to what was happening on Ganymede after the Free Navy took over. He was instrumental in getting the algae sample developed there to Earth where it was needed to combat the encroaching starvation.
@@kns9924 I hope foundation gets better but so far it's not even close. It's closer to the Eternals. It has box tick characters. You don't feel them. The Expanse more than anything is a human experience. That's why every character is compelling. The Asimov books are great but the show is all budget and no delivery.
I love the Expanse, but I need to give any new watchers this piece of advice; Stick with it through season 1. If you haven't been hooked by the end of the first season than it isn't for you.
I tell everyone you must invest the time until episode 4 of season 1. After that, when the pieces fall together, the show fires on all pistons until the very end. The best sci-fi I’ve ever watched.
I personally adore this show very much. Probably my most favorite sci fi show of all time. But I remember way back when I started season 1 and finished it I wanted to quit and move on to the next thing. Fortunately I had nothing else in my queue and nothing else to do with my time so I was like yeah sure lets continue with season 2 out of boredom. And that's when I got insanely hooked. Season 1 was mostly character introduction and world building which absolutely needed to happen. But wasn't fun to watch IMO. Or at least not as fun as everything that comes after it.
Yeah, I've watched it three times now, once on my own and twice with two different people, and episode 4 is the magic point where everything starts to come together and make sense. One common complaint was that it was hard to follow who was who in the first few episodes.
I think the ending of the espanse show was really good, but I also loved the (very different) ending of the books, where individuality as a virtue was emphisized. As Holdon said "my dream is that people can disagree and no one has to die"
The Expanse totally stuck the landing (unlike Game of Thrones). Hopefully the continued popularity of the show convinces someone to fund some more seasons.
@@raymondsims7042Give Dan & Dave credit: They did something almost unprecedented in the modern pop culture landscape. They brought all the fans together…in hatred against the show runners! 😁
I don't cry often during shows but The Expanse got me a bunch of times. This show proves character driven Sci-fi without overblown setpieces can work and we need more of it.
@@PhilMasters they were superbly done with the resources they had, from what I hear on the Ty and that Guy Pod they didn't get to do a lot of it how they wanted or to scale sometimes so they got very creative.
There are so many moments: Miller and Julie, Avasarala talking to Arjun, scene 52, Bobbie and the ocean. Prax and Mei, Miller again, Cotyar scenes and every moment Drummer broke down (those hit me the hardest). There's many more, but am just tearing up mentioning these.
To touch on your point about good scenes just being actors acting well in a room, part of the reason why the Expanse's universe feels so real, a lot of it is. Most of the sets are physical sets that were constructed in a giant warehouse. This allowed actors to feel more in the scene. And since there are many reoccuring ships and stations in the show, it's actually quite practical to do, as you can just save the interior of the important ships.
To anyone done with all 6 seasons, PLEASE READ THE BOOKS! There are some differences between, like Drummer and Alex, but they are amazing and definitely add a whole new layer onto the series.
Yes. Yes. And yes. I’ve read all the books and watched the series twice. The Expanse is Game of Thrones done correctly. And in the future. And, having finished the books, I feel a bit lost. But I’m grateful for the journey.
It really doesn't get any better than The Expanse. Even with the tragic loss of the final 3 books Laconia arc, it's still the best adaptation I have ever seen.
I have never been able to rewatch a show (and very few movies) until this one. I can watch every episode of every season as many times as I want and NEVER get tired of it. Frankly the best show I have ever seen, period. Watch it.
As a venezuelan, I love the fact they had tequeños with their dinner before the final showdown. But my favorite scene in the whole series is the "I'm that guy" scene.
I just ended the 6th season and must admit that The Expanse is definitely a show I will never forget. The end is pretty rushed and they left important problems unsolved but I'm not totally surprised because the affair of the protomolecule and the alien race that killed them is a very complicated problem to deal with. The more important is there are so much beautiful decor, so much wonderful dialogues, very good ship battles, so much intelligence, love, wisdom, originality... in this show that at the end I can't help from being pleased. I was amazed by the way the serie succeeded to mix politic (of very high level), space combats, complexity of human nature, beautiful romance... The expanse is absolutely a work of art.
THE EXPANSE!!! Mathematically the best show ever for sure. Was not expecting an expanse review from ya but I'm sure as hell glad you did one. The world must know abt this show. It must get its last 3 seasons. Books 7 8 and 9 all have their own genre too. Its crazy how many genres they fit in. Every single part of the bitter heart segment i remembered. So crazy.
I liked this show from season one, but got really into it on season two. LOVED politics in it. And scientific details, like for example problems with healing in zero G. I love love this show and recommend it to everybody.
This was truly beautiful, worthy of the show. Thank you for making it as it is a great goodness to share something that you love. The characters in this story, books and show, matter to me as though I know them. They have helped me to learn about myself and others. It also happens to kick serious ass.
Wow your video was recommended by RUclips because I've been obsessed with this show for about almost five years now. You did an amazing job and THANK YOU! Beautifully done!
The Expanse is my favourite sci-fi show since Battlestar Galactica. On that note, would you ever consider doing an essay on Battlestar? There’s a whole pile of trauma in that series you can expound on.
I'm not finished watching your video, but I have to say I love that you love this show When it started, I said quietly that it was the best show on television, and by the end I said it with my full chest. It was the best, and Im holding off on reading the books cause I want it in my life for as long as possible
To be fair, The Expanse began on Scy Fy and they had/have a HUGE image problem as far as the 'quality' of their original productions. When it really caught on, it went over to Amazon Prime which further throttled it's potential. I found out about it when it showed on Prime, and I got Prime for the Boys. All that being said, it's true the chatter for the Expanse was at least underwhelming. Ty seems to not at all be interested in maximizing the profit potential for the Expanse, evidenced by the lack of Expanse merchandising
The thing is, it didn't go over to Prime. Sy-Fy cancelled it and, after a long campaign by hard core fans, Prime picked it up. I guess Sy-Fy didn't have deep enough pockets to keep producing it, but still, they cancelled it; it wasn't taken from them.
Totally. I remember having it on as background noise while working at home. After CQB, I re watched episodes 1-4 four times over. Now I have seasons 1-6 on a loop
That final few minutes of short clips from the show was like watching my life spool before me - tears in my eyes for the power of this production. Truly one of the greatest dramas ever written, and portrayed masterfully on screen. Thank you.
@@hunterpdx7061 after they moved to Amazon I'd rewatch the series right before a new season dropped and it made the new season much more anticipated. Plus I've watched it a couple of times since season 6 ended because I don't think there'll be another great scifi show like this for a while
Started watching The Expanse by accident, hooked immediately. Puzzled at times, but it was always satisfying. Hearing rumors of another season; part of me hopes it's true, part of me worries that it's perfect and needs to be left alone 😆
I love how this show isn't scared to confuse or puzzle its audience with obscure plotting. But the payoff is always satisfying, thus rewarding you for your patience.
This is a special case because the story is already finished, and the not-yet-adapted arc is the strongest. TW is going to be an arc that will start a new chapter in the history of SciFi.
It’s my favorite show of all time. It’s serious all the way, suspenseful , filled with morally grey characters, high quality character development . The situations and circumstances shapes and reshape the characters constantly.
Its a pipe dream. I realised very quickly this show is a neiche. Since o discovered it ive preached it to every friend, family and co worker i have. About a third seemed intrerested and only 2 got as much into it as i did.
I love this show so much. I’ve rewatched the series at least once a year now. Reread the book’s multiple times. The clips you set to music makes me want to watch again goodman.
I've loved this show since season 1 came out and think that it's the best scifi of all time. The story is amazing, the characters are so well written, the visuals are spectacular and hold you in a sense of awe, and all of it rooted in reality. There's very little suspension of disbelief because it's not needed and that is probably why I love it so much
I've loved this show ever since my physics professor recommended it to us on the grounds of it being scientifically accurate. Amos burton in particular as a character has helped me so much to grow and become who I want to be. The show is beautiful, i watch it again and again with love. It's very comforting. The ending was so satisfying. It's an incredibly human show. The music is enchanting. If I could watch anything again for the first time, it would be the expanse. This is the only video I've ever seen on RUclips close to doing the show justice. Thank you for expressing what is so great about this show.
my mother had all the books (big book nerd) and showed them to me when I was 14, a bit like a sci-fi bedtime story. the series is fantastic, the books are fantastic, and it deserves so much more attention than it got
I can't remember the last time i was THIS hooked and INVESTED in a series. The Expanse got me from the very first episode. I just gobbled the entire 6 seasons up. I found myself crying, screaming in anger / frustration, pumping my fist in the air with happiness. jfc i can't believe they decided not to continue The Expanse. but this is literally the best show ever!
Thank you for making an inspiring review of such an inspiring show. You’ve really honored the spirit of this craft. BSG has finally an expansive ally, into the Olympus of sci fi tv
I feel you. I just started watching it AGAIN from S1E1 and it ranks way up there for me with Battlestar Galactica - just a lot deeper and well scripted
I agree 100%. This should have been GOT size popular. One of the few shows that has ZERO bad episodes or seasons. Freakin where are the stacks of emmys??
I _hated_ Marco Inaros… but that was the point. The Expanse did a truly exceptional job of crafting a story where you loved all the characters and hated the villains (with good reason). Being said, the Expanse pulls another incredible trick by making Marco sympathetic. I can’t sign on to his methods but you understand why so many people would.
Still not watched this, but too many people I respect really have a hard on for it., this final review may push me over the edge, it really does look like there has been real thought, and character growth all factored into this series/story.
I love this show so much. I wish I could make every person around me watch it. I wish I could get more people to see what they're missing and I wish so much that we could get the final arc on screen, but really I'm so happy to have what we got
This is a beautiful analysis of something so many of us hold very dear. I feel like I will share this every time someone asks me why I love The Expanse so much. Thank you!
Just finished my 5th tour of duty with all six seasons. And have inhaled all 14 books. Can't get enough! Thank you for his RUclips, glad to know I'm not alone.
I 100 percent agree with you. This series is pure perfection! And WOW did it stick the landing! I was never so sad and exhilarated by a series finale in my life. I wish I could hang out with this crew forever but I would rather have it end beautifully than watch it overstay its welcome!
This is a phenomenal review/response! You put into words the genius that is this show. Thank you! And I, like you, have been recommending this show to as many people as I can, any time I get an opportunity.
THIS!! Literally ALL of this!! You PERFECTLY summed up EVERYTHING I love about this show, and your analysis was so succinct and so on point and SO BEAUTIFUL and GOSH DARNAT WHY DON'T MORE PEOPLE WATCH THIS SHOW AND LOVE IT AS MUCH AS WE DO?! ...anyways. BEAUTIFUL review. Thank you for doing this! I wanna share this with everyone I know!
This series, like the Protomolecule to humanity, became a discovery that i could not let go of. It latched on to my consciousness and integrated itself into all aspects of my life. I became obsessed with it, and in some respects, i still am. It's THAT good.
The character depth and development on this show are *so* good! It's so satisfying to watch one reactor after another start the first few episodes by questioning Amos' or Chrisjen's value, only to wind up yelling "I *love* him/her!" by the middle of the second season. BTW, seeing Prax hug Mei at 14:54 made my tear up all over again!
I found it when it came to Amazon Prime and was instantly hooked. You said it so well. The space battles (while absolutely awesome and engrossing and some of the best I've ever seen) arn't what make this show so enjoyable, it's the weaving of the narrative, characters and themes. This might be my favorite video about the Expanse so far. Well done! (I felt every groan of frustration and mmmmm!) Haha
Thank you for articulating all the reasons I absolutely love and adore this show and also why I think everyone should watch it. I felt all the feels in your video when you felt them.
I have discovered The Expanse last week...I wolfed 6 seasons in one week and a half......Astonishing show!! I have to watch it again to re-taste the best moments and the philosophy behind the plot and characters....
Best scifi show of all time in my opinion. After season 6 ended I instantly went into the last trilogy of books with their novellas. And now I want more. At least we'll get a game about The Expanse.
Just chiming in on this 2 year old video to say nice job, I agree with all the points, and nice montage at the end. Liked and subbed. I found this because I'm editing a video essay about the Expanse right now and footage-mining.
So basically The Expanse is the Bohemian Rhapsody of TV Shows... Switching the genre every season, but somehow working perfectly... The 7th season (hopefully sometime in the future) should the a compressed but reverse of the genres.
Always had me on the edge of my couch without cheap hooks. Great binge watch now that it's all out. Clear your viewing schedule if you start this cause you won't stop.
I think it's just the beginning for the Expanse. With the books wrapped up and TV series done open ended, it gives it a chance to thrive with more adventures in other mediums. It is us fans who have the tasks to share the expanse and make sure it is not forgotten. Even better yet live by the themes it has built.
I was a book fan before I saw the show and became a fan of it as well. It's one of the best adaptions I have ever seen. As a fan of a book series, one is prone to be really critical of changes, and the show has made changes - some are small and some are huge (HUGE!) - but I still absolutely adore the show, because none of those changes, big or small, felt forced or made the characters behave in a way that they wouldn't. That is proof of some really great writing, top notch acting and thoughtful directing. The show has really high quality through all the seasons and I'd go so far as to say that it's right up there among the best sci-fi movies/series I have ever seen. That is why it is such a great adaption, because the books are among my very favorites too, and the show really does them justice.
I knew I loved this show, but you my friend told me why. It's endlessly rewatchable, not something that can be said for a lot of shows. Having seen it over and over again, I'm blessed to be able to jump into any random episode and still feel something every single time. There isn't a single dud in the series. Not one. Great essay and you earned a sub from this guy. I am that guy.
Check out the books, everyone. They are amazing. Amazing! Riding in Amos'es brain and experiencing his thoughts is wild, man. Also, the last three books that they didn't adapt for TV are so damn good. I'm addicted to everything Expanse related, I so hope they will get back together when the cast is older to make the final 3rd act into a series. I know it's unlikely, but I could die in peace if that happened.
Think my biggest issue with the show is that it has a hard time making characters that I like. The books didn't have this issue. But with the show they have a habit of making the bad or annoying moments that a character displays more prevalent than the good/enjoyable ones. It ends up making the characters on average a real mixed bag to enjoy. At least to me. The thing is it's all intentional for the most part too. They're aware they're making the characters do unlikable things. And in a vacuum I'd say that's fine and lends complexity. But when your protagonists do unlikable things moment to moment more often than they do likable things, it starts to weight you towards indifference or detesting the character in question. The books tended to have a lot more light moments in between the big moral decisions where there's no right answer. Those little moments really added a lot of likability to the characters, and made you more tolerant towards actions you otherwise weren't a fan of.
Been following this show since season 2. The worst part about this show is how many times it was on the brink of cancellations. I recommend this show to as many people as possible. Easily my favorite
It was only on the brink/ actually ‘cancelled’ one time..
@@yomamma.ismydaddy216 No, it has been officially cancelled twice, once on Syfy and now on Amazon Prime. 6 seasons was not the full plan, it was cut short and they had enough time to adjust for a definitive ending. After Amazon Prime picked it up, the viewership and popularity wasn’t always high enough to guarantee renewal causing much reasonable speculation for cancellation
@@asiantaxevasion1042 the creators of the book and writers of the show said it wasn’t canceled and 6 seasons was always the plan and they were never sure how to proceed after that due to the huge time jump in the books after the events of season 6, so I don’t know where you’re getting your information
@@yomamma.ismydaddy216 nah I think you got false information. The showrunner said it was cancelled and season was cut from 10 episodes due to financial considerations. 6 season was not the plan. The plan was covering the full book series and Amazon decided to end the show.
@@asiantaxevasion1042 it wasn't "canceled" from Amazon. There's a problem in that book 7 has a time-jump several decades. Aging actors convincingly is hard and doing it for something like 20 to 24 episodes is bonkers. The decision to end the (main) show at 6 seasons was NOT about viewer counts or ratings. The shortening of S6 to 6 episodes was made with various factors in mind, budget only being one. It was also a narrative decision.
Amazon not adapting the last three books is absolutely tragic. We need the Laconia arc on screen
I finished the last three a few months ago and I am ready to re-read them. Of the books, the last three are the strongest. I'd take more Expanse content in any form, I can't get enough of it.
@@earlwolfx I just finished Babylon’s Ashes an hour ago. It gets better???!!!
@@PHDiaz-vv7yo Tiamat's Wrath is my personal favorite, and don't forget about the novellas too! Memory's Legion just got released last month.
@@robertlustmord1636 I honestly cannot wait. Book 7 already ordered
Still waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for the German translation of Leviathan Falls.
The only flaw with The Expanse is that it's missing it's 3rd and final act.
and given the 20 year time gap, and the fact they DID set it up to come back eventually, it can be forgiven for ending at a natural breaking point in the story.
They might make a movie
@@MrTokinedz precisely...or 2 or 3
A proper space opera trilogy films for the final arc would be a godsend for humankind.
Other flaws with the Expanse
James Holden
Naomi Nagata
I'm grateful to anyone who reviews this show.
The Expanse is one of the best if not the best Sci Fi show I've ever seen. And it deserves way more recognition then it gets.
The Expanse deserves Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek level of recognition.
I really hope one day The Expanse will be as famous as these shows.
100% agreed. as someone who's also read the books and has obsessed over the series I feel the exact same 🙏🏻 really hoping it picks up even more of an audience bc its just a superb show and series
It's nowhere near battlestar. It had believable characters. The Expanse does not. Still good without being amazing. It's pretty boring in lots of parts.
@@jallakka7149 I guess we just have differing opinions then. Because for me The Expanse has brilliant characters.
And while BSG had some great characters in Adama and Saul Tigh, it also really dropped the ball with characters like Baltar and Kara.
The last season of BSG was really underwhelming.
@@kingkiller5325 I am glad you like it. It's a great show.
@@jallakka7149 This comment makes me think you're still watching season 1. lol
I agree about the consistency of The Expanse. It's pretty incredible that they managed to keep the quality up that high the entire time. The only thing I can compare it to is the first 4 seasons of Game Of Thrones.
You can literally see the passion everybody involved with making this show has for their work. A true labour of love indeed.
The amazing thing for me is how often they would just shift genres and still make it great. I think that is what makes The Expanse such a realistic show: the world isn't made of one thing, one theme or one goal, it's everything all at once.
Interestingly, one of the writers was George RR Martin's personal assistant. The setting was originally conceived for a video game project, but short of that, they developed it as a table top rpg. The characters and general storyline come from their tabletop game sessions, and I've always suspected that George was one of the players.
you mean the first 2 seasons of game of thrones
@@TheSuperappelflap Season 4 is my favorite, but to each their own.
I love how The Expanse, both the books and the show, has sort of put the rest of sci-fi on notice by saying sci-fi needs to be better. And not only by depicting science more accurately in sci-fi, such as weightlessness, ships behaving more like submarines, warfare being a long-range, missile-heavy fight, but also by saying that sci-fi needs to drop the old clichés and tropes. The Expanse portrays the real diversity of humanity and tells real, human stories that aren't based on millennia-old stereotypes or myth cycles.
Honestly, what 2001: A Space Odyssey did for sci-fi in the late 1960's by making it a legitimate and artful genre, The Expanse has once again transformed the genre by forcing sci-fi to grow up, but also while still getting to have spaceships and space marines and cool tech. The Expanse is, I believe, one of the most important works of science fiction ever created and I hope more and more people discover it.
The thing that got me the most is that the show accurately portrayed the experience of a pen and paper RPG campaign. And that's basically because it essentially was a transcript of one in many ways. The original authors started the books based off of a campaign they played. This is why these characters felt so real and memorable. It's because they weren't all written by one or two people. Their backstories were written individually. Their personalities, feelings and emotions all started out from an independent seed of creativity of a number of people to be cultivated and grown into a full story more so by game masters than just writers. This is one of the first times I saw a show where the characters' agency drove the plot forward rather than the plot conveniently making the characters fall back in line. Because as a game master, you can come up with whatever story you want, but it will always ultimately be up to the players' decisions where that story goes, not to the writer. It's so easy to forget about characters' motivations when you have an entire world to keep track of and coordinate. It's easy to make a character fall in line out of convenience or by accident, but not when a player is behind that character. They will fight back and they will forge their own path and I'm so glad that this sentiment carries on so well in this show. Every character is so uncompromisingly true to themselves and their personalities.
interesting
Also, because originally it was a pen and paper campaign, when Shed character died early during that campaign, they had to kill him in the books too (and eventually, in series).
this is absolutely mind blowing. Pen n papers is clearly a great source of writing material bc the RULES and consistency must be adhere to.
I never knew it developed from that. Kinda makes sense though - as almost all characters are equally important and their motivation makes sense.
Cool concept, wouldn't necessarily think that could work - but it clearly did inspired a really good story 🥰
prax is the one that got away. everybody loved that character
He's my best friend in the whole world.
steely eyed man of science
His arc was good and finished. I would feel forced to try to keep him on. It would seem wrong for him to, after retrieving his daughter do anything but take her to the safest place he could find and start farming. He was forced into action. As Amos put it when Prax was about to execute a man who sorely deserved it "You're not that guy."
He has more in the books, a whole side plot to what was happening on Ganymede after the Free Navy took over. He was instrumental in getting the algae sample developed there to Earth where it was needed to combat the encroaching starvation.
@@shenvega6688 Give him a minute, he’ll get around to it.
This show raised the bar to intimidating heights.
watch foundation its really good to
@@kns9924the only problem with foundation is that it doesn't follow the story in the books
@@kns9924 I hope foundation gets better but so far it's not even close. It's closer to the Eternals. It has box tick characters. You don't feel them. The Expanse more than anything is a human experience. That's why every character is compelling. The Asimov books are great but the show is all budget and no delivery.
I love the Expanse, but I need to give any new watchers this piece of advice; Stick with it through season 1. If you haven't been hooked by the end of the first season than it isn't for you.
I tell everyone you must invest the time until episode 4 of season 1. After that, when the pieces fall together, the show fires on all pistons until the very end. The best sci-fi I’ve ever watched.
@@rhabdoviridae That's fair, I've found YMMV when it comes to S1. There is so much set up and the show (thankfully) doesn't hold your hand at all.
I agree after 3 episodes your hooked
I personally adore this show very much. Probably my most favorite sci fi show of all time. But I remember way back when I started season 1 and finished it I wanted to quit and move on to the next thing. Fortunately I had nothing else in my queue and nothing else to do with my time so I was like yeah sure lets continue with season 2 out of boredom. And that's when I got insanely hooked. Season 1 was mostly character introduction and world building which absolutely needed to happen. But wasn't fun to watch IMO. Or at least not as fun as everything that comes after it.
Yeah, I've watched it three times now, once on my own and twice with two different people, and episode 4 is the magic point where everything starts to come together and make sense. One common complaint was that it was hard to follow who was who in the first few episodes.
I think the ending of the espanse show was really good, but I also loved the (very different) ending of the books, where individuality as a virtue was emphisized. As Holdon said "my dream is that people can disagree and no one has to die"
The Expanse totally stuck the landing (unlike Game of Thrones). Hopefully the continued popularity of the show convinces someone to fund some more seasons.
Mate you can praise the expanse without taking a shite on game of thrones 😂 but you’re right.
@@raymondsims7042Give Dan & Dave credit: They did something almost unprecedented in the modern pop culture landscape. They brought all the fans together…in hatred against the show runners! 😁
@@grahamstrouse1165 this is true they did a good job with the first season of 3 body problem though
I don't cry often during shows but The Expanse got me a bunch of times. This show proves character driven Sci-fi without overblown setpieces can work and we need more of it.
Though the set pieces were superb...
@@PhilMasters they were superbly done with the resources they had, from what I hear on the Ty and that Guy Pod they didn't get to do a lot of it how they wanted or to scale sometimes so they got very creative.
There are so many moments: Miller and Julie, Avasarala talking to Arjun, scene 52, Bobbie and the ocean. Prax and Mei, Miller again, Cotyar scenes and every moment Drummer broke down (those hit me the hardest). There's many more, but am just tearing up mentioning these.
@@deanadewall8400 dawes monologs about his sister will never not get me
Worst part of this show is that it's over and there are still 3 books. This is my favourite show.
To touch on your point about good scenes just being actors acting well in a room, part of the reason why the Expanse's universe feels so real, a lot of it is. Most of the sets are physical sets that were constructed in a giant warehouse. This allowed actors to feel more in the scene. And since there are many reoccuring ships and stations in the show, it's actually quite practical to do, as you can just save the interior of the important ships.
"The Expanse" isn't a television show.
It's a time machine.
I choked down a sob and ran out of the room halfway through this comment.
To anyone done with all 6 seasons, PLEASE READ THE BOOKS! There are some differences between, like Drummer and Alex, but they are amazing and definitely add a whole new layer onto the series.
The amount of talent (in every field) connected to that show is incredible. Like, how are all of you so damn good at your jobs???
Yes. Yes. And yes. I’ve read all the books and watched the series twice.
The Expanse is Game of Thrones done correctly. And in the future.
And, having finished the books, I feel a bit lost.
But I’m grateful for the journey.
I'm going to go cry now. This show makes me cry.
Whatever happens... happens to the both of us... maybe we'll die. Or if we don't, that'll be interesting...
Seriously! I listened to all of the audiobooks at work and had to stifle/hide my tears multiple times. Just beautiful, beautiful stuff.
@@neofromthewarnerbrothersic145 SAME
Ashford was a twat, but anyone who watches his departure with dry eyes is a psychopath.
It really doesn't get any better than The Expanse. Even with the tragic loss of the final 3 books Laconia arc, it's still the best adaptation I have ever seen.
I watched the show - so don't come after me ;)
And: I loved it too!
I have never been able to rewatch a show (and very few movies) until this one. I can watch every episode of every season as many times as I want and NEVER get tired of it. Frankly the best show I have ever seen, period. Watch it.
As a venezuelan, I love the fact they had tequeños with their dinner before the final showdown.
But my favorite scene in the whole series is the "I'm that guy" scene.
Isn’t that country the one with the runescape ran economy lol
Short version: The Expanse is a study of the nature of humanity.
Absolutely love this show. It filled the hole in my heart left by the loss of Firefly.
I just ended the 6th season and must admit that The Expanse is definitely a show I will never forget. The end is pretty rushed and they left important problems unsolved but I'm not totally surprised because the affair of the protomolecule and the alien race that killed them is a very complicated problem to deal with. The more important is there are so much beautiful decor, so much wonderful dialogues, very good ship battles, so much intelligence, love, wisdom, originality... in this show that at the end I can't help from being pleased. I was amazed by the way the serie succeeded to mix politic (of very high level), space combats, complexity of human nature, beautiful romance...
The expanse is absolutely a work of art.
THE EXPANSE!!!
Mathematically the best show ever for sure.
Was not expecting an expanse review from ya but I'm sure as hell glad you did one. The world must know abt this show. It must get its last 3 seasons.
Books 7 8 and 9 all have their own genre too. Its crazy how many genres they fit in.
Every single part of the bitter heart segment i remembered. So crazy.
I liked this show from season one, but got really into it on season two. LOVED politics in it. And scientific details, like for example problems with healing in zero G. I love love this show and recommend it to everybody.
This was truly beautiful, worthy of the show. Thank you for making it as it is a great goodness to share something that you love. The characters in this story, books and show, matter to me as though I know them. They have helped me to learn about myself and others. It also happens to kick serious ass.
Beautiful love letter to an amazing show (and novel series). Thanks mate.
Wow your video was recommended by RUclips because I've been obsessed with this show for about almost five years now. You did an amazing job and THANK YOU!
Beautifully done!
The Expanse is my favourite sci-fi show since Battlestar Galactica. On that note, would you ever consider doing an essay on Battlestar? There’s a whole pile of trauma in that series you can expound on.
i co-sign this comment. this was a great video. would love a similar look at BSG
So say we all. This channel would have a feast with BSG.
So Say We All
I finished reading the books last week and omg what a ride it was. Loved every single moment of it.
This video is exactly the homage deserved by The Expanse. A great review for a great show! Thank you!
Fantastic!
Thank you for doing a series review!
I was hoping you'd put one together and this is perfect!
Right!? As I watched this video..... tears started rolling down my face! God I miss my show, I miss my family!!! 😭
Hi Belinda!
You see Ty's latest tweet?
the drinker summed it up best. it was a show written by adult for adults. the story had me crying, laughing and gasping in shock.
I'm totally obsessed with this series as well! Sheer perfection!
I'm not finished watching your video, but I have to say I love that you love this show
When it started, I said quietly that it was the best show on television, and by the end I said it with my full chest. It was the best, and Im holding off on reading the books cause I want it in my life for as long as possible
To be fair, The Expanse began on Scy Fy and they had/have a HUGE image problem as far as the 'quality' of their original productions. When it really caught on, it went over to Amazon Prime which further throttled it's potential. I found out about it when it showed on Prime, and I got Prime for the Boys.
All that being said, it's true the chatter for the Expanse was at least underwhelming. Ty seems to not at all be interested in maximizing the profit potential for the Expanse, evidenced by the lack of Expanse merchandising
The premise of this show is difficult to relay in memes or advertisements. Someone has to endeavor to explore something new to find something special.
The thing is, it didn't go over to Prime. Sy-Fy cancelled it and, after a long campaign by hard core fans, Prime picked it up. I guess Sy-Fy didn't have deep enough pockets to keep producing it, but still, they cancelled it; it wasn't taken from them.
@@eastvandb It was actually the cast who approached Jeff Bezos directly at an event in order to get the show on Amazon.
creative spelling for sy fy you got there.
@@TheSuperappelflap
In fairness, the channel's spelling is pretty creative, too.
CQB is the episode that got me hooked to the show and books
Totally. I remember having it on as background noise while working at home. After CQB, I re watched episodes 1-4 four times over. Now I have seasons 1-6 on a loop
Oye beratna!! S5E7 - The Roci vs the Zemeya or S6E3 the Roci vs the Pella. Literally on the edge of my seat for those. Cheers 👍
That final few minutes of short clips from the show was like watching my life spool before me - tears in my eyes for the power of this production. Truly one of the greatest dramas ever written, and portrayed masterfully on screen. Thank you.
This series deserves so much more attention. Thank you!!
This video was made with love and it really shows. This has got to be the most in depth and touching review of The Expanse on all of RUclips. 5 stars.
I really need to commit to a full re-watch of the series start to finish.
I've watched the whole series multiple times and I can honestly say that it gets better with every watch.
@@Friendlygiant666 Yeah I have rewatched certain episodes or scenes but a full comprehensive review will probably be a better experience.
@@hunterpdx7061 after they moved to Amazon I'd rewatch the series right before a new season dropped and it made the new season much more anticipated. Plus I've watched it a couple of times since season 6 ended because I don't think there'll be another great scifi show like this for a while
Started watching The Expanse by accident, hooked immediately. Puzzled at times, but it was always satisfying. Hearing rumors of another season; part of me hopes it's true, part of me worries that it's perfect and needs to be left alone 😆
I love how this show isn't scared to confuse or puzzle its audience with obscure plotting. But the payoff is always satisfying, thus rewarding you for your patience.
@@quiett6191 exactly, and never at the expense of character
This is a special case because the story is already finished, and the not-yet-adapted arc is the strongest. TW is going to be an arc that will start a new chapter in the history of SciFi.
It’s my favorite show of all time. It’s serious all the way, suspenseful , filled with morally grey characters, high quality character development . The situations and circumstances shapes and reshape the characters constantly.
I miss this show sooo much!
I know... that someday... the show will get more recognition.
Its a pipe dream. I realised very quickly this show is a neiche. Since o discovered it ive preached it to every friend, family and co worker i have. About a third seemed intrerested and only 2 got as much into it as i did.
I love this show so much. I’ve rewatched the series at least once a year now. Reread the book’s multiple times. The clips you set to music makes me want to watch again goodman.
I've loved this show since season 1 came out and think that it's the best scifi of all time. The story is amazing, the characters are so well written, the visuals are spectacular and hold you in a sense of awe, and all of it rooted in reality. There's very little suspension of disbelief because it's not needed and that is probably why I love it so much
I've loved this show ever since my physics professor recommended it to us on the grounds of it being scientifically accurate. Amos burton in particular as a character has helped me so much to grow and become who I want to be. The show is beautiful, i watch it again and again with love. It's very comforting. The ending was so satisfying. It's an incredibly human show. The music is enchanting. If I could watch anything again for the first time, it would be the expanse. This is the only video I've ever seen on RUclips close to doing the show justice. Thank you for expressing what is so great about this show.
Recent convert here.
Binged all seasons a few months ago. I still fell lovesick after finishing it. I fell madly in love with this creation.
my mother had all the books (big book nerd) and showed them to me when I was 14, a bit like a sci-fi bedtime story. the series is fantastic, the books are fantastic, and it deserves so much more attention than it got
Could not agree more that The Expanse deserves to be orders of magnitude more popular than it currently is
I just finished this show. You’re right, one of the best shows of all time!
I can't remember the last time i was THIS hooked and INVESTED in a series. The Expanse got me from the very first episode. I just gobbled the entire 6 seasons up. I found myself crying, screaming in anger / frustration, pumping my fist in the air with happiness. jfc i can't believe they decided not to continue The Expanse. but this is literally the best show ever!
Thank you for making an inspiring review of such an inspiring show. You’ve really honored the spirit of this craft.
BSG has finally an expansive ally, into the Olympus of sci fi tv
I feel you. I just started watching it AGAIN from S1E1 and it ranks way up there for me with Battlestar Galactica - just a lot deeper and well scripted
I agree 100%. This should have been GOT size popular. One of the few shows that has ZERO bad episodes or seasons. Freakin where are the stacks of emmys??
science fiction is new, gonna take a couple of more years before the normies recognize there is more then Star Warz
I _hated_ Marco Inaros… but that was the point. The Expanse did a truly exceptional job of crafting a story where you loved all the characters and hated the villains (with good reason).
Being said, the Expanse pulls another incredible trick by making Marco sympathetic. I can’t sign on to his methods but you understand why so many people would.
I just finished the show yesterday and I miss it already. I hope one day we can get book 7-9 adapted.
One of the greatest Sci-Fi shows far from the main stream since Babylon 5 and Firefly.
Thanks for making this video. I love The Expanse and it deserves way more recognition.
Still not watched this, but too many people I respect really have a hard on for it., this final review may push me over the edge, it really does look like there has been real thought, and character growth all factored into this series/story.
I love this show so much. I wish I could make every person around me watch it.
I wish I could get more people to see what they're missing and I wish so much that we could get the final arc on screen, but really I'm so happy to have what we got
This is a beautiful analysis of something so many of us hold very dear. I feel like I will share this every time someone asks me why I love The Expanse so much. Thank you!
Just finished my 5th tour of duty with all six seasons. And have inhaled all 14 books. Can't get enough! Thank you for his RUclips, glad to know I'm not alone.
So good to see a reviewer taking time to give The Expanse the vast credit it deserves. Really enjoyed this. Thanks.
I 100 percent agree with you. This series is pure perfection! And WOW did it stick the landing! I was never so sad and exhilarated by a series finale in my life. I wish I could hang out with this crew forever but I would rather have it end beautifully than watch it overstay its welcome!
This is a great video essay. It was like reliving the show again from a different perspective on things. Good job.
This is a phenomenal review/response! You put into words the genius that is this show. Thank you! And I, like you, have been recommending this show to as many people as I can, any time I get an opportunity.
LOL I laughed at your monologue on Dune. It's spot on - any analysis on the Dune universe is a monumental undertaking. It's all a lot.
THIS!!
Literally ALL of this!! You PERFECTLY summed up EVERYTHING I love about this show, and your analysis was so succinct and so on point and SO BEAUTIFUL and GOSH DARNAT WHY DON'T MORE PEOPLE WATCH THIS SHOW AND LOVE IT AS MUCH AS WE DO?!
...anyways.
BEAUTIFUL review. Thank you for doing this! I wanna share this with everyone I know!
I cried multiple times during this review, thanks a lot
I share your passion for the Expanse. People should watch.
This series, like the Protomolecule to humanity, became a discovery that i could not let go of. It latched on to my consciousness and integrated itself into all aspects of my life. I became obsessed with it, and in some respects, i still am. It's THAT good.
The character depth and development on this show are *so* good! It's so satisfying to watch one reactor after another start the first few episodes by questioning Amos' or Chrisjen's value, only to wind up yelling "I *love* him/her!" by the middle of the second season. BTW, seeing Prax hug Mei at 14:54 made my tear up all over again!
100% Agree . The BEST SHOW ! I have seen all 6 Seasons . The Space battles were absolutely EPIC in the Realism .
The Bitter Heart montage was incredible. Great review.
I found it when it came to Amazon Prime and was instantly hooked. You said it so well. The space battles (while absolutely awesome and engrossing and some of the best I've ever seen) arn't what make this show so enjoyable, it's the weaving of the narrative, characters and themes. This might be my favorite video about the Expanse so far. Well done! (I felt every groan of frustration and mmmmm!) Haha
Thank you for articulating all the reasons I absolutely love and adore this show and also why I think everyone should watch it. I felt all the feels in your video when you felt them.
Good vid, Keep em coming. I am surprised you didnt mention Fred Johnson and Holdens relationship.
Wish I could see this for the first time all over again, such a great show
I have discovered The Expanse last week...I wolfed 6 seasons in one week and a half......Astonishing show!! I have to watch it again to re-taste the best moments and the philosophy behind the plot and characters....
Currently waiting for book 9 to come in the mail. Imagine if we could get another 3 seasons
Just recently re-watch the show again (and not for the first time).
Absolutely fantastic!
Best scifi show of all time in my opinion. After season 6 ended I instantly went into the last trilogy of books with their novellas. And now I want more. At least we'll get a game about The Expanse.
Just chiming in on this 2 year old video to say nice job, I agree with all the points, and nice montage at the end. Liked and subbed. I found this because I'm editing a video essay about the Expanse right now and footage-mining.
So basically The Expanse is the Bohemian Rhapsody of TV Shows... Switching the genre every season, but somehow working perfectly... The 7th season (hopefully sometime in the future) should the a compressed but reverse of the genres.
Always had me on the edge of my couch without cheap hooks. Great binge watch now that it's all out. Clear your viewing schedule if you start this cause you won't stop.
Bro I just want you to know I love your editing style
I think it's just the beginning for the Expanse. With the books wrapped up and TV series done open ended, it gives it a chance to thrive with more adventures in other mediums.
It is us fans who have the tasks to share the expanse and make sure it is not forgotten. Even better yet live by the themes it has built.
I was a book fan before I saw the show and became a fan of it as well. It's one of the best adaptions I have ever seen. As a fan of a book series, one is prone to be really critical of changes, and the show has made changes - some are small and some are huge (HUGE!) - but I still absolutely adore the show, because none of those changes, big or small, felt forced or made the characters behave in a way that they wouldn't. That is proof of some really great writing, top notch acting and thoughtful directing. The show has really high quality through all the seasons and I'd go so far as to say that it's right up there among the best sci-fi movies/series I have ever seen. That is why it is such a great adaption, because the books are among my very favorites too, and the show really does them justice.
I knew I loved this show, but you my friend told me why.
It's endlessly rewatchable, not something that can be said for a lot of shows. Having seen it over and over again, I'm blessed to be able to jump into any random episode and still feel something every single time. There isn't a single dud in the series. Not one.
Great essay and you earned a sub from this guy. I am that guy.
Took all the words out of my mouth that my brain could never come up with. Show is perfect.
Check out the books, everyone. They are amazing. Amazing! Riding in Amos'es brain and experiencing his thoughts is wild, man. Also, the last three books that they didn't adapt for TV are so damn good. I'm addicted to everything Expanse related, I so hope they will get back together when the cast is older to make the final 3rd act into a series. I know it's unlikely, but I could die in peace if that happened.
Think my biggest issue with the show is that it has a hard time making characters that I like. The books didn't have this issue.
But with the show they have a habit of making the bad or annoying moments that a character displays more prevalent than the good/enjoyable ones.
It ends up making the characters on average a real mixed bag to enjoy. At least to me. The thing is it's all intentional for the most part too. They're aware
they're making the characters do unlikable things. And in a vacuum I'd say that's fine and lends complexity. But when your protagonists do unlikable things moment to moment
more often than they do likable things, it starts to weight you towards indifference or detesting the character in question.
The books tended to have a lot more light moments in between the big moral decisions where there's no right answer. Those little moments really added a lot of likability to the characters,
and made you more tolerant towards actions you otherwise weren't a fan of.
Woah... You summarized the series so well that If I am able to like your video for million times, I will gladly do it!
I was hooked by the first scene, the weightlessness of Julie Mao's hair.....
This is the best and only sci fi show that really got me into sci fi. I couldn't do it with Star Trek or Star Wars but this is an absolute exception
Stargate SG1 is way better.