“The best Sci-Fi show you’ve never heard of.” “Better than Battlestar Galactica.” “Realistic yet thrilling.” These are some of the superlatives I heard about The Expanse before checking it out. Two that were left out? “Zero-G sex” and “Shohreh Aghdashloo swearing like a sailor.”
Well, I have watched seasons 1 and 2, and I️ can confirm that all of those superlatives are correct. The Expanse is the most refreshingly sci-fi sci-fi show I have watched in a long time. And it’s on SyFy!
Chief, I thought you were going to watch the baby today!
What I love about it is that whereas Battlestar Galactica got bogged down in “Who’s a Cylon today?” debates and “Who is going to take the baby to space day care?” domestic squabbles, The Expanse retains its sense of adventure.
For the crew of the Rocinate, and its predecessor the Cant, you never forget that they are on space ships and in outer space. There’s no hyperdrive, no artificial gravity, no (with respect) holodeck. Just slightly more sophisticated, more advanced machines than we have today and many of the same damn problems.
Which brings us to the first of my superlatives: zero-g sex. I give The Expanse points for showing the obvious – that people are going to get it on whether they’re glued to the floor or not. Now whether or not a certain character is “really good at this,” as his partner purrs to him as he floats there like a limp dish rag while she sits astride him in zero-g, is debatable. But points for trying!
Don’t try this at home, kids
Then there’s the best part: Shohreh Aghdashloo swearing like a sailor. Her (equally hard to spell) alter ego Chrisjen Avasarala is a force of will who steals every scene she’s in with her elaborate wardrobe and gravelly voice. DO NOT talk down to this woman, unless you want to be verbally eviscerated within 10 seconds. When one colleague attempts to explain a delay in communications across long distances, she snaps, “I know how the fucking thing works,” with a smile that made me laugh out loud. She will not hesitate to hug you or torture you, then have a cocktail after.
But the best reason to watch The Expanse is one you won’t hear from the critics. It is full of secret references to the movie Airplane! “I guess I picked the wrong week to quit drinking” and “Do you like gladiator movies?” are two of the more overt references to this Zucker Brothers classic. I’m sure, upon rewatching, I’ll find more.
Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?
The Expanse also features amazing visual and sound affects, for all of us nerds out there who think gravity boots, space clamps and futuristic tech are cool. And don’t even get me started on the Martian military! Or the neo-noir detective storyline featuring Thomas Jane! Just watch it already, and get caught up before Season 3 debuts in 2018.
Advertisements Share this:
