I should probably get on with reading the third book then as this series doesn’t cover just one book at a time, they mix in characters from later books. The first season had a character from the second book in the very first episode.
Netflix picked this up. Woo!
OMG Yay!
For non-US Netflix, anyway. But then, it seems like Netflix has way more ability to land hot properties for non-US markets. Presumably because they’re considered less valuable markets.
It’s out on UK Netflix now.
The Expanse books are great, and they cover so much I don’t know how the TV show is even going to get to events in the latter books. I can recommend reading them. I picked them up after I started to watch the show just to get more answers and was not disappointed.
Didn’t like Magician novel , and I have to say the show may actually a better way to consume the story. I didn’t have enough interest in reading the 2nd and 3rd novels.
Finally got around to watching this thanks to Netflix picking it up. Overall probably the best space sci-fi tv show I’ve seen in quite a while. (For the record: I never really got into BSG.)
Loved all the world building, although during the first third of the season I still was occasionally firing up Google because someone referred to the “OPA” or some character. Hell, the season is over and I still wouldn’t be able to give you/remember some of the character names.
Th cast is strong, overall, but certainly not perfect. I liked Tom Jane’s Miller and the ruthless side of Wes Chatham’s character. And having just watched The Crown I was delighed to see Jared Harris again so soon. But, man, Steven Strait? Seems to come from the same factory that churns out generic handsome actors that Brett Dalton was produced in. You know, not really bad, not sticking out like a sore thumb, but with a more limited acting range than other members of the cast.
I really how the tackled some parts of the script. The ‘hole’ scene in episode 4–certainly the best episode along with episode 8–was terrific in that the signicant bit happened offscreen and in complete silence. It’s only a a few confusing moments that you get to see what went down and yep - “Oh shit!” The interrogation scene with Lopes (episode 3, I think?) as great, too, in how the camera put the viewer in his perspective and showed how he tried to pick up on cues after taking the drug. Same for Amos sensing the tac team trying to get ready to strike in episode 8.
My family didn’t know a single character name beyond the main guy (who I now can’t remember again…) until episode 8. For some reason names were hard to remember/identify with in this show.
Yes you almost need a cheatsheet to keep track of all the names, factions and allegiances the series throws at you in the first episode alone. OTOH I absolutely love the almost nil amount of hand-holding. I never heard of the books and started watching this on a whim; finished the first season in two days and now I’m rewatching it with my son-- it is that good.
My only complaints: the names of people / places flashing on the screen could last a few seconds longer, especially for those of us watching with subtitles. I also felt the introduction was just too short. There’s so much information to take in, a little more background and better sense of time/place (e.g., what and where Ceres and the Belt actually are, how long it took mankind to colonize Mars, etc) could have helped greatly. I also thought the main character was badly miscast. I ended up getting used to him eventually but especially in the first episodes I found his pouting endlessly irritating.
Season 1 left several loose ends but at the same time it provided a satisfying sense of closure. Really looking forward to season 2 as there are so many places to go from here.
That’s one of the main differences in the books. The main character is developed over a longer period of time, and he starts off as a competent officer. Then you see a clash of personalities with Amos (mechanic/poor dude), Naomi (Belter), etc. Novel Holden is like a self-righteous lawful good Paladin but at least he’s competent. TV Holden is just whiny AND incompetent.
I didn’t think he was that bad, but I might have just been injecting my mind’s book Holden into the equation. I loved him in the books because he was always ‘everyone has a right to know’ no matter the consequences. The lawful paladin comparison is interesting, because he had no problems breaking troublesome laws, but was absolutely a white knight when it came to telling the truth.
5 episodes in and I am really enjoying this, not much of a Thomas Jane fan, but he is pretty good in this.
Oh, man, did this come out on Amazon today? I think it’s today. I loved the first book in this series but haven’t come back to it yet (thanks Malazan) so I wanted to watch this show and just forgot about it. Since it’s streaming now (or soon) I’m going to dive in and give it a watch, seems like most folks are enjoying it. It was a great setting, and I really enjoyed where that first book went.
I didn’t know The Punisher (the first good Punisher we ever got) was the lead in this, I think he’s excellent.
you should check out his punisher short… dirty laundry… he really wanted to be punisher again it seems.
I’ll have to check this show out. Sounds good.
Latest book, Babylon’s Ashes released yesterday.
I kinda forgot everyone except for Cutty and Avarasala.
That’s funny, I don’t remember who Cutty is.
Sorry, my bad. Let me look it up - It’s the actor Chad Coleman. “Cutty” was the character he played in the Wire. He plays the former Earth guy who massacres all the Belters and then becomes a Belter station master.
Oh, you mean Fred “The Butcher of Anderson Station” Johnson. I remember him. Although I’d forgotten he was on The Wire, I guess.
I played a lot of Left 4 Dead, he had the voice of Coach. That makes him recognizable to me :)
He was on The Walking Dead too…