The Expanse. SyFy channel TV show (also on Netflix)

[JRD]

So I'm hooked on this TV show called The Expanse. It's on SyFy and Netflix.

Even though it IS a major sci fi show it is essentially a crime novel with a deep geopolitical backdrop. The story takes place around the year 2350 or so (the dates are never shown but you can figure out through the dialogues). Earth is fully populated and Mankind has begun colonizing the solar system. The moon is a well developed colony and so is Mars, where terraforming projects are ongoing in hope to create a new place for humans. We've reached as far as Jupiter's moons Ganymede and Europa and also colonized the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter where mining stations have been built on a few major asteroids where minerals and water are explored in order to allow further expansion. We now have several generations born on the moon, the asteroids and Mars and also people born on Ganymede. As the story unfolds you realize that at one point Mars (a deeply millitarized nation) and Earth (a deeply political and corrupt nation) are no longer part of the same effort to colonize the Solar system and are, in fact, sworn enemies. The asterid belt workers (also called Rock Hoppers or simply Belters) suffer from living on low gravity and are exploited by both Mars (or Dusters) and Earthers. It led to the creation of an idependent semi terrorist group called Outer Planets Alliance (or OPA) fighting for the Belters.

The story starts when the daughter of an important big shot from Earth decides to go against her family and join OPA to help fighting injustice against belters. The girl disappears and a decadent cop stationed on Ceres (biggest asteroid on the belt) is hired to find her. In the meantime a crew from an ice hauler ship gets a distress signal coming from a ship adrift in the belt and decides to investigate.

The whole physics is extremely real with all implications of low G and lack of a propper atmosphere to humans taken into account but still made in a way to be fun to watch and not tedious, of course. High G maneuvers are harsh on the crew of any ship, those born on low G suffer from severe health problems and a Martian going to Earth gets mesmerized from being able to breath real air, without a dome over his head and dreams about seeing an ocean.

Think about the great navigations era when europeans lauched themselfs into the uncharted sea to find the New World, the American colonization era and the wars for independency but instead of all of it happening on Earth, it is taking place at a time when we are exploring the rest of the solar system.

Great fun. There are two season already available on Netflix and season three will premiere early 2018. It is based on a series of books and I just ordered the first three on the series. Season 2 ends halfway through book two so the first three books should cover a lot of ground not on the TV show yet.

[Art Blade]

sounds good. I might take a shot at it if and when they release it on BR

[Dweller_Benthos]

I've seen the commercials for it but never got around to watching it. Now that it's a couple seasons in, the back log of episodes is a little too much to deal with. Just like Game of Thrones and Walking Dead, I'll probably never get around to watching any of them.

[Art Blade]

get 'em on discs You can watch through a couple of seasons in a single go..

[Dweller_Benthos]

That's exactly what I don't want to do. I don't want this huge pile of episodes sitting there to be watched. I don't like watching more than one or at most two episodes at once. I'm not a "binge watcher" even though that's all the rage now.

There was a show I was watching on Syfy, the TV series version of 12 Monkeys, if you've ever seen that movie. Well, this season they burned through all dozen or so episodes in a two day marathon. I didn't even bother recording it to the DVR. I have no idea why they do things like that.

[Art Blade]

I know that movie and frankly, I've never understood the hype about it. I found it strange.

But I love a night-long session watching one good show, watching as many episodes back-to-back as I can before I drop unconscious 

[JRD]

I've seen the commercials for it but never got around to watching it. Now that it's a couple seasons in, the back log of episodes is a little too much to deal with. Just like Game of Thrones and Walking Dead, I'll probably never get around to watching any of them.

There are 13 episodes per season, two seasons in. Episodes are around 45 minutes long. So if you watch two per night, it will get you something to watch for an hour and a half for roughly two weeks. Not that bad.

I like to binge watch TV shows. As long as writers are able to finish a show when it is time t end it instead of stretching it for another two seasons just to capitalize on adds. They simply can't resist the idea of having another one or two seasons of nothing to add if they can hear the sound of more coins dropping inside the piggy bank. I've lost count of the shows I've dropped because the show was clearly over but still airing. On the other hand, when they commit to good story telling, a TV show will allow you numerous hours of character and plot development which in turn results in (hopefully) great entertainment. Breaking Bad is one show I enjoyed till the end and it felt like it ended when it was supposed to end, not stretched to boredom like many others. Binge watching a show on Netflix is great simply because I can make my own schedule instead of having the TV dictate when I'm supposed to start watching a show and go to the bathroom and get more popcorn etc... I need to be able to start and stop whenever I want.

[PZ]

I like to binge watch too - mostly because watching only one at a time leaves me hanging at the end of the episode. I much rather immediately look forward to another episode.

[Dweller_Benthos]

If it's a definite two part show, then yeah, I'd rather watch both at once. Some shows are just one long story, and those kinda irk me, keep it within one or two episodes, OK?

[Art Blade]

one or two episodes, each around 24 hours long.

[fragger]

Sounds like a cool show Thanks for the rundown, JRD

I don't mind watching a series if I know it's going to go somewhere. I liked Babylon 5 and the rebooted Battlestar Galactica for that reason. There was an overarching story with interwoven arcs, which eventually all came together and led to a cohesive conclusion. It wasn't just episodic, standalone adventures a la Star Trek, nor was it a make-it-up-as-we-go affair like Lost.

I don't mind binge-watching things like that. In fact, I prefer it, so that I don't literally lose the plot

[Art Blade]

funny how we all like binge-watching except perhaps D_B, who might do so secretly.

[Dweller_Benthos]

Not really. I feel weird if I sit in front of the TV too long, I'd rather take in a show at most and hour or hour and a half at a time, then let it sit so I can think on it. If I watched 4 or 5 hours at once, I think I'd lose track of where things are going and who said what. As it is, I already have trouble keeping characters straight in my mind. Doesn't help when they cast actors who look alike.

[Art Blade]