THE EXPANSE --it's premise, plot and socio-political implications

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
Lets hope it is more 12 MONKEYS then DEFIANCE

the trailer reminds me a bit of BABYLON 5 --but don't know if they are on a space station or what...

hope it is worth waiting for

 

ecgordon

Star's Hero
It's based on a book series, five novels and several short stories so far, with a few more already ordered by the publisher, so there's plenty of story for multiple seasons. Syfy has already renewed it for a second season, so they must like what they see. The books are written by James S. A. Corey, which is a pen name for two different authors, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. The first book was Leviathan Wakes, the second Caliban's War, and along with a couple of the short stories that's as far as I've read so far. I hope to get to at least one more before December. I read the second one mainly because they are having a character in the first season that didn't appear until the second book, the reasoning being to have a presence on Earth. Most of the action takes place in the asteroid belt, and on various ships.

My review page doesn't have that many spoilers, you might want to check it out. http://templetongate.net/expanse.htm
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
It's based on a book series, five novels and several short stories so far, with a few more already ordered by the publisher, so there's plenty of story for multiple seasons. Syfy has already renewed it for a second season, so they must like what they see. The books are written by James S. A. Corey, which is a pen name for two different authors, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. The first book was Leviathan Wakes, the second Caliban's War, and along with a couple of the short stories that's as far as I've read so far. I hope to get to at least one more before December. I read the second one mainly because they are having a character in the first season that didn't appear until the second book, the reasoning being to have a presence on Earth. Most of the action takes place in the asteroid belt, and on various ships.

My review page doesn't have that many spoilers, you might want to check it out. http://templetongate.net/expanse.htm

Really good review page. :encouragement:

I like this line because it gives me hope that we might actually get a good scifi show:

The "world-building" here is solid, lived-in, believable, easily visualized. The characters are real and act logically in most instances.
 

ecgordon

Star's Hero
I'd say that if they can make the series just half as good as the first two books it should be great.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Lets hope it is more 12 MONKEYS then DEFIANCE

the trailer reminds me a bit of BABYLON 5 --but don't know if they are on a space station or what...

hope it is worth waiting for


Oooh....shiny! I like what I see in this. But I also can see right off the bat that this thing is expensive. If so, the ratings for it will have to be consistent for it to stay on the air. I love the way it looks. I saw a glimpse of what looked like a "space hood" wearing a black Panama Hat, holding pearls (not a good sign). The rest of it looks great. Now if the story is lame, how it looks wont make a difference.
 

ecgordon

Star's Hero
Please refer to my previous comments and to my review of the books. This is an attempt at serious subject matter in the guise of space opera. The story has a lot to do with a clash of cultures, and has direct connections with current world events. The 'belters' are the ones who do all the dirty work of mining the asteroids, the fat cats on Earth, Luna and Mars make all the money. There is corruption in both government and the military, there's piracy on the spaceways along with underground resistance movements.

There was a bidding war for the rights, and Syfy ponied up the most money, and they seem to be taking it seriously, giving the greenlight for a second season more than six months before the show's premiere. They screened the pilot at Comic-Con and it has received a lot of good reviews. I think a lot of the lower budget stuff we've been seeing this year is just a stop-gap until the new regime's choices start rolling out.

I'm not sure premiering it mid-December is a good idea, but I'm recommending everyone check it out, and since the major networks will likely be in repeat mode then it might work in Syfy's favor. The Childhood's End mini-series appears at the same time, and they've got several other high profile projects coming up, Gateway being the one that comes to mind right now. If they do screw these up and I'm disappointed I'll be first one to criticize them and stop watching the network. But I am willing to give them this chance.
 

Jim of WVa

Well Known GateFan
Really good review page. :encouragement:

I like this line because it gives me hope that we might actually get a good scifi show:

The "world-building" here is solid, lived-in, believable, easily visualized. The characters are real and act logically in most instances.

Which explains why Brad Wrong and Robert C. Cooper were not asked to be in the production crew.
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
I'd say that if they can make the series just half as good as the first two books it should be great.

You know ec, you're welcome to write a blog article and/or review for the Gatefans front page. And it doesn't have to be about this particular show either. We can always used good content on the front page. :encouragement:
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
You know ec, you're welcome to write a blog article and/or review for the Gatefans front page. And it doesn't have to be about this particular show either. We can always used good content on the front page. :encouragement:
Speaking of which...

Xenporta would create a front page based upon the posts in the forums, and also organize them into blocks. Ignore the content here, the example is the structure. What do you think (these people created the portal)?

http://8wayrun.com/
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Speaking of which...

Xenporta would create a front page based upon the posts in the forums, and also organize them into blocks. Ignore the content here, the example is the structure. What do you think (these people created the portal)?

http://8wayrun.com/

I like that option a lot! :encouragement:

Perhaps we should give it a try? After all, having the front page be just one topic is rather limiting. Having our topics in blocks would show visitors that we cover many areas of interest.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I like that option a lot! :encouragement:

Perhaps we should give it a try? After all, having the front page be just one topic is rather limiting. Having our topics in blocks would show visitors that we cover many areas of interest.

With a click, you can "promote" any thread into an article which will appear in a block on the front page. Right now we are using a clunky Wordpress bridge and everything is still pretty much separate.
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
With a click, you can "promote" any thread into an article which will appear in a block on the front page. Right now we are using a clunky Wordpress bridge and everything is still pretty much separate.

Would it be a big ordeal to change the front page over to the Xenporta blocks?
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Would it be a big ordeal to change the front page over to the Xenporta blocks?

Okay, I wanted to wait before I responded to this. No, it is not a big deal at all. :) The add-on costs $40.00 and I will buy it. Even the articles which are already in Wordpress are in the Newsline forum here, so no big deal. I will most likely do this over this weekend. :)
 

ecgordon

Star's Hero
I was sure there had been a discussion of this show, but with all the various forums here I'm just not looking in the right place. This can be moved if there is another thread.

Based on the book series by James S. A. Corey (Daniel Abraham & Ty Franck), it comes to Syfy in a two night premiere Dec. 14-15, right after the first two parts of Childhood's End. But Syfy is releasing the pilot episode tonight on multiple streaming platforms, starting at 12:01AM. According to various tweets and Facebook posts you can adjust that for whatever time zone you're in, so if correct that means I can see it at 11:01PM. It's geo-locked to the US, but I'm sure there are those who know how to get around that, and of course it will be available shortly after by other means.

I've reviewed the first four books, and am reading the latest novella at the moment. Good stuff.
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Nice!
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I watched it on YouTube last night, but they've removed it for some reason. I'm watching it now at syfy.com - http://www.syfy.com/theexpanse/videos/101-dulcinea

Several people have said the Facebook link works worldwide, but for how long? -

What did you think of it? I clicked your link, but I am turned off of the synopsis of the first episode.

In the future, where the Asteroid Belt has been colonized, the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of a young heiress sets off a series of events that will change humanity.

:rolleyes: :disturbed:

I have an extremely hard time accepting that in the future, we will still be using money and there will still be an "heiress" or royalty or money. I do not care about an heiress. I am hoping that the rest of the episodes do not disappoint. I will watch it tonight. Thanks for the link!
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I watched this. I will not go into details until everyone else who is going to watch it sees it. But, I did not like it. BEAUTIFUL visuals. Simply fantastic. Attractive cast. But that's it....IMO.
 

ecgordon

Star's Hero
This is based on the novel series by Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank, which I have reviewed through Book 4 - http://templetongate.net/expanse.htm

The woman who has disappeared is the daughter of a rich and powerful businessman on Earth & Mars, who among other things is CEO of Mao-Kwikowski Mercantile, one of the largest provider of goods and services to the colonies. She has come under the influence of the OPA, the Outer Planets Alliance, which the Inner Planets consider a terrorist organization. The reason she is missing ties into a bigger mystery, a solar-system wide conspiracy orchestrated by her father, other businessmen, corrupt politicians and some military personnel.

I love the books, and I've already watched the pilot three times, plus one other time I had it playing in the background while doing other things. The first time I thought it was too rushed, along with a couple of scenes that could have been eliminated, and I think it would have been better if the concluding event of the episode had been moved to the second. However, on subsequent viewings I have come to the opinion that it is an excellent episode, but you need to pay close attention to everything because there are at least five different story lines running.

If they intend for the first season to encompass the first novel, and since there will be only ten episodes, I can guarantee there will be hardly any filler, they'll all be jam-packed with action and exposition. I recommend it.
 
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