While the first two episodes lay the ground for the characters, and sets the basic players and plot in motion, here the stakes are upped in a significant way.
The way in which the stories seem very separate, the play with the survivors of the Cant and the Martian Navy, the play on Mars and Miller's probing on Ceres, but also layer by layer appear to grow more intertwined is well paced throughout this episode.
Like no other show I've seen this year, the production aesthetic is richer and deeper, and the interiors while close, never seem claustrophobic, merely a form of texturing. All the space sequences so far have been exceptional, and the Earth-based spaces all strike the right notes of familiar and futuristic at the same time.
I do not like Shohreh Aghdashloo's Chrisjen Avasarala. I love her accent and her styling, but there is something about her delivery that doesn't quite make me believe that she believes what she is saying.
Steven Strait, Cas Anvar, Dominique Tipper and Wes Chatham and all great as Holden, and crew, beautifully playing out the tension, suspicion and steadfast loyalty, as the Mars Navy gets a hold of them and questions them about the destruction of the Canterbury.
All in all, this episode beautifully advances the plot, without ever appearing to play the characters or the story cheap.
I must agree with another reviewer/commenter who said the show has a 'film' feel to it. This is something to note, as the feel of the production is richer than anything I've seen on television since Battlestar Galactica. For me, that's a huge thing.
I am in the middle of a rewatch for the sole purpose of reviewing and in preparation for Season 2, due February 2016. I'm still shocked it took me a whole year to know about this show, but really thankful I have all ten episodes to binge on.
Someone is trying to start a war and it isn't Mars. Is it just the Belt? Or is someone on earth vying for control of it all?
Avarsarala is my favorite so far. Even while using her friend to get around the rules, she is not made out to be cold hearted, but rather determined and with strong convictions. These characteristics are usually placed with men, but it's so refreshing to see a clearly morally gray female character that isn't automatically demonized. Here we see her use her friend and ambassador to confirm if Mars is behind the attack, which ultimate leads to him being collateral damage in her search for evidence against the Red Planet. What she does find instead is that Mars isn't at fault. But the ambadassor does give us insight into her: she's a smart, cunning and bold woman who always gets what she wants and usually she wants to "win", even if that means she has to make up her own rules. (Note: out of all the cast so far, she is by far my fav. So much under the surface that I want to see more. Is she a good? a bad? or forever in the vastness of the gray?)
After beeing arrested by the Mars Federation, our small crew from the water carrier/Canterbury is placed under interrigation and everyone's secrets come out (Former Mars Military, a Possible OPA Member, and a privilged Earther). This crew is much more than they seem. No one really knows anyone and they might just turn on each other as they feel the flames of power. The crew survived space, but can they survive each other?
Loved the interrogation scenes. These remind me of what care the showrunner/directors take in showing us the differences in physiology between the three groups. Here we see the enhaced/altered abilities of the Mars people as the interrogator has enhanced vision, camera focusing on his eyes as he interrogates and notices nuances or small movements in the prisoners, almost as a lie detector. They use this to create the tension in the interrogation, having the viewer watch him what the prisoner, looking to see if he catches a lie or false info, revealing a possible culprit.
Back on Ceres things are getting really interesting. The shipment of water is VERY LATE, due to the destroyed Canterbury, which has everyone on high alert, tensions palpable. With Holden's "Mars Attacked Us" message, the OPA is ready to revolt and now they have a martyr for their cause.
Miller has finally connected Mao's disapperance to the Scopuli, and to the destroyed water carrier, but he has also connected her to the OPA, but they are dangerous territory.
The Martians do give us another piece of the puzzle. Now we have Phoebe research station, a restricted station. What was going on on Phoebe that had the Martians so interested in what the Canterbury crew could know?
The pace of the show is still slow. Revealing small pieces of the puzzle, just like a book. Feels more like a mini series than traditional series.
Solid all around. Rate the ep a 7.5.
episode 3 and 4 were uploaded on the 16th please fix
Damn, quite impressive and consistent approach to every faction: they all kinda right, they all doing shitty things to keep their head above the water. And everyone afraid of one another.
That freaking language is killing me. It sounds Jamaican, Slavic, French, Spanish, German depending on the person who speaks it.
I'm wondering if anybody turn it into a real thing after so many seasons.
With established high level of medicine on Earth, I'm kinda assuming that the new guy going to be alive.
This story is so interesting, even when rewatching.
So great to see the M.C.R.N. Donnager, what a big and interesting military ship. The Martians seem to have quite advanced technology and are very disciplined. I really liked the interrogation scenes.
Gee, the way Dimitri died at the end was quite unexpected and brutal.
It's getting really heated now...
It takes a while, but the show starts to tack on the story on this third episode, and it pays off. The interrogation scene was great, but it mostly stands out thanks to amazing performance by Greg Bryk as the interrogator/Lopaz. The way he talks so confidently is almost oppressive, and the doubt he cast to the team members makes me question the real motives behind the characters. Shohreh Aghdashloo as the United Nations officer Chrisjen Avasarala is also a highlight of this episode, depicting a strong yet doubtful at times woman leader and displaying the ambiguity of system-wide politics.
As we get to explore Martian warship with its own dark red, brooding aura, and traverse through Ceres Station, it is clear that the show has a high production value, almost nearing the level of theatrical film.
I have to be honest, I really don't understand the factions and politics present here. Am I not paying enough attention, or is the show doing a poor job of explaining?
My only impressions so far:
- OPA: some kind of terrorist group. Bad.
- Belters: Gangs, criminals, violent, corrupt. Bad.
- Earth: elite, ignorant of others plight. Bad.
- Mars: isolationist, seen as a threat by everyone. Bad.
Surely this can't be right?
However, this episode was better for characters. People really seem to dislike each other but at least there was some reasoning behind it this time.
I'm enjoying this. Like really enjoying. I find myself so drawn in by the scenes sometimes that I don't realise I'm leaning forward until it changes to another. It navigates with the ease and confidence of a much more established show.
What's the proof that Naomi is OPA, they simply want his crew to believe that?
This is starting to complicate, it has earned me that I see the whole season
Shout by DeletedBlockedParent2015-12-21T09:19:10Z
The tension starts building here, as the crew know that mind games are being played on them. They fluctuate between doubting each other and supporting each other.
In the spaceship interior scenes, I feel a sort of immersion that I find lacking in other sci-fi TV shows. I cannot quite put my finger on it, but the Expanse has more of a film quality to it. This episode demonstrates the huge potential of this show.