The first half is fantastic. This is what cyberpunk should be--that separates them from other genres of sci-fi dystopia. Resleeving (exchanging bodies) is a great plot device that can be used excellently, bringing us both moral and practical questions about how is it to live in a world where bodies are disposable, that mind reigns supreme yet is limited in its physicality (in stacks), some sort of a cyber-Cartesian thinking? The show is thought-provoking when it raises those issues, treading finely through controversial topics such as prostitution, drug abuses, and questions of life and death ("if you can prolong life by simply changing your bodies, would you still do it?"). Like the grandma resleeving in a white punk in episode 5.
The second half however is very shaky. Since the introduction of Reileen in real time, not in flashback, the show seems to drift away from those issues and take on a generic Hollywood sci-fi weekends. It leans too heavily on familial drama. Not that such issue can't be written excellently, mind you, but the problem is there was no build up towards the issue. Instead, the drama is brought upon, borrowing elements from the subplots that have been spun in prior episodes. It felt really weak, especially since the antagonist's character seems to be written to appear multi-layered, yet becoming overly convoluted. They should have sticked to the issues raised in the first-half. It's as if the writers were changed mid-way.
That said, I still expect season 2 to come. The show has lot of potential.
A science fiction show, part noir and part political suspense, set in interplanetary scale. The show depicts a possible future of space colonization: the life as ordinary persons in the midst of tense cold war and resource exploitation. The show puts class struggle in front and center, as humans living in Asteroid Belts (Belters) trying to survive as the work blue-collar jobs serving the elites in Earth and Mars. The Earthers and Martians, meanwhile, are playing dangerous political games in a race of claiming the riches of the asteroids. We follow the story of a hard-boiled detective, a crew of haulers, and an Earther politician, whose lives are entangled in the emerging conflict that ensues.
The series is not a cyberpunk one, but as we get to traverse the marginalized lives of the Belters, I can't shake the feeling cyberpunk films usually gives me. Thematically it deals with issues of class/discrimination - though sometimes a bit on the face - corruption, and corporate control. Our hard-boiled detective pieces the puzzle slowly. Visually, the neon lights of the Belts, the slums and sewers, and even the food stalls where people eat noodles, seem like paying homage to cyberpunk genres.
For science fiction fans, The Expanse puts the science back in science fiction. Earthers, Martians, and Belters have different physiological forms because of years living in different gravity. Once a while the show takes on a more gimmicky sci-fi like coriolis gravity effect when pouring water, at other times it becomes a plot device that turns the story upside-down. The smaller scale of the setting - interplanetary instead of intergalactic in the vein of sci-fi e.g. Star Wars / Star Trek - makes me appreciate the more realistic touch on sci-fi side much better. There is no jump drive, no hyperspace travel. Ships are propelled with rockets. Space battles don't have that bombastic lasers and explosion, but still intense and perhaps, in effect, much more gripping and consequential. For a TV series, The Expanse has the convincing visuals and excellent set design theatrical films usually have, though like most sci-fi it still excuses itself on having sounds reverberate in a vacuum.
The show spends most of its early episodes (Eps. 1-3) to world-building. The pace is a bit slow and the piecing of the puzzles may make the story feel a bit convoluted. Characters are introduced, but most don't really make a strong impression, except for perhaps Detective Miller (played by Thomas Jane), who despite the cliched trope, manage to be a leading figure in driving the plot forward, thanks perhaps to the impressive acting by Jane.
However, unlike most shows nowadays that get a strong start but becoming weaker as it end on season finale, The Expanse becomes much better exactly in the second half. The pace gets steady, character gets more developed as they interact more like persons, and in a couple of episodes it hits the suspense notes just perfect. Eps. 4 has one of the better shootout and political suspense I've seen in series. Eps. 8 has a brooding pressure Alien series gives as the crew investigates the mysteries. The season ends with all pieces of puzzle being pulled together, but still asks more questions further for the next season.
The Expanse Season 1 is one of the most satisfying show I've watched this recent years. Binged-watched it only in 2 days. I'm eagerly waiting for the chance to watch the next season.
From the least two seasons I'm beginning to think that The Expanse is the strongest at its first half. Like Season 2's Episode 5 ("Home"), Season 3's Episode 6 ("Immolation") is a mid-season finale, and it hits the strongest beat The Expanse has done so far, perhaps since Season 1's Episode 10 ("Salvage"). It ties all the loose knot in a very coherent structure altogether, at the same time. Most story arcs that have developed for a while now (some even from early Season 2) all come to a closing to a very satisfying end. The first half is not as gripping as Season 2's first half, but it is still gripping but nicely paced drama, thriller, and action.
The second half, however, has a noticeable drop. People seem to like it, but I notice less-than-excellent writings with its introduction of new characters. Melba is an uninspiring character, seems like rather tacky plot device to keep the story going, especially with her redemption in season finale. Ashford has a great potential with Camina - seeing their dynamics/rivalries is interesting - however the last three episodes seem to portray them inconsistently, emerging as a necessary antagonist late in the season. The second half also introduced secondary characters, but seem to feel more like stock characters that simply need to be there: e.g. Dr. Volovodov and captains of MCRN and UNN. Compare them with Admiral Souther or Dr. Strickland for example.
It still has the right beat however, but it's been relatively less tight than before. The finale is supposed to be mysterious and awe-inducing, but it didn't give me the same feeling as Season 2. That said, The Expanse is still one of the better (if not the best) sci-fi shows around right now, so I'll stick with it.
The first half (first 5 episodes) are flawless. It follows up directly from the first season and ends in a rather heartbreaking way. But all puzzles are pieced and all story arcs are concluded, especially the one concerning quest for Mao.
Episode 6 picks up the pace rather moderately, but spirals into new conflict really fast in the next episode. There are ups and downs between episodes, however most of them did a great job in keeping up the balance between political thriller, character's drama, and sci-fi. Episode 9 had good character development that takes our Rocinante crew from ordinary guys to some righteous hero, and Eps 12 did it the best with refugee crisis and protomolecule's conspiracy. The season finale isn't the strongest, but the way it opens up new arc for the third season is excellent.
So far The Expanse has been fairly consistent in keeping the pace tight. No wasted screen time, no useless shots. They were all done effectively.
Overall an enjoyable sitcom with unusual setting (college dorm managers) that readily serves diverse kind of comedic potential. However it doesn't seem to be able to maintain its comedic values and character developments with the last two episodes ending in a very awkward turn.
This season only has two excellent episodes out of 16: the premiere (of course) and the episode with Eugene (showing the gray area TWD has been good at, antagonists are not evil and protagonists are not saint). There are also other two... well, good episodes.
The rest of it... let's say it's decent but it's not worth the 45 minutes. It moves rather slowly. It's a drama of course so I'm not expecting some fast-paced action, but all too often TWD fall to the same trap over and over again: a whole episode dedicated on exploring one character or bonds between two only with unnecessary long still shots and cheesy dialogues. Those episodes have some great moments once in a while, but most of the time you'll find it a bit dull.
