This episode of The Expanse is available on VOD and digital platforms on Monday, November 23. The two-night premiere of the show hits Syfy on Monday, December 14 and Tuesday, December 15 at 10/9C. Watch is right here, right now!
This is a spoiler-free review of the first episode.
On the first episode of "The Expanse," in the 23rd century, humans have moved into the solar system, away from Earth, as Mars becomes terraformed. The U.N. runs Earth and many people work in space just to make a living. There are tensions building between colonies and planets.
Science-fiction television has had a lot more misses than hits. There's been plenty of shows in recent years, but only a few, true standouts like Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who, and Stargate. It may be too soon to say, but The Expanse could be the next great science fiction show.
There's a lot that leads me to jump to this conclusion. The look of the show, which contains a ton of CGI, is some of the best digital animation we've seen on a television series in years and there's a whole lot of it. The show pays attention to detail in every little way possible. Gravity doesn't exist in space, so people wear magnetic boots to walk around. The people who were born and raised in low-gravity end up being taller because their bones kept growing and they can't survive on Earth. There's a lot to take in but everything serves a purpose. The sets look amazing. They are full of an immense amount of detail and each set is a living, breathing piece that tells more about the future than any character could.
The first episode of The Expanse does suffer from the same problem as every science fiction show's first episode behind it: it's an information dump, which sometimes can get in the way of the story and its characters. It's a lot to take in and there's just a lot that has to be crammed into this episode. Needless to say, all of this has to be crammed in here, so the show can move forward. This isn't something new, since almost every science fiction show has a learning curve, but the further said show is away from out reality, the more the viewer has to take in.
In addition, there's a lot of characters to follow in the opening episode. We have a crew, flying around in space, Thomas Jane's character who is a cop, a woman who is a part of the U.N., and another woman who is the daughter of a rich family, somewhere in space. Again, it's a lot to take in but at least it's all really interesting stuff.
Aside from the fact the show tries to do too much in the opening episode, what The Expanse does well is give viewers a new look at the science fiction genre. We're used to seeing heroes, futurist military, and rebels all working together for the greater good. The Expanse takes a look at the different classes in the future. It spends a lot of time looking at the day-to-day life of the working class and how tensions are growing. Classism is part of the focus of this show, and it's really cool to see that be a part of the dynamic of this new series.
As far as the characters on the show go, Thomas Jane's character, Detective Miller, was a standout and easily one of the most interesting, since we got to see a lot from him, giving viewers an idea of who he really is. He is a kind of corrupt cop who doesn't mind bashing a few heads in to get what he wants. Easily, he takes the cake in the first episode, as his character introduces the viewer to a lot of the different culture in this new world.
The opening offering for Syfy's newest show The Expanse is completely engrossing and intriguing. It's easily one of the best opening science fiction shows I've seen in years, but the real problem lies with the fact that there's just too much packed into the first episode and it becomes incredibly hard to follow at times. However, there's enough here to really grab in the viewer, whether it's the sets, the nice looking CGI, or the fact there's a whole lot more to learn about this show. While I simply loved this first episode, it's not without its flaws. However, this is a who you will want to jump on when it airs on December 14. Currently, this episode is available on VOD.
Or watch the first episode below: