SyFy The Expanse

[destrekor]

Spoiler: not sure if tags still needed...

Once she got to her ship and the guy let her in we knew she'd be in the suit. I'm not sure how much more they could have shown without it getting tedious. I did crack up at the idea of how overly convenient it was that the guy was thoughtful enough to bring her suit along. It couldn't have been easy for him to get it from the Intel people that were going over it and getting it packed on board before they were off. With that kind of planning I wonder how well he'd do weddings. If anything I would have expected her to grab a gun and have a real fight, but hey, if they wanted her to have the magic suit, it worked out..

Honestly to me, the only overly convenient part wasn't that the suit was brought along, it's that the suit was able to be deployed at precisely the time it mattered most, saving Avasarala's life. That he brought it along actually was perfect and smart. Remember his background and his role as bodyguard, enforcer, and spy; thinking along those lines, bringing the suit, if he could get it, was the obvious decision. Just in case. In that role of his, you always pack the best tools for the task. Walking in to a trap? Bring a mech suit! lol
I thought the look he had on his face said it all. It was like, duh, why wouldn't I have brought it? A well played scene all around IMHO. But yeah, it was just the perfect timing part that I found annoying, her having brought it back just in time. Not that it's bad, but, just a classic and oft-used trope in fiction.

 

[Skel]

Honestly to me, the only overly convenient part wasn't that the suit was brought along, it's that the suit was able to be deployed at precisely the time it mattered most, saving Avasarala's life. That he brought it along actually was perfect and smart. Remember his background and his role as bodyguard, enforcer, and spy; thinking along those lines, bringing the suit, if he could get it, was the obvious decision. Just in case. In that role of his, you always pack the best tools for the task. Walking in to a trap? Bring a mech suit! lol
I thought the look he had on his face said it all. It was like, duh, why wouldn't I have brought it? A well played scene all around IMHO. But yeah, it was just the perfect timing part that I found annoying, her having brought it back just in time. Not that it's bad, but, just a classic and oft-used trope in fiction.

That's where I'm not sure I agree with you.. It really wasn't the obvious decision. For me the obvious decision would have been to smuggle another gun onboard and tossed it to her when things popped off. Between the two of them (at least from what we were originally lead to believe) they would have made really quick work of the bad guys. The suit on the other hand wouldn't have been easy to get (I have a hard time thinking that the group that was combing it for any and all data they could pull out of it would have had it still in one piece, let alone willing to just let it and all it's intel just walk out of the office.. and don't get me started on why Mars didn't lowjack it), and for me this way of going about it makes her look weak unless she has the supersuit. It's one of my few disappointments on the show, but they built her up to be a bad ass marine. Suddenly when it mattered she couldn't do anything until she got the supersuit. It's a minor disappointment, not like it ruins the show for me..

 

[Puffnstuff]

Honestly to me, the only overly convenient part wasn't that the suit was brought along, it's that the suit was able to be deployed at precisely the time it mattered most, saving Avasarala's life.

My problem with the suit is that in the encounter at Ganymede her suit was destroyed by the protocreature yet the unit they had in their possession was fully functional. At the beginning of their pseudo negotiations they turned over the suit that she was supposedly wearing so it would mean that they provided an undamaged suit in lieu of the actual one.

Getting back to the creature did you guys notice how the bullet holes healed themselves seconds after being formed? The same can be said about when it tore the failsafe out of its chest. How is it developing such strength in the absence of high muscle mass? What do you suppose the descending ships at Venus being disassembled means? I hate that we have to wait a full year for the next season.

 

[Skel]

My problem with the suit is that in the encounter at Ganymede her suit was destroyed by the protocreature yet the unit they had in their possession was fully functional. At the beginning of their pseudo negotiations they turned over the suit that she was supposedly wearing so it would mean that they provided an undamaged suit in lieu of the actual one.

Getting back to the creature did you guys notice how the bullet holes healed themselves seconds after being formed? The same can be said about when it tore the failsafe out of its chest. How is it developing such strength in the absence of high muscle mass? What do you suppose the descending ships at Venus being disassembled means? I hate that we have to wait a full year for the next season.

My guess is the Proto molecule is just that, a bunch of molecules all working together in some kind of hive mind set up. As for Venus, my guess is it's still learning, hence it's still taking things apart to understand them.

 

[woolfe9998]

Bumping this thread admittedly in part to plug the show. The reason it needs plugging is because the buzz is that it may not get picked up after season 3 because the ratings for season 2 weren't great and it's an expensive show to produce.

https://www.wired.com/2017/03/geeks-guide-the-expanse-2/

I personally love the show. If you've read the books (I'm in the middle of book 4 right now), then you know there is a ton more story to tell. If you like it, tell your friends to watch. Don't let it be the next Firefly!

 

[Skel]

Bumping this thread admittedly in part to plug the show. The reason it needs plugging is because the buzz is that it may not get picked up after season 3 because the ratings for season 2 weren't great and it's an expensive show to produce.

https://www.wired.com/2017/03/geeks-guide-the-expanse-2/

I personally love the show. If you've read the books (I'm in the middle of book 4 right now), then you know there is a ton more story to tell. If you like it, tell your friends to watch. Don't let it be the next Firefly!

The downside to shows like this is they become dense and shred viewers. It really doesn't help that they also have to conform to TV so they can't go the GoT route and pump up the sex and violence. As much as I love the show, I can't say I'm surprised they're having issues keeping it going. I can only hope we don't get a stupid ending.

 

[kage69]

So we're still a year out, at least, for more Expanse and GoT?

*profanity snipped*

 

[woolfe9998]

So we're still a year out, at least, for more Expanse and GoT?

*profanity snipped*

True for GoT. Expanse is more likely to be early 2018 from what I hear.

 

[Leyawiin]

If they have any inkling that season 3 is the end I hope they plan for some sort of finale that makes sense. I'm sick of shows that just leave you with a cliff hanger and are then cancelled.

 

[destrekor]

If they have any inkling that season 3 is the end I hope they plan for some sort of finale that makes sense. I'm sick of shows that just leave you with a cliff hanger and are then cancelled.

Agreed. In regards to shows that ended to soon but ended in a great way, I can only think of Sarah Connor Chronicles as a shining example. It obviously left you wanting for more, but it also ended smartly, at a great point in the story that feels quite satisfactory. Don't get me wrong, I wish that show lasted quite a few more seasons, it was amazing. I just hope if The Expanse must end early, that it has a clean cliff-hanger type ending, one that lets you finish the story through the books or otherwise leave quite some story to be imagined by viewers down the road, and satisfactorily wraps up some of the major plot lines for the season/show. I hope they don't try to create a patch-job "ending" that betrays the total story, a cliff-hanger type ending for a series is quite fine if done appropriately, usually kind of a mild cliff-hanger, where the camera cuts at a time that both shows the current story is over, but there is still more story waiting to be told. I prefer those for shows that must end too early, because while I'd vastly prefer a properly concluded series, I love the tease that prompts the imagination. But as a fan of the writing craft, that tickles me in just the right way.

 

[Puffnstuff]

Have you guys noticed that season 3 has been pushed back to later this year according to the statement on their syfy page?

 

[Leyawiin]

TBH I kinda forgot about it.

 

[Puffnstuff]

As much as I love this show I wonder if it will be able to last beyond season 3. If I'm honest I'm really digging Altered Carbon right now and with their prolonged absence more people will probably lose interest in it as well.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Fingers crossed that it makes a comeback. I like this show.

 

[Rifter]

Fingers crossed that it makes a comeback. I like this show.

Its coming back soon im seeing adds for it now, looks like this season should be very interesting as things ramp up.

 

[KMFJD]

I really like this show

 

[Red Storm]

Love The Expanse, but nowadays if a show I really enjoy is on network/cable TV then I try not to get attached because they live and die too easily. This is a big reason why I prefer shows that are originals from the big streamers (Netflix/HBO).

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I'm hoping someone like Amazon will pickup The Expanse and take it away from SyLy. I've watched both seasons on Prime twice.

 

[Thebobo]

I'm hoping someone like Amazon will pickup The Expanse and take it away from SyLy. I've watched both seasons on Prime twice.

Just curious has this ever happened to either of the company's?

 

[Thebobo]

Ok I need to lay off the hayhay it seems as I went to watch this and it seems I have watched in up tp 1-5 sheez. So I started over again and it all started to come back. Its pretty good but can we please stop with the noise in a vacuum. I almost stopped watching when the wrench they were using outside flew out of the guys hand, lol what? Dont they have a science advisor? Was it the same guy from the movie Gravity?

Also I cant understand the marble mouthed woman, no how matter how loud I turn it up. They need CC and I am being serious.

 

[destrekor]

Ok I need to lay off the hayhay it seems as I went to watch this and it seems I have watched in up tp 1-5 sheez. So I started over again and it all started to come back. Its pretty good but can we please stop with the noise in a vacuum. I almost stopped watching when the wrench they were using outside flew out of the guys hand, lol what? Dont they have a science advisor? Was it the same guy from the movie Gravity?

Also I cant understand the marble mouthed woman, no how matter how loud I turn it up. They need CC and I am being serious.

Marble mouthed woman... who? Avasarala? (the Indian or similar lady - actress is actually Iranian but I think her character is Indian)
I can understand her just fine.

And actually, they have generally done great on the science aspect, they have tried hard to keep it in the vicinity of realism, but obviously there are shortcuts. No sound in space? Duh, but when the majority of your show is set in space, the show would have a completely different feeling. It's more of a cinematic thing to not have a ton of dead air. They aren't relying on the use of sound across space as a plot point, it's just audio filler. You haven't seen it yet but they did a great job in one scene where they talk helmet to helmet when radio fails by holding their helmets together - the sound transfers through the vibration of the helmet/visor.

I'd have to rewatch whatever scene had a wrench fly away, but sometimes people need to realize depicting absolute realism rarely makes for a long-lived show and keeps viewer numbers low, especially when we are dealing with an established fiction story. Any production has to walk a fine line between absolute realism and, well, plot shortcuts for the story's sake, to hurry up to the next plot point. That's fiction 101. They actually have some great science advisers and have done a ton of stuff right. I think you may see a few shortcuts and completely miss the rest of the moments that were spot-on because they don't really stand out unless you are really into the science aspect. I've considered the science shortcuts to be far fewer than moments of realism.

 

[destrekor]

Fingers crossed that it makes a comeback. I like this show.

Its coming back soon im seeing adds for it now, looks like this season should be very interesting as things ramp up.

http://deadline.com/2018/02/the-expanse-season-3-premiere-date-unveils-trailer-1202301438/

Season 3 premier April 11!

I'm hoping someone like Amazon will pickup The Expanse and take it away from SyLy. I've watched both seasons on Prime twice.

I'm hoping that, if NBC/SyFy doesn't carry the show past season 3, Netflix or Amazon picks it up to fill out the rest of the story. That would be awesome. And probably result in some positive production changes too. But SyFy has been behaving interestingly about shows that have been on the line - 12 Monkeys was greatly at risk of being canceled, they decided to sort of binge-ready release Season 3 (it was like 3 or 4 nights in a row, 3 or 4 episodes each night - made a binge event out of it, and it was a great season too!), and that worked well enough to warrant a fourth season too, airing sometime this year, though I'm not sure if they will do the same release style (confirmed final season too, nice to know that going into production so they can wrap it up tidily).

 

[Thebobo]

Marble mouthed woman... who? Avasarala? (the Indian or similar lady - actress is actually Iranian but I think her character is Indian)
I can understand her just fine.

And actually, they have generally done great on the science aspect, they have tried hard to keep it in the vicinity of realism, but obviously there are shortcuts. No sound in space? Duh, but when the majority of your show is set in space, the show would have a completely different feeling. It's more of a cinematic thing to not have a ton of dead air. They aren't relying on the use of sound across space as a plot point, it's just audio filler. You haven't seen it yet but they did a great job in one scene where they talk helmet to helmet when radio fails by holding their helmets together - the sound transfers through the vibration of the helmet/visor.

I'd have to rewatch whatever scene had a wrench fly away, but sometimes people need to realize depicting absolute realism rarely makes for a long-lived show and keeps viewer numbers low, especially when we are dealing with an established fiction story. Any production has to walk a fine line between absolute realism and, well, plot shortcuts for the story's sake, to hurry up to the next plot point. That's fiction 101. They actually have some great science advisers and have done a ton of stuff right. I think you may see a few shortcuts and completely miss the rest of the moments that were spot-on because they don't really stand out unless you are really into the science aspect. I've considered the science shortcuts to be far fewer than moments of realism.

I went back and rewatched the wrench scene, S1E2 about 1/2 way through. They set up the scene it seems with a shot from above while the two were outside working on the antenna while debris flew by above them, Then a close up of the dude holding the wrench and little "ding" sound (arg) as if debris had hit it making it fly away. I didn't notice the "ding" sound originally so all is well now, lol.

 

[crashtech]

I think most of us have accepted that shows will take liberties with sound in space. I like that The Expanse, like BSG, gives us a better feel of what being of space is really like through the use of long moments of silence and darkness.

 

[destrekor]

I went back and rewatched the wrench scene, S1E2 about 1/2 way through. They set up the scene it seems with a shot from above while the two were outside working on the antenna while debris flew by above them, Then a close up of the dude holding the wrench and little "ding" sound (arg) as if debris had hit it making it fly away. I didn't notice the "ding" sound originally so all is well now, lol.

A ding sound might be the only indication of what happened, it's an important contextual cue even if it's not 100% realistic in that exact scene. Without contextual cues, a lot of sci-fi in space would be dreadfully boring and sometimes difficult to figure out what is going on. As you noted, you hadn't a clue why the wrench just flew off, without that ding getting noticed, context is completely stripped away.

I'm not trying to defend The Expanse as some bastion of perfect science, it's far from it, just trying to impart healthy realism into the world of science fiction and the larger world of fiction itself. Liberties are taken, even if the people creating those liberties know better in reality. An unfortunate necessity for making movies and TV that isn't boring. When they do more right than wrong, I let it go because I understand the necessity. But I have a passion for writing and sci-fi, often together, so I can usually understand the whys behind some sketchy moments before anything is ever discussed, if anything is. I might make some assumptions or leaps in trying to figure out why any particular show does it, but it's really no different than a host of shortcuts and liberties taken in regular ol' fiction without any science in it. It's storytelling in a nutshell. Maybe I am more accepting of it because of how much attention I pay to the story-making process (I will set out to watch movies specifically due to who writes and/or directs, knowing I'll appreciate at least the story and/or the cinematography, even if the overall picture is a resounding "meh."