[TV] The Expanse

[Bellamas]

I've read all the books, and loved seasons one through three. This fourth season just isn't good. It is slow as molasses, and the story doesn't get going until around the 7th or 8th episode. Also, the "bad guy" on Ilus is boring and badly acted. I hope they do a better job with the fifth season.

[Shakadam]

I've read all the books, and loved seasons one through three. This fourth season just isn't good. It is slow as molasses, and the story doesn't get going until around the 7th or 8th episode. Also, the "bad guy" on Ilus is boring and badly acted. I hope they do a better job with the fifth season.

As someone who's also read the books, I think the season was as good as the source material allows for. TBH the 4th book, Cibola Burn, is imo the "slowest" of all the books and the storyline isn't all that amazing.

[Sorshen]

They made the best they could do out of Cibola Burn imo, I found it to be the weakest book in the series. Season was enjoyable.

[Wezmon]

They made the best they could do out of Cibola Burn imo, I found it to be the weakest book in the series. Season was enjoyable.

Easily the weakest book, and can also be skipped, it's almost a standalone. My wife cannot get through it at all and ended up skipping.

[Julian Rayne]

They made the best they could do out of Cibola Burn imo, I found it to be the weakest book in the series. Season was enjoyable.

Agreed.

I was somewhat apprehensive about this season because it was based on the arguably weakest book. But they incorporated storylines from Nemesis Games and the Bobbie novella. It ended up so good I binged the whole season even though I had planned to space it out.

[Nerraw]

Denmark also didn't seem to handle climate change very well.

[Witchblade77]

I'm that weirdo that really loved Cibola Burn, but I do like the way they incorporated the plotlines from Nemesis games to connect the before and after the ring narratives. I'm still having mixed feelings about their interpretation of Bobby's novella but.... book Bobby has been a bit different from show Bobby from the start, and changes to narrative do fit show Bobby better.

if I have one minor gripe its the change in dynamic between Chrisjen and Arjun (AND the recasting, but I'm guessing that couldn't be helped). I have a general idea why they changed it (for the same reason they "added" to relationship between Wei and Amos, and how they changed dynamic between Rosi crew in earlier seasons - dramas), but I'm still not a fan.

[Nerraw]

I agree on the recasting of Arjun. That threw me off.

But if our biggest gripe with the season is that a character got recast, I'd say we're doing pretty well.

[callipygoustp]

I liked Cibola Burn, but, I can't disagree with the notion that it was the weakest, thus far, of the series. But, still, I blew through that book as fast as I did any of the others.

----
Only a couple of episodes into season 4, but, am I crazy, or does the production value seem to have been increased a notch or two?

Regardless, really enjoying season 4 thus far. And this is somewhat unusual for me: I usually have a bit of a grudge against shows for which I've already read the books.

[Puupi]

Season 4 was great, I wish there were more scifi shows like this out there. The series has matured a lot from the awful first season. Hopefully we get many more seasons of this in the future.

- - - Updated - - -

Only a couple of episodes into season 4, but, am I crazy, or does the production value seem to have been increased a notch or two?

Yeah it certainly looks better now. Amazon probably threw cash at it or they are just doing things better.

[grandpab]

I was only disappointed by the season taking place on just 1 of the new planets, and I wish Bobbie would have joined the crew on the Roci, but other than that I liked it. Every scene with Miller was amazing and Amos is still the man.

[Nerraw]

I was only disappointed by the season taking place on just 1 of the new planets, and I wish Bobbie would have joined the crew on the Roci, but other than that I liked it. Every scene with Miller was amazing and Amos is still the man.

"Thank you!"

Murdersnuggles forever <3

[callipygoustp]

I was only disappointed by the season taking place on just 1 of the new planets, and I wish Bobbie would have joined the crew on the Roci, but other than that I liked it. Every scene with Miller was amazing and Amos is still the man.

I'm not intending to nitpick, but, the story in the book took place on only one planet. That book was a bit of an oddity in the series thus far. Been awhile since I read it but I feel(felt) the purpose of the book was merely to state: alien civilization was millions of years old and it was taken down by a different, unknown, civilization. Oh and the killer worms, those too, can't forget the worms.

...and, indeed, Amos is THE man.
(though I think his character, not unsurprisingly, is much, so much, more enjoyable in the books)

[Puupi]

The most delightful thing about season 4 was that the writers/directors had learned their lesson. Maybe they are reading MMO-C and my ranting back then on the previous seasons or others had pointed the big issue out as well: character names.

Now in season 4 all new characters that were introduced were properly addressed by their name numerous times so the viewer actually learned their names like in a normal tv show. Season 1 and 2 especially were a clusterfuck in that regard; I had watched two seasons of the show and the only names I knew were Miller and Julie(? was the missing girl Julie? It's been so long).

Like, I've watched Walking Dead for what...10 years and you can show me the faces of the 50 or something main cast shown in that series and I can still probably name 95% of them. That's how normal shows are. But the Expanse's storytelling somehow fucked up such a basic thing that I have never encountered it in any other TV series or movie before.

[Nerraw]

Alaskan Thunderfuck made a new fan trailer:

[azkhane]

Its me or the alien obelisk structures are a copy/based of C&C Nod Obelisk of light?, also Nod are know for using lot of underground tunnels and structures with same kinda black metallic style.... also the eye infection reminded me of tiberium , and the killing snails of tiberium based lifeforms

[OriginalName]

Is it just me or did everyone say fuck a whole lot more this season than prior seasons?

It felt like, every scene with Aveserala I could play a "drink when she says fuck for emphasis" game.

[Grimbold21]

Been a while since I've read the books. What do we have next? 2 more books before the 20 years or so time skip?

[Zoldor]

Is it just me or did everyone say fuck a whole lot more this season than prior seasons?

It felt like, every scene with Aveserala I could play a "drink when she says fuck for emphasis" game.

I didn't notice this as much as everyone else. Granted I watch mostly movies and R-Rated animation. I also say Fuck a lot. I really disliked her this season, so I hope in the next season she is better (Averserala). She mostly was exactly who she hated in the prior seasons all season long.

Really enjoyed season 4 and I think each season has grown my love. Can't wait to start on the books during holiday. I also didn't mind the sex scene, of which there was one, that people we complaining about.

I'm glad I finally got on board with this show and now the books. After years of people recommending them to me and me just adding them to the pile, instead of jumping them to the front of the to be read line like I should have.

I hope this isn't the end of the Miller character, but I'm also okay if it does. Thomas Jane just did a great job and I love a good Gumshoe character/film noir style detective. The loss of Ashford was also a huge bummer. I enjoyed his perspective and thought process about slow change and an aged pirate's view on the world. Afraid Marcos is going to be a little bit of a hamfisted trope, but I hope not. Him and Jim going at it should be interesting with Naomi having to make some choices. Thankfully Drummer is still around to join the crew.

The show, and I'm sure the books, does a great job of mixing culture, class, and political ideals of varying parts of the world currently with the future. I think Amos and Alex are still two of my top characters. Drummer and Ashford sneak up pretty high for me as well. Miller probably being my favorite, but that has a lot to do with my preferences in old movies, cyberpunk, and noir film.

Looking forward to season 5 and I suspect we start seeing more of past characters as I think Season 4 is a test bed to see how much to spend on Actors in season 5. I expect more Fred Johnson and Dawes (granted Harris has had a really busy 2017, 2018, and 2019 so we may see a replacement, but I'd hate for that to happen).

I'm excited to see if we ever find much more out about the creators of the Protomolecule or if that is just supposed to be an unknown, like finding and alien particle or organism would be in real life.

[Witchblade77]

Is it just me or did everyone say fuck a whole lot more this season than prior seasons?

It felt like, every scene with Aveserala I could play a "drink when she says fuck for emphasis" game.

its not just you. Avasarala is supposed to be this potty mouthed, but becasue this used to be a network show, they had to limit the cursing