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Drew Bloomfield

Professor Monroe

English 1101

September 28, 2021

Best Sci-fi on TV

When asked what my favorite show is, I come to my answer very quickly, the

Amazon Prime original series, The Expanse. The Expanse is a hard (more realistic

than most) sci-fi story based on a series of books. When I first sat down to watch this

show I was already very intrigued because I had heard that this was much more

scientifically accurate than nearly all other sci-fi series that have been produced to date.

After watching the first episode it absolutely met my expectations. The story takes

place within the solar system throughout the 2350s. When people watch a show like

this, they typically want it to have an intriguing plot, well developed characters and

entertaining action scenes. A good show also has good actors and a realistic set which

makes its viewers want to keep watching. The Expanse is an excellent sci-fi series as

the plot keeps you engaged with twists and turns that keep you guessing, characters

that you relate to, root for and root against, and interplanetary action scenes that keep

you on the edge of your seat.

The Expanse has an intriguing plot and well developed characters. The show

starts off rotating between several different perspectives of different people throughout

the Solar System. The characters are complex and their stories are interwoven very

nicely throughout all of the seasons. The Expanse does a good job of displaying the
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three different factions (United Nations, Martian Congressional Republic and Outer

Planets Alliance/Belters) as grey vs grey, meaning no one side exclusively represents

the good guys, but none are necessarily evil either. The only exception to this is the

main crew, as they are not directly affiliated with any organization, as they are

inarguably good. Each main side, or “faction” has reasons behind their behavior and

ideology, and is plagued by human imperfection. This makes the conflicts the

characters are involved in very complex, relatable, and engaging.

The Expanse has many entertaining action scenes with realistic space battles

that are better than on any other science fiction show. Space battles are often fought

from thousands of kilometers away with torpedoes that lock onto their target with heat

seeking precision. Sometimes railguns are used in close or medium range, and point-

defense-cannons are used to destroy incoming torpedoes and/or ships at point blank

range. This may sound uninteresting to some, but The Expanse makes these battles

incredible to watch, with their stunning visual graphics and cinematic intensity. The

Expanse’s boots-on-the-ground battles, though potentially a little less interesting than

their high flying interplanetary space counterparts, still manage to entertain as well as

any other show. The extreme point blank combat inside of space stations and ships is

still very suspenseful, and visually appealing. However, one downside of the show is

that at the end of season three and most of season four, the action slows down

significantly, but thankfully it picks up again in season five.

The actors in The Expanse do a good job at displaying their character traits and

do a nice job of character development. Their acting shows their ability to create

genuine, raw emotion and the intention of the character. They are very convincing, and
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through subtle details you can tell how their emotions can change over time as well as

how certain experiences impact the characters.

The set of The Expanse is realistic and creative. The overall aesthetics of the

many space stations and ships displays their purpose and are part of the uniqueness of

each of the three factions. Martian ships are more grey and metallic, yet also feel a lot

more modern and somewhat luxurious, despite being military vessels. The U.N.N ships

seem simplistic, most things are light grey or white, yet also have features like exposed

pipes and clunky machinery here and there. This is designed to represent how

outdated their ships are. The Belter ships all seem very rugged, with protruding huge

pipes and wires everywhere, scratches on the exterior paint and other markings that

help the viewer recognize the industrial and under-resourced faction. They look like

space pirate ships, which often times they literally are. The ship of the main characters

is very important to the plot, and throughout the show you can tell how the characters

go from viewing it as a commandeered Martian Corvette to viewing it as their home. As

the show goes on, the audience becomes more familiar with the layout of this ship, and

this helps the audience feel connected to the crew.

If I had to evaluate this show in a single sentence, I would say: The Expanse is a

great example of a good sci-fi series because it has a unique story, a great plot and

arguably the coolest space battles in all of science fiction. The actors are good with

well-developed characters and the sets are realistic and amazing. I would recommend

this TV series because it meets the criteria for a great sci-fi show.