Dissolving the Fermi Paradox

[Syne]

I keep debating checking out The Expanse, but every commercial looks more soap-opera/interpersonal drama than space opera. If they have good space battle/alien landscapes, they don't seem to highlight them in their ads. Looks kind of cheap, compared to Firefly or BSG. Do the commercials do it any justice? And did the first episode sell you on it, at least on a par with Firefly, BSG, etc.?

[C C]

I keep debating checking out The Expanse, but every commercial looks more soap-opera/interpersonal drama than space opera. If they have good space battle/alien landscapes, they don't seem to highlight them in their ads. Looks kind of cheap, compared to Firefly or BSG. Do the commercials do it any justice? And did the first episode sell you on it, at least on a par with Firefly, BSG, etc.?

It probably took more than the first episode due to what's mentioned in the last paragraph below. But we were determined to stick with it beforehand because it was different. As much as something like the less goofier than expected "The Orville" had an occasional surprising foray into a topic, the last thing we want is more imitations of the Star Trek Franchise.

Hubby and I binge watch it after the season is over. For the commercials airing during an intervening week, I assume like other networks they select bits from an episode to make it look as over-the-top or histrionic as possible because that's what the suits still regard as promotion candy.

Last year's "Star Trek: Discovery" had an eight million dollar an episode budget yet looked inferior in CGI and FX compared to "The Expanse". But that's just my subjective opinion. Maybe it being modestly scaled to one solar system or having a less idealistic vision of space as habitat merely gives it an illusion of being more realistic.

"The Expanse" doesn't have the social welfare counseling ambience of "Star Trek: Next Generation". Or the deeper level see-sawing from boisterous conduct to somber barroom talks and struggling internal angst over personal relationships drama of "Battlestar Gallactica"[*]. Or the constant jocular banter of either today's superhero shows or the witty jabs and easygoing parlance of early Joss Whedon productions. Or at least not in such heavy dosages of each. ([*] With the exception of the Josephus Miller story-arc in the first season, as a detective in the gritty environment of Ceres.)

It's not an interstellar space fantasy with FTL-drive, warp traveling, or hyperspace-transition spaceships; also no teleportation, wormholes, etc (or so far, anyway). There are no various fellowships with bipedal aliens speaking excellent English (whether a "universal translator" is ever mentioned or not). Aside from the show's one invasive menace or mystery there are no intermittent new "monster of the week" debuts. Or "unknown civilizations" that initially seem malevolent but are instead just culturally misunderstood and needed a docile touch from the equivalent of a shipboard caseworker to come around.

The developing, evolving, overall background story and interplanetary political tapestry of *The Expanse* is bigger (given more emphasis) than even what are taken to be the primary characters. Who don't all fully get together until late and to some extent as late as the 3rd season. So viewers who don't like the protagonists taking a backseat to a grand template probably shouldn't bother sampling it. Since there wouldn't be the patience to wait on the emerging scenarios to see whether they liked the show or not. In similar vein, it would be mandatory to watch it from the start; diving in on next season or reruns of the last season or watching anything severely out of order would be "What the heck is going on here?" and curiosity-killing spoiler territories.

~

[Syne]

The developing, evolving, overall background story and interplanetary political tapestry of *The Expanse* is bigger (given more emphasis) than even what are taken to be the primary characters. Who don't all fully get together until late and to some extent as late as the 3rd season. So viewers who don't like the protagonists taking a backseat to a grand template probably shouldn't bother sampling it. Since there wouldn't be the patience to wait on the emerging scenarios to see whether they liked the show or not. In similar vein, it would be mandatory to watch it from the start; diving in on next season or reruns of the last season or watching anything severely out of order would be "What the heck is going on here?" and curiosity-killing spoiler territories.  

That sounds a bit too much like Lost for my tastes. Too many disparate stories waiting to come into focus.

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Just watched the first episode. Didn't really care about any of the characters...no real stakes or arcs. That, and the obvious leftism of UN ruled Earth, high sea walls, etc.. The low-gravity people a bit too much of a stand-in for aliens. CG all a bit too flashy and pristine. Space itself felt small.

Did seem a bit like Lost, in that it seems to be playing hide the ball with whatever the actual story arc is meant to be. Just like a book, if you can't hook me in the first chapter, I'm out.