The Expanse
Executive producers Naren Shankar, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Sean Daniel, Jason F. Brown, Sharon Hall, Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove, Laura Lancaster, Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck, & Dan Nowak
Producers Lynn Raynor, Jason Ning, Robin Veith, Ben Cook, Ben Roberts, Manny Danelon, Alan Di Fiore, Lewin Webb, Robert Munroe, Steven Strait
Production locations Toronto, Ontario
Cinematography Jeremy Benning, Michael Galbraith, Ray Dumas
Running time 42–56 minutes
Production companies Penguin in a Parka, SeanDanielCo (s. 1–3), Alcon Entertainment, Just So (s. 4–6), Hivemind (s. 4–6), Amazon Studios (s. 4–6)
Distributor Legendary Television Distribution[1]
Based on The Expanse by S. A. Corey (Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck)
Cast and characters Thomas Jane, Steven Strait, Cas Anvar, Dominique Tipper, Wes Chatham, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Frankie Adams, Florence Faivre, Chad L. Coleman, Cara Gee, Elizabeth Mitchell, David Strathairn
Five seasons completed, and The Expanse stands as the best science fiction series aired. It’s supposed to air a sixth and final season in December 2021, and is presently in post-production. With reports that continuations and sequels are in the works beyond that.
But the bloody spaceships still “whoosh” as they fly by. I guess that’s one of those silly affectations producers seem to need, like cars that explode when backing into fire hydrants, or horses that whinny as they peacefully crop grass. Kubrick showed you didn’t need spaceships that “whoosh” and if the producers are so desperate to persuade viewers that what they are seeing are, in fact, space ships, there’s plenty of other waltzes they can use, many in the public domain. Or hire fucking John Williams.
Really, that’s my only complaint about The Expanse, and clearly it is a fit of personal pique, an obsessive-compulsive snit.
Whooshes aside, the first thing that struck me about The Expanse was in the exterior space shots, reasonable attention was paid to the laws of momentum and orbital mechanics. Trust me, that makes the show a rarity in itself.
The show has a vast cast (Wikipedia very thoughtfully made a list of significant characters and the seasons in which they strutted and fretted, reproduced at the end of this review) reflecting a vast and complicated set of three “nations”: Earth-Moon, Mars, and the Belt (Asteroids/Jovian Moons). It takes place several hundred years from now, and features a looming war between the Earth and Mars, with the Outer Planets Alliance jockeying for financial and resource independence from the far more powerful inner planets.
The opening season begins with three seemingly unrelated storylines.
Joe Miller (Jane) is a hard-bitten detective in a slouch hat, a two-fisted drinker, ironic, violent and cynical. Really, he could have fallen out of a Dashiell Hammett novel. But he’s not in the seedier parts of Los Angeles; he’s on Ceres, and he’s taken up looking for a missing heiress, Julie Mao. If this was Kubrick’s 2001, he would be Dave.
On Earth, Chrisjen Avasarala (an absolutely awesome performance by Shohreh Aghdashloo) is a high ranking member of the United Nations government, working furiously to prevent a war with Mars, which is a kind of an Ayn Rand fascist regime.
In space, a ship (the Canterbury) is ambushed and destroyed by unknown parties, and a Martian frigate, the Donnager, is also attacked. Four members of the Donnager make their escape on a Martian gunboat, the Tachi, which they name the Rocinante. For those who didn’t make the association, that is also the name of the horse Don Quixote rode.
James Holden (Strait) is the sort-of leader, James T. Kirk only with significantly more brains, self-restraint and political savvy. Alex (Anvar) is the pilot, perhaps the most engaging of the four, friendly, polite, affable. Unfortunately, Cas Anvar wasn’t as nice, and he was dismissed from the series at the end of season five for sexual misconduct and his character killed off. Amos is kind of the muscle of the group, somewhat reminiscent of Firefly’s Jayne, only with considerably more depth and perception. Finally, there is Naomi Nagata (Tipper) whose backstory and family history come to become dominant elements in the storyline by season five.
These four, along with Avasarala and Miller, become the main protagonists in the series in a wildly persuasive storyline that expands to include interplanetary war, an inimical lifeform known as the protomolecule, and eventually, a gate that leads to other worlds.
But dozens of other brilliant and unforgettable characters await. Klaes, Gunny, and Fred Johnson could have series in their own rights.
The breadth of the series makes the fact that it was all shot within 200 kilometers of Toronto all the more amazing. Fantastic sets and inventive use of the regional geography make for wholly convincing worlds. Fastidious detail to scientific accuracy, including movement in little or no gravity add to the authenticity. Some of the special effects are breath-taking. In season 5, there is a scene where one of the characters playfully spills water in a zero-G environment, and the other characters swim after the globules, catching them with their mouths and sucking them down. I don’t know how they did it, but it seems utterly authentic.
But it is the acting and writing that really make this series shine. The characterizations are not just plausible; they are compelling. The acting is extremely solid and often brilliant. And the depth and range of the story would be worthy of Frank Herbert.
It’s won a Hugo and three Saturns, and having watched it, I find it easy to see why. It is, quite simply the best science fiction television series. There is no parallel.
Main
Thomas Jane as Joe Miller/The Investigator (seasons 1–2; special appearances seasons 3–4), a Belter detective on Ceres assigned to find Julie Mao.[12]
Steven Strait as James Holden, the Earther executive officer on the Canterbury, later the captain of the Rocinante[12]
Cas Anvar as Alex Kamal (seasons 1–5), the Martian pilot of the Canterbury, later the pilot of the Rocinante[13][7]
Dominique Tipper as Naomi Nagata, a Belter engineer of the Canterbury, later the engineer of the Rocinante[13]
Wes Chatham as Amos Burton, an Earther mechanic of the Canterbury, later the mechanic of the Rocinante[13]
Paulo Costanzo as Shed Garvey (season 1), the Canterbury’s medical technician[13]
Florence Faivre as Juliette “Julie” Andromeda Mao (seasons 1–2; special appearance season 3), the missing daughter of business tycoon Jules-Pierre Mao
Shawn Doyle as Sadavir Errinwright (seasons 1–3), UN Undersecretary of Executive Administration[14]
Shohreh Aghdashloo as Chrisjen Avasarala, UN Deputy Undersecretary of Executive Administration, later UN Secretary-General[12]
Frankie Adams as Roberta “Bobbie” W. Draper (seasons 2–present), an MMC (Martian Marine Corps) gunnery sergeant[15]
Cara Gee as Camina Drummer (season 4–present; recurring seasons 2–3), Tycho Station’s Belter head of security, later captain of the OPAS Behemoth / Medina Station
Keon Alexander as Marco Inaros (season 5; recurring season 4), a Belter faction leader[16]
Jasai Chase Owens as Filip Inaros (season 5; guest season 4), Marco and Naomi’s son[16]
Nadine Nicole as Clarissa Melpomene Mao (season 5; recurring season 3; guest season 4), Jules-Pierre Mao’s elder daughter who initially seeks revenge against Holden[16]
Recurring
Introduced in season 1
Chad L. Coleman as Fred Lucius Johnson, “the Butcher of Anderson Station” (seasons 1–5), a UNN colonel-turned-leader of the OPA on Tycho Station[14]
Andrew Rotilio as Diogo Harari (seasons 1–3), a young Belter from Ceres in the OPA
Martin Roach as Michael Souther (seasons 1–3), a UNN admiral
François Chau as Jules-Pierre Mao (seasons 1–3), the owner of Mao-Kwikowski Mercantile
Athena Karkanis as Tavi Muss (season 1), Miller’s former partner at Star Helix Security
Jared Harris as Anderson Dawes (seasons 1–2), the OPA’s Ceres liaison[14]
Jay Hernandez as Dmitri Havelock (season 1), Miller’s Earther partner at Star Helix Security[13]
Lola Glaudini as Shaddid (season 1), captain of Star Helix Security’s Ceres detachment
Kevin Hanchard as Sematimba (season 1), a detective on Eros
Daniel Kash as Antony Dresden (seasons 1–2), Protogen’s head of biological research
Brian George as Arjun Avasarala (seasons 1–2), Avasarala’s husband (later portrayed in season 4 by Michael Benyaer)
Greg Bryk as Lopez (season 1), an MMC lieutenant assigned to the MCRN Donnager
Elias Toufexis as Kenzo Gabriel (season 1), a Davila Aerospatiale spy on Tycho Station
Jean Yoon as Theresa Yao (season 1), captain of the MCRN Donnager
Introduced in season 2
Nick E. Tarabay as Cotyar Ghazi (seasons 2–3), a security professional working for Avasarala
Terry Chen as Praxideke “Prax” Meng (seasons 2–3), a botanist from Ganymede
Leah Jung as Mei Meng (seasons 2–3), Prax’s daughter
Ted Atherton as Lawrence Strickland (seasons 2–3), a pediatrician on Ganymede
Jonathan Whittaker as Esteban Sorrento-Gillis (seasons 2–3), the UN Secretary General
Byron Mann as Augusto Nguyễn (seasons 2–3), a UNN admiral
Mpho Koaho as Richard Travis (season 2), an Earth-born MMC private assigned to the MCRN Scirocco
Carlos Gonzalez-Vio as Paolo Cortázar (seasons 2, 5), a Protogen scientist
Peter Outerbridge as Martens (season 2), an MCRN captain and chaplain assigned to the MCRN Scirocco
Sarah Allen as T. Hillman (season 2), an MMC private assigned to the MCRN Scirocco
Dewshane Williams as L. Sa’id (season 2), an MMC corporal assigned to the MCRN Scirocco
Conrad Pla as Janus (season 2), an UNMC colonel assigned to the UNS Arboghast
Ted Whittall as Michael Iturbi (season 2), a UN scientist assigned to the UNS Arboghast
Hugh Dillon as Sutton (season 2), an MCRN lieutenant assigned to the MCRN Scirocco
Jeff Seymour as Pyotr Korshunov (season 2), the former MCR Minister of Defense
Rachael Crawford as J. Peñano (season 2), an MCRN admiral
Introduced in season 3
David Strathairn as Klaes Ashford (seasons 3–4), a Belter pirate-turned-executive officer of the OPAS Behemoth[17]
Elizabeth Mitchell as Anna Volovodov (season 3), a Methodist pastor[18]
Brock Johnson as Grigori (season 3), a former acquaintance of Ashford’s aboard the OPAS Behemoth
Chris Owens as Kolvoord (season 3), a science officer aboard the UNN Thomas Prince
Genelle Williams as Tilly Fagan (season 3), a socialite aboard the UNN Thomas Prince who befriends Anna
Anna Hopkins as Monica Stuart (seasons 3, 5), an Earther journalist filming a documentary on the Rocinante
Jaeden Noel as Katoa Merton (season 3), Mei’s friend
Raven Dauda as Nono Volovodov (season 3), Anna’s wife
Brandon McGibbon as Elio “Cohen” Casti (season 3), Monica’s technical crewman and camera operator
Ari Millen as Stanni Kulp (season 3), a Savage Industries electrician assigned to the UNN Thomas Prince
Paulino Nunes as Hank Cortez (season 3), a priest aboard the UNN Thomas Prince
Sabryn Rock as Riko Oshi (season 3), a MMC private assigned to the MCRN Xuesen
Hamed Dar as Jed Trepp (season 3), a MMC private assigned to the MCRN Xuesen
Atticus Mitchell as Sinopoli (season 3), a MCRN ensign who served aboard the MCRN Kittur Chennamma
Natalie Lisinska as Shaffer (season 3), a lieutenant aboard the UNN Agatha King who is loyal to Souther
Morgan Kelly as Mancuso (season 3), a lieutenant aboard the UNN Agatha King who is loyal to Souther
John Kapelos as Ren Hazuki (season 3), a Savage Industries electrician assigned to the UNN Thomas Prince
Yanna McIntosh as Chandra Lucas (season 3), captain of the MCRN Askia, later captain of the MCRN Xuesen
Introduced in season 4
Burn Gorman as Adolphus Murtry (season 4), chief of security for Royal Charter Energy (RCE) aboard the Edward Israel[19]
Lyndie Greenwood as Elvi Okoye (season 4), a biologist working for the RCE[20]
Rosa Gilmore as Lucia Mazur (season 4), a medical technician on Ilus[21]
Patti Kim as Carol Chiwewe (season 4), a Belter leader
Kyla Madeira as Felcia Mazur (season 4), a Belter refugee
Steven McCarthy as Jakob Mazur (season 4), a Belter refugee
Dayle McLeod as Leelee (season 4), a thief on Mars
Jess Salgueiro as Chandra Wei (season 4), corporate security officer[21]
Zach Smadu as Fayez Sarkis (season 4), a scientist aboard the Edward Israel
Kolton Stewart as David Draper (season 4), Bobbie’s nephew
Lily Gao as Nancy Gao (seasons 4–5), a candidate for UN secretary-general[16]
Paul Schulze as Esai Martin (season 4), a corrupt police officer on Mars
Introduced in season 5
José Zúñiga as Carlos “Bull” c de Baca (season 5), chief of security on Tycho Station
Michael Irby as Felix Delgado (season 5), a UN admiral
Sugith Varughese as David Paster (season 5), a high-ranking UN official
Brent Sexton as Cyn (season 5), an old friend of Naomi
Bahia Watson as Sakai (season 5), chief engineer on Tycho station
Oluniké Adeliyi as Karal (season 5), a henchman in the Inaros faction
George Tchortov as Leveau (season 5)
Sandrine Holt as Oksana Busch (season 5), a member of Drummer’s crew
Lara Jean Chorostecki as Emily Babbage (season 5), a Martian lieutenant
Somkele Idhalama as a Tycho Engineer (season 5), helping Holden pursue the Zmeya
Jacob Mundell as Erich (season 5), a childhood friend of Amos in Baltimore
Tim DeKay as Emil Sauveterre (season 5), a Martian admiral