The Expanse - formerly on SyFy, now an Amazon Original

[LeftieBiker]

I don't know why I was hoping for a new story line, with so many loose ends dangling and bloviating about. Hopefully they'll once again be able to come up with some decent subplots...

Oh, and if you were implying that I was a TNG fan: I stopped watching that show during the first third of the first season, only returning to it regularly during season 3. Like TOS, TNG had a lot of good eps, a few Great eps, and a lot of Stinkers. <CoughQCough>.

 

[cwerdna]

I don't know why I was hoping for a new story line, with so many loose ends dangling and bloviating about. Hopefully they'll once again be able to come up with some decent subplots...

Oh, and if you were implying that I was a TNG fan: I stopped watching that show during the first third of the first season, only returning to it regularly during season 3. Like TOS, TNG had a lot of good eps, a few Great eps, and a lot of Stinkers. <CoughQCough>.

I'm hearing that S6 will only be 6 eps. So, I dunno. And, from what I understand, they've roughly tried to follow the books.

As for TNG, no, I was only making the comparison since most of the people within the Federation were too perfect, as was the Federation itself. The show was maybe too optimistic.

Heheh about the stinkers. I've sent tips and ep rankings like the below for people who want to get into TOS and TNG.
"https://web.archive.org/web/20160803233028/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060028/eprate?ref_=tt_eps_rhs_sm
https://web.archive.org/web/20170208130833/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092455/eprate?ref_=tt_eps_rhs_sm

As I said, most of season 1 and 2 of TNG were terrible. But definitely watch Q Who? (in season 2) before Best of Both Worlds, part 1 and 2. Chain of Command, you want to watch in sequence."

I include some other caveats like watching BOBW parts 1 and 2 before Parallels and I, Borg and saving the TNG finale until way later.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I have watched virtually every ep of NG over the decades - some numerous times. (There still may be a handful I haven't seen from Seasons 1-2 and Seasons 7-9.) I don't mind the premise or the action in Q Who, but don't like the character. I am the exact opposite of excited to see Q chewing up the next season of Picard.

 

[cwerdna]

Seasons 7-9 of TNG? Its final season was 7 (https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation#Episode_list).

I've seen every TNG and TOS ep but some are not worth rewatching.

https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-expanse-wes-chatham-steven-strait-new-york-comic-con-2021 confirms the final season will only be 6 eps.

 

[Nubo]

...Marco Inaros was pretty over the top. Was refreshing to see an interview of the actor, as he normally is. At the same time, it reminds me of how convincing a job some of the actors did and how some of the actors were able to portray their characters.

Yeah, I just can't suspend my disbelief when it comes to Marco. The character reminds me of the Romulan villain in the Star Trek remake -- the one that destroyed entire planets because Spock's attempt risking his life to save Romulus didn't work. I guess I'm supposed to be amazed at how vast his evil insanity has become but it just comes off as stupidly silly. I'm still a fan of The Expanse though.

 

[cwerdna]

...Marco Inaros was pretty over the top. Was refreshing to see an interview of the actor, as he normally is. At the same time, it reminds me of how convincing a job some of the actors did and how some of the actors were able to portray their characters.

Yeah, I just can't suspend my disbelief when it comes to Marco. The character reminds me of the Romulan villain in the Star Trek remake -- the one that destroyed entire planets because Spock's attempt risking his life to save Romulus didn't work. I guess I'm supposed to be amazed at how vast his evil insanity has become but it just comes off as stupidly silly. I'm still a fan of The Expanse though.

LOL! I just have to let things slide when watching shows like this.

Kinda on a related note, I watched this semi-recently interview w/Ricardo Montalban at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxxSzt49cYw. At about 2:30, he didn't think the audience was going to believe he was Khan and that they were going laugh at him. At ~4:00, he talks about how the director of TWoK helped him dial up his passion to the right level and not too far, as then it becomes ridiculous.

Back to Marco, I think https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynyCMXijTig is the interview I saw awhile back. Cara Gee is in it and at ~8:40, they ask Keon Alexander (aka Marco) how he got the role.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Seasons 7-9 of TNG? Its final season was 7

Oops. I guess it just seemed longer.

 

[jlv]

I don't know why I was hoping for a new story line, with so many loose ends dangling and bloviating about. Hopefully they'll once again be able to come up with some decent subplots...

The 6th season covers the material from the 6th book, Babylon's Ashes (https://www.google.com/search?q=the+expanse+books). It absolutely deals with the story line started by Marcos Inaros and his Free Navy. I'm not sure why you'd think they'd just drop all that.

But Inaros is just a bump on the road in the over story arc of The Expanse. The 6th book just finishes up the 2nd trilogy. The last three books (well the 2 that are out) move the story on in a big fashion. I'm not sure how they'll bring that into the series since the 6th season is the last. There are hints from the authors of a combination of mini-series and movies. There were a view really awesome visual hints about the content of the last trilogy with some of the visuals from the last episode of season 5 (on the planet Laconia).

 

[jlv]

If you've even mildly enjoyed the watching the series, I highly recommend reading the books and/or listening to it on audiobook. I mostly read it before I watched (I started after the 1st season was out). My wife listened to the audio books (narrated by Jefferson Mays), but after she'd watched it. She only just finished the 8th book last month.

But if you do either, make sure you read the novellas in sequence with the 8 (soon to be 9) main books. They novellas provide a richer backstory (and are the the source of some of the side stories in the TV series).
https://www.goodreads.com/series/56399-the-expanse

 

[LeftieBiker]

Unfortunately, I've found it physically hard to read hardcopy books for a few years, now. I never got into audio books (and find the sound of people talking over the radio or on recorded media quite annoying), so I'm left with TV adaptations of things, and movies.

Yes, it was foolish of me to hope for a new storyline. Between this and "Q" taking over Picard, it looks like my hopes are pinned on Strange New Worlds for SF viewing pleasure.

 

[cwerdna]

Season 6 has begun but I've been too busy to restart my Amazon Prime sub to watch it. Hope to get there soon.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I'm watching. I'm also watching STD, but it takes me a few weeks to recover from each episode, so I'll still be watchin' & wincin' long after New Year's Day.

 

[jlv]

Even better, the last book (#9, Leviathan Falls) came out a month ago. I read it the first time time in just a few days, and then a second time over a week. Pretty nice ending to the series.

 

[Nubo]

Can't believe the final season is already halfway done with so much to resolve. The finale is going to be a hoot.
FYI there is bonus content this season squirreled away under the "X-ray" function.

 

[cwerdna]

I'm finally caught up. Yep on the x-ray bonus content: https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/24/22851119/the-expanse-season-6-final-amazon-x-ray.

The 3 extra videos (so far) weren't visible for me via Prime's Roku 3 nor Apple TV 4K app. I ended up using their iPad app to see that content. I'm kinda sad that this is the final season.

Also, TIL there are some compelling videos at https://twitter.com/ExpanseOnPrime.

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

I have no idea how they close this out in 3 episodes.

 

[LeftieBiker]

How about three words?

"Sol goes nova." Or one word?

"Hypernova."

 

[jlv]

How about three words?

"Sol goes nova." Or one word?

"Hypernova."

Uh, no.

The whole Marcos thread (from the books Nemesis Games and Babylon's Ashes) isn't even the big story in the universe of the The Expanse! This just sets up what happens next as the story keeps expanding...

 

[LeftieBiker]

Just kidding. If I still got pleasure from reading (physical issues preclude that) I'd try the series, knowing that it didn't obsess over Glamour Boy quite so much.

 

[Nubo]

I think there was a bit of a spoiler accidentally released last night in the bonus material for Episode 4, under the "episode stills". Looked like something that belonged to Ep5 or 6. It's gone this morning.