Author Topic: SyFy actually getting back into Sci-Fi? (The Expanse) (Read 45162 times)

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #60 on:** 03 November 2016, 15:24:51 »

For UK/Ireland folks, series 1 has just been added to Netflix. And it's got their logo on the thumbnail, so there's a good chance they'll be adding series 2 as it airs in the US, like they do for Better Call Saul, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and a bunch of other shows they have the rights to here.

Dragon Cat · « **Reply #61 on:** 03 November 2016, 16:57:25 »

Saw that when I logged on tonight finally get a proper look at it

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #62 on:** 03 November 2016, 17:03:14 »

They also added Cowboy Bebop today :D

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #63 on:** 16 December 2016, 17:48:39 »

Two Adam Savage/Expanse jams hit YouTube today.

First, a making of for the show in general:

https://youtu.be/p8vR2FB1PGM

and on his YouTube channel, an interview with Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFEnQzvRe9Y

Triptych · « **Reply #64 on:** 16 December 2016, 22:29:56 »

Excellent show. I binged watched it a few weeks back. I loved the ode to science with their realistic portrayals of the effects of gravity and space physics. O0

CrossfirePilot · « **Reply #65 on:** 18 December 2016, 22:26:46 »

SyFy getting back to Sci Fi?!?!? whats next? History Channel channel actually doing something history related?

glitterboy2098 · « **Reply #66 on:** 18 December 2016, 22:40:58 »

Quote from: Triptych on 16 December 2016, 22:29:56

Excellent show. I binged watched it a few weeks back. I loved the ode to science with their realistic portrayals of the effects of gravity and space physics. O0

more realistic seeming at least. stealth in space is a rather improbable thing, especially on ships using constant thrust to get around. and the accelerations quoted when they open up are rather absurd. no amount of drugs would keep you from being turned to paste in a 500g burn for example. and the railguns the badguys used in that fight against the donnager were highly unrealistic in how cleanly they punched through the ship.. it made for a dramatic scene as they did damage control to avoid the air escaping, but frankly that room would have been filled with metal confetti, assuming it punched that deep in the first place.

i suspect the original novel series had the same flaws as well, and the show does fairly well otherwise, so still a good show for illustrating you can have verisimilitude and drama together. though the weird illness thing has me scratching my head, hopeful we'll learn more about it in season 2

Jaim Magnus · « **Reply #67 on:** 28 December 2016, 14:36:52 »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwTb8IGKmUg

Huh. Bobbie already. Things are getting jumbled up a bit... hopefully it all continues to work.

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #68 on:** 28 December 2016, 14:51:34 »

My prediction is that they're going to mix in the start of Prax and Bobbie's storylines in with the back chunk of Leviathan Wakes over the course of the first 4 or so episodes, and then power through to the end of Caliban's War, closing on the last line of the book. It helps that series 2 is going to be 12 episodes instead of 10.

YingJanshi · « **Reply #69 on:** 04 February 2017, 00:51:21 »

Just watched the first two episodes of the second season ("Safe" and "Doors & Corners")...

Wow. Just wow. Things are really ramping up.
Haven't read the books, but I'm really loving this show. The mystery plus the high politics. It's been awhile since I've gotten this much into a show.

(Really torn on who's story I'm into more: Miller's or Avasarala (who seems to be getting more screen time second season...)

Meridian · « **Reply #70 on:** 04 February 2017, 01:57:00 »

Just finished S1 a few days ago. Really enjoyed it.

YingJanshi · « **Reply #71 on:** 04 February 2017, 03:39:56 »

So, I've read a lot of hate for the actress playing Avasarala. Now, I haven't read the books, so I don't know how she compares...But personally I think she has one of the best performances of the whole series. What do ya'll think?

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #72 on:** 04 February 2017, 04:02:36 »

I've only ever seen her praised!

Jaim Magnus · « **Reply #73 on:** 04 February 2017, 08:39:33 »

I think they'd have been hard pressed to find a better actress to play Avasarala. My only gripe is that she doesn't swear enough.

So far, I'm still liking the earlier inclusion of characters (for those who haven't read the books, Avasarala and Bobbie didn't appear until book 2). Their appearances make sense, and provide a little more backstory to those characters as well as depth to the series.

This is how you adapt a novel series to TV. Season 1 and 2 are going to be Book One, Leviathan Wakes. And with six (to date) books in the series, that leaves a LOT for the TV series.

Remember, doors and corners. That phrase carries great importance going forward.

Oh, and I miss Miller's hat. :(

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #74 on:** 04 February 2017, 09:01:29 »

Quote from: Jaim Magnus on 04 February 2017, 08:39:33

I think they'd have been hard pressed to find a better actress to play Avasarala. My only gripe is that she doesn't swear enough.

They've added hard swearing this year, but the sound track mutes when it happens. Presumably they'll be uncensored on the home video releases (and given that Netflix outside the US aren't adding it till April, maybe there too). They also blurred Dominique Tipper's breast during the sex scene.

Quote

This is how you adapt a novel series to TV. Season 1 and 2 are going to be Book One, Leviathan Wakes. And with six (to date) books in the series, that leaves a LOT for the TV series.

I wonder if they're going to stretch the rest of Leviathan Wakes out over 12 episodes - there's not a huge amount of material left in there to adapt, and they mentioned Ganymede in Adam Savage's set visit on Tested. I suspect they're going to either start Caliban's War this year and possibly finish it by episode 12. The last line of the book would be a great cliffhanger if they did that, especially given what goes down at the end of Leviathan Wakes.

Triptych · « **Reply #75 on:** 07 February 2017, 11:50:19 »

Quote from: glitterboy2098 on 18 December 2016, 22:40:58

more realistic seeming at least. stealth in space is a rather improbable thing, especially on ships using constant thrust to get around. and the accelerations quoted when they open up are rather absurd. no amount of drugs would keep you from being turned to paste in a 500g burn for example. and the railguns the badguys used in that fight against the donnager were highly unrealistic in how cleanly they punched through the ship.. it made for a dramatic scene as they did damage control to avoid the air escaping, but frankly that room would have been filled with metal confetti, assuming it punched that deep in the first place.

i suspect the original novel series had the same flaws as well, and the show does fairly well otherwise, so still a good show for illustrating you can have verisimilitude and drama together. though the weird illness thing has me scratching my head, hopeful we'll learn more about it in season 2

While I admit that the stealth ships were unrealistic I think the book explains it better- they did detect something, but there was so much space junk floating around they figured it was just part of the scenery until it was too late.

I thought the railgun scene was excellent- it illustrated that when a breach occurs, the air doesnt spontaneously fly out and depressurize everything all at once, it has to make its way out depending on the size of the hole. Perhaps the other rooms absorbed the shrapnel.

While it may have some minor flaws technical wise, I think its a step in the right direction as opposed to the usual space operas like Star Trek where every planet is 1G and breathable, and the aliens look like humans with added props on their heads and everyone speaks English (yes, I know- the technobabble universal translator- but how do they lip synch to English though?) and all ships have gravity fields and shields that can somehow stop everything. ;)

YingJanshi · « **Reply #76 on:** 17 February 2017, 23:51:20 »

Just watched the latest episode. (Godspeed). Gotta say, this season is getting better all the time.

And somehow...I didn't think things would be that easy...Bye bye Navoo...

YingJanshi · « **Reply #77 on:** 24 February 2017, 23:40:47 »

So...episode 5 "Home"....whaaat...? :o :o :o [watch]

Jaim Magnus · « **Reply #78 on:** 24 February 2017, 23:44:37 »

That was the end of book one 'Leviathan Wakes.'

Just wait and see what happens on Venus >:D

On to Ganymede, Prax, more Bobbi, and "We need to talk."

YingJanshi · « **Reply #79 on:** 24 February 2017, 23:55:42 »

Quote from: Jaim Magnus on 24 February 2017, 23:44:37

That was the end of book one 'Leviathan Wakes.'

Just wait and see what happens on Venus >:D

On to Ganymede, Prax, more Bobbi, and "We need to talk."

Well, pretty much every episode this season I've been expecting Miller to buy the farm...he's lasted longer than I thought he would. ;D

Jaim Magnus · « **Reply #80 on:** 24 February 2017, 23:57:54 »

Quote from: YingJanshi on 24 February 2017, 23:55:42

Well, pretty much every episode this season I've been expecting Miller to buy the farm...he's lasted longer than I thought he would. ;D

Yes. Hehehehehe.

YingJanshi · « **Reply #81 on:** 25 February 2017, 00:18:23 »

So there is 4 novels in the series, with 2 more on the way? (Guess it's time to start reading)

Anything think there should be an Expanse RPG in the works? :)

(Slightly off topic but has anyone here read the Virga series by Karl Schroeder? Been rereading them lately. It's a very interesting world.)

Jaim Magnus · « **Reply #82 on:** 25 February 2017, 00:23:44 »

Quote from: YingJanshi on 25 February 2017, 00:18:23

So there is 4 novels in the series, with 2 more on the way? (Guess it's time to start reading)

Six completed, with an unknown number still coming. Leviathan Wakes. Caliban's War. Abaddon's Gate. Cibola Burn. Nemesis Games. Babylon's Ashes.

Quote from: YingJanshi on 25 February 2017, 00:18:23

Anything think there should be an Expanse RPG in the works? :)

Yaaaaaasssssssssss!

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #83 on:** 25 February 2017, 01:28:27 »

You guys know the Expanse started as an MMO pitch, and when it fell through Ty Franck turned it into a setting for D20 which he ran with friends, including Daniel Abraham, and the pair decided to turn it into a novel series?

What I'm saying is, there's already a sourcebook out there.

Also, this week's ep surpassed the source material for me. The last scene or two got me in the feels in a way the book never did.

And next week we're going to get that Bobbie scene...

Cache · « **Reply #84 on:** 11 March 2017, 14:11:32 »

Ok... I have never read the novels, and didn't see any of the show until the season 2 opener. It got my attention even though I only saw about 20 minutes of it. My wife and I watched season 1 on Netflix as quickly as possible and had to buy/rent S2E1 from Amazon to catch it, since it was off of SyFy.com by the time we made it that far. We just finished the remaining S2 episodes last night and are now caught up. Severe pain in the ass but totally worth it. It's a great series and I love the space/zero-g combat scenes. I might just have to get into the novels.

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #85 on:** 11 March 2017, 16:38:04 »

Quote from: Cache on 11 March 2017, 14:11:32

I might just have to get into the novels.

They're well worth it.

cray · « **Reply #86 on:** 12 March 2017, 09:38:49 »

I'm glad I read the novels before the series, but the books and TV show are very complementary. Some of the hardest sci-fi I've seen on TV in a while.

YingJanshi · « **Reply #87 on:** 12 March 2017, 11:34:17 »

For everyone that has read the books...how closely do the characters match up between the two?

Jaim Magnus · « **Reply #88 on:** 12 March 2017, 13:21:40 »

Fairly closely. Sometimes how they got there is a little different, but the essentials of the characters are spot on.

I will say I expected Amos to look different. Same with Bobby. And obviously the Belters should be VERY different in appearance, but that would have been prohibitively expensive for the effects team.

Avasarala should swear more. She and Bobby both appear earlier than they do in the books, but it worked out well.

And in the books Miller kept his hat 'til the ... end.

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #89 on:** 12 March 2017, 15:47:29 »

Yeah, the show has the advantage of using the later books' background material for some of the less-fleshed out characters to inform their portrayal earlier on, while not revealing much of that information. Wes Chatham rereads the Churn, which delves into Amos' personal history to get into character, but the only part of that which has made it to the screen is his conversation in the bar with Alex on Tycho in series 1.

Also, we get nice easter eggs like the Innaros faction getting mentioned this week.