Why the science fiction series THE EXPANSE is NOT a TV revolution

When, in 2015, SyFy premiered the first episodes of The Expanse, based on the book series by James S.A. Corey (the pen name of the writing duo Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck), many viewers and critics believed that a new era in television science fiction had arrived. The series quickly gained a loyal following that saved it from cancellation, leading to its acquisition by Amazon Prime Video. The Expanse is often referred to as “Game of Thrones in space” or “the most realistic science fiction show.” But does it truly deserve to be called a breakthrough in television series?

A closer examination raises the question of whether it is, in fact, a natural product of television’s evolution, cleverly utilizing proven patterns without offering any truly groundbreaking solutions. It’s worth taking a closer look to determine whether it has truly changed the face of televised science fiction or if it is simply a solid, yet conventional representative of the genre.

Scientific Realism in The Expanse

One of the most praised aspects of The Expanse is its commitment to scientific realism. The series indeed pays a great deal of attention to Newtonian physics, the effects of microgravity, and the consequences of long-term space travel. However, at some point, one may wonder whether this realism is truly at the core of the production or simply an attractive façade behind which traditional narrative mechanisms are hidden.

While The Expanse does stand out from other science fiction productions due to its focus on scientific details, when it comes to key plot points, the series often relies on fantastic elements that are just as “magical” as the warp drive in Star Trek. Interplanetary travel, while presented with more attention to realism than in typical space operas, is still significantly accelerated for the sake of narrative dynamics.

The realism in The Expanse is a clever trick—it lends credibility to the series but ultimately serves mainly to strengthen the dramatic elements. This is not a criticism, but rather an observation that, in terms of scientific realism, the series is not as innovative as it is often portrayed.

Moreover, shows like Battlestar Galactica (the 2004 version) or even the animated Planetes (2003) had already experimented with a realistic approach to space physics. The Expanse is therefore not the first series to focus on scientific realism but rather a continuation of this tradition, improving and popularizing it.

Politics and Society

The multilayered portrait of interplanetary politics is another cornerstone on which The Expanse’s reputation rests. The series portrays the complex relationships between the three main factions—Earth, Mars, and the Belt (the so-called Belters). This political web of tensions does indeed create an interesting backdrop for the plot, but upon closer inspection, there are certain simplifications and stereotypes.

Looking more closely at the depiction of each faction, it becomes apparent that although The Expanse tries to present a complex image of future society, it often falls into the trap of oversimplifications and stereotypical representations of ethnic and cultural groups. The most noticeable example is the Belters, who, as an oppressed working class, seem too homogeneous, lacking the internal divisions and cultural nuances that would certainly have developed in such a dispersed environment.

Despite attempts to express political complexity, The Expanse ultimately boils down to a classic battle between good and evil, albeit hidden behind the facade of political realism. This is not a completely failed attempt, but it is definitely not groundbreaking.

Shows such as Babylon 5, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, or even Firefly had already explored themes of political tension between different factions, colonialism, and the struggle for resources. The Expanse does not offer a radically new approach to these themes, but rather refreshes them and places them in a new visual and narrative context.

The most disappointing aspect is that the intricate political threads, which were meant to be the strength of the series, seem to give way to a more conventional narrative focused on humanity’s mission to survive. This suggests difficulties in maintaining the complexity and multidimensionality of the political landscape over the course of the series.

The Characters in The Expanse

The crew of the Rocinante, led by Captain James Holden, is another element that was meant to distinguish The Expanse from other science fiction series. But is this truly a pioneering approach to character construction?

Upon closer examination of the characters, it’s hard not to notice that, while fascinating, they largely follow archetypical patterns well-established in genre literature. James Holden, the idealist with a strong sense of justice, corresponds to the hero archetype in classic narratives. Amos Burton, the brutal mechanic with a troubled past, is a modern variation of the “noble savage” archetype. Alex Kamal, the pilot with a southern accent, resembles the “space cowboy” character common in many science fiction westerns. Naomi Nagata, the brilliant engineer with a mysterious past, matches the “outsider seeking redemption” archetype.

The characters in The Expanse appear predictable in their unpredictability. They follow familiar development paths that have appeared in countless stories before. This doesn’t mean that they are poorly written—on the contrary, they are well-constructed and performed by talented actors. However, they can’t be considered groundbreaking.

Their development follows established narrative patterns, and while their decisions are justified within the world of the series, they rarely surprise viewers familiar with genre conventions. Shows like Battlestar Galactica or Firefly offered similarly complex, often more morally ambiguous characters that broke genre conventions in ways that The Expanse lacks.

Visual Aspects

Special effects and visual presentation are undoubtedly strengths of The Expanse. The realistic space scenes, attention to detail in designing the interiors of ships and space stations, and the overall production quality deserve recognition.

The effects in The Expanse are excellent for a television budget, but they don’t introduce groundbreaking solutions in this field. They utilize well-established techniques with great competence but do not push the boundaries of what has already appeared in high-budget productions.

It is worth noting that the series premiered at a time when expensive television productions had become the norm. Game of Thrones, Westworld, and even earlier Battlestar Galactica had already raised the bar for special effects on television. The Expanse didn’t so much revolutionize this field as maintain the high standard set by its predecessors.

The cinematography and production design of The Expanse follow an industrial-futuristic aesthetic, which, while well-executed, offers nothing new that hasn’t been seen before in films like Alien or Blade Runner. The quality of execution is admirable, but it’s hard to find a visual breakthrough here.

Moreover, visually, the series sometimes “plays it safe,” avoiding more experimental approaches to sci-fi aesthetics that can be seen in shows like Legion, Devs, or even Maniac—series that actually tried to push the boundaries of visual language in television.

Literary Adaptation

The Expanse as an adaptation of the book series by James S.A. Corey deserves a closer look. The process of transferring a complex literary world to the television medium involved numerous decisions that shaped the final form of the series.

One significant modification was introducing the character Chrisjen Avasarala in the first season, while in the novels, she doesn’t appear until the second book, Caliban’s War. This decision allowed the creators to quickly develop political storylines and present the Earth perspective, which gave the series a more dimensional character from the start. At the same time, this shift changed the narrative emphasis, introducing political intrigue earlier than in the source material.

Another notable difference is the compression of time. In the books, the passage of time is much more extended—interplanetary journeys take months, and certain events span years. In the series, due to the medium’s limitations, the creators decided to significantly condense the chronology, sometimes giving the impression that events are happening too quickly. This is especially evident in the fourth season, which adapts the novel Cibola Burn—in the book, the colonization of the planet Ilus and the development of the settlement are drawn-out processes, whereas in the series, everything happens in a much shorter timeframe.

The series also makes significant changes to the portrayal of certain characters:

• Ashford in the books is a clearly negative character, while in the series, he is given a deeper backstory and development arc, becoming a tragic hero and one of the most complex characters.
• Drummer is essentially a new character in the series, taking on traits and storylines from several different characters in the books (including Bull, Michio Pa, and Sam Rosenberg). This consolidation of characters helped maintain narrative clarity but also simplified some of the complex political relationships described in the books.
• Alex Kamal in the books has a more developed family storyline (with a wife and son on Mars), which is only briefly hinted at in the series. This difference affected the character’s motivations and evolution.

There are also notable differences in the portrayal of the Belters and their culture. In the novels, the Belter language (Belter Creole) is much more developed and consistently used, emphasizing the cultural distinctiveness of this group. In the series, this language is simplified and used sporadically, weakening the sense of true cultural diversity. Additionally, the physical differences between humans born in different gravity conditions are more pronounced in the books—Belters are described as taller, slimmer, with larger heads and noticeable bone deformities. In the series, these differences are minimized for production reasons.

The novels also offer a deeper immersion in the scientific and technological aspects of the world. Detailed descriptions of the Epstein Drive, the effects of long-term exposure to microgravity, and the social changes resulting from space colonization have been simplified or omitted in the series. While this has made the narrative more dynamic, it has sacrificed some depth in world-building.

It’s also worth noting the differences in the portrayal of the “protomolecule” and related phenomena. In the books, its nature and origins are kept mysterious for a longer time, and its transformative properties are described in more detail. The series, on the other hand, provides more visual explanations, which speeds up the understanding of this key plot element but removes some of its mystery.

After the series was acquired by Amazon Prime Video in later seasons, a greater degree of adaptation freedom became evident. This is especially apparent in the fifth season, which significantly develops Naomi and Inaros’s storylines, giving them more emotional depth than in the corresponding book, Nemesis Games.

These adaptive decisions should not be judged as “better or worse,” but rather as necessary transformations that come with transferring a story to a different medium. Each medium has its own limitations and possibilities—books allow for deeper exploration of characters’ thoughts and more detailed descriptions, while television can convey certain elements through visuals and sound in ways that are impossible on paper.

The Expanse as an adaptation exists somewhere between absolute fidelity to the source material and free interpretation. The creators showed respect for the existing world and its rules, while also making thoughtful modifications that allowed the complex story to be successfully translated into television. In this context, the series stands as an example of a well-considered and competent adaptation that, while not without compromises, preserves the spirit of the original.

Conclusion

The Expanse is undoubtedly a solid and well-executed science fiction series, but it is not as groundbreaking as many claim. It takes inspiration from earlier works, both in terms of its scientific realism and political themes, and builds upon existing narrative conventions. While it does stand out with its attention to detail and complex interplanetary politics, it ultimately follows familiar patterns rather than breaking new ground.

Its characters, while engaging, adhere to well-worn archetypes, and its visual and narrative choices are more about refining established techniques than innovating them. As an adaptation of the books by James S.A. Corey, The Expanse effectively brings the source material to life, but it does so with the necessary compromises of a television format.

In the end, The Expanse is a well-crafted series that will be remembered as one of the stronger examples of modern science fiction television, but it may not be the revolution in the genre that some expected it to be.