# The Expanse (new show on syfy) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2015, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300 "2015-12-13T03:19:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yersenia\_Pestis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e495f1/32.png) [@Yersenia\_Pestis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yersenia_Pestis)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/1 "2015-12-13T03:19:23Z")
Science fiction fans! What are your opinions of this show?? Could we be finally upon a “new BSG”? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/2 "2015-12-13T12:44:15Z")
I caught the first half of the premiere online (gonna have to wait until Tuesday for part 2). I don’t think I’ve seen enough to form an opinion yet, but I’ll definitely keep watching. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/3 "2015-12-13T13:26:43Z")
I’ve tried twice now to watch it - could not get the interest in the first half hour or so and abandoned. I’ll give it maybe one more shot depending on reactions in this thread as well as if there’s indication that it ‘gets better’. ---
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/4 "2015-12-13T14:36:18Z")
I have it set up to record. I hope it’s good, but science fiction on TV is usually pretty bad. I hope this has a good story and not just tits and ass and explosions. They need someone who knows sci-fi on the writing team. You can’t just add a couple of space ships, ray guns and an alien named grupplefitz or whetever to make it good. ---
**Author:** ![Galwegian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galwegian/32/3426_2.png) [@Galwegian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galwegian)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/5 "2015-12-13T17:43:57Z")
> [@stosh](#): > > They need someone who knows sci-fi on the writing team. You can’t just add a couple of space ships, ray guns and an alien named grupplefitz or whetever to make it good. They do. Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck are good writers with a decent grasp of the mechanics of acceleration, solar system geography, implications of long term exposure to low and variable gravity, and a ton of other stuff that most writers just ignore, especially in TV science fiction. The books are great, and the first episode at least did them justice. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/6 "2015-12-13T19:03:20Z")
> [@stosh](#): > > They need someone who knows sci-fi on the writing team. You can’t just add a couple of space ships, ray guns and an alien named grupplefitz or whetever to make it good. Of course not. You also need good characters and a good story. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/7 "2015-12-14T04:09:25Z")
Hmm, I like what you’ve got, good job! I’m not sold on all the casting choices yet, but I’ll reserve judgement for now. Also, not all of the Belters look like they should (two meters tall and rail thin - eg Naomi Nagata is just average size in the TV show) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/8 "2015-12-14T04:33:01Z")
I found myself wondering if they’ll be able to keep up with the CGI demands of all those sets & ships, but now that I think about it, I could have said the same thing about BSG, and that turned out pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/9 "2015-12-14T06:58:45Z")
Yes, they should worry more about the expanse and less about the expense. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/10 "2015-12-14T13:30:45Z")
Saw the first episode and liked it. I’ve read the book series and am a big fan, and I plan to stick with the show for now. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/11 "2015-12-14T13:35:42Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I found myself wondering if they’ll be able to keep up with the CGI demands of all those sets & ships, but now that I think about it, I could have said the same thing about BSG, and that turned out pretty good. Plus, if they want to save some money, they can always do a boxing episode. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/12 "2015-12-14T15:06:56Z")
The first episode was available early on youtube so I watched it there yesterday. Came in expecting Andromeda meets sharknado - 'cause what else can I expect form syfy, but instead I get some pretty amazing sci-fi! Pleasantly surprised, and also hooked after the first episode. Can’t wait to see more. They’ve also got a 3 part miniseries of Childhood’s End kicking off this week. I think I’m going to be watching a lot more Syfy if this is what they plan on putting out going forward. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/13 "2015-12-14T20:02:22Z")
I liked the online pilot. The Bad Astronomer [loves it](http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/12/14/the_expanse_syfy_s_next_big_thing.html) after watching the first four episodes, so I have some faith it will continue to be decent quality. > [@Isamu](#): > > Also, not all of the Belters look like they should (two meters tall and rail thin - eg Naomi Nagata is just average size in the TV show) Yeah, I’m willing to suspend disbelief and let them get away with using actors on the taller/thinner side. Constant CGI adjustments to every Belter character would eat up the budget, and I’d rather it be used elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/14 "2015-12-14T20:08:03Z")
Glad I caught this thread, otherwise I wouldn’t have know about it. I’m recording it tonight. But… what’s the other show that’s either just before or after it: _Childhood’s End_? Is it _ **the** _ _Childhood’s End_, or did they hijack the title for something else? ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/15 "2015-12-14T21:09:45Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Is it _ **the** _ _Childhood’s End_, or did they hijack the title for something else? Evidently it is _ **the** _ _Childhood’s End_. See thread [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=778131). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/16 "2015-12-14T21:47:40Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Evidently it is _ **the** _ _Childhood’s End_. See thread [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=778131). Nice! I did set my DVR to record both. I’m not going to keep my hopes up, though, because while I thought _BSG_ was brilliant, nothing else out of that channel has come even close. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/17 "2015-12-15T03:50:35Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > …Yeah, I’m willing to suspend disbelief and let them get away with using actors on the taller/thinner side. Constant CGI adjustments to every Belter character would eat up the budget, and I’d rather it be used elsewhere. Not to mention it would start to look ridiculous after awhile. BTW is gravity like on Ceres? It’s too big to hollow out and spin for centrifugal force so they must be living on and underneath the survace. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/18 "2015-12-15T05:25:27Z")
In the book, Ceres is hollowed out and spun to 0.3g. Everyone lives under the surface. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/19 "2015-12-15T06:31:13Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Yeah, I’m willing to suspend disbelief and let them get away with using actors on the taller/thinner side. Constant CGI adjustments to every Belter character would eat up the budget, and I’d rather it be used elsewhere. No idea if this is part of the book, but in the show they have a few excuses for that: It seems there are various growth treatments available. The more you pay, the better the results, though all of them seemingly have “tells” such as bone deformities. There are some characters that clearly had no treatments at all. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300/20 "2015-12-15T12:24:19Z")
Our own Bad Astronomer endorses it: > **[The Expanse Is the Next Big Sci-Fi Epic You MUST Watch](https://slate.com/technology/2015/12/the-expanse-syfy-s-next-big-thing.html)** > > Syfy's The Expanse is a new series that will set the bar for science fiction for years to come. (Don’t have cable – will likely wait until on Netflix /DVD) Brian [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-expanse-new-show-on-syfy/740300.md?page=2)