The Expanse Season Four Reviewed

I am I was looking forward very much to the new season and I have to say visually, the show did not disappoint at all. The Expanse was famously dropped by SyFy after the end of series 3 and then picked up again by Amazon. The increased budget is immediately noticeable, I’d love to watch this on a big screen. However, that won’t be happening soon because I’ll need time first to forget the plot deficiencies, which actually made this the least enjoyable series for me (I’d rate them 3-2-1-4).

Yes, this review is critical which goes against the overwhelming positive reviews I've seen so far.

It's what's under the looks that counts

Now there is much to like about how the Expanse TV series focuses on strong female characters (Naomi, Drummer, Bobby, Avasarala) and feminist plotlines (yay let Felcia study to be an engineer if that’s what she wants!) but this virtue alone cannot mask the weakness of the storylines in season 4.

There are several interlocking stories, namely the trials of Bobby on Mars, Avasarala’s power struggles on Earth and the experiences of the Rocinante crew on the new world of Ilus. Let’s take them in turn.

Come on Bobby!

Bobby (Frankie Adams) is washed up back on Mars as a disgraced soldier, working a shit job just to get by and staying with family. We’ve all been there. She bumps into a corrupt bunch and gets pulled into their racket. Now the way this happens doesn’t make much sense to me. In short, she finds out her cousin is in the shit, protects him, gets blackmailed, goes to report the blackmailer, meets a cop who [shock!] is the blackmailer and suddenly decides to work with him and make some monies.

I don’t mind a bit of theft from corporations who won’t miss it but Bobby would and further Mars seems like a very regimented, controlled society so if there’s a bent cop I’m sure she could just report him to another cop at another station. Even worse she meets up with Avasarala (who is passing Mars as you do when you are a high-powered diplomat) and refuses her offer of a good job. Sort it out Bobby!

Earthy swearfest

Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) is still running things but now has a young upstart challenging her grip on power. More than that, her husband looks different so she really should be wondering what is going on (he is played by a different actor in this series). Again, her story arc doesn’t make much sense to me, when she has a challenger pushing to open up the new worlds revealed at the end of season 3, surely all Avasarala has to do in order to explain her reluctance to let people go there is to show what’s happening on Ilus. I can guarantee everyone would pipe down then.

On top of this, Avasarala is now swearing like a trooper. Now I like a good “fuck” as much as the next guy and it was hilarious when Avasarala said “I fucking hate space” but now she’s F-bombing constantly and it’s boring. Basically it's the same as Elton John in Kingsman 2, it’s overdone and just not that funny to see someone constantly being “outrageous”.

However I do have to say her outfits remain sensational.

Will someone rid me of that meddlesome Murtry?

And so to Ilus. Holden (Steven Strait) and the rest have been sent there to see what’s going on with the Belters who have squatted the new world. Up the squatters! I've have to say the Belter tattoos just get better and better, I am very excited to see them enter popular culture soon. Unfortunately, there’s also an Earth crew of scientists there led by Murtry (Burn Gorman) who is a horrible person who just cannot stop killing Belters. Yes we do need baddies but this guy really outstays his welcome, mainy because that do-gooder Holden refuses to kill him again and again (whyyyyyyyy). Just squash the bug!

Predictably, things on Ilus go to shit and the protomolecule gets involved (if you want to contact it directly its email is hosted by protonmail). Less predictably (I haven't read the books) this means Miller (Thomas Janes) is back!

The books

Talking of books, are they better than the TV series? I do wonder, because I hear for this series they smashed two books together and maybe that’s why the story arcs were all fucked up (yes, I can swear too Avasarala!).

I also heard that Drummer (Cara Gee) ain't in the books!?

I recently picked up Leviathan Rising (the first Expanse book) in a second hand shop. It was cool to read it whilst picturing the characters from the series, however I did notice a rather macho tone which I am very glad the series got rid of. Further, it turns out the author James S. A. Corey (not Comey) is actually two people when he’s at home, namely Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. Why does this matter? Well Abraham is apparently a frequent collaborator of George R. R. Martin and I resent now feeling that the Expanse is Game of Thrones in space. I’m sure lots of people want that but I don’t. It's not all about big budgets - here’s hoping season 5 is a return to previous form!!

And if you haven’t already seen them, do check out the hilarious ‘Expanse crack’ videos on the youtubes!!