Syfy’s The Expanse returns with more Mars, more politics, and more mystery
by Doc on Jan.31, 2017, under Television
Like with The Magicians, Syfy’s The Expanse was one of the programs I was looking forward the most to returning. The gritty, realistic portrayal of semi-near-future space travel, along with the issues of culture and politics with Earth, Mars, and the Belt all at odds over the scarce resources was a huge draw to me. Stylistically it was a bit like the revival of Battlestar Galactica, but more grounded with known physics and seemingly more attainable future. Similarities with early set stories in Larry Niven’s Known Space, of which I know a little bit, pull me in even more.
At the end of last season, the crew of the Rocinante and Ceres detective Joe Miller (Thomas Jane) tracked the disappearance of Julie Mao to the colony on Eros, where she is found, being consumed by the “protomolecule” infection, as are many others…and it seems that this infection may have been intentional.
Season 2 picks up immediately from there, with the Rocinante crew trying to find out what is going on, but also trying to decide how they can stop the spread of the protomolecule further. And the source of the protomolecule might have an extra-solar origin…
In the meantime, Earth and Mars are on the brink of war. Fear of conspiracies and terrorists and lack of resources, and the resentment of the Belt pushes each to the edge, tightening their belts at the expense of the lower classes – all while being egged on by a mysterious fourth party.
We will get to see more of life on Mars and how they train, and why there are apparently a more militaristic society, providing a new setting for us to see.
Who sent the protomolecule, and who is behind using it on Eros? And why?
The Expanse returns to Syfy Wednesday, February 1st at 10/9c.