The Expansedelivered six seasons of epic science fiction television, but how those seasons stack up against one another is a difficult question. Based on the series of novels by James S. A. Corey (a pen name for authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck),The Expansetakes place in a far future in which humanity has spread throughout the solar system. WhileThe Expanseeventually follows a large cast of characters, the show initially centers on detective Joe Miller (Thomas Jane), as well asJames Holden (Steven Strait) and his Rocinante crew.
The Expanseinitially combines a noir detective story with gritty sci-fi, but soon becomes an epic space opera that feels likeGame of Thronesin space.The series revolves around a conspiracy involving a dangerous alien bio-weaponknown as the protomolecule, and events that threaten the fragile peace of the solar system. Tensions rise among the solar system’s three major factions – Earth (and Luna), Mars, and the Asteroid Belt – and Holden and his crew find themselves at the center of it all. Ultimately,The Expansedelivered six great seasons, but even the best shows have their ups and downs.
6Season 4
2019
Every season ofThe Expansedeliversincredibly well-written sci-fi television, but one season had to be last on this list. Season 4 sometimes feels like a slight letdown after the breathtaking ending of season 3, which saw the mysterious Ring open up new ring gates to over a thousand unexplored planets.Much of the season’s storyline is spent on a new planet named Ilus,which is home to strange alien structures. The crew of the Rocinante butts heads with a group of Belter settlers on the planet, while Holden investigates the alien technology and its potential connection to the protomolecule.
After being canceled by Syfy after its third season,The Expansewas picked up by Amazon Prime Video, which produced seasons 4, 5, and 6.
Meanwhile, Martian Marine Bobbie Draper (Frankie Adams) investigates the illegal sale of Martian weapons to the Belt, while UN Secretary General Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) faces complications during her reelection campaign. The season also explores growing dissent among the Belters and the Outer Planets Alliance, as Marco Inaros (Keon Alexander) emerges as a dangerous extremist leader.The Expanseseason 4 has its moments, but its disparate stories feel smaller in scopethan previous seasons, and the Ilus storyline lags a bit. Still, the show is as visually breathtaking as ever, and the transition from Syfy to Amazon feels mostly seamless.
5Season 6
2021 – 2022
The Expansehad a lot of story to wrap up in its final season, and with only six episodes, everything feels like it’s over far too quickly. While there are three more books in the series afterBabylon’s Ashes,thethirty-year time jump betweenThe Expansebooks 6 and 7makes it a good stopping place for the television series (for now).The season finds Holden, Amos (Wes Chatham), and Naomi (Dominique Tipper) reunited aboard the Rocinante,as they work with Earth and Mars to stand against Marco Inaros and his Free Navy.
From morally ambiguous characters and political machinations to epic space battles and high-stakes conflicts,The Expanseseason 6 has pretty much everything that makes the series great. The main characters' arcs come to satisfying conclusions, and the season nicely ties up the Marco Inaros storyline, but it leaves several lingering questions. Whether or not The Expanseever returns to adapt the final three books,season 6 ultimately comes to a surprisingly hopeful conclusion that feels right for the series,even if it does blast to the end a bit too quickly.
4Season 5
2020 – 2021
The Expanseseason 5 separates the crew of the Rocinante as the ship undergoes major repairs. Naomi sets out to find her son Filip (Jasai Chase-Owens), hoping to persuade him to leave his father, Marco Inaros, and their dangerous cause behind.Amos travels to Baltimore after learning of an old friend’s death,while Alex (Cas Anvar) goes to Mars and reconnects with Bobbie. Meanwhile, Belter Camina Drummer (Cara Gee) reluctantly joins Marco’s Free Navy, although she disagrees with his methods.
9.4
9.3
Abaddon’s Gate
After a devastating attack on Earth, Marco declares his Free Navy as the ruling body in the solar system and takes control of the Ring gates. Avasarala helps avert further attacks, whileAmos and Clarissa Mao (Nadine Nicole)work to get off Earth, and Holden sets out to rescue Naomi from Inaros. The season jumps around among these various plotlines, some of which work better than others. Naomi’s story, in particular, drags a bit in the middle, butseason 5 still delivers some truly stunning moments,and everything comes together nicely in the end.
3Season 1
2015 – 2016
In some ways, thefirst season ofThe Expansefeels like a different show from its later seasons, but it does a solid job of introducing the characters and setting up the world. The story centers on Miller’s investigation into Julie Mao’s disappearance, which feels like a noir-style mystery that just happens to be set in space.The Expansewastes no time dropping viewers into its complex world,and the story takes some time to get going. With complicated politics, lots of worldbuilding, and accents that can be difficult to understand, the first season ofThe Expansecan be confusing.
The Expanseseason 1 adapts most ofLeviathan Wakes,the first book in the series, but the storyline continues into season 2.
Still, the season does a good job of introducing the solar system’s major players, including UN Deputy Undersecretary Chrisjen Avasarala. Avasarala remains a main character throughout all six seasons of the show, as she fights to protect Earth and prevent conflicts from escalating into all-out war.Holden and his crew make for compelling leads,and it’s fun seeing how they come together and end up involved in intergalactic politics. With hidden conspiracies and shocking revelations,The Expanseseason 1 is a solid start to the show, although much of the story acts as set-up for future storylines.
2Season 2
2017
The Expanseseason 2 picks up where the first season left off, concluding the story from thefirstExpansebook,Leviathan Wakes. Holden and his crew, with some help from Miller, continue to uncover secrets about the protomolecule and the attack on Eros station.The season also expands the scope of the show,adding new characters like Bobbie Draper, a Martian Marine Corps gunnery sergeant, and Camina Drummer, a Belter commanding officer. Both Bobbie and Drummer are incredibly compelling characters who become increasingly important as the show progresses.
The latter half of the season introduces Prax Meng (Terry Chen), who temporarily joins the crew of the Rocinante as he sets out in search of his daughter. This storyline reveals more about the protomolecule and the scientists who used it to create protomolecule-human hybrids.The Expanseseason 2 beautifully builds on season 1,bringing Miller’s story to a satisfying conclusion and exploring the solar system’s different factions in more depth. With strong character development, stunning visuals, and relevant social commentary,The Expanseseason 2 delivers some of the series' strongest episodes.
1Season 3
2018
ByThe Expanse’sthird season, the show was truly firing on all cylinders, asit continued the second season trend of strong character development and intelligent sci-fi television.With Earth and Mars on the brink of war, Holden and his crew lie low while they continue to search for Prax’s daughter and answers regarding the protomolecule. The protomolecule eventually forms a massive Ring in space, prompting Earth, Mars, and the Belt to send ships to investigate. Season 3 finally brings almost all of the major characters together as they face a new threat to the entire solar system.
This leads to one of the show’s most compelling storylines, as the Rocinante helps the other ships navigate the mysterious ring, thanks to a protomolecule-induced hallucination of Miller that keeps appearing to Holden.The Expanseseason 3 ends with the Ring activating over one thousand other ring gates leading to habitable planetary systems. It’s a jaw-dropping ending that alters the course of the series and sets up new and exciting adventures for future seasons.
