Syfy has given a direct-to-series order to an exciting-sounding new project based on an acclaimed sci-fi book series. The cable network has ordered 10 episodes of The Expanse, from Academy Award-nominated screenwriting duo Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Children of Men, Iron Man) and Alcon Television Group. The project has been described by industry insiders as “Game of Thrones in space” — not so much because of the specifics of the plot, but because it tells a dramatic sprawling grown-up story within a popular fantasy genre that’s based on a respected series of novels.
The logline: “A thriller set two hundred years in the future, The Expanse follows the case of a missing young woman who brings a hardened detective and a rogue ship’s captain together in a race across the solar system to expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.”
The Expanse is based on a series of books by James S.A. Corey. The most well-known title is probably the first in the series, Leviathan Wakes, which has been praised for reinventing and updating the old-school Star Wars/Firefly-style space opera. Syfy won a bidding war with another content producer to acquire the project.
Syfy president Dave Howe promised, “The Expanse is epic in scale and scope and promises to be Syfy’s most ambitious series to date. Bringing this coveted book franchise to television with our partners at Alcon and the Sean Daniel Company is a giant win for Syfy, reinforcing our overall strategy to produce bold, provocative and compelling sci-fi fantasy stories. The Expanse joins a killer line-up of high-concept, high quality series, along with recently announced original projects Ascension, 12 Monkeys, the renewal of Helix, and the soon to premiere Dominion.”
Sean Daniel and Jason Brown of the Sean Daniel Company developed the original pitch, with Fergus and Ostby, and will also executive produce. “The Expanse is one of the most special pieces of material we’ve ever encountered and it has been our dream to bring it to life since the moment we read it,” Daniel and Brown said in a statement. “We couldn’t be more excited to be doing it with this team of all-stars.”
Added Alcon president Sharon Hall: “The Expanse is an addictive, sophisticated, character-driven franchise and Mark and Hawk are the perfect people to steer it. Their script is a totally immersive and accessible sci-fi journey.”
(Just FYI, the author of Leviathan Wakes, James S.A. Corey, is actually a collaberative pseudonym of authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. I guess EW didn't know this...) [Reply]
Originally Posted by Frazod:
There was a lot of shit in the show that just seems like filler now. The show delved deeper into Bobbi's relationship with her squad before the Ganymede incident. The book introduced her on Ganymede right before it happened. Also, in the show Prax evacuated Ganymede and then returned - there was one really ****ed up scene where the OPA guys spaced everybody who was from Earth or Mars, including his female friend, while he watched in horror. In the book, he meets up with Holden on the moon and never left. The couple running the freighter that they hijack so they can land isn't in the book, either; they were provided with a freighter by the OPA.
I guess those scenes do fill in some background on how the various groups feel about each other, but it seems a few lines of dialogue could have sufficed. Again, the needs of a series with budget constraints may have forced them to add shit and draw out the story. That makes perfect sense. And of course the show is so well done that I don't really mind it.
Bobbie wasn't even in Book 2 either. I'm pretty sure she got introduced in book 3. [Reply]
The delimma of read the books first vs the show sucks when there is a good adapatation like this since either way you are probably ruining the key plot surprises that make it great. Said earlier Game of Thrones was the other great example. I started enjoying GoT more when I didn't now what was going to hapen once I passed the books.
I read all of the expanse books like crack and the show is still differing enough to be fun. Since I don't have the other perspective I'm biased to suggest just reading all of the books now. I enjoyed all of the additional depth they added. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Miles:
The delimma of read the books first vs the show sucks when there is a good adapatation like this since either way you are probably ruining the key plot surprises that make it great. Said earlier Game of Thrones was the other great example. I started enjoying GoT more when I didn't now what was going to hapen once I passed the books.
I read all of the expanse books like crack and the show is still differing enough to be fun. Since I don't have the other perspective I'm biased to suggest just reading all of the books now. I enjoyed all of the additional depth they added.
I'm at the point of no return right now - a little more than midway through the second book. They just spaced the monster from the Roci and Bobbi and the old Indian lady (not even going to try to remember how to spell that name) are headed out into space, so other than the yacht escape, I'm pretty much at the end of Season 2 now. I assume it's only a matter of time before the principals all meet up.
I'm reading through these at a faster pace than I did the GOT books, and enjoying them more. These guys are much better writers than Martin.
Also, I really like the old Indian lady - she reminds me of a female version of one of my old bosses. He was a nasty, foul-mouthed old fuck, too, but in retrospect the best boss I ever had. :-) Prax is starting to grate on my nerves a bit, though. Hope he either grows a pair soon or gets whacked. [Reply]
Oh yeah there was no way I'd have had the willpower to stop at that point you are. One of the things that made these books so quickly consumable was mostly a lack of deadspots with jumping around with the character narratives that are not as interesting. Definitely had my favorites but don't remember oh damn not back to this guy again.
Also interesting as you already noticed it's two authors. Can't think of any others like that and don't notice at all while reading. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Miles:
Oh yeah there was no way I'd have had the willpower to stop at that point you are. One of the things that made these books so quickly consumable was mostly a lack of deadspots with jumping around with the character narratives that are not as interesting. Definitely had my favorites but don't remember oh damn not back to this guy again.
Also interesting as you already noticed it's two authors. Can't think of any others like that and don't notice at all while reading.
Oh, I have no intention of stopping. I'm going to order the remaining books today.
And somebody previously mentioned the two authors sharing the pen name in an earlier thread. I don't understand that - if I wrote something this good, I'd damn sure want my real name prominently displayed on it. [Reply]
About 20 pages from being done with the second book. I can't remember the last time I read so much so quickly. I'll wrap up two tonight. On to three tomorrow.
I should probably pace myself - seven doesn't come out until December. :-) [Reply]
I'm nearly done with the third book. A weaker offering than the first two, and I haven't torn through it like I did those.
Spoiler!
The lesbian bleeding-heart preacher is definitely the Sansa of the Expanse. Unlike Sansa, though, I can't skip past her chapters since everything falls into a continuous narrative. I hope her character isn't in the next book. Ugh. The whole religious lunacy bit is as annoying in science fiction as it is in real life.
A bit off topic from The Expanse, but you should try reading We Are Legion (We are Bob) if you feel like reading something a bit more light-hearted in the sci-fi genre. If you enjoy audiobooks, then you should really listen to it. Ray Porter narrates and he is incredibly talented. [Reply]
Originally Posted by bowener:
A bit off topic from The Expanse, but you should try reading We Are Legion (We are Bob) if you feel like reading something a bit more light-hearted in the sci-fi genre. If you enjoy audiobooks, then you should really listen to it. Ray Porter narrates and he is incredibly talented.
I second this recommendation. The audiobooks have been highly entertaining. [Reply]
There's nothing quite like leaving fans in the dark on a release date when they're expecting it around the same time it's been premiering each year, only to say, "Oh, yeah... it's coming back in less than 2 months by the way and the finale will bleed into the summer, when people don't watch TV."
I fucking love this show, but Syfy is doing a shitty job of getting other people to like it. And more than ever, the network needs VIEWERS on this show in order to keep their dream alive. Good reviews aren't going to keep it alive forever. [Reply]
