The Expanse - SciFi Tv Series

[yeghor]

Really liked this SciFi tv series titled "The Expanse". It's now finished and spans 6 season.

The basic story revolves in 2350s, humankind is still confined to the solar system and uses propulsion engines and travel inside the Solar System. There are 3 prominent human factions, United Nations of Earth based on Earth and Moon, Martian Congressional Republic based on Mars and the Belters (Outer Planets Alliance) loosely based on Space Stations around the Asteroid Belt b/w Mars and Jupiter.

UNE is a multicultural democratic society whereas MCR is more like a militaristic authoritarian state trying to terraform Mars on limited resources, and the Belters are more like smugglers and pirates governed by Anarchist tribalistic traditions and rules. All factions are at unease with each other, Mars resents Earth for the former's dependence on Earth's resources, whereas both Mars and Earth sees Belters as unruly rifraff and criminals, whereas Belters abhor Mars and Earth as authoritarians trying to supress their freedom and lifestyle and as lucky bastards who are doing much better themselves and living in comfort (i.e. priviliged people).

UEF is closer to today's Europe, Mars maybe to nationalistic/colonial US but on scarce resources and Belters to MAGAs and Wokeists. The show has a long story arc focusing on a systemmic threat to uneasy-peace between these three factions, rogue factions conspiring to spark war b/w factions and a rag-tag crew of people from different factions on a stolen military frigate having to cooperate to try to prevent large-scale war between the factions.

The costume design and sets are of high quality, and the casting is diverse, with fine acting and photography. Space physics are realistic, there are no shields, jump drives, lasers etc and the ship pilots have to take into account the high g-forces when maneuvering in space and travel sometimes takes days and weeks.

 

[SearchingforPeace]

It is a good show. I also liked the books.

I would say that earth is a neoliberal oligarchy with rich and powerful dominating the society and exploiting everyone else. Police forces on Earth colonies and bases are corporations. People sell themselves into slavery to corporations to get off world, if they are lucky enough to win the lottery to get off Basic.

Earth exploited Mars and the Belt too, causing Mars to push back and the Belters as well.

I would put Mars as Sparta more than anything.

The Belt is the 3rd world.

 

[yeghor]

It is a good show. I also liked the books.

I would say that earth is a neoliberal oligarchy with rich and powerful dominating the society and exploiting everyone else. Police forces on Earth colonies and bases are corporations. People sell themselves into slavery to corporations to get off world, if they are lucky enough to win the lottery to get off Basic.

Earth exploited Mars and the Belt too, causing Mars to push back and the Belters as well.

I would put Mars as Sparta more than anything.

The Belt is the 3rd world.

The show does not provide much information into the political and social conditions on earth. The impression I get is that Earth sincerely wants to make the living conditions on Earth better for Earthers and is closer to a social democracy, yet the scarcity of resources needed to upkeep that welfare makes Earth less caring towards mining colonies on outer planets and asteroids. Out of sight, out of mind.

Mars is Sparta yet with military and industrial expansionist goals to avoid losing the upper hand against Earth to maintain sovereignty, so it has become a military-industrial complex. It's early struggles as a colony reminds me of colonial US trying to gain independence from Europe. However, it was Mars that later secretly developed and tested certain technologies to gain advantage over Earth and they also exercise covert military operations. That puts their government style closer to fascism and statism, like the government style in Starship Troopers where patriotism and statism is overemphasized. They do not seem to oppress their citizens though, unless they become enemies of the state I guess. We do not get much glimpse into living conditions of the Martian civilians or the state of the freedom of speech and press.

And yes, the outer colonies resemble the 3rd world and also any other impoverished slum-society. The Belters' characteristics and lifestyle however also have a role to play in their circumstances in that they are by nature prone to corruption and chaos and are disorganized so they keep rooting for their individual benefit and liberty but do not want to sacrifice some of that to stand in unison. Earth and Mars probably cut deals and contracts with the prominent factions among them who offer them the cheapest labor/services, resulting in them being exploited not by only Earth and Mars but also by the Belter employees/contractors in power. It is easier for them however to blame their circumstances on Earth and Mars rather than on themselves because that would mean they would have to take personal responsibility and action to better their own circumstances. Even Earth and Mars were to be taken out of picture, their circumstances would not necessarily improve cause their lack of good-governance skills would still result in a corrupt and inefficient administration.

While we are at it this is one of my favorite clips from the show, where Sgt Bobbie Draper, a Martian marine born and raised on Mars and indoctrinated to see Earth as the enemy/oppressor, sees the ocean on Earth for the first time.

 

[yeghor]

A review of the show by the Critical Drinker

 

[yeghor]

Here's my typing for the main characters in the show. I've also linked to their names their proposed types on personality database.

James Holden - ISFJ (Reminds me of Jon Snow)
Naomi Nagata - ISFJ. A Belter ship engineer/mechanic.
Amos Burton - ESTP - Sees Naomi as a sister.
Alex Kamal - Ship's pilot. He is a social buttefly and is not rash or impulsive. Also the best cook on the ship. Inclined towards Fe-dom. He's not built like a fashion model so I'd go with ENFJ. For some reason Amos, who is usually cold and unfriendly really likes hanging out with Alex.
Bobbie Draper - ISFP - Martian marine, she wants to do good but has a quick anger and foul mouth. Gets along well with Chrisjen Avasarala, UN Secretary General.
Chrisjen Avasarala - ESFJ - Dresses flamboyantly, a cunning politician, goes for the jugular if you stand in her way. Swears like a truck-driver.
Sadawir Errinwright - Chrisjen Avasarala's protege, another Earther politician. Much more controlled and underhanded then Chrisjen. I was inclined to say ENFJ but I typed Alex Kamal as ENFJ too and they are not alike so maybe an ENTJ.
Joe Miller - jaded, amoral detective and anti-hero. Definitely an SP. Maybe an ESFP.
Fred Johnson - ESTJ - OPA (Belter) Leader. Also formerly a Colonel under Earth Armed Forces.
Anderson Dawes - ISTP - Leader of an OPA militant faction
Marco Inaros - ISTP - Naomi's ex-husband, an operative of the OPA Free Navy.
Camina Drummer - ISTJ - Fred Johnson's assistant.
Klaes Ashford - A veteran and well respected but now aged and mellow pirate. Lost his daughter fire and is now protective of Camina as a daughter. Might be an ESFP.

Also a scene below with James Holden, Amos Burton and Alex Kamal, regarding Naomi Nagata.