9 Years Later, Prime Video's Best Sci-Fi Show is Still Unmatched (and Its 95% Tomatometer Proves It)
It's a sci-fi that transcends its genre and will appeal to a wider audience.
Summary
- The show isn't afraid to tackle some pretty heavy real-world issues.
- There are many parallels to today's geopolitical climate.
- It was nearly axed after 3 seasons before a big name stepped in.
Sci-fi is a great way to deal with controversial issues like politics without getting into controversial issues like politics. That was one of the great successes of what is still (in my humble opinion) the best sci-fi show on Prime. But I'm not the only one who thinks so. The show has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 85% rating on IMDb.
Space exploration of real-world issues
Every once in a while, a show comes along that manages to draw us into a fictional world in such a way that it feels real. Think back to how fast your heart was beating when you watched the happenings in Westeros and you'll understand what I mean.
The Expanse, which originally aired on Syfy in 2015 and was later picked up by Prime, is an example of this. Sometimes referred to as a space opera, the multi-award-winning show tackles a lot of tough issues and presents its protagonists with relatable moral dilemmas against a backdrop of potential threats and political intrigue.
There's even a bit of neo-noir thrown in for added tension and suspense.
What's it about?
Ultimately, it's about real life. The Expanse is very character-driven, although it's worth noting that it's also visually stunning.
The synopsis of the story is that in the future, humans have colonized much of the solar system, but Mars remains a separate entity. The Red Planet has a powerful military and tensions between Martians and humans are running high.
When a young girl goes missing, a detective and a captain join forces to find her. The case takes them and their crewmates all over the galaxy and exposes them to a conspiracy that threatens the fragile peace.
Within this adventure, there are a number of personal and interpersonal storylines that are compelling in their own right and add depth to the overall narrative. Then there are other environmental factors such as bioterrorism and riots that affect how the team goes about their business.
Recently discovered alien technology also plays a role, leading to existential crises for the team.
See how easy it is to draw parallels to modern life on Earth?
At one point, the show looked dead
Despite pretty good ratings for a sci-fi show, Syfy decided not to renew The Expanse after its third season. And if you want to know how important it had become to its fans, some paid for a banner to fly over Amazon asking them to step in and save it.
But that wasn't all. Game of Thrones creator George RR Martin contacted Jeff Bezos directly to ask the same thing. Even real astronauts took to social media to ask for someone to make sure the show survived. Now, this doesn't happen to just any TV show.
Just a few weeks after all of this, it was announced that The Expanse was coming to Prime.
Should sci-fi fans watch it?
It would be weird if I said no to that question, since I just explained why it's so good. But it is not really a yes or no question.
The Expanse is clearly a sci-fi show, but it transcends its genre and can be enjoyed by people who aren't sci-fi fans. In the same way that Game of Thrones is popular worldwide and appeals to more than just fantasy fans, The Expanse is multifaceted and worth watching even if you don't normally like sci-fi (although if you don't like Star Wars, we need to have words).
The Expanse is available to stream on Prime Video in the US.