The Expanse
Summary
The Expanse , a Hugo Award - winning science - fable series , pays court to a authoritative sci - fi movie from 45 old age ago by directly replicate its initiative sequence . Based on a series of novel , The Expanseoriginally premiered on the SyFy web in 2015 before being pick up by Amazon Prime Video in 2019.Across its six seasons , the serial publication showcases a futurity where man has colonized the solar system . The Expanse ’s ensemble mould of charactersincludes Chrisjen Avasarala ( Shohreh Aghdashloo ) , a UN Security Council extremity ; detective Josephus Miller ( Thomas Jane ) ; and ex - soldier James Holden ( Steven Strait ) , who serve as an military officer aboard theCanterburyin the show ’s first time of year .
While Chrisjen process to prevent a war from erupting between Mars and the United Nations , Joe explore for a missing cleaning lady with ties to a large secret plan . However , it ’s what happens to James and the other survivingCanterburycrew member that will resonate with sci - fi devotee . By the end of the pilot episode , allThe Expanse ’s disparate main characters retrieve themselves pulled into a organization - broad cabal . With the solar system ’s carefully curated peace threatened , and the find of new alien technology causing existential disruption , the stage is set forThe Expanseto tell an imaginative story , all while borrowing from other genre greats .
How The Expanse’s Opening Perfectly Mirrors 1979’s Alien
The Expanseseason 1 , sequence 1 ’s porta aspect perfectly mirror the start ofAlien , Ridley Scott ’s 1979 sci - fi horror classic . Rigged as anice hauler , Expanse’sCanterburyroutinely collects frozen quartz from the rings of Saturn , which are then melt into drinkable water . On one of these standard jaunt , theCanterburyreceives a distraint signal , prompting the crew to inquire . sense something might be amiss with the S.O.S. , which was sent out by the Martian transportScopuli , some of theCanterburycrew extremity have misgivings , but they ’re legally bind to respond . At the vista , the mysterious stealth frigate , Anubis , put down theCanterbury , killing most of the crew .
After SyFy canceledThe Expanse , the series was picked up by Amazon Prime Video , which made several additional season .
While theCanterbury ’s destruction conduct to immediate system of rules - wide topsy-turvydom , the incident finally results in the discovery of extra - planetary life — not unlikeAlien . That said , the Expanse ’s opening sequence is cautiously plotted to mirror Scott ’s film . Memorably , Alienopens with the crew of the commercial quad tugNostromo , including Ellen Ripley ( Sigourney Weaver ) , in stasis , but they ’re awoken byAlien ’s ill-famed computer , Mother , after it detects a strange transmission from a nearby synodic month . Company policy require theNostromoto investigate any potential distress signals . This , of course , go the work party to discover an abandoned ship — and , by and by , the titulary Xenomorph .
The Expanse’s Alien Parallels Are A Homage, Not A Ripoff
There ’s no doubt thatThe ExpanseandAlien ’s opening sequences have the same key plot beats : a reluctant crew respond to a unknown distraint sign only to find a derelict ship and , eventually , aliens . One of the most influential sci - fi films of all clock time , Alienhas inspired an incalculable amount of movie and television receiver shows — andThe Expanseis no exception . The lauded science - fabrication series is n’t interested in ripping offAlien . Instead , it ’s pay homage to one of the genre ’s most enduring works . In doing so , The Expansenot only puts itself in conversation with Scott ’s film but deepens its own narrative by build on familiar figure .
The Expanse tends to obviate sure sci - fi figure of speech . However , there ’s one in especial that has a huge impact on the show ’s narrative at large .
The Expanse Draws From Other Sci-Fi Franchises Too
Of course , Alienisn’t the only sci - fi enfranchisement thatThe Expansedraws inhalation from . While the serial incorporates some repulsion element , it also leans heavily into the variety of political - thriller intrigue , universe - transfer twists , and unique world - building that make shows likeBattlestar GalacticaandStar Treksuch fan - loved employment . In fact , Easter nut and sly homage are littered throughout the serial publication . A prevention on Ceres , dub Tech Noir , is a shout - out to 1984’sTerminator , while a admonisher in season 1 , episode 4 ofThe Expansemimics one find aboard Alien’sNostromo – complete with a line about " scuttle procedure . "
WhileThe Expanseis eager to ante up court to its musical style brother , it also split up itself by not shy away from things like the gritty pragmatism of space travel ( and gravity).One of the most popular sci - fi serial in late years , The Expanse ’s squad knows that genre fans love the show ’s willingness to be part of the larger scientific discipline - fiction framework . The show takes this trait to the next level withThe Expansefinale ’s massive Easter egg , which feature nods to iconic sci - fi heroes , fromAlien ’s Ellen Ripley andBattlestar Galactica ’s Starbuck toMass Effect ’s Commander Shepard andDune ’s Duncan Idaho .
