Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

The Expanse: Season One Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 11, 2016

Based on the writings of Author James S. A. Corey (a pen name for the duo of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck), SyFy's The Expanse takes a look at a grim, dark future where technology has advanced to allow man to colonize the stars but has not seen man evolve in tandem. The ten-episode first season is part noir mystery and part complex science fiction, exploring a relatable human condition within a much broader scope of place and time. Stylishly dour, insightfully dense, and incredibly detailed, the show tells a story that's fantastically futuristic but tangibly relatable and aware, exploring the human condition as it is and will be in the broader prism of the politics and social structures of a future that looks different but feels eerily the same.

The detective.

Two centuries into the future, man has colonized the solar system, but he has not come together in unity under the umbrella of progress. The United Nations controls Earth. Mars is ruled by an independent military power. The asteroid belt is home to vast resources that are vital to man's further push into the stars and the workers who toil for them. But the three factions -- "Earthers," "Dusters," and "Belters" -- are on the brink of war. When a young woman named Julie (Florence Faivre) disappears, a Belter by the name of Joe Miller (Thomas Jane), is assigned her case. A deep-space officer named James Holden (Steven Strait) is involved in an incident that pulls him, and several of his crew mates, into the middle of chaos and close to the spark that could lead to all-out war. Miller and Holden find themselves working in tandem to find Julie and expose a conspiracy that could undermine all of mankind.

Like the best Sci-Fi has to offer, The Expanse proves more compelling for its narrative than for its vision of the future. The show presents a deliberately gritty, bleak look that de-emphasizes future technology and highlights the grim realities of man and the seemingly immutable, if the show's forecast of the future is to be believed, qualities and characteristics that don't change with the times. Issues of equality, individual and collective identification, and nefarious, underhanded dealings dominate many of the program's broader arcs, eschewing any kind of hopeful Star Trek vision for the future in favor of the contrast that is technological evolution with species stagnation. The series' insistence on downplaying the technology -- it's not at all sleek, colorful, or in any way visually agreeable -- plays up the idea that man is not more than his place in the stars, and that, indeed, his ability to expand his horizons only seems to close in his opportunities to progress as a species.

The program's dim and grim façade allows for a less dynamic and fluid future environment. The Expanse stretches what it has at its disposal, but its narrative-driven existence compartmentalizes its visuals and renders them as mere support pieces in the larger dramatic context. The effects range from convincingly complex to rather cartoonish and cheap, but it nails the major set dressings and costumes with a blend of technological progress and gritty, tangible realism that, even set two centuries in the future, appear relatable to today's savvy audiences. Performances are strong, too. Thomas Jane invests a great deal of dramatic capital into the part, stretching the character well beyond his notable external qualities -- his hat and his hair -- and finding a complex center that defines more of the show than a single man. Likewise, other main characters are agreeably intricate with performances that dig deep to establish, settle, and explore the physical and emotional challenges they face while melting into the future world that's spread beyond terra but that's brought all of man's capabilities and follies along for the ride.

Below is a list of all season one episodes. Summaries are provided courtesy of the Blu-ray packaging. Spoilers follow.

Disc One:

• Dulcinea: James Holden and his crew investigate a distress call. Detective Miller searches for a missing heiress.
• The Big Empty: Holden and crew are trapped in a badly damaged shuttle. On Ceres, Miller uncovers clues about Julie Mao. On Earth, Chrisjen Avasarala questions a terrorist.
• Remember the Cant: Holden and crew are taken prisoner by the Martian Congressional Republic Navy. Miller deals with rioters, while Avasarala plays politics.
• CQB: Holden and crew find themselves in the middle of a desperate battle. Miller's partner, Havelock, goes missing.
• Back to the Butcher: Holden finds an unlikely ally. Miller's obsession with Julie Mao intensifies.

Disc Two:

• Rock Bottom: Miller gains valuable information from a hidden data cube. Holden and crew learn their host's agenda.
• Windmills: Holden and crew face a Martian military blockade. Miller finds a new reason to forge ahead. Avasarala visits Holden's family.
• Salvage: A derelict vessel holds a potentially devastating secret. Holden and crew cross paths with Miller on Eros. Avasarala receives bad news.
• Critical Mass/Leviathan Wakes: Miller, Holden and his crew are trapped on Eros during a station-wide lockdown. Avasarala is shocked to find the origin of the ships that destroyed the Canterbury. Miller, Holden and his crew learn the true reason for the Eros lockdown. When Avasarala finds she can't trust her closest allies, she fears for the stability of Earth's government -- and her family.

The Expanse: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Much of The Expanse: Season One's 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer favors a cold, bleak, dreary, gray- and blue-dominant color scheme. It's uninviting at best and inhospitable at worst, a rather grim façade that accentuates the series' noir underpinnings and darker themes. The show does occasionally allow for a more neutral or, at times, robust palette where flesh tones enjoy a fuller, healthier appearance and clothing and accents find positive, popping colors that don't simply blend into the dulled and diluted tinting. Detailing is fine-to-exceptional, though the digital photography and resultant flatness, combined with the mostly gloomy overlay, doesn't do much of it any real favors. Basic, organic elements like faces find enough complexity to please demanding viewers, while the series' environments that are often some combination of gritty and futuristic enjoy enough tactile texturing to help draw the viewer into the world. Aliasing is plentiful in lower end digitally animated effects shots, while other maladies, like banding and macroblocking, are largely absent.

The Expanse: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Expanse: Season One's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack packs in plenty of interesting little details and presents the broader sonic picture with aplomb. Many of the creaks, rattles, beeps, bloops, and other sounds of space travel are tightly interwoven into the larger sonic landscape, creating a real sense of sensory placement and immersion in various star side locations. Grounded city streets bustle with a favorable level of background activity. Music presents with an authoritative posture that pushes through the front and wraps around the back. The rears are seemingly always active in some form or fashion, whether carrying important details or supporting minor ambient effects. Directional detailing is a plus for the track, too, as sounds maneuver about the stage with effortless precision. The soundscape isn't perfectly polished, but that seems as if by design; like the worlds in which the show takes place, it's all a little loose and imperfect, but those imperfections actually often equal a more robust and rewarding listening experience. Dialogue is almost always well prioritized, only occasionally drifting under supportive details. Clarity and positioning are fine, whether hushed whispers or at rallies where speech reverberates about the soundstage.

The Expanse: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Expanse: Season One contains deleted scenes for "Dulcinea" (1080p, 2:12) on disc one, and that's it. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

The Expanse: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Expanse: Season One offers a strong combination of action excitement and complex human dealings as man expands his base and explores his universe. The central concept: the more things change, the more they stay the same. Conflict, greed, social structures, political squabbles, mistrust, and prejudice all define a future world that's very different but instantly recognizable. It's a very well done show, supported by several strong lead performances and production design that accentuates the themes without covering them with flash. Universal's Blu-ray release of The Expanse: Season One delivers high quality video and audio. Supplements are disappointingly limited to about two minutes' worth of deleted scenes. Still, the set comes recommended on all other fronts.