The Expanse: Season Three Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

The Expanse: Season Three Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 22, 2018

War. What is it good for? How about another great season of The Expanse, the SyFy original show now in its third season and just as compelling, complex, and continuously entertaining as ever. In season three, crisis expands and reaches a boiling over point. New ideas and new places appear on the horizon, threatening to either destroy everything or expand troubles and tensions even further. New characters arrive and an old friend makes an unlikely appearance. The season forges ahead with new character and universe paths, building on the evolving narratives and character arcs from seasons one and two and promises some drastic changes in scope for the upcoming fourth season, which has been picked up by Amazon Prime after SyFY cancelled the costly show two months ago.

Official synopsis: As the war between Earth and Mars ignites across the solar system, the terrifying next phase in the evolution of the protomolecule threatens the very existence of humanity. Caught in the middle, the 'Rocinante' crew struggles to deal with tensions amongst themselves, while striving to survive and aid those in peril.

War, relentless action, an abundance of character and universe advancement: for a show built around high intensity storytelling, it doesn’t get much more intense than this. And, of course, the show’s, and the season’s, arcing plot is not black and white. This is complex and complicated stuff with interconnections and intersections of intergalactic intrigue galore, but it’s also high-flying entertainment: a perfect blend of smart and simply energetic. There’s a new surprise in every episode, and at this point in the show’s run, it’s impossible to cover it beyond broad strokes without spoiling what’s here and what’s happened and where it’s all likely headed. But the story has significantly expanded since it first began. That’s one of the beauties. It’s still recognizable, but it’s so upside-down from where it started that the ride remains fresh and invigorating and tensely engaging. Its scope, its character roster, its complexities and the far-reaching tentacles only grow, and season four, whatever shape it may take under new ownership, has a high standard to reach but a wonderful foundation on which to build.

The following episodes comprise season three. Summaries are courtesy of the Blu-ray packaging. Some spoilers follow.

Disc One:

• 301: Fight or Flight: The Rocinante crew deals with the fallout over Naomi's betrayal while caught in the middle of the war between Earth and Mars. Avasarala and Bobbie hatch an escape plan.
• 302: IFF: The Rocinante answers an unexpected distress signal. Bobbie and Avasarala find themselves being hunted by a mysterious captor. UN Secretary-General Sorrento-Gillis brings in a colleague from his past to lend an ear during this crucial time of war.
• 303: Assured Destruction: As Earth strategizes a costly ploy to gain advantage in the war against Mars, Anna struggles to convince Sorrento-Gillis to do the right thing. Avasarala and Bobbie seek refuge aboard the Rocinante.
• 304: Reload: The Rocinante tends to wounded Martian soldiers in exchange for supplies. Avasarala struggles with how to disseminate a key piece of evidence despite being in hiding.

Disc Two:

• 305: Triple Point: The search for Prax's daughter comes to a head. Admiral Souther's men plan for mutiny aboard the Thomas Prince.
• 306: Immolation: The final battle between Earth and Mars threatens the very future of humanity. A new monster is unleashed on Prospero Station. Anna receives the smoking gun she needs.
• 307: Delta-V: All eyes turn to the edge of the solar system as a mysterious new presence emerges. Naomi recommits to her roots. Drummer butts heads with a seasoned new commander aboard the Behemoth. A young Belter makes a name for himself.
• 308: It Reaches Out: An old friend taunts Holden with the answers he seeks. Naomi struggles to fit in. A mysterious low-level tech aboard the Thomas Prince enacts a terrifying plan
• 309: Intransigence: The Rocinante seeks a new gameplay as they attempt to avoid capture. Melba's true motives are revealed. Naomi is torn between identity and ideal. Anna seeks a way to stay aboard the Thomas Prince.

Disc Three:

• 310: Dandelion Sky: Holden sees past, present, and future. A ghost from Melba's past threatens her mission. Bobbie struggles to trust an old friend as she leads a group into uncharted territory.
• 311: Fallen World: Drummer and Ashford find themselves trapped with few options for survival. Anna tends to the wounded masses as Melba continues to hunt down her prey. The Rocinante crew struggle to survive as Naomi reunites with her true family.
• 312: Congregation: As survivors arrive to the Behemoth, two factions form over how to handle a life-or-death threat. Holden grapples with what he's seen and the choices he must make.
• 313: Abaddon's Gate: Holden and his allies must stop Ashford and his team from destroying the Ring, and perhaps all of humanity.

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

The Expanse is a fairly bleak show, but good intensive colors are to be sporadically found, such as bright blue ship engine wash which nicely stands out from the darkness of space, or various holographic and computer display readouts. A few boldly colored technological gizmos and some blood largely round out the show's more intensive color variations. The image is largely made of blues and grays, with other colors, including skin tones, somewhat toned down, leaving characters appearing a bit pale and drained. Texturally, the digitally sourced image is just fine. Essential skin, clothes, and environmental details appear refined and complex, and while nothing reaches the pinnacle of 1080p definition there's enough raw complexity and broad clarity to satisfy. Black levels are impressively deep, whether in shadowy corners inside ships or in the deep depths of outer space. Noise is an occasional intruder, as is mild banding, but other source or encode issues are few and far between.

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

The Expanse: Season Three's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is not gun shy about expanding into the rear channels. Action scenes take full advantage of the width and depth the multichannel presentation affords such elements. The track is vigorous, intense, and always willing to stretch across both axes. It's also well balanced in terms of carrying its atmospheric supports. Even small background or modest, but still scene-critical, elements are finely tuned and detailed. Heavy footfalls when characters walk in space suits, for example, are met with good, dense authority with every step, with modest, but enough, bass to actually feel each footfall. Additional subtle details, such as flickering lights, impress as they slyly but importantly draw the listener into the show's various environments. Music is clear, well spaced, and robustly presented. Dialogue is likewise well defined with good center placement and consistent prioritization, even in chaos.

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

The Expanse: Season Three features extras on discs one and three. No DVD or digital versions are included. The release ships with an embossed slipcover.

Disc One:

• The Expanse, Season 3: Preview (1080p, 2:21): A quick look at the season three story and some new faces that appear therein.
• The Expanse, Season 3: Teasers (1080p): Short-burst and focused season clips. Included are Avasarala (0:26), Bobbie (0:21), and Supertease (0:51).
• The Expanse, Season 3: "United By War" Trailer (1080p, 1:36).

Disc Three:

• Twitter Segment (1080p, 36:40): Dominique Tipper reads a series of fan questions from the Twitterverse. Various cast and crew serve up detailed answers about Belter language, set construction, costuming and makeup, and more.
• Avasarala's Closet (1080p, 6:18): A closer look inside the show's costuming department with Costume Designer Joanne Hansen and cast and crew interview clips.
• Flight of the Razorback (1080p, 6:21): A fascinating discussion of the series' slickest and sleekest ship so far, which is a design departure from everything else seen in the show.
• Klaes Ashford: Building a Character (1080p, 5:45): A closer look at David Strathairn's character.

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

It's fortunate that Amazon picked up the freshly cancelled The Expanse. Season three ends with more possibilities than it does absolute resolutions, so a further expansion of the universe and exploration into the story will be most welcome in season four, which will hopefully find its way to Blu-ray in some form or fashion. The Expanse: Season Three's Blu-ray delivers top-flight video and audio qualities as well as a handful of enjoyable extras. Highly recommended in conjunction with seasons one and two.