Copyright Screen Rant
Amid the myriad of sci-fi television shows, one stands out as the pinnacle of the genre: The Expanse. There have been several long-running sci-fi TV shows over the decades, but few have stood tall as what would be dubbed "quality TV." Instead, sci-fi TV shows tend to be associated with franchises like Star Trek, Star Wars, or rare outliers like Stranger Things. In the modern landscape of streaming, sci-fi seems to be a genre that receives less focus than others. For this reason, The Expanse remains a defining sci-fi TV show in many ways, one that seemingly would not exist in the endless streaming churn. In fact, The Expanse is regarded as the peak of sci-fi shows, exhibiting a range of qualities that others of its genre tend not to have. Star Wars and Star Trek rely heavily on nostalgia these days, and while that is admittedly effective, both franchises have had mixed results when breaking from the norm. The Expanse's six seasons, however, provide exactly the opposite: an original story, gripping tension, a lived-in galaxy, human drama amid otherworldly aspects, all adding up to a show that sci-fi doesn't get much better than. The Expanse Is What Perfect Sci-Fi Television Looks Like Both figuratively and literally, The Expanse encapsulates sci-fi television perfectly. Regarding the latter, the visual language of The Expanse is almost singular in the world of sci-fi TV. Gone is the sheen of Disney's recent Star Wars productions or the limiting space of the Volume, replaced by real sets that bring to life a gritty, somehow grounded sci-fi galaxy. The various locations of The Belt look grimy and dingy to the point of absurd realism, making each set feel lived-in. All of the ships look akin to what "real" spaceships may one day look like, as do the locations of planets both in and out of our solar system. This is mostly captured in-camera, with CGI set pieces being reserved for the more fictional parts of science fiction. Still, everything looks grounded and feels real, something that only the likes of Andor from other sci-fi competitors have managed. Above all else, The Expanse literally looks like perfect sci-fi. Then there is the grounded direction of The Expanse's storytelling. There are no lightsabers, alien invasions, or magical creatures found in Star Wars or Star Trek. Although The Expanse's central Protomolecule mystery was extraterrestrial in origin, the show constantly placed focus on how the humans of the solar system would react to this. The interplanetary politics of Earth, Mars, and the denizens of The Belt were at the forefront of The Expanse's storytelling. This extended to other radical movements, all centered around technology left by an ancient alien race. Rather than focus on the more unbelievable aspects of sci-fi, The Expanse kept its audience focused on more relatable aspects. This is not to say that the otherworldly parts of sci-fi cannot work, but the show wisely centered its story around things that could mostly be believed. This gave The Expanse the unrivaled ability to be easily investable, which, when combined with its visual style, made it a sci-fi show that could be taken immensely seriously. Space Opera TV Shows Like The Expanse Are Not Easy To Find As already alluded to, space opera sci-fi TV shows like The Expanse are an increasing rarity. Yes, there are many Star Trek shows in the modern streaming era, but they tend to embody the more whimsical tone of the original shows. Star Wars' many TV shows are similar, be it the animated stories or live-action shows like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. These other sci-fi shows have their serious, dramatic moments, but the franchises to which they belong lean much heavier into the fantasy aspects of sci-fi. The Expanse is different, proving to be a sci-fi show that is not easy to find anywhere else. It is no surprise that the best Star Wars TV show is Andor, one with a more serious, space opera tone than its peers. The Expanse is very similar to Andor in that sense. The seriousness with which it treats its story sets it apart from other prominent sci-fi shows of recent times, including AppleTV's efforts like Foundation and Invasion, which also include more fantastical elements. The Expanse Is A Reminder That TV Shows Are Allowed To Be TV Shows Another aspect of The Expanse that sets it apart from other sci-fi TV shows is that it feels like, well, a TV show. Star Wars is perhaps the biggest modern culprit of making sci-fi "shows" that are simply movies split across six to eight hours. Many other streaming shows, sci-fi or otherwise, feel the same, instead of feeling like classic TV with individual episodes and seasons. The Expanse season 4, for instance, spends its entire story on another planet, largely devoid of the characters and politics that were apparent in the first three. There are some connections, of course, but this truly allows The Expanse to have individual chapters, which is undoubtedly helped by being based on James S. A. Corey's novel series of the same name. These smaller, more movie-like seasons tend to be utilized to make sci-fi shows feel more epic. The Expanse manages this while still being structured like an actual TV show. This is just another example of how sci-fi TV doesn't get much better than The Expanse, despite the genre's continued efforts. The Sci-Fi Genre Needs More Shows Like The Expanse All of this is to say that the sci-fi genre needs to do better at emulating The Expanse. This does not mean streamers should outright copy what The Expanse did, but they should lean into the structure, visual style, storytelling themes, and realism that the show offered. Audiences can get their share of unrealistic, wonderful, fantastical sci-fi from a whole host of streamers and franchises. The Expanse, however, remains one of the few shows that offer a specific brand of sci-fi. Not enough sci-fi shows are being made with the same flavor that The Expanse possessed.
