The Expanse (TV series)
| The Expanse | |
|---|---|
| File:The Expanses tv logo.png | |
| Genre | Space opera Mystery |
| Based on | The Expanse series of novels |
| Developed by | Mark Fergus Hawk Ostby |
| Starring |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Production location | Toronto, Canada |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Syfy |
The Expanse is an upcoming American space opera / mystery science fiction drama television series on Syfy, based on the series of novels of the same name. Set in a future where humanity has colonized the Solar System, it follows police detective Josephus Miller (Thomas Jane), ship's officer Jim Holden (Steven Strait) and his crew as they unravel a conspiracy that threatens peace across the System and the survival of humanity.
It is set to premiere on Syfy on 14 December 2015.[1]
Plot
Two hundred years in the future, in a fully colonized Solar System, detective Josephus Miller, born in the asteroid belt, is given the assignment to find a missing young woman, Julie Mao. Joining his task is James Holden, formerly first officer of an ice freighter who is involved in an incident caused by the tense relationship between Earth, Mars and the Belt. Soon the two find out that the missing woman is connected to a vast conspiracy.
Cast and characters
The main cast of the series includes:
- Thomas Jane as Josephus Miller, a policeman on Ceres[2]
- Steven Strait as Jim Holden, executive officer of the ice freighter Canterbury[2]
- Dominique Tipper as Naomi Nagata, the engineer of the Canterbury[3]
- Cas Anvar as Alex Kamal, the pilot of the Canterbury[3]
- Wes Chatham as Amos Burton, a mechanic on the Canterbury[3]
- Shohreh Aghdashloo as Chrisjen Avasarala, U.N. Deputy Undersecretary of Executive Administration[2]
- Chad Coleman as Fred Johnson, the leader of the rebel "Outer Planets Alliance" (OPA)[4]
- Florence Faivre as Juliette Andromeda Mao, the woman Miller is searching for
The recurring cast includes:
- Paulo Costanzo as the Canterbury's medical technician Shed Garvy[3]
- Jay Hernandez as Havelock, Miller's partner[3]
- Jared Harris as Anderson Dawes, an OPA operative on Ceres[4]
- Shawn Doyle as Sadavir Errinwright, U.N. Undersecretary of Executive Administration[4]
- Kristen Hager as the Canterbury's navigation officer Ade Nygaard[4]
Development and production
The Expanse is based on the novel series by James S. A. Corey, a pen name of the authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. The first novel, Leviathan Wakes, was published in 2011 and nominated for the Hugo and Locus awards.
Syfy announced a straight-to-series commitment to a television adaptation of the book series on 11 April 2014, ordering the production of ten hour-long episodes for the first season.[5] On that date Syfy President Dave Howe commented: "The Expanse is epic in scale and scope and promises to be Syfy's most ambitious series to date".[5]
Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby wrote the pilot, directed by Terry McDonough, and serve as writers and showrunners alongside Naren Shankar.[6]
Produced by Alcon Television and The Sean Daniel Company, principal photography started on 29 October 2014, in Toronto.[6] The pilot episode was screened at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2015.
In May 2015, before the first season aired, writing commenced for a second season.[7]
Reception
Reporting on the pilot screening, io9's Lauren Davis declared herself "blown away" by The Expanse, appreciating its "incredible sense of scale" and its "deeply thought out future world that reflects on our present one, with high production values and characters who speak and act like real people".[8] Max Nicholson of IGN characterized the pilot as a "grim and dramatic", and a "very dense hour of television", with the terminology and large cast sometimes difficult to follow for viewers unfamiliar with the novels, but highlighted the pilot's "gorgeous" visuals and effects reminiscent of Battlestar Galactica, Dune and Firefly.[9]
See also
References
- ^ de Moraes, Lisa (August 12, 2015). "Syfy's Childhood's End & The Expanse Bowing Back-To-Back In December". Deadline.com. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ a b c Weinstein, Shelli (21 August 2014). "Steven Strait, Shohreh Aghdashloo to Star in Syfy's 'The Expanse'". Variety. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Petski, Denise (29 October 2014). "Dominique Tipper, Wes Chatham, More, Round Out 'The Expanse'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d Noonan, Kevin (20 November 2014). "Syfy's 'The Expanse' Adds 'Walking Dead,' 'Mad Men' Alums". Variety. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (April 11, 2014). "Syfy Gives Straight-to-Series Greenlight to 'The Expanse'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^ a b Bibel, Sara (October 29, 2014). "Syfy and Alcon TV Announce Start of Production on The Expanse, New 10-episode Epic Space Drama". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^ "The Expanse Renewed For Season 2 By Syfy!". Seriable. May 15, 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
- ^ Davis, Lauren (11 July 2015). "The Expanse Is the Show We've Been Wanting Since Battlestar Galactica". i09. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ^ Nicholson, Max (11 July 2015). "COMIC-CON 2015: SYFY DEBUTS THOMAS JANE'S NEW SERIES THE EXPANSE". IGN. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
External links
- 2010s American television series
- American science fiction television series
- Ceres in fiction
- English-language television programming
- Main-belt asteroids in fiction
- Mars in television
- Space adventure television series
- Space opera
- Syfy original programs
- Television series produced in Toronto
- Television programs based on novels
- Upcoming television series