Spoilers The Expanse Season 5

With the weather in my parts being crappy and being stuck home, I did a mini binge of the first 5 episodes last night. I’m still impressed with the writing and pace of this season. The episodes flowed so well together it was like watching a beautiful, engaging movie. I’m loving it!

 

The Expanse is one of the few examples I can think of where the show is literally better than the books. The show does a much better job with villains for example, who are much more of the mustache-twirl variety in the novels.

 

The way I look at it, given the original authors' close involvement on the show, I tend to see it less of an adaptation and more of a subsequent draft. It's the same story, with largely the same characters, plot beats and key scenes, only it's tighter, leaner and meaner. There's not a single ounce of narrative fat on this show!

 

Honestly one of the things I appreciate most about the show is despite it being what I would call a plot-driven series, the show always takes its time with the characters. Nearly every single episode has scens which - in terms of plot - are arguably throwaway, but help us to understand who the characters are, what they are feeling, and the current dynamic between them.

 

I have not read the books. But I concur. The show is F'ing awesome!

 

They've slowed things to a crawl since the attacks, I thought we'd get a bit more Chrissy but she was barely in it again and it was more of the same as the previous episode. Still a really good episode, apart from that awfully edited part with Peaches, hokey as fuck.

 

Yeah, S5E6 was pretty much just a continuation of the previous episode with the chess pieces being nudged into slightly different positions. Some good stuff with Amos and 'Peaches', the Belter stuff was interesting with Drummer having to make some tough decisions and probably knowing that Marcos has Naomi on this ship (Filip flub!). Too little Chrissy and Holden story this week. The adventures of Bobby and Alex was fun, nice to see the NCR armor again. Can't wait for next week, I want more!

Q2

 

The actual attack scene between Peaches and the other guy took me out of the episode a little bit. It was so weird and out of the blue. I also would have liked more with Bobbie and Alex, considering that's how the last episode ended. It was kind of an after thought here. Other than that, I really liked this episode and the Amos story continues to be my favorite so far. Also, the scene with Avasarela and the new General was really really heartbreaking.

 

Yeah, this was mostly a "Not The Walking Dead Quite Yet Featuring Amos and Peaches" episode, that was a little muddled by the necessity of having to check in with *everyone* else for at least a scene or two each. Still, it pretty much flew by for me, so that's a good sign that they're doing it right! It can't be all go all the time and you need a lull for character development and pacing.

That said, between Bobbie and Alex, and Amos and Peaches (I've completely forgotten her actual name) literally wrecking faces, there was a fair amount of action for a "quiet episode".

 

Not surprising. I think it was mentioned when Amos arrived at the prison and never mentioned again.

 

^Clarissa Mao, alias Melba Koh, hence the nickname, for Peach Melba, an ice-cream dish (and a bit fancy considering the holes in Amos's knowledge base).

 

I don't remember if it was here or on another site talking about Amos and how Holden and Co. are his morals as he knows he's not a good person but desires to act as one. Acting as a good person without being a good person is an interesting notion.

That scene was oddly mounted.

Could be worse, he could call her "Toast".

 

I binge watched Seasons 2-4, then watched the Season 5 episodes. Now, I am re-watching Season 1. I had last seen when it first premiered. I can see why the series has got the praise it has received. I really like this series.

I like much of the last episode.
Biggest positive - The developing friendship between Clarissa and Amos.
Biggest negative - The fight between Clarissa and the survivalist.

It will be disappointing not to have Alex in the final season. However, after reading what led to the decision to terminate the actor from the show, I am in support of what was done.

 

Think I've been living in Canada too long.

Thing that struck me the most about the episode was Amos and Clarissa out in the snow without gloves and any sort of headwear.

 

I was thinking it looked way too snowy for the mid-Atlantic location they are supposed to be in.

 

We'll hand wave that away as a result of the asteroid impacts messing with the climate (might not be enough to cause a nuclear winter but there would have still be a colossal amount of dirt and crud thrown in the atmosphere over the imapct areas that could localise the effect).

 

Draping yourself in a UN flag is enough to war off the cold, apparently.

 

Snow as far south as northern Florida is not unknown. The view shown of Earth from space indicated perhaps that the episode is set during the northern hemisphere's winter with the terminator position suggesting the time of year is nearer one of the equinoxes than the solstice. Amos also mentions that the Sun also appears to be as dim as the full Moon, suggesting that sunlight is being blocked by the debris thrown into the upper atmosphere.

 

Yes, I know, I live in this general region. But it's rare - and furthermore we know the Earth in the series has been wracked by global warming to a far greater degree than the present.