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I wonder if they had to stop filming because of lockdown, so padded it all out with - well - padding... as in used lots of footage that might otherwise have hit the editing room floor.
It's been a slow burn this season, but could be a good thing, as they're not rushing as if they're going to not get another season!
It has been weird the split, but think it's all coming to a head soon, lots of loose ends though from seasons gone, but if they are getting a new lease of life from amazon then it could be good, but yes, Holden has been minimal this season, same with the Martians, it's pretty much Naomi and Amos this season.
It is slow, slow Expansposition, so slow I stopped and did seasons 1-2 Westworld instead, now on WW3 and it’s become a bit boring/contrived/wtf so back to Expanse which I’m enjoying again. Lockdown binging does not produce patience
WW1 was going guns at 110% all the way through.
WW2 was, erm, well it was ok.
WW3 was an absolute disaster with a handful of amazing set pieces.
This season seems very slow and for me starting to get a bit boring.
It’s not always a bad thing if there is character development but I’m not so sure there has even been much of that going on
Not forgetting the incredibly deep and meaningful part where it was revealed drummer sleeps with all of her crew - get this - at the same time. Crew that hitherto had not appeared in the plot, and presumably won't again.
Yawn.
When is Naomi's ship going to blow up? She's been trapped on it for 3 episodes!
Belters being poly is a huge part of the book. You are stuck with the same 4 or 5 people for years (time is sped up somewhat on the tv, books it takes months to get places) so people are pretty fluid with thier sleeping arrangements....
It’s not always a bad thing if there is character development but I’m not so sure there has even been much of that going on.
IT's season 5, we already know 90% of the cast.
I am glad that I am not the only one who is finding season 5 a bit ponderous at times, ha ha!
The last 3 episodes have been quite dull at times.
The expanse is certainly one of my favourite TV programs, but I'm a sci-fi geek. If I wasn't then I'm not sure I would still be with it.
Patchy pacing is absolutely par for the course with bloated 10 episode streaming series. It is a really noticeable pattern that episodes 1 - 3 are good to hook you back in then a chunk of tedium in the middle before a finale.
This is particularly noticeable when I switch to something with tighter pacing. The density of story telling in the shorter forms like a film or shorter series definitely keeps me more engaged. Recently the Small Axe anthology and It's a Sin, maybe Queens gambit too have been far better for their shorter forms. And Chernobyl was the best bit of TV for years at only 5 episodes.
Streaming giants just want you to have more stuff to watch so you don't finish it too quick and stop paying your sub.
Oh and I really don't like the actor that plays Marco. I can't really put my finger on it, maybe as he struggles with the belter accent, but every time he comes on the screen my heart sinks.
Belters being poly is a huge part of the book.
Yet not part of the TV series, so it felt like the showrunners were filling the gaping gaps in their plot development with some completely unrelated lowest common denominator filler material.
Yet not part of the TV series, so it felt like the showrunners were filling the gaping gaps in their plot development with some completely unrelated lowest common denominator filler material.
I don't know. If that wasn't highlighted I think the question would be why doesn't Drummer just shoot Karal in the head and go save Naomi.
As it is they are illustrating how it's more than just a crew she has around her, it's her family.
But yeah, having this internal conflict stretches what should have been a one episode decision out to three, (or more).
I got the belters-are-close-family thing already, sort of like season 1 already.
Enjoyed episode 9; so pleased that Peaches and Timmy have finally got into orbit. Naomi's actions on her ship were rather mysterious- can anyone enlighten me?
Well, that season went kinda like the rebound adjuster on an old pair of Manitous I had a while back...
Megaslooooooooowwwwww to toobloodyfast in a single click 🤔😂
Yeah, felt like there were at least three or four episodes more than there should have been.
For all that lack of pace though, I do wonder if I hadn't read the books would I have any idea what was going on at the end with the Martians?
And also, how the hell are they going to tie this all up in the final series?
Finally watched episode 1 of season 5! I started watching on Netflix, and was a bit annoyed that they dropped it. As much as I hate Amazon, we get Prime free through our life insurance, so I am pretty happy to have been able to catch up with Holden and the crew.
I think it's been a really excellent series, with great acting and a great story. I love the interplay between Earth, Mars and the Belt. I think I'm going to have to read the books.
Back to s1 ep1 tonight. Remember the Cant!!
Personally I really enjoyed S5. Didn't find it slow paced (I have watched Better Call Saul). S4 was for me probably the least enjoyable for instance I remember getting really irritated by the episode with the falling slugs. Also thinking about reading the books.
If you've not read the books, do. There's quite some noticable divergences but the books are excellent.
I was fine with the pacing of season 5 expecting a big season finale payoff which as far as I'm concerned never happened, and a certain character's demise felt as tacked on as it probably was. Still, better than S4 but not a patch on the first three.
Yeah that death definitely tacked on, but at least they didn't just start season 6 without them & a weak explanation
And spoiler alert
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In the books it's exactly how Fred Johnson dies
Thought season 4 was the draggiest, Season 5 not bad, although splitting up the main characters the whole way through, pretty much, does away with one of the main strengths of the show. Some 'interesting' editing to resolve their tricky HR issue at the end! Did they just have to go through old footage to find some of the character just sitting there?
I read that they'd already planned to kill off one of the crew. It's to avoid that "immortality" thing that affects lots of TV and movie series. If you know tha main characters will always survive then the jeopardy seems less real.
I think it’s been a really excellent series, with great acting and a great story.
Acting was all good. The problem was the story - unfocussed and slow, too many threads not really going anywhere fast. Might have worked in the books, didn't work for a series.
Literally, the only point for Timmeh! to go to earth was in order to collect Peaches and arrive at the Rocinante again. And who knows if that will actually go anywhere.
Drummer's part was more than moderately pointless.
Bobby and Alex's conspiracy story just stopped. Until they appeared as the Deus ex Machina to rescue Naomi.
Major important tactical space battle and protomolecule incident - 2 minutes at end of series.
Two people walking through some snowy woods - what, 3 whole episodes?
Not enough of Chekhov's gun being applied.
The whole thing simply worked better when it was the protomolecule mystery with more focus on just one or two threads.
Shame it turns out Cas Anvar is, well, less said the better. His character provided some good comic relief.
I read that they’d already planned to kill off one of the crew.
Yep read that too.
Even without the "HR Issue" it seems like the one that got killed off was the obvious choice.
SPOILERS AHEAD
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<spoilers> Of the four main characters, you obviously can't kill off the Holden the heroic leader with his weird link to the proto molecule. Amos the badass with the murky backstory seems pretty safe. Naomi's story arc was pretty pivotal to the whole of Season 5. So who is left, Alex the Martian Cowboy. He is the only main character they could afford to lose. </spoilers>
EDIT I give up trying to get the spoiler tag to work
Or Bobby.
I thought S5 was alright by Expanse standards (very good by other standards). But not a patch on the first two series. I'm not a sci-fi fan so I think that what I liked about S1 and S2 was the detective / romance story with Miller (by far my favourite character) and the grimy realism of space travel and battles (with none of the 'make it so' stuff).
Well I skipped through to the end of this thread just to say thanks!
Somehow The Expanse had passed me by. I just finished S1 - really enjoyed it gonna crack on with the next season now!
Yes, one of the best series I watched for some time. We both really enjoyed it.
I started watching out maybe a year ago and couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be about so packed it in. Went back to it again after seeing the love for it here and just finished season 5. Excellent stuff.
Bump for Season 6.
Out today. Yayy!
But one episode a week. Boo!
watching that season 6 trailer I'm struggling to correlate between it and the last book in the series Not the 9.5 novella) apart from the last scene with the young girl
Strong stuff Rich thanks totally forgotten about this 👍 hope there’s less waffle than last series…
Fab, missed that !
Good news after S4 of Star trek Discovery (and back catalog) has moved to Paramount+, that's not available in the UK until next year.
hope there’s less waffle than last series…
Well they have to wrap things up in 6 episodes so I don't think there will be much hanging about, even in zero g
I'll wait until they are all out and binge!