Amazon's The Expanse Season 4 Review & Comments

Casimir Harlow

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Thanks very much for this. I really enjoyed the first 3 seasons, it is like a fast paced battlestar galactica with all the excellent effects. Great to know season 4 has a 9 and has maintained the standard!
 
I've only watched season 1 of this show and stopped watching because I found the acting to be very poor mainly for the lead characters in that season. Often I can see past this but for some reason here it bothered me so much I've just stopped. Also you could see the cost savings during the production in special effects etc.
 
I've only watched season 1 of this show and stopped watching because I found the acting to be very poor mainly for the lead characters in that season. Often I can see past this but for some reason here it bothered me so much I've just stopped. Also you could see the cost savings during the production in special effects etc.
It gets better I promise :)
 
Did Amazon pay them for some acting leasons then?
 
Did Amazon pay them for some acting leasons then?

No, they just settled into their roles.

When I first started it, I thought that season 1 was clunky. The main guy was too constipated, the pilot irritated the hell out of me (and tbh, only really grew on me the last season, and now I actually like him in Season 4) and Thomas Jane appeared to be channelling Mickey Rourke, complete with silly hat.

I had no idea where the story was going, and whatever future noir detective tale it appeared to be positing felt like a red herring.

Halfway through the second season it became something completely different, and well worth your time.

Halfway through the third season it became unmissable TV.

Get back on it, you won't regret it, you won't have been the only one who struggled with season 1, and it's not the only quality show to falter at its outset (think back to Buffy Season 1, and where that led to). It's just we've gotten used to shows either winning or losing viewers by episode 2, not Season 2. That's fast food TV for you. The good stuff still takes its time, but is worth it in the end.
 
No, they just settled into their roles.

When I first started it, I thought that season 1 was clunky. The main guy was too constipated, the pilot irritated the hell out of me (and tbh, only really grew on me the last season, and now I actually like him in Season 4) and Thomas Jane appeared to be channelling Mickey Rourke, complete with silly hat.

I had no idea where the story was going, and whatever future noir detective tale it appeared to be positing felt like a red herring.

Halfway through the second season it became something completely different, and well worth your time.

Halfway through the third season it became unmissable TV.

Get back on it, you won't regret it, you won't have been the only one who struggled with season 1, and it's not the only quality show to falter at its outset (think back to Buffy Season 1, and where that led to). It's just we've gotten used to shows either winning or losing viewers by episode 2, not Season 2. That's fast food TV for you. The good stuff still takes its time, but is worth it in the end.
Yes i agree. A bit hamish to start and Thomas Jane a strange character but they do settle down into their roles and i guess you get to know them as well. :)
 
Great TV throughout. Love the politics of it all. Avasarala is one of the great characters but has become too foul mouthed like a Scouse docker in Season 4. It was funnier when used more sparingly in earlier seasons.

Season 4 is the first time I feel I really fully understand what is actually going on. TV highlight of the year for me and will finish today.
 
Great TV throughout. Love the politics of it all. Avasarala is one of the great characters but has become too foul mouthed like a Scouse docker in Season 4. It was funnier when used more sparingly in earlier seasons.
The swearing seems to be something the streamers (Netflix/Apple/Amazon) typically don't want too much of but when they do use it, they don't know where to best use it. In that, peril scenes and direct conflict can be absent but throwaway conversations get sprinkled and certainly catch me out as to why the need there?
 
The swearing seems to be something the streamers (Netflix/Apple/Amazon) typically don't want too much of but when they do use it, they don't know where to best use it. In that, peril scenes and direct conflict can be absent but throwaway conversations get sprinkled and certainly catch me out as to why the need there?
I quite like her swearing whatever the context is. But just seems a little too much in the three episodes I've watched so far.

Some people do swear in the most ordinary of situations whether discussing the ballet, price of fish or weather. Some swear quite a lot, but here it seems too forced and unnatural in comparison as to how she was before. So its not as funny. But there is still truth in her world weary observations and knowledge.
 
Pardon my ignorance, but is the whole season up to watch, like Stranger Things was for instance?
 
Pardon my ignorance, but is the whole season up to watch, like Stranger Things was for instance?
Yes its all there in UHD. Assuming you can actually locate the UHD stream :)

I added it from my Amazon web account and then clicked more ways to watch on the Fire TV stick to pickup the UHD stream.
 
I quite like her swearing whatever the context is. But just seems a little too much in the three episodes I've watched so far.

Some people do swear in the most ordinary of situations whether discussing the ballet, price of fish or weather. Some swear quite a lot, but here it seems too forced and unnatural in comparison as to how she was before. So its not as funny. But there is still truth in her world weary observations and knowledge.
Avasarala always did swear more (post S1).
It may be another streamer trait, have more swearing/nudity (if any) early in and then fade it out. They seem to think swearing is a hard draw like initial bursts of flesh.
 
What a nice surprise, season 4 landing out of the blue for me.
Love this series. Even the first series was gripping in the complexity of the plot and the rapid pace it moved at. Thanks @Casimir Harlow
 
Yes its all there in UHD. Assuming you can actually locate the UHD stream :)

I added it from my Amazon web account and then clicked more ways to watch on the Fire TV stick to pickup the UHD stream.
Ok that's great, my weekend is sorted then, especially with this weather. Thank you mtenga.
 
Thanks for the review Cas, I am half way through this but only in HD....

It simply is not there for me! Checked on my tv app and apple tv.

I have seasons 1-3 in UHD but no sign of season 4 (not checked today) o_O

EDIT: it is on the website though, How bizarre! I will add it there and see if it shows up on my app I guess!
 
This is excellent tv. Can’t wait to see this series.

By the way, the swearing is so much part of the character. Read the books; her language is witty, hilarious and always devastatingly to the point.

The tv version is so pared down it’s effete.
 
Many thanks for the review and comments.
I completely agree that, on first viewing, and coming in “cold” S1 was confusing and slow.
But, it’s gets better and having now read several of the books (won’t win awards for literature but great page turners and I’m enjoying them) I have gone back to watch all three seasons from the start in order to get my better half involved.
Took until mid S2 but she’s now also on board so very much looking forward to S4.
On an aside did anyone else find the dialogue needing subtitles in S1 (seemed to improve in later seasons).
I think it’s a great show and love the lack of artificial gravity in the fight scenes!
 
Avasarala always did swear more (post S1).
It may be another streamer trait, have more swearing/nudity (if any) early in and then fade it out. They seem to think swearing is a hard draw like initial bursts of flesh.
Avasarala swears a heck of a lot in the Books...
A lot!
 
Best show of the last ten years. Proper grown up storytelling that doesn't spoon feed the audience and demands intelligent engagement. It's no wonder it got cancelled. I'd pay for Amazon prime for this show alone. Good going Jeff.
 
It's no wonder it got cancelled. I'd pay for Amazon prime for this show alone. Good going Jeff.
You can double thank Jeff since he’s ordered a season five :clap:
 
Hopefully he'll get all 9 books up on the screen. I get the feeling that he'd finance it even if he was the only one watching. Being the richest man in the world has some perks.
 
UN bad guy looks at Amos. Amos, sat across the table, looks at UN bad guy....

UN bad guy (Murtry) says to Amos
"Someday I think you and I are going to end up bloody."
Amos, with a smile on his face, says in a very light tone
"I'm free right now...."

Great drama and the best show on television.
 
I love this show. Watched the first 4 eps of season 4 in glorious hdr on both ATV and LG App. Yep Avarasala in the books swears like a trooper. So the TV show is true to the source in that respect. But they have swapped round things a bit. I’ll watch the whole season to see if I prefer how the show has done it compared to the books, But at the moment I agree best thing on TV - george
 

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