The Expanse (TV Series) Leviathan Wakes (2016) User Reviews

Pretty good season 1 overall

[851222 · 9/10 · 21 May 2017]

Greetings from Lithuania.

While "The Expanse" didn't blow my away with its storytelling, acting nor settings, 1st season provided me with a great sci-fi story (i haven't read books) overall. I love sci-fi in general, and "The Expanse" has a great sci-fi story - this is a hard sci-fi - and that good no aliens this time around, but the mystery of founding "something" at the moment is great idea, unknown treat that kinda feels like a driving force of the story itself - loved it.

I also liked the overall set design / make up in this show - while set design isn't spectacular or anything like that, it shows exactly how life beyond earth in a colonized solar system would have looked like - everything feels and look real - dirt, mud and sunshine behind the corner.

Overall, i will definitely will come back for season 2 of this show. I really enjoyed the concept and the story itself and while it isn't the best show around, this i really good sci-fi series for those who loves this genre.

Of Course the Convergence of the Twain Is Contrived

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 13 January 2020]

We focus here on a couple of storylines. One group is trying to find a way to the ship. The others are dealing with radiation sickness, trying to stay afloat while getting to the same location. Each has its own challenges. Meanwhile, the bad guys are continuing human experiments, using the horrible stuff that invaded Julie's body. But in the meantime, we are given just hint of what is going on on Earth. We meed Julie's father who apparently has had his own agenda.

Nooooo!

[Zenmasterme · 10/10 · 4 February 2021]

This is one of the better well written episodes. Unfortunately one of my favorite characters meets his ultimate demise. This episode kept me emotionally involved all throughout. I never want this series to end.

Eros

[narcis-48838 · 10/10 · 16 April 2021]

Looking back at this..no wonder that what happened has happened, but they still wonder..

Excellent finale and season

[anselmdaniel · 9/10 · 21 January 2024]

This review contains spoilers.

Leviathan Wakes is the thirteenth episode and is the finale to the first season of The Expanse. The episode follows Miller and Holden as they are on Eros station when an outbreak of the protomolecule occurs. This episode has the two become irradiated and suffer radiation sickness as they make their way to the ship.

This episode is a great conclusion to the first season to The Expanse. There are great elements of this episode where both of the characters of Miller and Holden must work together. Both Steven Strait and Thomas Jane do a great job with their lines. The episode ultimately does not conclusively end the investigation into Jules Pierre Mao or the protomolecule, but it offers a nice closer to the season.

Grade: A

The Expanse Season One

The Expanse takes place in the near future where humanity has colonized the stars. It follows the story of an ice mining crew as they become involved in a conspiracy. In the meantime, a police detective on board a space station unravels a mystery.

The Expanse season one sets up the world. The solar system is split into inner planets composed of Earth and Mars, and the Belt. Coincidentally this also represents the main powers in the solar system. Each of the three factions has a unique background that the first season explains. Earth has become a united government that must deal with its large population taking handouts. Mars is an independent power aiming to terraform the planet. The belters are the workhorse of both inner planets by providing resources to them. In addition to the setting, the series tells personal tales across multiple perspectives. The main arc is the search for the bioweapon and the conspirators. During the resolution of this arc, the conflict between Mars and Earth heats up.

The first season of the Expanse is great overall. The cast does a good job with acting, and the directing and editing are competent. The highlight here is the writing. The unique setting with well fleshed out characters makes the world feel lived in and real. Although this show takes place in the near future, the setting and characters are fully realized. The show is highly immersive in its use of technology being logical and consistent with the story. The only downsides to the show is perhaps its low budget. The CGI can look incredibly fake at times. If the viewer can look past this, the show can be highly engaging.

I would recommend 'The Expanse' season one.

Grade: B.

Ran out of money for episode 10?

[wd-8 · 6/10 · 4 February 2017]

There's a huge amount of time wasting in this episode. Episodes 1-9 were superb, but there's 20 minutes of running through tunnels and wandering around sets here. This is really a 30 minute finale, which sucks quite a lot.

At least the acting of the Alex character is improving.

Very little of the Eros disaster is shown here, but that would have required a substantial budget.

All in all, a superb series let down by the last episode.

I have high hopes for season 2, especially considering that it's 13 episodes.

Few Are as Fortunate as Julie Mao

[matthewjmiles · 6/10 · 14 February 2019]

'Leviathan Wakes', the tenth and final episode of the first season of the Expanse, details the escape from Eros by the Rocinante's crew and Holden and Miller, now united by their mutual predicament. Everything has been leading up to this since the show began, and it is... somewhat disappointing. I agree with wd-8's review that it appears that they might have run out of their budget by the time it came to film the finale: there are a couple of good set pieces, especially the arcade scene, but you can't help but feel a little cheated when the vast majority of the episode takes place either in narrow tunnels or in vaguely identical chambers full of sci-fi miscellania.

I have honestly enjoyed the first season, and I think there are a range of interesting characters - I really appreciate how diverse the casting is - and a story beginning to verge on fascinating, but my initial viewing of the first couple of episodes was years ago, and it has taken me quite a while to motivate myself to finish the first season. It didn't entirely capture my attention at first, and similarly in this episode I'm struggling to think of the good and bad points because not much really happened. I have heard plenty of good things about the book series, and from those same sources apparently it will take the show a little while to get to the really good stuff, which is absolutely fine, but I am a little apprehensive that the show has hung on to some (minor) trope-ish concepts and that it is a bit of a cookie-cutter, stupid sci-fi. For example, the inclusion of the little girl and Naomi stereotypically fawning over here was awful and nearly ruined the entire subplot. Another would be the uninspired resolution to last episodes cliffhanger - Miller and Holden being given an 'instant death' dose of radiation - in that they simply inject some nameless substance found right around the corner and it isn't mentioned again besides some gruesome sight gags. Now I can't fault the visuals or the acting at all, the show looks and feels beautiful, so whenever there is a slight hiccup in the storytelling it can't help but appear much worse. I have faith in those who are a fan of the property and claim that the later books and seasons are too good to miss, so I will be continuing into Season 2, but I am expecting a good deal of character development for the weaker characters, and for the stakes to be raised between the three opposing factions.

Season One

[zkonedog · 5/10 · 30 June 2019]

I've always been a bit of a sucker for a "space drama". From the idealistic Trek series' to the gritty Battlestar Galactica, the "soap operas in space" genre is one that appeals to me most of the time. When it comes to the first season of The Expanse, however, I'm pretty much split right down the middle: On one hand, I really enjoyed the world-building being done and the universe being created. On the other, there wasn't nearly enough mystery or intrigue to keep me completely engaged each and every episode.

For a very basic plot summary, this first season plays out somewhat like a mashup of BSG and "Blade Runner":

The BSG element sees a space vessel crew, led by Jim Holden (Steven Strait), witness what amounts to an act of space terrorism. People of Earth and people of Mars are fighting, and the "belters" (basically slaves) are caught in the middle. When Holden and crew witness the event that could prove catastrophic to the war, they are pursued from both sides (Earth/Mars) for the information they possess.

At the same time, police officer Joe Miller (Thomas Jane) is trying to track down a missing persons case, that being Julie Mao (Florence Faivre). While at first seemingly a waste of his time, he quickly becomes invested in her mysterious disappearance and figuring out all the intrigue it potential holds.

To be honest, that dual-plot summary brings up my first issue with this inaugural season: it feels like two different shows in one at many points. Though I understand the point/goal, as both threads are indeed brought together in the end, that convergence was ultimately not all that satisfying, meaning it felt like two potentially interesting narratives were getting short-shrifted for very little payoff.

Not helping matters is a plot line involving political figure Chrisjen Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashioo). I never felt like I understood what her role in everything once. That could be a "me problem", of course, but when her plot was front-and-center I would often find myself checking out a bit.

Like I said, this first season does a good job of setting up the universe and its conflicts. The war between Mars and Earth is an interesting concept, with seemingly much to explore. Also, most of the characters have interesting personalities (if sometimes prone to wandering a bit, script-wise). Put it this way: where at times I felt confused or a little bored, the overall structure kept me from checking out entirely at any point.

Without any outside knowledge, this is a show I probably wouldn't ever come back to. However, I have heard that it really picks up in the second season (general rankings confirm this), and the third might be even better yet. So, I'll probably end up giving it another opportunity at some point, especially with the S1 finale setting up a legitimately interesting plot point for going forward. Strictly as this first season goes, however, I'd consider it pretty average (maybe slightly above) sci-fi fare.