I’m currently reading the books for the first time, just finished callibans war. I was wondering, should I watch the serie along with reading the books? Does each season represent a book?
They follow quite closely, as the authors were also show runners.
Each season is not exactly one book: season 1 is 2/3 of book 1, season two goes from there to half of book 2, season 3 wraps books 2 and 3. Seasons 4 to 6 are one book each.
Season 3 condenses book 3 quite a lot so you should expect differences here. As is usual in adaptation, characters and plot points are merged/moved around at diverse moments. A huge change is made at the end of season 5 due to one actor being outed as a perv piece of crap.
Books 7 to 9 were not adapted.
In the end, both mediums are great experiences and you should definitely enjoy both.
A huge change is made at the end of season 5 due to one actor being outed as a perv piece of crap.
Wait, what?!
Short version:
spoiler
Multiple sexual assault / harassment allegations came out regarding Cas Anvar.
But did the team at Alcon go back and revise the ending of this latest episode?
“The truth is,” franchise co-creator Ty Franck says, “it’s kind of a meaningless question in television, because as an on-set producer, I have literally walked off the set, climbed the stairs to my office, and rewritten a scene we’re about to shoot. And Naren has done the same. Daniel has done the same. I mean, that is part of the television process. So there is no sort of ‘once the story is set’ when you’re in the TV realm.”
In other words, they definitely did rewrite him out of the show, they’re just trying to pass it off by saying that rewriting is common anyway.
That was years ago. Has there been any progress in the investigation? Or is it still just allegations?
It’s very weird to me that they wrote him out of the show, filmed an end to that character, and then fired him. Often when an actor abruptly exits a show they just vanish and you find out how they died offstage somehow. This guy had to participate in his own ejection from the show. His character kind of dies a hero, too, which makes it even weirder. I guess they were trying to jettison the actor without harming the character.
The show is very close to the books in spirit, but on a scene-by-scene level almost everything is different. And some of the best characters and scenes in the series don’t have exact book counterparts—it’s worth watching for that even if you’re read the books.
The first book ends in the middle of the second season, and the second book ends in the third season, but after that it’s one book per season.
If you read and watch at the same time, be aware that the fourth season contains some elements from the fifth book that might be minor spoilers.
Tons of great answers in this thread, but as you can see from my username, The Expanse is my favorite piece of media of all time. Both the books and TV show are god tier IMO. The show is one of the rare examples where the majority of the book readers agree that the show is a top tier adaptation, as opposed to a lot of other shows based off great books that the book readers don’t like due to major changes. There are definitely changes to make the show flow better, but I’d say the changes are very well done and I’ve gone through all the books and novellas twice, and watched the show about 8 times all the way through.
Both the books and TV show are top tier sci-fi. Any sci-fi fan owes it to themselves to give either or both a shot!
100% agree. Excellent, tasteful adaptation. It keeps the feel, the most important characters, stories, science, etc. It’s my favorite show of all time, and the books are just perfect.
I’m a Chrisjen Avasarala fan myself. Amos’s conversations with “Chrissy” are some of the best dialogue ever written.
The first time around, I lived, ate and breathed seasons 1-5 in the space of maybe 2 months. I WAS beltalowda. I’ve never had such an immersive life experience in my 58 years. Maybe I lead a boring life, and my husband loved the show along with me, but he says he didn’t think in belter like I did. Beratna, sasa, pensa. I was fucking using belter in my head those 2 months. I came out of that period mourning not being able to watch anymore for a year. And I was so lost without that world and those characters that when season 6 came out it was like looking at a photo album of a lost close friend, knowing it would end after season 6 made me hate it. I swear I’m a relatively emotionally healthy individual with a real life…! Really…I swear! Lolol.
And at no point in that wild ride did you think about reading the books or their novellas?
Lotta beating around the bush in the comments. After you finish the books, then watch the series. There are so many little changes to scenes and characters between the two it will be hard to keep them straight if you consume both at the same time. The major stuff is the same and the spirit of the books is definitely honored in the show but from an enjoyment perspective I’d suggest keeping them separate.
I had trouble with the show as the books were still to fresh in my mind. I generally have to do a decade or so between so the details are smoothed away and differences don’t jar my expectations. I may try to go back and watch/finish the TV show, but I’m going to wait at least another handful of years.
As far as I’ve gotten through the books it is a very faithful adaptation, as everyone has said. It’s a really well done show—does fall victim to the usual dip in quality that any cancelled and renewed show experiences but well worth a watch.
