Blu-ray

The Expanse: Season Two Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman, July 23, 2017

Safe : Miller, Holden and the crew of the Roci deal with the aftermath of their narrow escape from Eros. We meet Martian Marine Gunnery Sergeant Bobbie Draper and her platoon when the "Cuban Missile Crisis" between Earth and Mars heats up.

: Miller, Holden and the crew of the deal with the aftermath of their narrow escape from Eros. We meet Martian Marine Gunnery Sergeant Bobbie Draper and her platoon when the "Cuban Missile Crisis" between Earth and Mars heats up. Doors & Corners : With the aid of Fred Johnson and OPA fighters; Miller, Holden and the crew of the Roci stage a dangerous raid in search of information about the mysterious Protomolcule. On Earth, Avasarala learns an important truth about Fred Johnson.

: With the aid of Fred Johnson and OPA fighters; Miller, Holden and the crew of the stage a dangerous raid in search of information about the mysterious Protomolcule. On Earth, Avasarala learns an important truth about Fred Johnson. Static : Returning to Tycho Station, Holden and Miller butt heads about how the raid was handled. Meanwhile, Naomi and Alex deal with the post-traumatic stress of the incident in different ways. Holden and Amos interrogate an affectless scientist. Avasarala reaches out to an enemy to forge an unlikely alliance.

: Returning to Tycho Station, Holden and Miller butt heads about how the raid was handled. Meanwhile, Naomi and Alex deal with the post-traumatic stress of the incident in different ways. Holden and Amos interrogate an affectless scientist. Avasarala reaches out to an enemy to forge an unlikely alliance. Godspeed: Miller divises a desperate and dangerous plan that includes stealing the massive Mormon generation ship, the Nauvoo, to eradicate what's left of the Protomolecule on Eros; Holden, the Roci crew, and Fred reluctantly agree. Meanwhile, Avasarala discovers who is behind the Protomolecule project.

Home : It's a race against time as the Rocinante chases an asteroid, now hurling toward Earth. As Earth prepares for the worst, Avasarala is surprised to learn Holden is still alive and that the Rocinante may be Earth's only hope of averting a cataclysmic disaster.

: It's a race against time as the chases an asteroid, now hurling toward Earth. As Earth prepares for the worst, Avasarala is surprised to learn Holden is still alive and that the may be Earth's only hope of averting a cataclysmic disaster. Paradigm Shift : Earth and Mars search for answers in the aftermath of the asteroid collision and Avasarala wages war against Jules-Pierre Mao. The Rocinante crew continue their quest of eradicating the Protomolecule. Naomi and Holden's difference in opinion cause Naomi to take actions into her own hands. Bobbie and her Martian fire team arrive on Ganymede and are faced with the unthinkable.

: Earth and Mars search for answers in the aftermath of the asteroid collision and Avasarala wages war against Jules-Pierre Mao. The crew continue their quest of eradicating the Protomolecule. Naomi and Holden's difference in opinion cause Naomi to take actions into her own hands. Bobbie and her Martian fire team arrive on Ganymede and are faced with the unthinkable. The Seventh Man : The preparations for an Earth/Mars peace conference tightens the tension on Errinwright. Bobbie's debriefing uncovers a deeper mystery after the attack at Ganymede. Anderson Dawes uses the flow of refuges coming into Tycho for this own ends, threatening to destabilize the uneasy alliance between Fred Johnson and Holden.

: The preparations for an Earth/Mars peace conference tightens the tension on Errinwright. Bobbie's debriefing uncovers a deeper mystery after the attack at Ganymede. Anderson Dawes uses the flow of refuges coming into Tycho for this own ends, threatening to destabilize the uneasy alliance between Fred Johnson and Holden. Pyre : As Naomi tracks down signs of the Protomolecule in unexpected corners of the solar system, Fred Johnson's control over the OPA begins to collapse. A traumatized refugee from Ganymede may hold the key to finding a new threat.

: As Naomi tracks down signs of the Protomolecule in unexpected corners of the solar system, Fred Johnson's control over the OPA begins to collapse. A traumatized refugee from Ganymede may hold the key to finding a new threat. The Weeping Somnambulist: Holden crosses his own ethical boundaries in order to sneak into the war zone in his hunt for the Protomolecule and the people behind it. Bobbie becomes a pawn in the political struggle between Earth and Mars, but Avasarala recognizes her a chance to expose the enemies of humanity on both sides of the negotiation.

Cascade : Holden leads his crew through the war-torn and failing station on Ganymede. Errinwright and Avasarala have a confrontation that changes their relationship forever, and Bobbie discovers a side of Earth that shakes her basic understanding of her enemy.

: Holden leads his crew through the war-torn and failing station on Ganymede. Errinwright and Avasarala have a confrontation that changes their relationship forever, and Bobbie discovers a side of Earth that shakes her basic understanding of her enemy. Here There Be Dragons : The Roci crew make a gruesome discovery, unleashing something they can't comprehend. Bobbie makes a decision that changes her future and remakes her past, while Avasarala finally makes contact with the elusive Jules Pierre-Mao.

: The crew make a gruesome discovery, unleashing something they can't comprehend. Bobbie makes a decision that changes her future and remakes her past, while Avasarala finally makes contact with the elusive Jules Pierre-Mao. The Monster and the Rocket : A horrible discovery in a secret lab pushes Naomi and Holden apart and sets the crew of the Roci against each other. Avasarala and Bobbie make a dangerous rendezvous with the fate of humanity in the balance, and a result that no one on either side could anticipate.

: A horrible discovery in a secret lab pushes Naomi and Holden apart and sets the crew of the against each other. Avasarala and Bobbie make a dangerous rendezvous with the fate of humanity in the balance, and a result that no one on either side could anticipate. Caliban's War: The relief of the Roci's narrow escape is shattered by an unexpected enemy, and the crew is forced to fight to save the ship. Avasarala is trapped by enemies and far from help, with Bobbie Draper her only chance to survive.

These aren't the voyages of some fancy starship traveling well beyond the solar system to places where no man has gone before. No, in, the interstellar actions are limited to Earth's own back yard, a relative stone's throw out to Mars and the mid-system asteroid belt where competition for political dominance and resources define the future-current state of affairs. The show, both its excellent first season and its equally engaging and, well, narrativelysecond, deals in dense politics, expressive characters, quality visual effects, intense action, and no shortage of engaging and evolving plot dynamics that fluctuate along the arc and are influenced by all of the many moving pieces that are at work in any episode and through full seasons. Show Runner Naren Shankar has, in two seasons, put together one of the best shows on television, one that's narratively engaging, timely to contemporary audiences in the best tradition of the Sci-Fi genre, and supported by intense and engaging action. It's a full package with season two only building upon the best qualities from season one, evolving them in positive directions and expanding the show in favorable directions that promise a fantastic third season in 2018.Official synopsis:is unsurprisingly relevant, a show that offers fantastic and forward-thinking plot dynamics that clearly, but not intrusively, parallel so many of today's contentious geopolitical headlines, here simply transplanted into outer space and along some of the closer, astronomically speaking, areas around earth. The show's strengths lie in its diversity, not diversity it so often makes headlines today but diversity in narrative branches and the way they all tie together and influence one another, from intimate ship's operations to large-scale political dynamics. The show operates on many different levels, but congruently. Season two only builds on that. It's a continuation of season one, so the core hasn't changed, even as the basic plot line evolves. It's tight at 13 episodes, not so sprawling as to dilute it and not too brief to sell it short.Season two follows basic follow-up guidelines. It's not necessarily bigger, though the show does grow within its confines. Characters grow too, but the show never feels inorganic or pushing for the sake of pushing. It finds a fantastic blend of action and drama, both in various scales, and the season's big threat -- the Protomolecule, which is more sinister than it sounds -- offers an enticing ebb and flow that promises severe consequences one way or the other. It's mysterious, alluring, dangerous, its origins unknown. The season does a great job of dripping out information with plenty left for season three, where it will no doubt further influence the show's larger sphere. Beyond that, though, is the expansion of narrative ideas, continued amazing visual effects, rock-solid and in-depth performances, quality character growth: it's everything fans could have wanted, and it's certainly one of the best shows going on TV today.The following episodes comprise season two. Summaries are courtesy of the Blu-ray packaging. Some spoilers follow.