Syfy’s criminally cancelled sci-fi series should have run for 10 seasons, and I’m still mad it didn’t see its story all the way through. Like many fantasy projects, science-fiction shows have the potential for long runways. This is especially true when they’re based on lengthy book series or tackling complicated subjects. The real challenge is avoiding cancellation in the streaming era — and while one hit series lasted longer than most, it should’ve continued beyond its six seasons.
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Given their niche audiences and lofty budgets, sci-fi shows tend to face cancellations more often than contemporary series. Some of the most frustrating examples leave their stories on cliffhangers. But even the titles that get proper endings sometimes deserve more time to unravel. Such is the case with a Syfy show that moved over to Prime Video. It had plenty of material to work with, but it ended too early to cover the entirety of its source material.
The Expanse Should’ve Run for 10 Seasons but Didn’t Adapt the Entire Book Series
The Expanse made its debut on Syfy in 2015, which should have been the ideal time for it. Based on the bestselling books from author pair James S.A. Corey, The Expanse functioned as a political drama set in a futuristic, colonized version of space. Considering the popularity of the books — and the fact that Game of Thrones was dominating genre TV with a similarly massive political story — The Expanse should have been a fast success. However, it struggled throughout its run, even getting cancelled after Season 3. It was revived by Prime Video, where it ran for three more outings. Unfortunately, it still didn’t receive the run it deserved. It ended after Season 6, despite disappointment from fans. The conclusion wasn’t as abrupt as it could have been, but it left threads open and failed to cover the entirety of the source material.
The Expanse book series consists of nine main novels, along with a collection of novellas and short stories. The books are hefty, too, so the show could have easily run for 10 seasons if given the chance. The adaptation made significant changes to the source material, but it wasn’t enough to warrant ending things early. There was more for The Expanse to cover, and it would have been especially interesting to see how things played out after the 30-year time jump of the last three novels.
I’m Still Upset The Expanse Didn’t Get the Run It Deserved
The Expanse‘s fate remains one of the most frustrating TV developments of the last decade, and in general, its run was disappointing. The show itself was well done, but its reception left a lot to be desired. The sci-fi epic had the potential to be as big as Game of Thrones, yet it never accumulated the same hype. This contributed to its early end, and it’s a shame. The later books of The Expanse opened the door to expand on the show’s world-building and give humanity a more satisfying resolution. I’m still mad it never got to go there, but at least fans can always experience the entire story through the books.
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Courtesy of Kadokawa / Shosetsuka ni Naro
