I don’t exactly remember how I ran into The Expanse, but I ended up watching it. At this point I’m a few episodes into season 2 and I’m not exactly sure I want to see the rest.

Every review and opinion of the show mentions how the actors are horrible and the writing is great – I must have terrible taste because I am much more irritated by the story itself than by any of the actors.

I really dislike it when magic is introduced into a world where it does not really belong. The majority of the first season was just fine with me. Most episodes ended making me want to see the next, and the brutal hard sci-fi universe was really captivating.

Sure, my sci-fi knowledge is extremely limited. I’ve seen all of the Stargate series, but that’s about it. (Unless you want to count working on Gundam movies for a few years.) That may be why the way they depicted Belter colonies on constant water and air quotas and the way multi-G acceleration wasn’t just “forgotten” (ignored) but instead made into a significant element, impressed me a lot.

Then it all went down the drain. They introduced alien magic, which ruined the entire hard sci-fi atmosphere of the universe. I don’t know if they just wanted to do a StarCraft Game of Thrones, but it’s not working out. At least not for me.

How, why is that even necessary? Isn’t there enough conspiracy, enough malice, enough darkness in a multi-planet human society to carry a show on its back? Firefly is proof there is.

I admit I appreciated that the creators at least know what good whisky is. Too bad the show isn’t about scotch.