Between The Man in the High Castle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Hanna, Prime Video has been the streaming service to go to for high quality, feminist TV series. The Expanse, a political epic considered the sci-fi equivalent of Game of Thrones, is the next hit show to join the list of Amazon Original Series with badass women at its center.
Based on the books by James S.A. Corey, The Expanse speculates on a future where humanity has colonized the solar system and Earth, Mars, and the Belt are on the brink of war. This show has one of the most diverse casts in all of sci-fi. There are so many strong, independent women from every background. The Expanse shows us a future to strive for–one with true racial and gender equality.
One standout female lead is United Nations Security Council member Chrisjen Avasarala, played by the terrifying and brilliant Shohreh Aghdashloo. Chrisjen is intelligent, capable, driven, and absolutely ruthless. This is a quality we don’t get to see often in female characters; women are expected to be kind, fragile, and above all, passive. Seeing a cutthroat woman take control in a sci-fi series is so, so satisfying.
Naomi, another female character breaking down gender barriers, is even the Chief Engineer of a spaceship. “I hope Naomi, and me portraying her, inspires people, and lets women of color know that they can either act and play these roles, or actually be the engineer on a spaceship. Either way! It’s everything I believe in. That women should be in positions of power. That people of color should. We are at liberty as artists to create worlds where [this is already happening.] And the more people see that, the more they’ll get used to it,” says Dominique Tipper who plays her.
It is refreshing to see such a feminist product from the sci-fi genre, which historically caters to the male gaze and often excludes progressive, well-rounded narratives revolving for its female characters. Recent developments within entertainment and science fiction, in particular, are exemplified within The Expanse.
And, of course, feminism isn’t the only reason The Expanse is a must-watch. With jaw-dropping visuals and a binge-worthy plot, you won’t want to miss the latest season of The Expanse when it hit Amazon Prime Video on December 13.
According to recent reviews in IndieWire, the base of the series is still present in the new season but it is more captivating than ever before due to stunning, exciting and technologically advanced visuals.
Despite the fact that the show is set in space, it’s dissimilar from its counterparts (Star Trek, Star Wars, etc.) because it combines sci-fi with realism. Rather than capturing a futuristic world one cannot even fathom, the series engages the audience with pragmatism.
Many fans have been patiently awaiting for the new season as Season 3 left off on a cliffhanger that has kept audiences on the edge of their seats. If you’re looking for a thrilling, thought provoking television show to start of 2020, The Expanse may be for you. Check out Season 4 now!
Featured Image by Leaf Watoru on Flickr
Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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