When a TV show gets unjustly canceled these days, it is customary for fans to plead with a deep-pocketed streaming studio (or possibly even a traditional linear network) to swoop in and rescue it. In the case of The Expanse, which was let go by Syfy in 2018, those cries of “Remember the Cant!†were actually heard by Jeff Bezos, who decided it would fit well in his Amazon media empire. The salvage operation took place over a two-week span last May, and today at San Diego Comic-Con, the cast and showrunner finally presented a first look at The Expanse’s Amazon Era, and gave a release date. The crew of the Rocinante will be back on active duty later this year on December 13.
In addition to a new trailer, there was also a short clip of the Roci touching down on what appears to be an alien world where the crew disembarks. (Is it on the other side of the Ring Gate? Is it somewhere in our known universe?) One really big benefit of Expanse finding a home at the streaming studio is the resource-rich nature of the company. The series was a pricy proposition for Syfy, which was part of why the network could no longer continue to produce it, but that’s hardly a concern for one of the biggest companies in the world. And this epic science-fiction adventure looks fantastic going into season four.
Another aspect of the Amazon transition? One fan asked if switching homes allowed the show to stretch its creative boundaries since it’s fully free of network constraints, and the entire panel agreed with a chorus of “Oh, yes!†Dominique Tipper (who plays Belter Naomi Nagata) said that means “more ass,†while Frankie J. Adams (a.k.a. Bobby) told the crowd that their favorite Martian Marine will get to curse more in the new episodes. So, come December 13, it’s The Expanse unfiltered.