"My quick review of three sci-fi shows" Topic

I recently finished watching Killjoys, Dark Matter and most of The Expanse. Here were my thoughts on each one

Killjoys

Its what I call "watch charismatic people have fun" show. Musketeers was the same, and partly Ripper Street.
Essentially you are going to like this show only if you enjoy the chemistry and good looks of the protagonist trio (and they damn look good). The script is crap, the setting is crap (essentially take a leftist caricature of feudal europe to space), and most of the stories are forgettable. The sci fi theme is just that, and very shallow.

However the protagonists do enjoy doing their job, and they have good charisma, and its enjoyable to watch them interact.

So not as good as The Expanse, but if you like watching good looking charismatic people do stuff this is fine fun.

Dark Matter

Of the three sci-fi shows I sampled (Killjoys, The Expanse and this) Dark Matter was the weakest. Like Killjoys it was weak on what I like in Sci Fi, and in the quality of props settings. Like Killjoys the scenario is largely forgettable and the world buidling, and world boring. The premise does have promise.

A problem is that unlike Killjoys, the protagonist do not have a lot of chemistry going on and are not that fun to watch. The show lacks the energy of the Killjoy crew. Maybe that is in purpose, but I think that detracted from it.
That said the last third of the season picks up, the character interactions become more interesting, and the actors sling into their roles a bit better.

The Expanse

Now we area talking. To be fair this show is bound to be better because of more money thrown at it, and the books its based on giving a better script (not a guarantee I know). But I think The Expanse has done the best job of world building of the three. Furthermore the political situation is interesting. Not the usual evil corps story.

The show feels sci fi, from the settings to the small touches. Indeed its these small touches that bring the world to life. Anybody can shoot a dump and call it a poor station. Both Dark Matter, and Killjoys do it. But the dumbs of The Expanse feel unique to it, while those of the two others just generic. The scenario is interesting, and I like most of the cast a lot. There are space battles, noir, and even actual detective work (I have not seen actual detective work in while on TV).

Watching The Expanse made we want to play Gemini Rue (look it up and you will get why) and made me feel good. Watching Dark Matter or Killjoys just made me feel good.

Of the three I think Dark Matter and The Expanse have the potential for better 2nd Seasons. I think Killjoys will remain enjoyable to watch as long the head trio enjoys it.

KTravlos

I've watched all three, and agree with your comments above.

The Expanse, which is showing now on Sci-Fi is certainly the best of the lot, and there's a lot of stuff going on in the story to keep it interesting.

My only dislike is the overly dark, space combat scenes, where it is hard to see what is happening (on purpose, I suspect, to save budget money).

Still, the space combats do appear to be the most "realistic" for Sci-Fi, that I've seen.

Recommended.

I'm really enjoying The Expanse as well. I'm just a little disappointed the season is so short!

Damon.

I like the first two as Saturday morning Republic serials I watched at the base theater as a kid. Good fun with popcorn and wine (red for Killhoys, white for Dark Matter).

I substantially agree across the board. Expanse has me hooked, Killjoys is pure lightweight fluff but kind of fun and Dark Matter has what could be an intriguing core story rendered very poorly.

If you like Expanse, you really, really should read the books…

Agree except for the swipe on leftists, was that really needed?

Dark Matter did get better as it went along, it appears to have taken too long to unwind some plot threads and the actors did not have much chemistry at first though it gets better.

To damn all three shows with faint praise, I'll watch them while they are on but will not miss any of them when they are gone.

All caught up on Expanse, wan to watch the finale NOW. Dark Matter is fun in that you are not really sure who can trust who, or for that matter who is what.

Killjoys was some fun, but I stopped and not hurrying to get back

Dynaman8789 yes it was I am afraid, though I can see that it is very offensive and perhaps "classical view" would had been better. But the whole theme reminded me of a entry in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (yes I have one of those, I also have a 1960s US encyclopedia that gives it a run for its money for the absurd).

You can do feudal society in space, but the new social history (mostly done by leftist academics by the way) indicates that the classical view promulgated (by older leftist academics and politicos, and classical liberals of the Whig tradtions-should had picked on those as well)) about the feudal world is pretty much a caricature. BTW I would make the same ideological attacks on Weber from the other side just to be frank (It why I stopped reading the Honorverse).

Now a Killjoys with a sci fi transplanting of the new narrative would be much more interesting as the overlapping authorities held in balance by obscure treaties and charters, corporatist rights and obligations, and overlapping authority, would be really cool. But meh they went for the tired old thingy.

The problem with Killjoys is that the greater world hinted at, is just not that interesting. It really is a show resting on the three actors playing the leads.

I think Dark Matter tried to channel BSG with the whole trust issue, but it did it perhaps in too much a "in your face" way, and I think the actors needed some time growing into their characters (still not enough chemistry). Of the bunch Three is probably the best actor, and he plays a….difficult chap.

About the Expanse. I snooped a bit at the books and I will be frank the plotline did not enthuse me too much. I would prefer if the show focused on the mounting tensions between Belters, Mars, and Earth (with potentially multiple Belter factions at loggerheads), and kept its resolution in the Sol System. I can see what the author was going for by opening up, but I would had preferred a more political/ detective theme for a longer period.

> It why I stopped reading the Honorverse

I stopped since I couldn't stand to read MORE about what the characters were eating than what they were doing…

> but it did it perhaps in too much a "in your face" way

Reminded me of the early Star Trek TNG episodes where they tried (and failed miserably) to put tension between Picard and Riker. (and in Dark Matter the show gets better at the point where the find a better balance in the tension between who they think they are and who they are)

I have been enjoying the expanse and be waiting for part 8 as it showed me what I have been waiting for since reading the books.. I have read 3 out of 4 I think the count is. The books are far better then the show, a real pick up and never put down.

The show was a little hard to get into, and it did nnot really tell the story of the fractions, so a bit of a grey area.. but now its picking up, shame its a 10 parter so far. I just found out a 13 part season 2 starts in early 2017. Based on the book, season 2 should complete book 1.

BUT…

Books 2 and 3 really pick up, spread across space, more action… more mystery and bigger scale… question is read the book in a week or 2 or wait maybe a year for them to complete book 1.

But its the best show of the 3 indeed…

I like Killjoys. It's a fun show, not a deep and meaningful one.
The expanse seems good. I've not read the books (don't have a bookshop within 100km of me that carries SF, and I don't buy books unseen. I like to flick through them to get a gist to see if I like it.).

At least it means SyFy won't make anymore sharknado movies for a while. Win/win.