"The Expanse" by James S A Corey: 10 part TV series coming on Syfy

overscan (PaulMM)

overscan (PaulMM)

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http://www.danielabraham.com/2014/04/11/the-expanse-picked-up-at-syfy/#comments


Great books, could make an awesome TV series.
 
Blarg! Just when I had given up on television!
 
How are they going to portray the difference between Belters and Earthers/Martians? Not many 2.5m tall, ultra thing actors out there.
 
Abraham Gubler said:
How are they going to portray the difference between Belters and Earthers/Martians? Not many 2.5m tall, ultra thing actors out there.
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Easy just make the "short" people walk in trenches and film from the waist up.B-)
 
Abraham Gubler said:
How are they going to portray the difference between Belters and Earthers/Martians? Not many 2.5m tall, ultra thing actors out there.
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The Martians weren't exactly small either, the way they described the Martian marine in the second book you'd have thought she was taller and noticeably bulkier in terms of muscle mass than the "normal" people on Earth. What they need for the Belters are people with a build like the guy who played the Alien in Alien, Bolaji Badejo. He was about 2.2 meters tall and really thin. You only really need one person like that to play Holden's #2 whose name I forget, the rest can probably be done with tricks of perspective. If they can make Tom Cruise not seem like a midget on screen or make the bearded guy from Sliders look like a dwarf in Lord of the Rings they can figure this out.
 
Abraham Gubler said:
How are they going to portray the difference between Belters and Earthers/Martians? Not many 2.5m tall, ultra thing actors out there.
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CGI covers that these days, I suspect. See the Lord of the Rings, for instance.
 
Don't know, as i try to watch the trailer or Pilot Online, You Tube tell me "Not available in your Country"

Fans who watch it say that is Excellent Hard Sci-Fi and that SyFy has there "Games of Throne"
But i afraid that SyFy canceled the Show like there last five big series...
 
Abraham Gubler said:
First episode is out has anyone seen it? Any reviews? Worth watching?
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It was surprisingly good. Zero g is depicted more or less accurately... a lot of effort was seemingly lavished on one woman floating... especially in her mass of floating hair. Belters are shown as the book described... tall and ridiculously thin (something I've never bought: http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=7215). The plot was close to that of the book. The space scenes were gorgeous.

Syfy is famous for having a vast pile of crap ("Mega-something vs. Whatever-nado"), with the rare gem. This falls into the latter category.
 
Orionblamblam said:
Syfy is famous for having a vast pile of crap ("Mega-something vs. Whatever-nado"), with the rare gem. This falls into the latter category.
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Thanks for the validation I wanted to hear!

As to low-G effects on human development wouldn't natural selection favour the short stumpy person? Because of their limited dimensions from their centre of gravity they would have less momentum effect on their outer extremities as they spin and tumble through a zero-G world. Also arm strength would be in far higher demand than leg strength. You can grasp with your hands and strength is needed to apply force to things. Legs would hardly be needed at all except for some stabilisation and maybe kick off. High dexterity toes would be an advantage.

Also wouldn't space humans living in zero-G also need to be high-G resistant for space flight (acceleration and deceleration). So there goes long necks and elegant torsos and stomachs. Bull necks, massive thoracic diaphragms and strong thighs and buttock muscles would be needed so as to be able to move their head at high G, keep breathing and constrain their blood flow. The face would need small noses, recessed eyes, cauliflower ears and big lips for survival in emergency decompression. Baldness a definite advantage (no shedded hair to clog your vital air filters).

So wouldn't a zero-G breed human look more like a short guy, muscle builder (big arms, neck, torso and thighs) with very weak knees, minimal leg calves, small feet and big toes with the head of a Rugby second rower. And that's just the women.
 
Acting was decent enough & they imaged the hook in the pilot, so as to keep you interested.

For those having trouble viewing, a few good links...

http://www.couchtuner.la/watch-the-expanse-online/
http://www.watchfree.to/watch-2a4820-The-Expanse-tv-show-online-free-putlocker.html

K~
 
Seen the first 4. Really like it, though it does change stuff in the books, its definitely got potential.
 
Abraham Gubler said:
As to low-G effects on human development wouldn't natural selection favour the short stumpy person?
Also wouldn't space humans living in zero-G also need to be high-G resistant for space flight (acceleration and deceleration). So there goes long necks and elegant torsos and stomachs. Bull necks, massive thoracic diaphragms and strong thighs and buttock muscles would be needed so as to be able to move their head at high G, keep breathing and constrain their blood flow. The face would need small noses, recessed eyes, cauliflower ears and big lips for survival in emergency decompression. Baldness a definite advantage (no shedded hair to clog your vital air filters).

So wouldn't a zero-G breed human look more like a short guy, muscle builder (big arms, neck, torso and thighs) with very weak knees, minimal leg calves, small feet and big toes with the head of a Rugby second rower. And that's just the women.
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It might, but natural selection takes a very long time to show changes of that magnitude. If selective breeding is considered, that time is shortened somewhat. If genetic manipulation enters the picture, changes could take considerably less time - depending on how good you're at it.

If both options make you feel uncomfortable - the future is a foreign country: they do things differently there.
 
In The Expanse universe its an unwanted side effect of growing up in low-g/zero-g environments, not evolution or genetic engineering.
 
Arjen said:
If both options make you feel uncomfortable - the future is a foreign country: they do things differently there.
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Doesn't worry me. My great, great, etc, grand children are likely to end up like the submarine people in Seven Eves. Its a big ocean out there with lots of good stuff in it as long as you can avoid being raped by dolphins (yes they do do that).

PS I watched episode 1 a month ago and since then read books 3, 4 (had previously read 1, 2) while camping last week, amongst other things! Its a great TV adaption and a great book series. Getting into some cool interesting stuff thanks to our alien predecessors.
 
PaulMM (Overscan) said:
In The Expanse universe its an unwanted side effect of growing up in low-g/zero-g environments, not evolution or genetic engineering.
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In that case I would expect people to be slightly taller, less muscular, with various kinds of discomfort connected with fluids collecting in places where they wouldn't stay in earth gravity. I suspect bad things would happen with ankles, knees and hips.

I would consider proper food, rather than living in zero-g, to be a bigger factor in how tall people grow.
 
Thanks for the tip on this one guys. Episodes 1 and 2 were great, looking forward to the rest now.
 
Looking good so far. "Childhood's End" wasn't too bad either.
 
I have read all the books published so far, and this is a truly great series. I'm not that interested in seeing the screen version - apart from the fact that I don't subscribe to amazon prime, I have the main characters firmly imagined and of course the screen actors won't be anything like them...
 
Tony Williams said:
I have read all the books published so far, and this is a truly great series. I'm not that interested in seeing the screen version - apart from the fact that I don't subscribe to amazon prime, I have the main characters firmly imagined and of course the screen actors won't be anything like them...
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I haven't read the books but the series is pretty good.
 

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