As the demand for mainstream sci-fi television continues to grow, many shows go in and out of relevance as time passes. However, if there is one sci-fi series that refuses to be reduced to a fleeting trend, it is Prime Video‘s near-perfect masterpiece, The Expanse.

Sci-fi experienced a dry spell for quite some time, especially on the small screen, when high-concept shows were constantly canceled while the mass-appealing formulaic ones dominated streaming. Things are finally starting to improve, and it looks like hard sci-if is now getting the attention it was denied.

But long before hard sci-fi retained its lost luster, it was Prime Video’s The Expanse that paved the way for its streaming resurgence.

The Expanse Was The Perfect Sci-Fi Show

Most sci-fi shows are either heavy on spectacle or stand on the strength of their core concepts to appeal to audiences. The Expanse, in contrast, offers everything from scientific plausibility to geopolitical complexity, from layered character beats to psychological depth.

In its seven-season runtime, the show almost makes a character out of outer space by treating the vacuum not as a neutral backdrop but as an ever-present force that shapes politics, culture, survival, and moral choices.

It also pays heavy attention to detail when it comes to character appearances and the resulting politics based on different locations in space. For instance, the ones raised in low gravity, “Belters,” end up having lower bone densities and longer limbs. This, in turn, allows the show to walk through a narrative about the fundamental civil rights struggle of the oppressed and under-privileged.

The scale of the story in The Expanse is projected to a planetary level. However, the conflicts that drive its narrative feel grounded and driven by real, relatable stakes. While the UN (Earth) comes off as a declining superpower from the real world, the MCRN (Mars) seems like a militaristic meritocracy focused on the singular goal of terraforming. Meanwhile, the OPA (The Belt) accommodates those who work tirelessly but gain nothing in return.

In a lot of ways, the show’s portrayal of geopolitics is even reminiscent of 20th-century Cold War dynamics. As it progresses, The Expanse also seamlessly blends these political underpinnngs with existential horror and gripping mysteries, making it one of the most “complete” sci-fi shows that have graced the small screen.

Replacing The Expanse Might Be Impossible

Ray Bradbury once said:

“Science fiction is really sociological studies of the future, things that the writer believes are going to happen by putting two and two together.”

James S. A. Corey’s The Expanse books and their Prime Video adaptation are perfect representations of Bradbury’s quote because they approach the future not as a distant fantasy, but as a logical extension of humanity’s present world. The Expanse may not get everything right about the future. However, its portrayal of the fundamental nature of human ambition, tribalism, and heroism will remain relevant for a long time.

What The Expanse achieves with its projection of the future and reflection of current politics is a rare feat in the genre.

The show also benefits from getting the chance to last for seven seasons, allowing it to truly explore the full scope of its ideas. Considering the present streaming trends, it is a big deal if a show even gets to last as long as four seasons. Owing to this, it seems unlikely there will be another sci-fi show like The Expanse in the near future.

Will The Expanse Ever Come Back?

In its seven-season runtime, The Expanse covered six books from the original series. Beyond this, the books’ story jumps 30 years ahead in time and unfolds through three installments referred to as the Laconia trilogy:

• Persepolis Rising
• Tiamat’s Wrath
• Leviathan Falls

The fact that the show stopped its run before the time jump suggests that its source material offers it more stories to tell. However, considering how nearly seven years have passed since it ended its run, it seems unlikely it will return to the small screen.

A new reboot of the Prime Video show could happen in the future, or a spinoff could focus on the Laconia trilogy. However, for now, viewers who miss The Expanse can fill its void by checking out other ambitious hard sci-fi shows like Foundation and 3 Body Problem.