The Expanse 4x03 full-length reaction
Added 2025-10-31 16:55:01 +0000 UTCWatched on: Prime (UK)
For copyright reasons, full-length reactions don't include the show or movie footage, so you'll need your own copy to watch along with me. Ideally, you'll need two screens or two browser windows. One for the reaction, and the other for the show you're watching. Using your phone is also viable to watch one of them.
As many different streaming services in different countries often play trailers or recaps before the show starts, the easiest way I've found to sync up footage is to find the first RECOGNISABLE frame (ie. not a black screen) of the episode. Don't worry, I'll show you the frame to look for at the beginning of each full-length reaction!
This will be:
✨The first frame of the opening credits.✨
OR
✨The first frame of the cold open.✨
Once you've found the approximate frame on your copy, pause it. Next, play the reaction and you'll see a countdown timer at the end of the intro and when the show is about to start. Press "play" on your copy when the timer reaches 0:00.
A small (but muted) portion of the show will stay on the screen to allow you to properly sync up your copy if you need to adjust it. The easiest way to eliminate any small discrepancies between the two is to rapidly pause and unpause the video that's ahead until both are running simultaneously.
Note: Some of my older shows might have the first frame after the opening credits.
Comments
Wow, thanks for such a detailed response! 🤍
Linden
2025-11-01 10:23:04 +0000 UTCThe economics of TV production have changed a lot since the advent of streaming, and not always in good ways. A lot of the players are still trying to figure this stuff out, I think, and it makes for a rather volatile environment for TV shows trying to make it in that environment. The Expanse was, from the beginning, made by a studio, Alcon Entertainment, who always owned the show, from the pilot episode through to the last episode aired (Season 6, episode 6). Alcon funded the show by selling exclusive distribution rights to various parties -- The cable channel SyFy in the US, a few other channels in a handful of other countries, and Netflix got the rights in other countries. SyFy provided by far the largest share of the budget, though, and so without them funelling money to Alcon, the show could not have been made. Unfortunately, this deal was not a big money maker for SyFy. They had big plans for the show, hoping it would bring some of the prestige back to the network that they hadn't enjoyed since Battlestar Galactica ended in 2009, but the ratings just weren't there, and the structure of their deal meant that they basically only made money from airing on their network. As the ratings declined, the revenue they could get from the show also declined, and by the time they reached Season 3, they made the reluctant decision to abandon the show. Everyone involved with the production team repeatedly said at the time that SyFy had been an extraordinarily supportive partner and that they didn't want fans blaming or badmouthing SyFy. The show just didn't make enough money for them to continue to fund it. The cancellation of the show was announced by SyFy during the airing of Season 3 -- the entire season had been completed by then. Like other quality "niche" shows before it, a massive fan-run campaign was organized to try to save the show and find it another home, and Amazon Prime stepped up and agreed to take the show on starting with Season 4. The decision was actually made quite quickly; the time between the announcement of cancellation by SyFy and the announcement of the show being picked up by Prime was only a few weeks, which is astoundingly quick in the TV biz. The story going around at the time was that Jeff Bezos personally advocated for the show, as he was a fan, but the reality was probably a bit more nuanced than that. The show was vetted by a team at Prime who knows about such things, and probably wouldn't have been made if they hadn't also agreed that it was worth it. Amazon basically took a flyer on the show based on its quality and enthusiastic fan base, figuring they could turn it into something big if they played their cards right. They signed a deal similar to the SyFy deal, but this time they had full international rights to the show and some additional terms that made the show more likely to be profitable. Alcon still owned the show, but Amazon Prime was the worldwide distribution partner. Nobody knows all of the terms of the deal -- the TV industry is famously tight-lipped about such things, but the deal is known to have given Amazon exclusive rights for some number of years ("a handful" of years, according to insiders) following the airing of new episodes. Amazon opted out of making new episodes after Season 6, but this was less of a surprise to the production team; apparently the economics of streaming are such that 3 years is about the most a streaming show can continue to be profitable unless it is hugely popular. So Amazon pulled the plug after Season 6. They also imposed some limitations on the number of episodes that could be produced in that final season, though a lot of that was due to increased production costs in the COVID era rather than Amazon insisting on belt tightening. The likelihood of new Expanse content being made to cover books 7-9 seems to depend on who you ask. Alcon says they're not done with the franchise yet, and the showrunner has described the show as being "paused" rather than canceled, but some of that may be wishful thinking. Nobody really knows. It does seem that Alcon is either prohibited from negotiating with others to continue the show, or at least discussing it publicly, until the period of exclusivity with Amazon ends, and nobody knows exactly when that will be. There have been rumors about the show coming back, with some suggesting Apple TV as a home, others suggesting HBO, and still others talking about maybe a movie or two. None of that has been confirmed, and people who have inside knowledge have publicly been pretty critical of these rumors. So... who knows? But many of us believe the show will eventually be back, or at least we hope it will. It has generated a fair amount of buzz, has picked up new viewers by word of mouth and through the effort of reaction channels (like yours!). There have been a couple of successful comic book series by well-regarded authors and artists, one video game that did moderately well, and a new one in the works that looks like it might be really big and really successful, but it's probably not coming out until sometime in 2026 at the earliest. But a lot of people are hoping that that game, if it's as good as it looks like it's going to be, will help renew interest in the franchise and increase its chance of making it back to air. So that's the story, in probably way more detail than you wanted. ☺ Fortunately, you still have a lot of great episodes in your future, and I know a lot of us are enjoying being along for the ride. So keep it up! Maybe there'll be some good news soon, you never know.
Tony Camas
2025-11-01 08:05:45 +0000 UTCI would have loved seeing books 7,8,9 being filmed as well, maybe also some of the additional novellas. who knows, theres rumblings of the production studio picking it back up if the actors are availible and on board. and then can do it the same way they were.
Glad Tidings
2025-10-31 21:52:51 +0000 UTCThe reason for cancellation the first time (at Syfy, and yes it was after season 3) was due to a loss of ratings and high production costs. More specifically a loss in live viewer ratings as the network only had first-run linear rights to the show. Basically the same issue with Amazon as well. Season 6 was shortened and season 7 cancelled due to a decline viewership and high production costs. Shame really, as I would have genuinely liked to have seen the show continue on in more detail rather than the story being rushed.
Brian Jones
2025-10-31 19:54:02 +0000 UTC
