January 20: The Expanse 5x05

[kinetic_elaboration]

Meh. This was another episode that I didn’t really feel anything about and that felt like treading water to me. Maybe the lack of Chrisjen?

The thing is that except for arguably a period in S1 where I was into the world building and keeping a generally open mind, I’ve never really loved this show. I think I spent a long time waiting for it to get really good and then that somehow transitioned seamlessly into being nostalgic for when I remember it being good, or at least, better. That’s sort of how I felt during this ep. Like, remember when most of the main characters were on the Roci together and, like, actually interacted? Remember when you could tell who the main characters were? When the “Roci crew” was, like, a thing?

It seems sort of wild to me that that whole raison d'etre of the universe is like not really a thing anymore.

 

I was thinking about this specifically in the context of Amos, who is now tethering his whole story line and being not just brawny and strong but also smart and full of leadership qualities, and who used to be Naomi’s lap dog basically, and in the context of Holden, who is apparently most famous now for drinking coffee (??)–oh and constantly saving the day, I guess. Holden somehow didn’t work for me as the guy whose main character armor meant he was destined to save the day no matter what, but without that he’s literally just some guy. His plot hasn’t even approached A level this entire season. And I also can barely follow it because my mind wanders every time. Similarly, it’s wild to me that he and Naomi got together in S1. Since then they’ve barely been around each other, and have had neither relationship growth nor relationship conflict. It’s fine enough if this show isn’t really into romance, as it’s clearly not, but it’s still a really weird consequence that two main characters have been an established couple for almost the whole run and, like, frequently aren’t even in the same part of the universe?

Another issue I have with this season is Snooze Fest Inaros. This guy has no charisma. I feel even more what I said last time, which is that it is utterly unbelievable that he and Naomi were in love and had a kid together. Why? He is such a caricature of evil that he might as well have a mustache to twirl. And he’s so flat. I feel like he and Filip and kind of the whole concept of this story line was not thought out… it lacks detail and texture as a plot. And it’s like the connecting tissue of the whole season, which is somewhat of an issue.

I liked the short bit of Bobbie and Alex we got, even though, like, the only thing that really happened per se was that we learned something I guessed like 4 episodes ago, and I thought Naomi’s old friend explaining how the Belters can never get to the ring worlds was actually some nice, sad, touching exposition of the sort of central, unavoidable tragedy of the whole situation. Something that Marco could never manage, frankly, and why he remains so boring!

Anyway, it sure is a show. Maybe I’ll have a bit more focus for the next episode and will get more into it.