The Expanse spoilers follow.
The Expanse is rather fittingly named, because it sure did feel like this show could go on forever. Based on James S A Corey's book series, the sci-fi drama was originally axed by SyFy in 2018 after just three seasons.
But like humans in The Expanse colonised the solar system, this show took over people's hearts from all over the world. Wil Wheaton, Patton Oswalt and George RR Martin were just some of the celebrities who campaigned for The Expanse's return, not to mention all of the extensive fan campaigns too.
And it paid off! Amazon Prime Video swooped in and commissioned the show for three more seasons… before cancelling it again after season six.
The Expanse showrunner Naren Shankar told io9 that financial considerations were the main reason behind this – and that's also why season six was cut down from ten episodes to just six:
"That was a decision between Amazon and Alcon Television. I mean, you always kind of agree on how much money you’re going to commit to the production of the show. And that was the decision. It came down to making six episodes of it. It’s always a negotiation to some extent. Could we have done 10? Absolutely. Could we have done eight? Certainly. Uh, I don’t think we would have been able to tell the season in any less than six."
As disappointing as this cancellation is, fans have taken comfort in knowing that there is at least a natural ending point to the climax of book six, which is where season six ends as well. That's because book seven, Persepolis Rising, takes place after a 30-year time jump, which means a potential seventh season would have to use CGI and makeup to age up each character – or even recast them completely, à la The Crown.
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Back when the cancellation was announced in 2020, writers Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck referred to the show's end as a "pause" then too (via Polygon):
"We have what we think is a very natural pause point for the story after season six," Franck explained during a press event. "It'll feel like a satisfying end to the story we've been building over the first five seasons. I think one of the things that is sort of an outmoded idea is the idea of being canceled."
"This is a conversation we've been having since we were canceled the first time," added Abraham. "We've been talking about what the shape of the show could be, and this six- season arc was always one of the options that was on the table. This is not something that we're having to scramble for."
While it's good that season six naturally capped the story off without it feeling too forced or sudden, there's still so much source material left to cover in the books. Does this mean that there's at least some scope for The Expanse to pull off another miracle and return again for a seventh season?
Cast member Dominique Tipper hinted at exactly this when she joined castmates Steven Strait and Wes Chatham on EW Live where she said: "Look, this is the end of the TV show on Amazon, so we'll just have to see what happens."
Crucially, The Expanse showrunner Naren Shankar would also love to make a seventh season happen.
"This has been such a delightful experience," Shankar said after the "final" episode aired (via EW). "We love the show and we love making the show. Right now, the future really lies with Alcon Television, which is the studio that makes the show, and Amazon, if there is in some form, an appetite for more.
"I think from the standpoint of just the pure creative, I think what we tried to do at least was come to a satisfying conclusion of a huge chunk of the story while leaving the door open for more if the appetite and the desire is there."
That "appetite" and "desire" is certainly present still in the people who worked on this show from behind the scenes:
"I'm certainly not betraying any confidence to say that [producers] Ty [Franck], Daniel [Abraham] and I – speaking for ourselves – would love to do it. It would be a remarkable thing to complete the whole book series that way. And I certainly hope we get to do it," Shankar added.
So if The Expanse did return one day, what would that actually look like? Well, given how much financial restraints impacted the show before, a movie might be the best, most cost-effective solution. However, it would be near impossible to condense the final three books into one film without sacrificing what makes this story so popular in the first place.
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Alternatively, there's also scope for a sequel series that could one day tackle those last three books on screen, perhaps with an entirely new cast. A 30-year hiatus might be a bit much, but we wouldn't be surprised if someone tried to revive The Expanse again within the next five years or so.
And if they did, there's plenty of material to work with. Not only could season seven tackle the next book, Persepolis Rising, there's also plenty of unresolved storylines to explore from the end of season six.
Xan and Cara's resurrection, Clarissa's illness, and the fate of Drummer's family are just some of the many threads that will need to be acknowledged in some capacity, along with Filip's future and, of course, the mystery that surrounds the alien protomolecule builders.
Let's just hope The Expanse lives up to its name again by continuing far beyond what these initial six seasons promised.
The Expanse seasons 1-6 are now available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
David Opie
After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival.
In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.
David has spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and in 2020, he created the Rainbow Crew interview series, which celebrates LGBTQ+ talent on both sides of the camera via video content and longform reads.
Beyond that, David has interviewed all your faves, including Henry Cavill, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Colman, Patrick Stewart, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Dornan, Regina King, and more — not to mention countless Drag Race legends.
As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound.
