Amazon's The Expanse has seen a fair share of drama, both onscreen and off. The critically acclaimed sci-fi adaptation has a massive, dedicated fan base that mobilized to save the show from cancellation at Syfy in 2018, leading Amazon to resurrect The Expanse at the end of Season 3. The show was eventually renewed for three more seasons, including the recently announced sixth and final season, a bittersweet reveal that came ahead of the Season 5 premiere on December 16th.
Ahead of The Expanse's Season 5 debut, CinemaBlend chatted virtually chatted (as is fitting for the show) with the cast about what they're most excited for fans to see from the long-awaited new episodes. Steven Strait, who plays Rocinante captain James Holden had this to say about the upcoming season:
I'm excited for them to experience Book 5. You know, I'm a big fan of the books even before I knew it was being adapted. So, I'm a fan myself and Book 5 was always a favorite. It's got a very different structure to it than seasons past. And I think there's some really cool, different tones that we haven't played with before, and the interaction between a lot of individual storylines that are linked with themes and events and things like that.
Novel readers should be excited, according to Strait, as Season 5 is applicably based on the fifth book in The Expanse novel series, Nemesis Games. With the first three episodes up, this season already looks like it'll be a more personal journey for the crew of the Rocinante, with high-stakes political drama unfolding across the galaxy.
The Expanse fan-favorite Wes Chatham, who plays the dead-pan Amos Burton, shared a similar kind of excitement for individual storylines finally connecting. In his words:
Overall, I think in general, Season 5 is hands down the best thing we've ever done as a cast, the crew, everything together. And I think it's really the apex of a lot of the core characters arcs. These are things that we've built backstories and planted seeds for, and this is where it all comes together. You know, that final act of the character arc. So I'm excited that people get to see that.
According to Chatham, Season 5 is the best season of The Expanse yet, which is not the first time he's shared that opinion. As just about everyone in the entire cast and crew has been building toward this season since the beginning, fans can expect answers to longstanding questions for these characters' lives.
Shohreh Aghdashloo, who plays the shrewd Earth diplomat Chrisjen Avasarala, shared what she's excited for fans to see from her character in The Expanse's penultimate season.
To see how Avasarala's character is going to reveal even more, to see what she has been afraid of at the very beginning is now happening and to see how condensed this show is.
Shohreh Aghdashloo is hinting that her character Avasarala has been right about there being a UN threat all along, despite losing her position as Secretary General in Season 4. Amazon has already teased a doomsday-like event in promotional material for the upcoming season, so that's got to be connected, yeah?
Cara Gee, who plays the Outer Planets Alliance captain Camina Drummer, agreed with Wes Chatham that Season 5 is the best yet:
I think our, our fans who've been watching from the beginning will see that seeds that we planted way back in the first season, all the way through are coming to fruition in an extremely exciting way. I think it's our best..."
One thing is obvious: the cast is definitely excited for fans to get back into the spacefaring groove with Season 5. To hear multiple stars claiming the currently streaming season is the best one yet from the already critically acclaimed series is sure to bolster excitement among fans of the series. Whether you are a fan of wild storylines, richly developed characters, or just hard sci-fi in general The Expanse is a great show to scratch that interplanetary itch.
If you need a quick refresher on everything that we know about season five, we've got you covered. The first three episodes of Season 5 of The Expanse are currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, which will debut new episodes every Wednesday until the finale drops on February 3rd, 2021. Check back with CinemaBlend for more coverage on The Expanse throughout the season, which promises the drama, political intrigue and sweet, sweet science that fans know and love. And in the meantime, head to our Fall TV premiere schedule and our Winter and Spring 2021 TV rundown to see what new and returning shows are popping up soon.
