#SaveTheExpanse
Before this week, I couldn’t even tell you which night The Expanse airs on SyFy (Turns out, it’s Wednesday nights). I don’t watch it there. As much as I enjoy quality television, I abhor commercials. I mean, I really can’t stand the things. Not even on my damn radio. And commercials are worse on your average app. As it turns out, SyFy has a below average app.
I can barely watch sporting events, which have to be live to be appreciated, because of the commercials … brutally repetitive commercials at that. I hardly use my DVR anymore either, even for shows I want to experience with minimal delays. I prefer to wait the 24 hours or so necessary for any given program to appear on my streaming service or app.
And I have them all.
Hulu (commercial free, of course). CBS All Access (again, commercial free subscription). And Amazon Prime, which means I pay extra for the shows I really like. Such as The Expanse.
I’ve read all the James S.A. Corey novels of The Expanse. Hard copies of some, Audible versions of them all, including the novellas. I own each of the previous seasons of the TV series and I’m paying for the current one, exclusively for the privilege of watching it a day later without the commercials. I’ve binge-watched the first two season more than once. At the end of this current season, whether or not it’s the last, I’ll will happily (even joyfully) start all over from the beginning and watch them all again.
I get the impression that a large enough fanbase exists to justify continuing The Expanse for many seasons more. But I also fear many of those are much like me. And, as noted, I’m part of the problem. SyFy isn’t making any money off of viewers like me. Part of that is their problem and the way they structured their deal with Alcon Entertainment, the shows production company. It was a low risk, low reward kind of deal and the reward just hasn’t been good enough to keep it on SyFy, regardless of how rewarding the show itself may be.
But only now, with the disappointing news of its cancellation by SyFy, have I started watching it live. And whether I catch it live or not, I’ll be watching it on DVR later. I’ll leave my damn TV tuned to SyFy even when nobody’s home, whatever it takes.
Possibly all in vain. Maybe a total waste of time. But I’m going to do it regardless. Like I said …
I’m part of the problem.
Just doing my bit now to be part of the solution and #SaveTheExpanse.