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Take the plot of any movie. Add the words “in space” to the end. Pitch the result as a new take on an old idea. It’s an ancient method. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it produces gold. With that in mind, The Expanse is a political drama/murder mystery about the disappearance of a young woman and the political conspiracy the investigation unearths… in space.

In the not-too-distant future, mankind has colonised the solar system. Within humanity’s expanded borders, two major military powers vie for supremacy – Mars and Earth. While not yet engaged in open conflict, the balance between peace and war is delicate. The destruction of an “Earther” hauling ship escalates this tension to dangerous levels causing the ruling classes of the Solar System to contemplate war. It’s hardly a new idea, but The Expanse executes it well by rapidly giving depth to the characters aboard the attacked ship before suddenly taking them away. Breaking Bad’s Jonathan Banks makes a surprise appearance which highlights the hardship of the lives lived by the characters and their longing for home.

The plot follows two major threads – a detective investigating the disappearance of a wealthy magnate’s rebellious daughter, and a small band of survivors from the destroyed hauling ship. While seemingly unrelated, the two parties find their situations somehow linked to a Martian freighter – The Scopuli. Again, this does not break new ground. There are shady gangsters, corrupt politicians and dirty dealings abound which have all the markings of a noir mystery novel. A voice over from the lead detective as he ponders his clues is almost expected at times. Yet it never feels unpolished. Quite the contrary, the show is incredibly slick; the settings are wonderfully constructed. From the dark, smokey regions of the Belt to the chrome interior of a spacecraft, everything just works.

Stepping back from the “something, something in space” formula, The Expanse does a solid job of challenging a developing throw-away attitude to our planet. Frequent reference is made to the unhappiness of those who do not inhabit Earth. In particular the plight of the “Belters” (working class citizens) is felt. Deformed from a lifetime of living in a low gravity environment, the atmospheric pressure of Earth is too great for their fragile bodies. They exist as exiles from  their ancestral home which they can never inhabit and resent the Earthers for their indifference to the beauty around them.

The Expanse is undeniably one of the best shows I’ve seen on Netflix this year. Do yourself a favour this Christmas break and check it out.