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The Expanse 3x9 - 'Intransigence' TIMESTAMP / FULL LENGTH Reaction & Review

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The Expanse 3x9 - 'Intransigence' TIMESTAMP / FULL LENGTH Reaction & Review

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This was definitely a production decision. They wanted better actors and easier scenes to film (with less CGI). It's not easy to find dozens of 6'5" extras and character actors.

David Schafer

Ty Frank and Wes repeatedly say about Cara Gee (Drummer) that they didn't necessarily write her that way, she just can automatically bring that energy with anyone

David Schafer

Excellent points, my friend!

Fury Roll

As others have said Naomi and Drummer are not actually together, but they have gotten close since Naomi came onto the Behemoth. Drummer certainly seems to have a bit of a crush on Naomi, but while Naomi loves her back in her own way, it's not in any romantic kind of way. Ty spoke about this on their podcast, but I think one sequence that really shines a light on why that may be is actually Drummer's speech in this episode. Obviously it's an awesome scene and both the audience and nearly every character is cheering during it. But the one person who is *not* cheering is Naomi, and I think that's a very important character beat. One of the first things we learned about Naomi back in Season 1, is how she dislikes political causes and how she dislikes the idea of someone in a uniform being able to convince people to do as they say. So even though Naomi cares for Drummer and believes in most (but not all) of the same things that Drummer does, there is something about a speech like Drummer's that rubs Naomi the wrong way in some respects. Someone like Holden, and the entire Roci-crew really, who don't rally people or fight for causes and are instead more about just helping people in front of them, fits Naomi a lot better. That's also why I think the scene with Naomi and Ashford is so great. Ashford does actually get through to her, just in the opposite way than he was intending. He was trying to say that Naomi has outgrown the Roci-crew and was only being nostalgic about the good times with them. But what Naomi realizes during that conversation is that what she was actually being nostalgic about was her time with the OPA and what she has now "outgrown" is the OPA. And I think Drummer's speech solidifies that feeling for her. I think the idea that someone can rally a group to do what they want even when they're scared or don't really want to, reminds her of her days in the OPA, and she's not a fan of that. And this is what she basically tells Drummer at the end, that she came back to the OPA for the wrong reasons.

Varun Laks

I could actually see belter physiology changing as another great adaptation in a long beautiful road filled with them, but if they came out cartoonish at all, it would be a disservice to just how well they did with what they had...

Matt Drahos

Thanks, I never thought of it as a virus infecting the system at all! That helps a lot.

Lauralyn

I think the idea is that the chip he took out was fairly innocuous. It was just a basic chip. The problem is that the replacement chip placed a virus in the ship which is what disabled all the Comms. So just putting back the old chip wouldn't have done anything because the damage was already done. It's like if someone infected a modern computer by inserting an infected USB. Simply removing it and replacing it with the old USB wouldn't fix the issue. I don't think it was a matter of plot convenience. I suppose there was a little bit of editing for brevity by not telling us that explicitly, but personally I don't really think that they needed to. I think by having the camera guy show Amos the replacement chip, the Writers are basically telling us that the characters have determined that the problem is with the new chip, not the old one. They very well may have had a quick conversation about that off-screen before the scene picks up.

Varun Laks

I'll never understand why they just dropped the fact that the camera guy put the replacement "chip" in his pocket when he messed up the Roci. Seems to me he should have just given it back, and since the plot didn't want that, at least have him break and toss it or something. That always bothers my OCD.

Lauralyn

Good call. Julie doesn't see it as love, that's for sure, but Melba actually does and would take it as that for herself in a heartbeat, only to maybe later learn what Julie already has.

Lauralyn

Honestly, that, and his insights, are why I'm here!

Lauralyn

I don't think you're wrong for having an opinion. It's just one I don't happen to share. But I'm sure others agree with you. The first episode definitely gave a nod to the idea of tall Belters both with the guy Avasarala tortured, as you mentioned, and the 'Longbone' character on Ceres. I just think the idea with that was just to establish that there are some Belters that look this way, but it's not a majority of them at this point. But one day, it might be.

Varun Laks

I would say cannon is mixed on this, I mean the guy on hooks and in the tank was trying to make a point in 1x1, that they wisely abandoned. Totally agree- this series is about great acting and directing, not trying to solve the uncanny valley. Maybe I am wrong.

Matt Drahos

It is so hard to discuss without spoiling.

Matt Drahos

I definitely disagree that Jules Pierre Mao loved Julie, I don’t think he could love anyone. He is super verbally, emotionally and mentally abusive to both his daughters, and you can tell from the few scenes we’ve gotten. The only connection I see with Julie a narcissistic one, he sees her as an extension of himself, which is the only thing he praises. Julie and Melba (and probably the rest of the kids) ended up with different trauma from the way he treated his children. Melba’s trauma unfortunately manifests in a need to prove herself to him.

Simply.Beyond

Doubt he knows who Monica is at this point! The assignation should be done with where we are right now!

Etta Eskridge

What a mad reacting machine this man is.

Pete

In the TV-show canon, Belters are not meant to look taller yet, although they apparently may down the line. Miller talks about it in the first episode to Havelock, and essentially thereorizes that Belters will start looking like the "Longbone" character a few generations down the line. Without going too far into it, obviously there is a reason why this could plausibly be done for adaptations of Books 7-9. That being said, personally I hope they don't do it. For one, no matter the budget, the CG is just not going to look great and it'll give up uncanny valley vibes. And even if it can look good, all the budget would be blown on just that, instead of all the other more important things it could go to instead. Also a lot of scientists and astronauts that have commented on the show have mentioned that they don't believe that Belters would actually grow to be taller anyway. So just speaking for myself, I'd personally that they don't bring in that aspect from the books. I just don't think it's worth sacrificing either the acting by exclusively hiring tall actors or the CG budget of the series by digitally making everyone tall, just to achieve something that may not be all that scientifically accurate anyway.

Varun Laks

You know the show is insane when 9 out of 10 episodes leave you screaming FUCK!!! at the top of your lungs when the credits hit. Seriously, I don't think any other 49 episodes anything else will have a better ratio.

Matt Drahos

Okay, this is going to be fun. What DnD 5e character class, at this moment, would you assign to each of the expanded roster? Miller was a Warlock, Holden is a Paladin. Fair enough, but... Avasarala, Bobby, Amos, Alex, Naomi, Monica, Prax, Drummer, Ashford, Diego, Fred, etc. Be careful for spoilers, but this seems like a fun rabbit hole.

Matt Drahos

A side note, I miss the Belter physical traits... Kinda of, (they are big headed elves, my TTRPG playing friend, in the books), but this was a TV show, and I think they went with a smart choice of just casting good actors, and not trying to pull off a crazy expensive tricks to make that a thing. I want books 7-9 to exist on film- honestly at this point, if they got a giant budget and could make it work, I am not sure if I would feel better or worse if belters looked like the books. Maybe controversial.

Matt Drahos

I wish they had possessed the time to make a few throw away lines about the sizes of things. The ring is big, the space is big, it is one of the few moments when book speak might have been handy... But Fuck it, they managed to nail this season, criticism is wasted.

Matt Drahos

One of my favorite parts of this show, is that it actually "Expands" its scope, and nothing; from the first moments, to spoilers, is ever the same again. The Expanse, as a title implies, is bigger than us all, and this TV show grows bigger and bigger. Thematically, they gave us a small ball tale, of how the Epstein Drive changed everything, now that entirely different and more powerful forces (God Level Power) are at play, expect great times. This theme is not discarded.

Matt Drahos

Honestly, I caught that myself for the first time on this watch through, and I could probably claim to have watched it 30 plus, TE is my background music, lol. This show never leaves the Iron Fleet at sea.

Matt Drahos

Remember when you thought season 1 cliffhangers were rough??...LOL

Brad Johnson

One of those 'blink and you'll miss it' moments was when Naomi was checking out the shuttles and Ashford saw her doing it which led to him asking Drummer to lock them down. This might be the first time I noticed that in this episode and I've probably seen it at least 5 times.

Chad K

Holden's parents would also qualify. Though Christjen did snark about it being an 'extremist cult' in her "I can make up bullshit too." monologue in Windmills.

E.P.B.F.

I've actually never heard that saying...and I LOVE it :D

Fury Roll

If you thought this episode went hard just wait until you've seen the next one...or the ones after _that_ one. Seriously its hard to over sell how tightly the rest of this season was written.

E.P.B.F.

Re. Naomi and Drummer. It's complicated. Drummer has 'a thing' for Naomi, majorly, and it is clear Naomi is aware of Drummer's feelings for her, both nature and extent. Unfortunately for Camina by the time she meet Naomi the latter was already together with Holden. For reasons that would get far too much into spoiler territory to fully explain Naomi is exceedingly fragile when it comes to romantic relationships, and being with Holden has effectively maxed out her capacity in that regard. So while she does like Drummer, and given different timing things might have developed further, she is keeping her gently parked in the VIP section of the Friend Zone. Which Drummer, being the honorable person she is, respects, but still is... _quite_ salty about to Holden. Basically the heart wants what the heart wants and Naomi Nagata Is her 'The One That Got Away'. It sucks the big felota for Drummer, but also kind of on brand. Camina is the queen of getting everything she never wanted.

E.P.B.F.

Re. delta V, or dV. It's a mathematical term commonly used in space travel signifying a ship or other object's change in velocity be it positive (acceleration) or negative (deceleration). Ever heard the saying "It's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop at the end."?. That is delta-V.

E.P.B.F.

Well yes of course not everyone, but it's more common. IIRC it's even commented on in one of the later books in a derogatory way how Belters take on more than one partner.

LightningInvoker

Not all belters. As far as i understand it it's really more of a ship belter than a station belter thing, and even with the former the Rockhopper/small ship independents (essentially your privately owned 'space trucks' with crews of maybe half dozen or so) rather than those working larger corporate vessels like the Canterbury). Which makes sense if you think about it in the context of the universe, where you have a small group of people cramped together in an isolated, high risk environment for weeks and months at a time with limited highly options both social and in terms of entertainment. Biological imperative being what it is people will end up knocking boots, and some of them will change partners. As time progresses the survivors (i.e. the crews who don't end up murdering one another due to jealousies) will evolve social structures to cope with the pressures.

E.P.B.F.

The definition of 'Intransigence' is a refusal to change one's views or to agree on something. Interesting! Love that for this episode.

LightningInvoker

Re Naomi and Camina, Belters default to polyamorous relationships. They talk a lot about 'family' and in lot of cases they've formed family groups. I love that detail.

LightningInvoker

So you can accelerate in the bubble. There is just a literal speed limit. Basically think the highway if you are going 30mph you can accelerate up to 65mph no issue. However the micro second you hit 65.0000000000001mph The, what ever it is, stops you. As for delta V don't over think It. It's just change in speed. If you were going 30 and you are now going 65 you have a delta V of 35 (65-30=35)

cipher

There is thrust inside the ring.; you just can't go faster than the "speed limit." BTW, while not mentioned in the show, the books describe the size of the bubble inside the ring space as being the same dimensions as our sun. IOW, slightly less than a million miles in diameter.

T. Arnold Ferguson


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