The Expanse 3x6 - 'Immolation' TIMESTAMP / FULL LENGTH Reaction & Review
Added 2024-07-04 16:47:51 +0000 UTCEveryone needs a best friend.
Comments
Loving all these comments about a superb episode of the show, arguably one of its best! And just a little historical reminder that when this episode aired in May 2018, it coincided with the show's cancellation!! sort of unbelievable looking back, I along with so many were just devastated and wanted to do anything to bring it back. Thus started the #SaveTheExpanse campaign that literally 2 weeks later ended with both the airing of E8 (another banger!!) and Amazon picking up the show (which obviously turned out to be 3 more seasons). I put money into the projects and was shocked how much I was emotionally involved in everything that was happening because we all loved this show so much! When you feel ready, search the hashtag above and see some of the videos produced back then. So, you are seriously welcome and continue to enjoy the Greatest show ever IMHO! (I am a little late to this party as I have been traveling but SOOO looking forward to the next 2 episodes and the rest of S3!)
DrEEsky
2024-07-13 21:47:17 +0000 UTCStill going strong as well! I love to listen to their podcasts when I am out walking, great to hear Wes's voice as well as Ty, they are both quite intelligent and interesting to hear!
DrEEsky
2024-07-13 21:27:02 +0000 UTCIt truelly is an amazing series to watch and BLeeM is everything. The only thing than him GMing I'd when he is a player. Dimension 20's Misfits and Magic is a perfect example as well as A Court of Fey and Flowers, and Burrows End.
Daxeah
2024-07-12 21:16:22 +0000 UTCI'd love to have a conversation about both the books (none of my friends have read them) and then also the adaptation. Both so excellent. Cheers!
David Schafer
2024-07-12 02:10:19 +0000 UTCAnd now we've reached the arguably best, definitely the most tightly written story arch of the entire show (because they were staring into the cold, dead eyes of Cancellation Bear, and knew that, but for the grace of Jeff, those seven episodes was all they would get two create satisfying capstone for the series). Dialog polished to a mirror finish, cinematography On Point, not a scene, not a single second of screen time wasted, every cast member down to the bit part players bringing their A game. All of that and they _stil_ managed to introduce my second favorite character on top of everything else. You can tell everyone both in front of and behind the camera was truly proud of their work, to have been on this show, and wanted it to go out on as high a note as they could possibly make it. I'm so pumped by proxy for our host to see this. Strap in and keep your blood pressure meds in arms reach because the next seven will be a wild ride. Here comes the Juice!
E.P.B.F.
2024-07-11 14:21:06 +0000 UTCI will say that sometimes you should just take what the characters say at face value it isn't always double speak or the writers trying to trick you.
xanderman
2024-07-10 19:50:24 +0000 UTCWill do, my friend, and welcome! Keep the comments coming! Love hearing everyone's thoughts especially on my guy Amos :)
Fury Roll
2024-07-10 11:15:01 +0000 UTCAmos knew that he couldn't let his best friend in the whole world become That Guy. Amos is That Guy, and he knows what it does to a person to be able to be That Guy in the first place. And he doesn't want this good, innocent man to lose who he is. IMO, maybe the single best expression of Amos's character. Also, new to the Patreon, but if nobody's ever said this... if you're gonna do an Amos case study, give it until the end of S5!
BigSeth1090
2024-07-10 04:32:19 +0000 UTCI look forward to your educated guesses, as to where this goes... You have been mostly on point so far, haven't gotten suckered by red herrings too badly...
Matt Drahos
2024-07-09 02:17:02 +0000 UTCGreat point, my friend!
Fury Roll
2024-07-08 12:44:22 +0000 UTCHonestly I was expecting the protomolecule emergence. Its original target was Earth and Julie (with Miller) was able to course correct it. That was only going to last for so long :)
Fury Roll
2024-07-08 12:43:31 +0000 UTCMy tits are hitched, my friend :D
Fury Roll
2024-07-08 12:41:39 +0000 UTCI watched Calamity and honestly thought it was arguably the best actual play TTRPG I've ever seen. Amazing story. Amazing players and Brennan was the Apex Predator of GMs. I'm a huge fan of Mercer but Mulligan set the bar.
Fury Roll
2024-07-08 12:39:46 +0000 UTCSeriously, the adaptation work that went into this should be a lesson for film school. I watched first, because it was so good. I have read a lot of sci fi, and I wanted the visuals. When the cancellation hit, I went books. TE is the best serial novel adaptation since PJ's Lord of the Rings. Sorry GOT, you didn't stick the landing.
Matt Drahos
2024-07-08 03:19:27 +0000 UTCShawn Doyles performance as Errinwright is simply chef's kiss level. You hate his guts, but he is guided by his own compass, and he has an understandable, relatable, point of view. The audience understands why he went the way he did. The Expanse gives you the "why" of the antagonist, just as well as it delivers the "why" of it protagonists.
Matt Drahos
2024-07-08 03:10:23 +0000 UTCFor me the scene I am that guy and best friend in the whole world was peak of the episode too. But for Cotyar and Chrisjen there is more then just Chrissy not able to do but watch the events. You must not forget that Cotyar was also her last connection to her lost son. For me her looking sad was not only for losing, ehm, friend, ally and co-worker, watching Cotyar die was probably almost as hard as if she watched her son die. And also it may be some closure for her to move her closer to be at peace with her loss. Immolation is one of the best episode of the show, for me it would be the most powerfull episode of the season if not for s3 finale, which I like even more then this one.
Lukas Rapouch
2024-07-07 10:41:28 +0000 UTCI will watch whatever Noren Shankar shepherds into the future. He is a true genius, look up his IMDB.
Matt Drahos
2024-07-07 03:23:53 +0000 UTCI honestly think that as a writer, I would never imply that S is a flawed tool, but the fact that this modification is even on the table... It ruins the payoff if Strickland is a victim too.
Matt Drahos
2024-07-07 03:11:15 +0000 UTCTy and that Guy is a incredible resource for this show. It is highly recommended if you want MORE. The insight it gives into the process of how they did what they did is great.
Matt Drahos
2024-07-07 02:39:52 +0000 UTCTotally agree. Make changes if there is a real reason to do so from a storytelling or practical standpoint. It feels like show runners in newer adaptations make changes just for the heck of it, either without fully understanding the source material, or totally understanding where they'll go with it
David Schafer
2024-07-06 05:22:29 +0000 UTCThis show gives ample evidence for the need for the authors to be part of the writers' room and to have power in the adaptation of their work. New showrunners and writers these days just seem to want to have all the power and to remake things as they see fit instead way too much. It's ruining so many good IPs. No wonder I keep re-watching this one with reactors, they did so much so, so right, with so much love and talent. That they were never recognized, awarded or even marketed as they deserved is a real shame.
Lauralyn
2024-07-05 21:58:33 +0000 UTCThe statement, "My best friend in the whole world" and its impact on Amos, along with his introduction to Mei and her taking his hand without question or concern, is such a life-changing moment. The power in such simplicity is amazing and had me in tears along with you despite having seen it many times before.
Lauralyn
2024-07-05 21:53:34 +0000 UTCI don't have any reason for this but I always assumed Dresden and Strickland never interacted or shared notes. They had their own goals and ideas, plus their own egos, and just worked their own projects quite separately.
Lauralyn
2024-07-05 21:28:43 +0000 UTCYeah Ty talked about it on the Ty & That Guy episode that covered this episode of the show (I highly recommend the podcast if you havent watched/ listened to it btw). He mentioned that this was his favorite interpretation of the scene. I think the idea is that all of Katoa's physical human attributes have now fully transformed and even his mental agencies have completely deteriorated making him just a husk now. But deep down it's still Katoa in there, and that's what shows up for just that brief moment.
Varun Laks
2024-07-05 04:28:09 +0000 UTCI've always loved the look Errinwright gives Anna in that scene lol. It's like at that point Errinwright feels that Anna is the only person even worth speaking to in that room. It feels like he kind of respects Anna, but he finds Sorrento-Guilles to be completely pathetic. Errinwright is completely done with the charade of pretending to respect Sorrento-Gilles and basically just acts like he isn't even there.
Varun Laks
2024-07-05 04:21:37 +0000 UTCI was right there with you, friend! All these incredibly tense moments. . . I had forgotten what happened to Cortyar in the end, too. The Amos-Prax scene is so incredible. I forgot about the best friend in the world part, and dude it hits so hard. I still feel like this is another episode where Holden took a backseat to a lot of the action. He was able to complete Miller's mission by bringing Mao to justice, and I just love that. Bring on Ep.07!
LightningInvoker
2024-07-05 03:27:45 +0000 UTCOh man, and the look on Anna's face when Sorrento-Gilles said those words.. what a moment. Errinwright was correct, but still such mother-effer! When he turns to Anna and gives her that glaring look I yelled out "don't you look at her!!" lmfao
LightningInvoker
2024-07-05 03:21:49 +0000 UTCYeah, if your last point is true, that makes Katoa's death even more sad. I'll only mention, that Strickland said (and we can DEFINITELY take his word with a grain of salt) that the protomolecule had completely taken him over, and that they wouldn't "hear from him again" or whatever that line was. Whether he was just saying that to calm Mao, it's not far off to say.
LightningInvoker
2024-07-05 03:18:56 +0000 UTCI was most struck by the contrast of Sorrento-Gillis' actions vs. Amos' actions. In one, we saw nobility of spirit as Amos assumed the burden of Stricklands' death to his own soul. While in Sorrento-Gillis, we saw the opposite, as the Secretary-General only sought to deflect the responsibility of millions of deaths. I'm not a fan of anti-heroes, but I've learned to love Amos through your reactions.
Drathdir
2024-07-05 01:53:01 +0000 UTCOuch.
Drathdir
2024-07-05 01:38:29 +0000 UTCWell, several episodes back, I predicted you'd cry, cheer, and drop your jaw. I think I got two of them :) I knew that the Prax-Mei-Amos moment would wreck you emotionally, and I was pretty sure we'd get the big cheer with "I am that guy." I thought you might be a little more staggered with the protomolecule emerging, so I missed that one. But, this is just the beginning of that thread, so we'll see where it takes us. In terms of the episode's plot and character elements, what you and others have said have very nicely covered my thoughts. I did like what you said about the storytelling. So much credit to Daniel and Ty for crafting such an amazing story to begin with (I've gone through the books twice). Then even more credit to them and all the others who took that framework and created the show. Adaptations are not easy, even when the source material is excellent (we're all looking at you, Witcher and Wheel of Time), so to have all this visualized, written and acted so well is just amazing. Absolutely one of my favorites!
David Schafer
2024-07-05 00:10:45 +0000 UTCSame, enjoyed S6!
Shawn Anomaly
2024-07-05 00:00:40 +0000 UTCHitch your tits and pucker up! It’s time for the second half of season 3! Can’t wait for episode 7
Eric Centea
2024-07-04 23:56:22 +0000 UTCI agree with most of that, but I think it's really important to also keep in mind that proportionately Belters have it significantly worse than Earthers, even those on Basic. While the bulk number of Earthers that struggle is larger than the population of Belters, the percentage of Belters struggling amongst Belters is much higher than the percentage of Earthers who struggle. Nearly every single Belter has a really rough life. And that doesn't even include all the countless Belters who were never born due to the harsh conditions of the political status quo. So I think only looking at it only through a lense of the sheer number of powerless people on Earth, is a bit one-sided. Because from that same token, there are also more privileged people on earth (at least in comparison to Belters) in one generation than Belters that have ever lived. Remember that even with all the poverty on Earth, we heard that the life expectancy of Earthers is still well into the 100's. On the other hand, the life-expectancy of Belters on Ceres, which isn't even the poorest of Belter stations, is only in the 60's. No doubt that life on Basic really sucks for Earthers (to put it mildly). We heard from Amos how bad life in Baltimore was and we see it ourselves with the character Nico in S2. But at the same time, as bad as it is, life on Basic is still better than the average life that all Belters live.
Varun Laks
2024-07-04 22:51:04 +0000 UTCYeah I completely agree about the Errinwright scene. In an episode with amazing moments for all the hero characters, this scene sometimes gets overlooked. But I absolutely think that scene is right up there with the best moments of this episode, for all the reasons you laid out.
Varun Laks
2024-07-04 22:37:12 +0000 UTCYeah the Hybrid was Katoa. As others have said, there was apparently a debate at SYFY on whether they could get around showing Katoa's death, but Naren Shankar nixed that really quickly. Shankar, like Ty & Daniel, is really the secret sauce for what makes the Expanse tv series so good. Also there's a couple interpretations on what Katoa was looking at when he got distracted from Bobbie. The most common interpretation is the one you stated, in that Katoa may have been looking at Venus and was distracted by "the work". The other interpretation, which the writers apparently prefer, is a sadder one where it's actually a little bit of Katoa showing up in that moment. As a Belter child, particularly one with a life-long illness, Katoa has never been able to go outside, let alone without a Vac-Suit. So in that moment Katoa is able to see a horizon for the first time in his life and that feeling is what takes his attention away from Bobbie.
Varun Laks
2024-07-04 22:32:18 +0000 UTCAmos is without doubt one of the most fleshed out "scary badass dudes" ever in fiction. 99% of the time, the Badass is absolutely capable and competent, and is usually portrayed as not just the most deadly, but also smartest, most morally correct character in the room. Amos is not that. He is so much more. I stop here to prevent spoilers:)
Matt Drahos
2024-07-04 22:02:59 +0000 UTCI follow reactors to TE, right? I don't actually think I have seen anyone not lose their shit once Prax finds Mei. Destroys composure for even the pros, then they go for the throat with minimal dialogue and Maximum acting with "I am that guy...) 3x6 didn't get Emmy's, Wes was not nominated for anything, nobody was recognized for this pinnacle episode. It is a tragedy.
Matt Drahos
2024-07-04 21:46:40 +0000 UTCHave to seriously disagree with you on how you equate certain behaviors to those of a group, in this case the Belters. The show goes out of its way to make sure people realize that all of these groups or factions are made up by humans. All with the same range of emotions, same range of morals. Some capacity for good or evil and everything in-between. Sure there are more wealthy and privileged people on Earth, but by the same token there is more dirt poor. Think of it as comparing people from America, all US citizens and see how the lives of those who travel for work to the frontier like the Alaskan gold rush. How much less of s safety net existed, how much harsher the environment was, and dangerous the journey to even get there was. And how most of the people who made the Trek never got the riches they envisioned when they took the risk. And then compare that to say the state of New York. Where you had a large number of extremely wealthy and influential people, but had millions of utterly poor living with no real power or say. No real protections from the government. Great poverty and early death rates. But motivations, behaviors, ect are all the same as they are all human. Take the Belters attitude about Earthers. And what do they completely miss? That Earth actually has by large margin the largest population of disenfranchised people in the system. The single biggest difference is they don't have to worry about air or how gravity impacts them long term. Everything else, absolutely. There are more powerless poor on earth in one generation by many factors then all the Belters that have ever lived.
Mark Wood
2024-07-04 21:45:35 +0000 UTCYou are about to have a very nice night:)
Matt Drahos
2024-07-04 21:34:51 +0000 UTCI mentioned this in another post, but I truly wonder if Strickland had the same brain modification as Cortazar... It would make sense, but would make the payoff less incredible....
Matt Drahos
2024-07-04 21:19:37 +0000 UTCThis is absolutely top 3 episodes of the series. Also Amos is the fucking G.O.T and absolute dark horse star of the show. I'll fight anyone on that.
cipher
2024-07-04 21:12:28 +0000 UTCI know it doesn't get the kudos, but I still liked the 6th season. Bit harsh saying it doesn't exist :)
Stu
2024-07-04 20:35:02 +0000 UTCWes is absolutely "that guy...". I have re watched this episode 100's of times, I weep to that scene every single time. (I may have a problem, lol...) The "Grace" that Wes brings to the performance as Amos, is second to none. You used the word "catharsis" in your commentary, I think it is very on point. I want to give a shout out to the actor playing Larson- she is on screen for a only few minutes, and manages to convey the feeling of futility that a soldier who is about to die without even really knowing why they are fighting... Again a support character with just a tiny bit of screen time that makes a dent, and is completely in tune with what the story needs.
Matt Drahos
2024-07-04 20:28:12 +0000 UTCThree more-even better;)
Matt Drahos
2024-07-04 20:21:19 +0000 UTCP.S. I still cry every time I rewatch this episode.
Daxeah
2024-07-04 20:17:43 +0000 UTCTwo? You mean 3.5? Lol
Jason Dokos
2024-07-04 20:15:05 +0000 UTCI am so enjoying rewatching the show with you. BUT I do have one question. You talk about ttrpgs a lot, have you watched many actual plays? If you haven't seen EXU: Calamity I would love to watch along with you someday.
Daxeah
2024-07-04 20:14:08 +0000 UTCI agree. I truly believe that if you could do a deep dive inside the minds of Mao and Erinwright, both of them would see themselves as antiheroes. Not perhaps one of the good guys but on the side of the good guys. The protomolecule is such a scary idea to face and with a man like the Secretary General in charge, what would be the outcome in their eyes? He'd flim flam on decisions and be talked out of necessary actions for fear of his reputation. So they act. If you held a gun to the head of Strickland and asked him if they'd found a cure for the protomolecule, he'd have lorded about his research and the strides they'd taken. "We're so close, any day now, I'm the key to understanding it, we can make a deal." But Mao when asked just says "Not yet." And he does so with so much shame in his voice. It's not an apology for doing the things he's done as such, it's more shame that he took a gamble for what he saw as the greater good and he's ashamed that all this has been done to have no cure at the end of it.
Joshua
2024-07-04 19:57:29 +0000 UTCRIP Cotyar.
Deana DeWall
2024-07-04 19:51:23 +0000 UTCI just got done and there is so much to unpack. Knowing that you're loving Amos as much as me I have been holding my breath for That Moment since the start of this journey for you. And I cried right there with you and fist pumped right there with you because I dig the D&D analogy so strongly. I love playing antiheroes in D&D and for me thee's few moments that are as gratifying as being able to take that kinda moral hit for someone you care about. Be they player or NPC. The shot of his hand coming down very gently on the gun and the way Amos says "You're not that guy." is just so potent. Amos isn't just that guy, he's been that guy for so long that he doesn't know how to be anything else. And in that moment AMOS GETS TO TEACH PRAX. It's such a haymaker of emotions. Another moment, Cotyar, Alex and Naomi all rushing to throw themselves on that grenade that was The Agatha King. When the UNN crewer comes in and she realized she was infected and just slumped and said "I don't even know what we're fighting for." I felt that. Because both her and Cotyar had been handed a death sentence and were facing it. And in a moment like that I want to tell myself that I would be Cotyar and remember the fight. Do my duty to save good people, but could I? The weight of that despair must be immense. And Cotyar just assigns himself one final job, to contain this and go down with the ship. I live for those moments in my roleplay. Finally, a moment that I feel gets overshadowed in the insanity of this amazing sequence, Secretary-General Esteban Sorrento-Gillis is brilliant in this. Terrible but brilliant. Watching up until now, with his flip flopping, his cowardice, his bad luck in some situations, I've questioned how he got to where he was. And then you see it. "My legacy was going to be a terrible war. Now it all falls on Erinwright. Thank you." Erinwright is smarter than him. Anna is more charismatic than him. But he's the politician. He'll bend the narrative, hang it on scapegoats, he'll seize the opportunity. And while there are many characters in this show that make you hate them or make you root for their end, SG Gillis just makes me despair in such a real way. The writing is so strong, the world is so tangible I can taste it. Last thing, I'm sure I'm not the only commenter wondering. A few episodes ago you mentioned wanting to run an Expanse ttrpg. If you do so, will it be viewable somewhere in some format? Vulcan Roll Brother
Joshua
2024-07-04 19:50:18 +0000 UTCBe prepared. We have two (Pardon, three and a half) more seasons. This is not the last or even most heart-wrenching Amos moment.
Steve
2024-07-04 19:04:25 +0000 UTCMy friend, it´s really a weekly highlight to see your observant, insightful and as smart as emotional genuine reactions to this gem of a tv show! Very well done!! Greetings from Germany. :)
SupaManion
2024-07-04 18:53:22 +0000 UTCWhen the "I am that guy" scene was first written, Amos had a little bit more dialog. Wes went to Ty and said he didn't think he needed all those lines; he felt he could convey the emotion with his expression. Ty told him to go for it. Apparently, execs at the SyFy network asked if there was a way to save Katoa, otherwise it looked like Bobbie was killing a child. Show-runner Noren Shankar replied, "every soldier who has ever died in battle has been somebody's child.
T. Arnold Ferguson
2024-07-04 18:32:15 +0000 UTCThis is not only one of the best episodes of the show, it's one of the best episodes of the television in general! Love it to bits, no matter how many times I watch it. And I still cry every time when they find Mei. Interesting little detail about Mao I didn't pay much attention to before. All those scientists working for him do seem to be genuine sociopaths. Mao however fundamentally isn't a complete monster. He loves his daughter (kind of), connects with Mei pretty quickly, isn't a big fan of torturing children in general and even in this episode he initially orders everyone not to fight so that they don't die unnecessarily. I mean the bar is pretty low here, sure, but he still manages to clear it while Strickland doesn't. And yet he's so goal oriented it overrides his humanity pretty much immediately. I guess it makes someone like him a good businessman but not someone to be relied upon not to be ruthlessly discarded in the service of the greater goal.
two_owls
2024-07-04 17:51:16 +0000 UTCThis'll have to wait until tonight 😫
LightningInvoker
2024-07-04 17:49:16 +0000 UTCI woke up this morning giddy with excitement to watch this one with you... gonna make breakfast and a coffee and settle in to do so!
Joshua
2024-07-04 17:39:05 +0000 UTCThis is why the podcast Ty Franck and Wes Chatham do is called "Ty and That Guy"
Chad K
2024-07-04 17:36:52 +0000 UTCYeah I don't know why we were so early on that lol. You're right.
Chad K
2024-07-04 17:36:19 +0000 UTCAlso, 100% don't look at the credits on the next episode. After that it's not a problem.
PapaXan
2024-07-04 17:31:19 +0000 UTCHell YEAH! I was literally waiting for this since I woke up this morning. You sir, are that guy.
PapaXan
2024-07-04 16:52:42 +0000 UTC
