Season 2: Caliban's War
"It's now on a direct collision course with Earth."
The series has definitely hit its stride, and confidence oozes from every frame. Season 2 has some of the series' best episodes, which constitute some of the finest sci-fi to hit the screen—big or small. Several new characters are introduced that showcase not only the actors' talents, but also the casting departments' skill; in particular, Nick Tarabay as Cotyar is simply brilliant. For me this season is most notable for "The Monster and the Rocket," an episode that's really difficult for me to watch—it just rips me apart—and I regard that as a sign of greatness.
I do take issue with the whole "Protomolecule/human hybrid" concept, but then I stop and ask myself: what do people tend to expect from modern science fiction? And I reflect on the answer: extraterrestrial life, probably one of the biggest potential thrills in the exploration of outer space. So, I've done my best to quash my prejudice toward "alien monsters" and accept them for how they're used in The Expanse: a means to dramatize our predilection to weaponize anything and everything we possibly can.
- "Safe"*
- "Doors & Corners"*
- "Static"
- "Godspeed"
- "Home"*
- "Paradigm Shift"*
- "The Seventh Man"*
- "Pyre"*
- "The Weeping Somnambulist"
- "Cascade"
- "Here There Be Dragons"
- "The Monster and the Rocket"*
- "Caliban's War"*
SEASON SCORE: 
Picking Nits: Like Disc 1 of Season 1, Disc 1 of Season 2 is hardwired to force you through previews for several television shows, although this time you're provided the option of jumping straight to the main menu (I wonder if this was in response to any complaints they may have received). Worse, each episode has the NBCUniversal Television jingle after the end credits, which rudely blasts out. Horrible!
Trivia: Evidently Americans didn't get to see the full version of the opening title sequence when Season 1 appeared on SyFy; they saw an abbreviated version that's barely a few seconds long, which is also how it appeared on the hard media release. But beginning with Season 2, the discs include the beautiful, thought-provoking animation in full, accompanied by Clinton Shorter's gorgeous score. In one of the commentary tracks, Dominique Tipper remarks that she loves it so much that she never skips it when watching episodes. I must agree: I do the same. Yes, it's that good. Also note that the animation changes on occasion to reflect key aspects of the story. Example: after Earth nukes the Martian moon Deimos in "Static," it appears as rubble in the subsequent titles.
Hard Media Extras: After a disappointing dearth of extras for Season 1, it's great to see the series getting the attention it deserves. There are splendid commentary tracks for eight episodes (marked * above) that are all very well worth your time, providing a nice mix of amusing anecdotes and insightful observations on the show's production; see the episode reviews for details. Plus, there are several short bonus items—not especially meaty, but mildly interesting nonetheless:
- Season 2 Trailer
- Season 2 Preview
- A New Mission
- Top Nine Job Requirements
- The Powerful Women of The Expanse
- We Love Our Fans
Original book cover art by Daniel Dociu.