The season begins with new strange threats emerging in Ilus as Naomi fights the health challenges that suddenly appeared on this planet. In a short period, Bobby searches for a missing person on Mars, and Avasarala faces a new challenge that remains on a bad path in the United Nations. Now, the drummer and Ashford face a dangerous person who appears to be related to Naomi's past.
The true brilliance of The Expanse season 4 lies in its ability to make even this subplot relate both subtly and powerfully to what's going on elsewhere in the system, and deducing those connections is a joy for the viewer.
There's a livewire running throughout the [first six episodes] and while nothing has boiled over yet the tensions between the characters and their warring factions sizzle with intensity.
The Expanse remains faithful to its own look and feel, and there's really only room for one actual space-western in this town--err, crowded TV landscape.
It's not hard to see why the show's writers make it a point to include all of these storylines... That said, there are moments when the inclusivity feels a little forced, especially with Avasarala.
The Expanse was always at its best when Strait and Jane were working together. With any luck, that renewed chemistry can help the show put the pedal back down after a meandering start.
It's this balance, this weaving of not only the large and the small issues characters face, but also how the storylines impact each other in major and minor ways that continues to make The Expanse so compelling.
The Expanse's fourth season throws a lot of balls into the air, and in the six episodes released to critics in advance, it juggles them all impressively.
