Why was critically lauded science fiction series The Expanse cancelled, and what led to its rescue by Amazon? Premiering on the Syfy network in 2015, The Expanse is a live-action adaptation of the book series of the same name by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, collectively known as James S.A. Corey. The Expanse season 1 was an immediate critical smash, with a string of glowing reviews praising the intelligent storytelling, quality acting and impressive visuals. The Expanse ran for 3 seasons on the Syfy network and, despite some fall in viewership, the Rocinante crew succeeded in finding a loyal core fan base. Nevertheless, it was announced in May 2018 that Syfy had cancelled The Expanse, leaving the story at a tantalizingly open juncture.
The aforementioned loyal following quickly set to work, recognizing that streaming platforms might be keen to pick up their favorite show. A feverish social media campaign followed, a fan-funded plane was flown over Amazon Studios with a "#SaveTheExpanse" banner and even George R.R. Martin, a keen fan of the original books, weighed in on the situation. Eventually, the retail giant listened and Amazon renewed The Expanse for seasons 4 and 5. Quite rightly, fans' extensive campaigning was credited with saving the future of the show, but there were other, more business-minded factors behind both the original cancellation and the eventual rescue.
The Expanse is produced by Alcon Entertainment, but when Syfy purchased the rights to the series in 2014, The Expanse's distribution structure was scattered. While Syfy handled the live broadcast of each episode, The Expanse's first 3 seasons would later stream on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S., Crave in Canada and Netflix in other territories. Modern audiences are rapidly turning away from watching premiere broadcasts in preference of on-demand viewing, and The Expanse is certainly a series that lends itself perfectly to binge-watch viewing. This trend meant that while viewership did decline during The Expanse's first 3 seasons on Syfy, the network's real problem was an increasing struggle to make their slice of The Expanse's distribution rights profitable.
When Amazon swooped in to salvage the Roci and her crew, they had the considerable benefit of already possessing streaming rights in the United States, and by shelling out some additional cash, Jeff Bezos was able to obtain exclusive distribution for The Expanse, making Amazon Prime the undisputed home of the show. Holding all of the cards made The Expanse a far more attractive proposition for Amazon than it was at its former home, since the streaming service aren't sharing out its sci-fi pie. Although only one further season is confirmed at present, this is certainly promising for the future of The Expanse, and makes another premature cancellation less likely.
Of course, this isn't to devalue the efforts of fans who campaigned to save The Expanse. Although Amazon already had a connection to The Expanse, the company's saving of the series was far from guaranteed, and still required a leap of faith. In no uncertain terms, The Expanse's fandom made clear the potential of the property and drew Amazon's attention to an opportunity they might not have snapped up otherwise. The decision was justified when The Expanse season 4 premiered in December 2019 and continued to rack up positive reviews faster than Jim Holden racks up enemies, with most viewers finding the adventures of the Rocinante a more rewarding experience away from network TV.
The Expanse season 5 is currently without a release date. More news as it arrives.