In contrast, the cast separation on The Expanse is the norm. While shows like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine or Battlestar Galactica would occasionally split the cast for epic stories, these were the exception rather than the rule. It’s this feature that distinguishes The Expanse from earlier breakout science fiction shows like the Star Trek spin-offs or Battlestar Galactica. Game of Thrones and The Expanse are similarly structured, featuring a large cast spread across a vast geographic area. Miller’s departure midway through the second season of The Expanse is less radical because it exists in the wake of Ned’s death, but it serves a similar purpose of bidding farewell to the biggest star in the cast so that the ensemble can prosper.
Ned’s death towards the end of the first season of Game of Thrones was a game-changing moment for television, one that arguably inspired years of pale imitation. Neither protagonist would make it out of the series’s first act alive. Both The Expanse and Game of Thrones cleverly play with genre, casting these characters as detectives unravelling a mystery that organically introduces the audience to these fantastical worlds. Game of Thrones had Sean Bean playing Ned Stark, while The Expanse cast Thomas Jane as Detective Joe Miller. Both Game of Thrones and The Expanse open with a decoy protagonist, played by the most recognizable name in the cast. This is obvious looking at the first books and seasons in each saga. However, the comparisons run deeper than that. For his part, Martin provided the Expanse books with enthusiastic pull quotes that seemed to suggest similarities to his own sprawling epic. Corey, famously worked as an assistant for A Song of Ice and Fire author G.R.R. Ty Franck, who co-wrote the Expanse novels with Daniel Abraham under the pen name S.A. What makes it similar to Game of Thrones? What makes it different?Įven beyond the basic concept of a deconstructionist epic working in a familiar genre, The Expanse seemed destined to be compared to Game of Thrones. However, it also provides an interesting lens through which to examine The Expanse. Given that so much of modern television production has been defined by the search for “ the next Game of Thrones,” that comparison is an appealing one. That comparison makes sense, particularly in the world of “ peak TV” where it’s easier to sell a new concept as some “ meets ” combination of recognizable and marketable brand elements. When The Expanse launched in 2015, it was heavily sold as “ Game of Thrones in space,” with the comparison attributed to “ industry insiders” even before the premiere.