That’s what I get from the first episode of The Expanse, an elaborate space drama brought to you by the good folks at SYFY, now in its sixth season, which I’m watching on Amazon. Set in the 23rd century, it envisions a solar system dominated by Earth and Mars, with the hapless denizens of “The Belt”, the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars, supposedly containing vast natural resources that are snapped up by the big shot capitalists on the big shot planets, suffering as helpless pawns in the struggle for system-wide domination. In the first episode, we’re told, ominously, “In the Belt, air and water are more precious than gold.”
Here’s the thing, SYFY: Air and water are more precious than gold right here on Earth! Believe it! I own no gold whatsoever, but I use air and water every single day! I use air even when I’m asleep! And I never ever use gold at all! Because gold, other than having a number of minor industrial uses, is of no value at all, other than that of adornment, and, of course, as a mother fucking medium of exchange!
Beyond this appalling lack of familiarity with the Wealth of Nations, from the little of what I’ve seen of The Expanse, it’s about 50% Blade Runner and 50% Alien, except, as I understand it, there are no alien aliens, just humans, though maybe they show up later. Anyway, there weren’t too many surprises on the good ship Canterbury. I mean, if you were waiting for someone to call her a “rust bucket”, you didn’t have to wait very long. The Expanse has a lot of fans, but I’m not sure I’m going to stick with it. I mean, just one word about the desirability of protective tariffs, and I’m out of there.
