The Expanse 2×03 Review: “Static”

Things continue to spiral out of control on The Expanse. “Static” told us a little more about the extra-solar life form that consumed Eros, but we’re just getting started.

There is some tension among the crew of the Roci over the raid. Holden and Miller fundamentally disagree over Dresden’s death, and this causes issues between Holden and Naomi as well. Naomi – and Amos – understand why Miller did what he did, but Holden is uncomfortable with how quickly Miller shot Dresden. It also removed their best chance to learn more about what’s going on. They end up interrogating one of the rescued scientists, who discovers that something is still happening on Eros. “Static” is aptly named, because the transmissions still coming from Eros seem to be coming from the extra-solar life form itself.

Meanwhile, Alex and Amos clash over the amount of people that they saved from Eros; Alex insists they should have tried to save more, while Amos thinks that they should prioritize the Roci crew above everyone else. Avasarala risks treason to contact Fred Johnson and beg him for help to prove that someone is attempting to start a war between Earth and Mars. Bobbie’s crew reaches a boiling point after Earth makes good on their plans from last week to destroy one of Mars’ smaller moons as retribution for the loss of Phoebe.

“Static” deals with the very human idea of empathy and how important it is. All of the crew members from the outpost station underwent a procedure that essentially scrambled their brains and removed their capacity for empathy. That is how they were able to completely ignore the fact that over a hundred thousand people died on Eros for an experiment. I cannot emphasize enough how vital this examination of empathy is; the idea that something is only worth caring about if it personally affects you is more relevant than ever right now. I’m really glad that this was a discussion that happened.

The Expanse continues to deliver quality episodes and a storyline that just keeps getting more interesting. “Static” also gives us a glimpse of the Roci crew – at least some of them – getting to enjoy a bit of normalcy, probably for the last time. The relationships are growing, and we’re learning a lot more about the characters. I’m almost even starting to become a fan of Amos, which I didn’t think was possible, but he was a key player in getting more information about Eros in this episode.

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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