Paramount
In the history of science fiction media, few shows can rival the importance of "Star Trek," aka "Star Trek: The Original Series." Created by Gene Roddenberry, the show centers on Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the crew of the Enterprise remains beloved to this day, in addition to having spawned one of the longest-running franchises in Hollywood history. Even so, a far more recent but similarly beloved sci-fi series on Prime Video has it beat, at least according to Rotten Tomatoes.
We should preface this by saying Rotten Tomatoes shouldn't be relied on, at least not solely. It's an inherently flawed system. That having been said, "Star Trek" boasts an 80% approval rating from critics on the site. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime Video's "The Expanse" carries a hugely impressive 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
In the wake of its premiere in 2015, "The Expanse" was TV's most accurate sci-fi series and would go on to run for six seasons totaling 62 episodes. For the sake of contrast, "Star Trek" ran for 79 episodes across three seasons. Of course, the TV world was a very different place back when the latter was on the air.
"The Expanse," for those who are not familiar, is based on the novel series of the same name by James S.A. Corey (the joint pen name used by authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) and takes place in a future where humanity has colonized the solar system. However, the people of Earth, Mars, and the Asteroid Belt have also been in conflict for a while by the time the show gets going. Hence, when the crew of a spaceship uncovers an ancient extraterrestrial technology, a conspiracy emerges that brings the solar system to the brink of war.
The Expanse is beloved modern sci-fi television
Prime Video
Now, this article is not intended to diminish the reputation and influence of "Star Trek: The Original Series" in any way. Gene Roddenberry's small screen sci-fi classic's achievements are unimpeachable, and its legacy is more than secure. It's also a show that came out over 60 years ago, long before Rotten Tomatoes was even a thing. That might help explain why "Strange New Worlds" is the best "Star Trek" TV series according to Rotten Tomatoes, being that it's a modern show. The point being, in some ways, comparing these two series is a little unfair.
The larger point is that "The Expanse" is broadly considered to be excellent, modern sci-fi television. Science fiction fans are always on the hunt for something new to enjoy, and while this series certainly had a following in its time, it wasn't nearly as well-known as the likes of "Star Trek," for example. In that sense, it could even be considered a hidden gem, several years removed from its series finale.
It helps that "The Expanse" fans generally felt it was good right up to the end. Indeed, season 6 was largely hailed as a strong send-off for the series. That's never guaranteed, either, as great shows can easily run out of steam by the end of their run and finish far weaker than they started. It's why series with great conclusions are all the more notable, this one included (even if its ending did leave some significant questions unresolved).
If nothing else, "The Expanse" even being comparable to the quality of an all-timer like "Star Trek: The Original Series" should convince certain fans of the sci-fi genre to finally give it the time of day.
"The Expanse" is currently available to stream on Prime Video.
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