Snowflake challenge #9

I've skipped a few days of this, may or may not catch up later.

Challenge #9

In your own space, promote at least one canon that you adore (old, new, forever fandom).


I'm excited lately by The Expanse, a hard sci-fi tv show featuring a wonderful ensemble cast. It is streaming on Amazon. I watched the first 3 seasons via my local library DVDs, then got a free trial of Amazon to watch the 4th season.

The Expanse largely takes place in the Belt, as in the Asteroid Belt, where workers mine ice and minerals. The Belt is a hard-scrabble place. We meet Miller, a detective on Ceres, who is investigating a missing woman. This part feels like classic noir in space. I was immediately impressed by the world-building details, such as the cracked screen on Miller's future-cell phone. Belters have interesting tattoos and haircuts, and they sometimes speak in a patois.

We meet Chrisjen Avasarala, surely one of the best characters to exist, ever. She is a high-level politician on Earth, which is run by the UN. Earth has massive unemployment and is in conflict with Mars. Chrisjen is fiercely loyal to Earth. She swears a lot and dresses in exquisite saris.

On a mining ship in the Belt, we meet a crew featuring Jim, Naomi, Alex, and Amos. They decide to respond to a distress signal, and things start to go very badly for them.

All of these characters will eventually come together, and wonderful new ones will be introduced: Bobbi, a Martian Marine who is tough as nails; Drummer, a tiny and extremely fierce Belter; Prax, a gentle botanist.

I really love the characters and the setting. The plot can be complex at times, and is generally fast-moving. There is a lot of violence, but so far (IIRC) no sexual violence. The Expanse is interested in class conflict; in politics between Earth, Mars, and the Belt; in the uses and consequences of violence; and in found family. There are many people of color and as the show goes on, we get to see more and more interesting women. There is so far only one lesbian character featured-- I'd of course like it if this show were queerer.

Recommended especially if you like: Mass Effect, shows like Black Sails and Game of Thrones.

Trying out my Amazon free trial - some shows

I am congested and breathing badly, which is tough, but on the other hand, my ear isn't hurting any more. My hands and feet have felt better than they have in a while, and I'm tying faster and more accurately. Cross fingers, I haven't had a migraine in a while.

Big snowstorm here today, and it finally feels like winter. Snow absorbs sound and makes the whole world seem hushed and peaceful. It sparkles and reflects the street lights diffusely, so the night is brighter, and that matters, because it's usually night, in January in the North. Abbie seems to find the snow fascinating.

To help make myself rest during this spell of bad breathing, I've been trying out some shows. I want to use my Amazon free trial but there honestly isn't a lot on there that is very interesting.

I watched "Going Postal," based on Terry Pratchett. This was a cute idea: a con man gets his life spared in return for starting up the defunct, possibly cursed, post office. The villain of the piece runs the "Clacks", which is like a telegraph service that uses lights; the boss of the clacks wants it to be the only message service available. At about 3 hours, this was too long for what amounted to a fairly simple story. It was mostly about white men. I did enjoy the sets, costumes, and humor. I was not particularly interested in the romance.

I bounced off of "Fleabag," a show that gotten a lot of awards. The title character is a young woman who has recently lost her best friend and business partner. She's making bad decisions in her grief, including sleeping with a bunch of different men. The first two episodes are a lot about these men she's sleeping with, which, yawn. The humor relies on awkardness. I was not in the right mood for this show.

Another award-winner, the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, is more enjoyable to me. Midge Maisel is a 1950s house wife and mother in New York. She's fairly well-off and seems to have a pretty good life, but then her husband leaves her. On a whim she tries stand-up comedy (something her husband wanted to do), and has a natural talent for it. I enjoy Midge herself, but I especially like her manager, a butch woman named Susie. We also get to see Midge's relationship with her parents, and a variety of friends. She wears fabulous clothes, and the music is fun, and their fancy apartment is fun to look at. My main criticism is that there is too much narrative time spent showing us Joel, the no-good husband. I love how stand-up comedy is, for Midge, a chance to tell the honest truth, and to be her full self.