Tonight | The Expanse Season 1 launches on SBS VICELAND – The Expanse Season 1 starts with danger, distrust and a rescue call that could push the solar system toward war.
A divided solar system
The series is set hundreds of years in the future. Humans now live across the solar system. However, peace is thin. Earth, Mars and the Asteroid Belt all want power, safety and control.
Earth is run by the United Nations. Mars has become a strong military force. Meanwhile, the Belt relies on air and water that are more valuable than gold. Because of that, old tensions keep rising.
The premiere begins with Episode 1, Dulcinea. James Holden and the crew of the ice-freighter Canterbury are near Saturn. They are heading to Ceres Station when they pick up a distress call from an unknown derelict ship, the Scopuli.
The call looks suspicious. Even so, the crew cannot ignore someone who may need help. As a result, one choice puts them in danger and opens the door to a much bigger mystery.
Earth, Mars and the Belt
Episode 2, The Big Empty, keeps the pressure on Holden and his crew. They fight to survive in a badly damaged shuttle. At the same time, tensions between Earth, Mars and the Belt flare on Ceres.
Back on Earth, UN Deputy Undersecretary Chrisjen Avasarala questions a Belter terrorist. She believes he may be trying to start a war between Mars and the Belt. Therefore, the danger in space is tied to a wider political threat.
For viewers who like science fiction with political tension, The Expanse Season 1 sets up a large world very quickly. The opening episodes mix a rescue mission, a possible plot and a conflict that reaches across the solar system.
Don’t miss The Expanse Season 1, Saturday 11 July 2026 at 9.00pm on SBS VICELAND and streaming on SBS On Demand.
For more SBS highlights, visit TV Central’s SBS section. Watch The Expanse on SBS On Demand.
