Rock Bottom

SyFy | Prime Video | Air Date: January 12, 2016

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cylunFeb 21, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In contrast of the books, the TV adaptation has two weaknesses, in my opinion.

First, there is the conflict between Anderson Dawes and Detective Miller. Miller decides not to take Anderson's offer to exchange information about July against the intel about the assailant of Havelock. The viewer will later understand that the assailant of Havelock plays a role in the overall plot of Mao, but Miller can't suspect that. However, Miller's character drive and arc seem to be defined differently in the TV adaptation. In the books, Miller is a Belter first and understands himself as a cop because someone has to ensure security in the Belt, regardless of his own interest. In the TV adaptation, his choice against taking the information seems to be out of his conviction as a cop and not as a Belter. The books are clear on Miller's priorities. Whoever messes with the Belt and its life support won't have to be surprised to end up in an airlock, no matter if they are with the Belt, OPA, Mars, or Earth. And Miller supports that view. Havelock's assailant messed with the Belt's security, although Havelock is an Earther. The Miller of the books would have exchanged the information because he doesn't care about his identity as a cop as much as he cares about the future of the station. The OPA are just a tool to him. I think it was a mistake to evolve this conflict between Anderson and Miller this way. It appears manufactured. The exchange of information could also have served the story arc because it could have provided some answers but even more questions that are clarified later in a short breathed side note.

The other difference is the conflict between Fred Johnson and Holden. It also appears manufactured in the TV adaptation just to make it more thrilling but without a point in the overall plot. MCRN ships have a tight security system that can only be tempered by authorized personnel. Holden's crew was granted access before they left the Donnager. Fred would be quite naive to imagine that he could take this vessel just like this, contrary to how smart he is drawn by the writers when he argues with Holden. In the books, this conflict doesn't exist in this way. Fred asks Holden for his support and the only conflict they have is about the exchange of full information, but not about the Rocinante. The books aren't perfect in this situation either. But mild conflicts tend to appear much more authentic than these manufactured conflicts with rifled weapons.

Last, I'd like to give credit to the TV show's writers how they approached the leisure activities and interests of Holden's crew. In the books, all three of Holden's male crew seem to be whore mongers and it is drawn as something natural in this universe - nothing bad or to be worried about. It doesn't suit any of the book's character definitions and arcs to be whore mongers. In general, the books do a bad job when it comes to the topic of love and sex (including sexism and feminism of the future). The TV adaptation really shows strengths in these aspects.… Expand

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