I thought I'd come back and earnestly provide an answer to this question. On
@Parson's advice, I went back and watched the first five episodes in the hopes that I would get hooked and continue on. I really wanted to. Series with big ideas about the human condition are right up my alley, plus, there is a dearth of good sci-fi series and movies and nothing would make me happier. Sadly I didn't, and my original opinion of the series remains. I too am struggling to determine why though, when so many others love it. Also, as a recently sub-published author myself, I am much more intimately aware of the process, effort and commitment when creating art, and I am certain the people who put this together put their hearts and souls into it, and so, I am not here to say their creation was anything but a wonderful expression of themselves and their aim to make the world a better place. It's just that it didn't speak to me. Why? I think the answer has to do with my life-stage and my views about what it means to be a consumer of art in general and digital art in particular. These days. I am extremely busy and there is just so much choice in terms of where to spend what little leisure time I have, so when it comes to films or TV, if the acting isn't top-notch, the writing tight, pacing appropriate then I swiftly move to something else. Also, I appreciate subtlety when it comes to the morality or values that the creator wishes to convey.
I think the Expanse fails for me on many of these levels. The pacing was good, though the acting felt wooden and the writing about average. A key moment when this is apparent is when Jean Yoon's character Captain Theresa Yao fights the Martian ship. I was rooting for her all the way, a fellow Canuck, fresh off a season of Kim's Convenience, get's her own starship. What's not to like! But in the throes of the battle, when all things are lost, the camera pans to her in dramatic fashion and her signature line is "
This has to mean something." Really? After all Earth and Mars have been through, that's all the writers can give her? Though a small example, it was like the record stopped, and seemed to take me right out of the story.
Probably the biggest thing was that the series' moral compass was evident from the beginning and felt too preachy for me to wish to go along for the ride and see it through. I prefer to see it unfold slowly. All art is propaganda, but I prefer mine to be given to me in bite-sized chunks. It was clear that this would be a commentary on class-warfare, tribalism, uncaring governments, and the use of propaganda from the first episode on was apparent. Convince me with your ideas, don't clobber me with them. Contrast this with the first episode of Battlestar Galactic (though it's been some time since I've watched it to be fair), to see the difference.
I can only surmise that people who like Expanse have different tolerances for these things and so, it's simply the case of different strokes for different folks. It shows me how hard it is to create anything that has near-universal appeal (Star Wars, Star Trek for example do) and while The Expanse has clearly spoken to many, it hasn't reached that level in our popular culture.