December 14, 2019, 07:58 PM
Sci-fi shows are typically futuristic and set in fictional environments, featuring other-worldly costumes and props.
It's therefore quite surprising when one comes across something recognisable in their favourite television show.
Unexpected Easter egg
Fans of Amazon's The Expanse were treated to an unexpected Easter egg in the first episode of season four, which aired on Dec. 13, 2019.
The award-winning show is based on a hit book series of the same name. In the setting, humanity has divided into three distinct groups:
- People of Earth, governed by the United Nations.
- Citizens of the Martian Congressional Republic, based on Mars.
- People who live and work in the asteroid belt, known as Belters.
The show revolves around three main characters, a police detective in the asteroid belt, a ship captain and a United Nations bureaucrat.
The three discover a conspiracy that could threaten everyone, spread out across Earth and other planets, and have to work together to stop it.
Till the rains fall hard on Olympus Mons
In one scene, which takes place around the 18-minute mark of the first episode, Bobbie Draper, a member of the Martian Marine Corps, is travelling on a futuristic train on planet Mars.
Here's the screenshot taken by one observant Redditor, u/davidbydesign who then posted it on the r/Singapore subreddit.
Spot something familiar? Look closer at the background.
Photo from The Expanse via u/davidbydesign / Reddit
Another sharp-eyed Redditor, u/vanguy79 spotted the same thing in another scene from the show.
He shared the photo in the r/TheExpanse subreddit.
Photo from The Expanse via u/vanguy79 / Reddit
It almost looks similar to something like this:
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Earth must come first
Yes, it's a "No Durians" sign, something most Singaporeans and people in other Asian countries, might recognise from their subway trains.
The producer of the show, Breck Eisner, even confirmed on Twitter that the image of the round object on the sign was a durian.
That it is
— Breck Eisner (@Breck_Eisner) December 13, 2019
Wow.
Us Belters
This isn't the first time familiar objects have made an appearance on sci-fi series.
In July 2019, social media users were baffled when a rambutan, a common tropical fruit found in Southeast Asia, was portrayed as a mysterious extra-terrestrial fruit on Netflix's Another Life.
Who knew rambutans were 'alien' and that durians were prohibited in space?
Top photo from u/davidbydesign / Reddit
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