It's imo
a lot better than Dark Matter. I enjoy DM a lot, but it has this.. well, cheesy Stargate feel

which shouldn't be a surprise as it's created by the same guys. And for the record, I've seen all stargate movies and tv series at least 3 times, so I know a thing or two about nostalgia.. but here, it loses the fight. Dark Matter honestly feels like a guilty pleasure when compared to the Expanse, at least in the context of serious sf.
The Expanse has a big budget feel. And it is much more grounded in reality.
Politics, human rights, genocide, "greater good", racism and many other isms, it's all there, shaping the world of the Expanse. And the world, thanks to that, is .. well, real.
I can't find the words to describe this to be honest, you'll have to see it and judge for yourself.