Dark Matter returns and thrusts you straight back into the show’s multiverse-spanning, timey-wimey action-adventure. It picks up almost exactly where the first season left us and somehow makes an already fantastic series even bigger and smarter. The importance of family, survival and the choices we make continues to sit at the heart of the story, but this season expands the world considerably. The storytelling is still one of the show’s greatest strengths, with the science-fiction concepts feeling incredibly well thought out while never losing sight of the characters at the centre of it all.
Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams, Warrior) is once again fantastic, bringing so much depth to Jason and the various versions of him we encounter. Jennifer Connelly (Labyrinth, Top Gun: Maverick) is equally brilliant, while Jimmi Simpson and the rest of the cast make a strong impression, including Alice Braga and Dayo Okeniyi. There are also some new additions to the cast who slot into this increasingly complicated world really well.
Dark Matter isn’t exactly the easiest show to follow. In fact, one of the best things about it can also be one of its most frustrating elements: it doesn’t hold your hand. If you found yourself confused by Season 1 and all of its multiverse, alternate-reality and timey-wimey madness, then Season 2 probably isn’t going to make things any easier! But honestly, I think that’s part of what makes the show so brilliant. You aren’t simply watching these characters try to understand what’s happening; you’re on that journey with them.
Season 2 also shifts the focus slightly. While Jason’s story remains central, we spend more time exploring the other characters and seeing how the events of the first season have affected them. It gives the wider story more depth and allows some of the returning characters to develop in really interesting ways. This is a particularly difficult review to write because the show thrives on its twists and turns. There are so many different versions of characters, so many questions surrounding their motivations, and so many moments where you’re left wondering who is actually telling the truth that it’s almost impossible to talk about the season in detail without spoiling something.
The writing is fantastic. The ideas are fascinating. The science behind the story is incredibly well considered, and Blake Crouch’s world continues to feel very fleshed out. Most importantly, though, all of those huge science-fiction concepts are grounded in something incredibly human: family, love, survival and the choices we make when faced with impossible circumstances.
Dark Matter Season 2 is an elevated version of what was already an excellent first season. It’s bigger, more ambitious and arguably even more intelligent, while still maintaining the mystery and emotional core that made Season 1 work so well.
Streaming from August 28th on Apple TV+ / Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Dayo Okeniyi, Jimmi Simpson, Oakes Fegley/ Showrunner Blake Crouch/ Apple
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