Dark Matter (2024)

Scaling back its most excessive parts has made “Dark Matter” one of the best science fiction series of the year.

A thoughtful, if unexpected continuation of the story, this second season takes a bold step into the unknown, delivering something different but altogether more satisfying.

“Dark Matter” is a visually stunning and heart-grabbing journey of the mind and heart featuring show-stopping performances by Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly, who (along with a number of other cast members) are tasked with playing different versions of the same character and succeed in creating fully formed personas. It’s elevated acting. Also, not gonna lie to you, there are times when the storyline goes so deep down the rabbit hole you’ll feel as lost as the characters themselves.

If we’re being brutally honest, Dark Matter should probably be better than it is, but its basic storytelling shortcomings aren’t fully heinous. And it’s a price worth paying for some TV that absolutely flies when it’s on a roll and sticks a tricky landing in the end with the finesse of an Eastern European Olympic gymnast. Much like its author-turned-showrunner, this is definitely one to watch.

Whether Dark Matter absorbs as drama depends on how much anyone can take of Edgerton. With a smudgy sort of straight face, he’s good at veering from vaguely hunky everyman to conscienceless brainiac. .... Whether he will turn out to be the hero or villain of his own life/lives plays out across nine episodes, which feels too many.

Dark Matter falls somewhere in the middle of that pack, which is to say, you ultimately won’t miss all that much if you leave this door closed.

Characters repeat themselves simply to stretch runtime, and the whole project lacks the urgency needed to maintain the tension inherent in the story of a man whose life is stolen. Stars Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly do their best, but even these talented performers struggle to keep the stakes elevated over the length of a nine-episode season.

I'm hooked. This is what sci-fi is meant to be. a mystery thriller pushing the edges of theoretical science, and showing the impact on people. Update: After finishing the season...I was compelled to leave a review as I was really overwhelmed by a sense of happiness and completeness after watching Dark Matter. This is exactly what I hope for when I watch a sci-fi movie. Something that plays upon theoretical sciences, and exploring its impact on people, that we care about, while leaving us to reflect on existentialsm. Dark matter creates compelling characters that we grow attached to, root for and cheer for, and hope for. The suspense, peril, and existential dilemmas are so intense after each episode all the way until the last and the pay off is maybe a little too satisfying in that, it makes reality a bit hard to return to. If anyone recalls Safety Not Guaranteed directed by Colin Trevorrow with Mark Duplass an Aubrey Plaza, Dark Matter's finale leaves you with that same feeling of awe, humility, and peace at the end. It may even be better because it was a journey over 8 episodes that you'll get to savor.

It was SciFi so there's that. The plot was interesting. Acting was good, but it was sometimes like watching everybody using the same face. The time lines (alternate realities) get difficult to follow and shift quite a bit so that's hard to follow; sometimes I don't know where I am. :-) Anyway, the show plods along and ends and I wonder if I would be interested in watching a second season (I'm not sure). We'd rate this "go ahead and watch, it is science fiction."

Something happens - but I just don’t care. Not even enough to list all things I didn’t like.

Not a bad drama, it’s not really sci-fi though. If you’re looking for hard sci-fi this is not for you. If you’re looking for a drama that’s kind of cool then it might be.

a dull fantasy based on the story of the box with Schrodinger's cat, the ampoule and superposition, don't waste your time