After the reality-bending chaos of Season 1, Jason Dessen has finally got his family back. But Dark Matter Season 2 asks the obvious question: what happens when the door to all those other realities is still open?
Joel Edgerton returns as Jason, the physicist who discovered the terrifying reality of the multiverse and the existence of countless versions of himself. After fighting his way back to his family, Jason, his wife Daniela (Jennifer Connelly) and their son Charlie are hoping for something they haven't had in a very long time: a normal life. Unfortunately, Dark Matter isn't really interested in normal.
The Box remains at the centre of Jason's world, and his determination to understand its secrets threatens to drag the family back into the chaos they've barely escaped. And while Jason is fascinated by the possibilities of alternate realities, Daniela is increasingly concerned about what those possibilities could mean for the people she loves.
It is also nice to see Daniela given considerably more to do this season. In Season 1, her character could sometimes feel secondary to Jason's extraordinary journey. Season 2 gives Jennifer Connelly more material to work with, allowing Daniela to become a much more active and emotionally important part of the story. Her fears, suspicions and determination to protect her family give the season another strong perspective on the increasingly dangerous situation.
That conflict gives Season 2 plenty of emotional weight. Beneath all the parallel universes and mind-bending science, this is still a story about a family trying to stay together.
Edgerton remains the show's secret weapon. Playing different versions of Jason gives him plenty of room to explore subtle changes in personality, choices and behaviour, while Connelly brings real emotional force to Daniela as her character becomes increasingly wary of the world around her.
Season 2 also gives more room to some of the show's other compelling characters. Amanda (Alice Braga) and Ryan (Jimmi Simpson) embark on their own search for a way home, while Leighton Vance (Dayo Okeniyi) becomes increasingly interested in using the Box to pursue his vision of a perfect reality.
And that's where Dark Matter continues to be so entertaining. It isn't simply asking what would happen if parallel universes existed. It's asking something much more personal: if you could choose another life, would you really want it?
The biggest gamble and one of the most exciting things about Season 2 is that the story is now moving beyond Blake Crouch's original novel. The first season had a bestselling book as its roadmap. This time, the series is creating new territory, allowing Crouch and his writers to expand the mythology and take these characters somewhere readers haven't already been. That gives Season 2 a welcome sense of unpredictability.
With its combination of high-concept science fiction, family drama, mystery and increasingly twisted alternate realities, Dark Matter remains one of Apple TV+'s most intriguing genre shows.
Dark Matter is now streaming on AppleTV+.
