A recent surge in recommendations to watch Apple TV's "Dark Matter" has led to confusion for some, as the series shares its name with a canceled Syfy cult classic that concluded its run nearly a decade ago. The two shows, despite their identical titles, are entirely unrelated.
The original "Dark Matter," which aired from 2015 to 2017, was a staple of Syfy's lineup of science fiction programming and is now at risk of becoming lost media. For fans of space operas and sci-fi Westerns, the first season is considered a worthwhile watch, provided it can still be found.
The Premise of the Original Dark Matter
The first two episodes of the 2015 "Dark Matter" adapt a 2012 Dark Horse comic of the same name. The series begins with six strangers waking up from stasis aboard a spaceship with no memory of their identities or pasts, though their skills remain intact. Within minutes, they discover that someone is actively trying to kill them all. Faced with this immediate threat and a lack of personal history, they adopt numerical designations—One, Two, Three, and so on—based on the order they awoke. This sets them on a path to uncover their identities, quickly learning that most of them are wanted criminals. The central conflict then becomes whether they will attempt to atone for their past actions or embrace their outlaw status.
This Syfy series found a second life on Netflix a few years after its initial broadcast, alongside other Canadian sci-fi imports like "Continuum," "Bitten," "Lost Girl," and "Aftermath." Many viewed "Dark Matter" as a deliberate attempt to capture the audience of "Firefly," given its premise of space outlaws struggling for survival in a harsh universe. Direct character parallels, such as the comparison between "Dark Matter's" Two (Melissa O'Neil) and "Firefly's" River Tam (Summer Glau), have been noted.
However, "Dark Matter" possesses a grittier tone than "Firefly." While "Firefly" relied heavily on its witty dialogue, "Dark Matter" was driven by its central mystery. The lack of trust and animosity among the crew, compounded by the unsettling details of their pasts, created a volatile dynamic.
A Complicated Narrative and an Unfinished Story
The series reportedly faced challenges, particularly in its second season, with the introduction of a multiversal twist that significantly increased the complexity of its storyline. This development, while not entirely derailing the show, made following the plot more demanding as characters began portraying multiple versions of themselves.
Despite its popularity, "Dark Matter" was canceled after its third season, ending on a substantial cliffhanger. Co-creator Joseph Mallozzi explained that the decision by Syfy was primarily financial. As an acquired series rather than a Syfy original, the network did not incur the same production costs but also lacked backend monetization opportunities. Mallozzi has indicated that attempts to find an alternative way to conclude the story have been unsuccessful, though he did later provide a narrative outline for the intended fourth season on his blog.
Currently, finding legitimate streaming options for "Dark Matter" is difficult, and only the first season is widely available on DVD. While bootleg copies have circulated among fans, the show's incomplete narrative remains a significant caveat for potential viewers. Those who do manage to find it can expect a gritty space opera focused on plot twists and character redemption arcs, though it ultimately lacks the conclusion it deserved.