We enjoyed Dark Matter season one, which very closely adapts Blake Crouch’s sci-fi novel of the same name. So we were especially intrigued when Apple TV ordered up another season, because there’s uncharted narrative territory ahead. With Crouch himself behind the wheel—the author is also the show’s creator, executive producer, showrunner, and writer—it’ll be like getting a sequel novel in the form of a TV series, with Joel Edgerton again leading the way as main character Jason Dessen.
As fans will recall, season one saw Jason being kidnapped by himself—or rather, a version of himself who’d devoted his entire life to creating the Box, a device that enables cross-dimensional travel. As we learn, this more intense Jason started feeling regrets over his life choices and decided to use his invention to see what other paths were out there.
That’s how he comes to switch places with the main Jason, whose existence as a physics teacher may be a bit more humdrum but is worth it because he gets to be married to Daniela (Jennifer Connelly). Across season one, Jason frantically tried to get back to his proper timeline while experiencing multiple “what if” scenarios, with Chicago evolving in ways both idyllic and apocalyptic.
Other characters include Jason’s teenage son, Charlie (Oakes Fegley); Jason’s colleague and frenemy, Ryan (Jimmi Simpson); a sympathetic woman from the other Jason’s timeline, Amanda (Alice Braga); Leighton (Dayo Okeniyi), who runs the secretive company where the Box was constructed; and a fellow cross-dimensional traveler named Blair (Amanda Bruegel).
The Dark Matter cast and crew appeared as part of Apple TV’s San Diego Comic-Con panel and shared a trailer for season two.
Here’s the official description of Dark Matter season two: “Season two picks up with the Dessens as they settle into a quiet life in a world that finally seems safe until the unimaginable forces them to run once again. As Jason’s obsession with the Box deepens, Daniela’s (Connelly) growing paranoia pushes her to the brink, threatening to tear their fragile stability apart. Elsewhere, Amanda (Braga) and Ryan (Simpson) join forces in a desperate attempt to find their way home. With Blair (Brugel) determined to stop him, Leighton (Okeniyi) relentlessly chases his grand vision of creating a perfect world.”
A new official companion podcast was also announced, entitled “Dark Matter: The Official Podcast.” Here’s the official description for that: “Hosted by Dark Matter author and showrunner Blake Crouch and executive producer Jacquelyn Ben-Zekry, the podcast takes listeners deeper into the series with a robust roster of cast members, key creatives, and industry experts. Together, they explore the show’s biggest moments, the science behind the multiverse, the creative process and how the series expands beyond Crouch’s original novel.”
Dark Matter returns August 28 to Apple TV; it will have a weekly rollout through October 30.
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