One of Apple TV’s quietly best sci-fi series is back. Dark Matter returns for its second season on August 28, and this time it is heading somewhere the source material never went. Where the first season faithfully adapted Blake Crouch’s bestselling novel, Season 2 is an original story, opening the door to a much larger multiverse.
Beyond the book
The first season told a complete story, because the novel did too. That left showrunner and author Blake Crouch and his writing team building Season 2 from scratch, continuing the saga of physicist Jason Dessen and his family after they escaped their dangerous Chicago timeline. Reports indicate the new season broadens its scope considerably, following multiple groups as they navigate parallel worlds and confront a multiversal threat, with far more alternate versions of Chicago than the first season attempted. It is the kind of expansion that only works when the person steering it knows exactly where the story is going, and Crouch, adapting his own creation, does.
The cast returns
Joel Edgerton is back as Jason Dessen, with Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly returning as Daniela. The ensemble also includes Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi, Oakes Fegley, and Amanda Brugel. Apple revealed a first look at the season earlier this year and premiered a full trailer at San Diego Comic-Con, teasing the higher-concept, reality-hopping direction ahead.
How to watch
The 10-episode season debuts globally on Apple TV on Friday, August 28, with a single episode, followed by a new installment every Friday through the finale on October 30. Sticking to a weekly rollout is classic Apple, and for a twisty multiverse thriller, the week-to-week wait may be part of the fun. Coming up on the 10th anniversary of the novel that started it all, Dark Matter is quietly making its case as one of the best sci-fi shows on television.
