We’ve all wondered about the path not taken. What would life be like if you had made that career change or married that person? In Apple TV’s Dark Matter, a physics professor doesn’t have to wonder, as the alternate version of himself that forewent marriage and dedicated his life to science, drags him across the multiverse. Joel Edgerton takes on both versions of Professor Jason Dessen, relaying this mind-bending experience with such viscera it makes the sci-fi series well worth watching. Promising a hectic journey across dimensions, this show that delivers a refreshing take on the multiverse and self-reflection needs to be next on every Edgerton and sci-fi fan’s watch-list.
What Is ‘Dark Matter’ About?
Jason is a regular professor who spends his days earnestly trying to excite his class about physics, then returns home to his loving wife, Daniela (Jennifer Connelly), and teenage son, Charlie (Oaks Fegley). One day, he is invited out to celebrate his friend Ryan (Jimmi Simpson) winning a physics award, and though he doesn’t necessarily regret his choice to marry and opt for stability, there is a part of him that wonders about the other life he could have had. Well, he has little time to wonder when another version of himself, one who chose work over family, abducts him on the way back home from the bar. He is roughly tossed into a box and plunged into an alternate universe, forced to blindly navigate the complex network of timelines to return home.
Apple TV’s ‘Dark Matter’ Is Different From Other Sci-Fi Shows in the Best Way
The likes of Everything Everywhere All at Once or the Marvel Cinematic Universe have brought the multiverse into mainstream consciousness, but Dark Matter is based on a 2016 novel of the same name by Blake Crouch, before the explosion of alternate universes. Multiversal storytelling certainly wasn’t rare by any means, with sci-fi shows like Sliders or Fringe taking on the complexities and socio-politics of interacting with other dimensions. But what Dark Matter brings to the genre is the innate human element of “what if?” While many multiverse stories tend to lean towards saving the world due to some catastrophic rip in the fabric of reality or the butterfly effects of a minor change, this show peers inwards and decides to deliver a heady exploration of humanity instead.
However, that’s not to say that the sci-fi elements aren’t interesting, but they set themselves apart by being combined with the human factor. As the show progresses, Jason travels to different universes in his attempt to return to his original one, while alternate Jason travels to search for greener pastures. Dark Matter delivers a plethora of alternate dimensions, some in post-apocalyptic ruin and others in slightly off variations from his own. But the show doesn’t only address the science of how he is traveling or what he comes across, but the all-too-important why. Both Jasons’ motivations evolve as the series goes on, funneling into human truths of why we get so hung up on certain choices or fantasies.
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Joel Edgerton’s Performance Makes Apple TV’s ‘Dark Matter’ a Must-Watch
What makes Dark Matter‘s existential musings so compelling and watchable is Edgerton’s dual performance. He cleverly distinguishes each Jason from the other with subtle traits while maintaining the foundation of the character’s personality. The alternate Jason tends to be sharper and tougher than the original Jason, whose edges have been softened by his clockwork days of teaching and engaging with his family. These variations in performance drive home the show’s exploration into the butterfly effects of life choices in an uncanny way, where Jason is a fish-out-of-water in a life that was only one decision away from his own. Despite their differences, both Jasons face vulnerable moments that Edgerton delivers with precision and prowess, demanding our attention through it all.
If you’ve watched far too many sci-fi shows about people traversing across the multiverse to prevent a world-ending event, then Dark Matter’s grounded and deeply intimate story is for you. With nine episodes in its first season, it makes for the perfect weekend binge filled with thoughtful scenes of why humans need to wonder “what if” and approachable science that makes for mind-bending visuals. By the end of it, you’ll be wondering if the person you need to be wary of the most is the one looking back at you in the mirror.
