With so much going on inDark Matterseason 1, it can be difficult to miss some of the alterations and additions made to the 2016 novel of the same name, but season 2 of the Apple TV+ adaptation can excitingly build on one of the most interesting tweaks made to the other realities in Blake Crouch’s source material. Although someDark Matterbook changestake the form of completely new storylines and characters, others are simply augmenting what’s already there. The story’s premise allows for even further exploration of one tweak in particular.
According toScreen, Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly are returning to theDark Matterseason 2 cast. This isn’t completely surprising, but theending ofDark Matterseason 1brought their story to a pretty satisfying conclusion, so how their arcs will be continued becomes incredibly compelling. Joel Edgerton’s adventures through the multiverse as Jason Dessen were at the heart of season 1’s story, as well as the plot of the novel, andDark Matterseason 2 can be even more thrillingthanks to the work of the show’s inaugural season and the new universes it contained.
Dark Matter Season 2 Can Introduce More Gimmick Universes Like Season 1 Did
Jason visited several distinctly different realities in Dark Matter season 1
Dark Matterseason 1 was largely faithful to the book, and all the additions made by author/showrunner Blake Crouch were tasteful and fitted in with the adaptation. One of the most prominent changes was the decision to not just show the alternate realities that Jason and Amanda travel to in the source material, but also to introduce new universes that boasted a fascinating gimmick. Oddly,gimmicky universes aren’t all that common in theDark Matternovel, as most are relatively similar. Hopefully,Dark Matterseason 2 will make full use of its potential in this regard.
Dark Matter Season 2 Must Answer A Confusing Lore Question The Book Also Ignored
Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter novel skipped over important canon clarifications, which he also repeated as the showrunner of the live-action adaptation.
All the original gimmicky universes in Apple TV+’s version of the story were pretty scary. For instance,the Giant Wasp Universe never appeared in the book, but it’s a pretty bleak reality. Similarly, the Flooded Universe didn’t exactly scream optimism. These types of worlds are great for a gritty story likeDark Matter, but the presence of the Futuristic Chicago Universe in both versions ofDark Matterproves that Crouch is capable of giving his characters some respite on their travels. On the other hand, the Plague Universe supports the theory that the showrunner loves making Jason and company suffer.
Dark Matter Season 2’s Alternate Realities Have Far More Freedom Than Season 1
Dark Matterseason 1 impressively touched on every universe from the book and even fleshed out some of the more interesting ones. While the show managed to find time to visit realities unique to the adaptation, it was still restricted by how often it could do this, as there was still a larger story to tell, and it could easily have spiraled out of control.Dark Matterseason 2 has the advantage of having no source materialto worry about, as the events of the lone book have now been completely covered.
The lack of source material forDark Matterseason 2 means the show can include far more new realities than it has done so far.
Although characters like Alice Braga’s Amanda Lucas and Jimmi Simpson’s Ryan Holder endDark Matterseason 1 stranded in one specific universe, there are others who can still freely travel between alternate realities. WhileDark Matterseason 2 could still introduce new figures to join the adventure, there are already two versions of Dayo Okeniyi’s Leighton Vance and one version of Amanda Brugel’s Blair Caplan, who have already been established as universe-hoppers. Interestingly, if Blair finds her way to a brand-new universe, the fact thatBlair isn’t in the bookmeans that storyline would be wholly original to the adaptation.
Why Dark Matter Season 2 Is Still Relatively Limited With What Universes It Can Introduce
Blake Crouch’s show isn’t the same as other multiverse sagas
Despite the show’s newfound freedom,Dark Matterstill has one disadvantage that other multiverse stories don’t. In short,Dark Matter’s interdimensional travelis relatively grounded as far as science-fiction goes. So, the characters can’t really jump to super bizarre universes, as they have to have at least one foot grounded in reality. Therefore, completelyoff-the-wall parallel universes as seen in shows likeRick and Mortyaren’t a genuine possibilityforDark Matter, which should temper expectations going into next season.
9 Dark Matter Season 2 Theories About Where The Show Will Go Next
Dark Matter season 2 is free from the constraints of source material, so there are many possibilities for the saga’s continuation on Apple TV+.
Dark Matterhas already blurred the line between reality and sci-fi with the universe filled with giant killer wasps, but it’s not completely outside the realm of possibility that such a world could exist. Similarly,the super-advanced version of Chicago isn’t that hard to buy into as a believable premise, nor is the world where a deadly plague has swept through the city. IfDark Matterseason 2 continues this trend of other worlds that toy with what’s actually possible, it should be great, but it can’t untether itself completely from reality.
Dark Matter
Cast
Dark Matter (2024): Jason Dessen is thrust into an alternate reality where he must confront an ominous version of himself. His quest to return to his original life leads him on a challenging journey to reunite with his family, navigating the complexities of parallel existences.
