Jennifer Connelly in Dark Matter
By
Dhruv Sharma
Published Feb 28, 2026, 10:30 PM EST
Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns.
Before Screen Rant, he was a Senior Writer for The Cinemaholic, covering everything from anime to television, from reality TV to movies.
After high school, he was on his way to become a Civil Engineer. However, he soon realized that writing was his true calling. As a result, he took a leap and never looked back.
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With every new episode, Apple TV's epic 9-part science fiction series manages to get better with its exploration of the multiverse.
Multiverses now seem like overused gimmicks in science fiction because of how repeatedly they have been adopted in superhero movies. However, given how multiverses open the floodgates of endless possibilities, they can still be used as creative narrative devices to fascinate audiences. One Apple TV sci-fi show brings a whole new spin on the portrayal of multiverses on the small screen and keeps viewers hooked with one twist after another.
Although it does not necessarily defy genre conventions, the Apple TV sci-fi show in question finds new ways to get better with each episode.
Apple TV’s Dark Matter’s Multiverse Exploration Gets Better With Each Episode
Joel Edgerton as Jason in an apocalyptic world in Dark Matter
Apple TV's Dark Matter, which is based on Blake Crouch's book of the same name, takes a while to find its feet. In its early moments, an alternate version of the main male character ends up swapping places with him. With this, the show marks the inception of its multiversal journey, where its protagonist (played by Joel Edgerton) sets out on a long, tiring journey to return to his original universe.
The show grows more and more intriguing as the main character unlocks the doors to some of the most bizarre and extreme universes. In one, he is even forced to watch his loved ones suffer in the wake of a brutal pandemic. In another, he finds himself in a futuristic world that objectively seems better than his home.
It is his commitment to find his way back home that also ends up keeping a viewer hooked before the show's multiversal formula starts to get a little redundant.
However, just when Dark Matter starts to seem repetitive, it drops another major twist in its penultimate episode that completely changes how one perceives alternate realities. The show also ends on a satisfying note where it resolves all underlying story threads but effectively paves the way for another season.
In its 9-episode runtime, Dark Matter never leaves a dull moment with its fascinating portrayals of parallel worlds and even drops a lesson or two on quantum physics for viewers.
Dark Matter Can Become One Of Apple TV’s Best Sci-Fi Shows After Season 2
Jennifer Connelly as Daniela wearing a black dress and smiling while holding a glass in Dark Matter season 1
Dark Matter season 1's ending aligns with that of the original book. Owing to this, it is hard to predict where season 2 will go even though it has officially been renewed. Interestingly, though, the original book's author, Blake Crouch, is the Apple TV sci-fi show's creator as well. His direct involvement with the series almost guarantees it will be no less promising in its future installments.
Subscribe for Deeper Dark Matter Multiverse Analysis
Dive beyond the episode and subscribe to the newsletter for deeper Dark Matter breakdowns, theory threads, and multiverse explainers that make sense of twists and character arcs, plus smart sci-fi coverage that goes beyond a single show. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.Unlike the original book, Apple TV's Dark Matter invests its runtime in developing many side characters.
Many of these primary side characters also embark on their own little multiversal journeys towards season 2's ending moments. This gives the Apple TV sci-fi show's season 2 a lot of narrative room to expand its multiverse lore and grow into something far bigger than its source material.
Dark Matter
TV-MA
Drama
Science Fiction
Thriller
Mystery
9/10
17
8.6/10
Release Date
May 7, 2024
Network
Apple TV+
Cast
Jennifer Connelly, Joel Edgerton, Oakes Fegley, Jackie Dallas, Michael A. Dean, Reilly Oh, Snag Flynn, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi, Amanda Brugel, Matthew Amador, Rolando Boyce, William Smillie, Joe Dioletto, Arti Ishak, Elvis Garcia, Jenne Kang, Peter Sipla, Kathryn Acosta, Madelyn DePorter, Bassam Abdelfattah, Brenann Stacker, Beacon Bowman, Tara Mallen
Directors
Jakob Verbruggen, Alik Sakharov, Roxann Dawson, Logan George
Writers
Blake Crouch
Main Genre
Sci-Fi
Creator(s)
Blake Crouch
Producers
Don Kurt, Joel Edgerton, Matt Tolmach, David Manpearl, Blake Crouch, Megan McDonnell
Seasons
1
Where To Watch
AppleTV+
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Dark Matter
Subscribe for Deeper Dark Matter Multiverse Analysis
Dive beyond the episode and subscribe to the newsletter for deeper Dark Matter breakdowns, theory threads, and multiverse explainers that make sense of twists and character arcs, plus smart sci-fi coverage that goes beyond a single show. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Trending Now
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