Dark Matter Season 2 Review: Two years after the release of this world-bending series that left viewers slack-jawed, Dark Matter series returns with its second season of multiverse travel, people trying to get back to their worlds and a different set of challenges for Jasons from different universes. The second season follows Jason and Daniela’s journey in their new universe after the events of the last season and moves beyond the events taking place in Blake Crouch’s 2016 novel of the same name.
However, with its expanded runtime, viewers will feel the weight of the series that occasionally lags quite a bit. While Jason and Daniela’s stories are complex considering the circumstances, some of the episodes can feel unnecessary and confusing.
The cast this season includes Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, Dayo Okeniyi, and Oakes Fegley, with episodes directed by Jakob Verbruggen, Celine Held, Logan George, Roxann Dawson and Alik Sakharov.
Dark Matter Season 2 Review
Too Much Drama, Not Enough Sci-Fi Thrill
The biggest issue with Dark Matter, more so in the newer season, is that it focuses too much on building a drama for episodes on end without getting deeper into the mystery or the thrill. The season follows Jason and Daniela as they uproot their family once more after someone comes after them to disrupt their quiet lives. Along with that, Amanda and Ryan are trying to get back to their world, while Leighton continues to find a way to create a perfect world according to his messed-up ideologies.
While all these threads weave in and out constantly, the series, for some reason, continues to focus on the different characters’ emotional growth and who they are as people. We spend episodes on end understanding Jason and Daniela’s fears, anxieties, and sentimentalities, and while that’s interesting in small doses, it takes forever to get to the point. After a while of watching them interact with different people along their journeys, viewers will find themselves becoming impatient, trying to figure out what happens next with the box.
I also found Leighton’s storyline rather dissatisfying. While the series tries to make him out to be a genius (which he is) following a corrupt thought process, it never reaches a crescendo of any kind and, rather, stays somewhere in the middle. The same happens with the Amanda and Ryan storyline – while they start strong, the arc never really goes anywhere.
It’s honestly surprising considering the series is on an extraordinary piece of technology, and an endlessly fascinating multiverse, and all we do is go to a few places and talk about our feelings. It seems like we never explore the true potential of the box by the end, although we do get to understand it a bit more.
The Multiple Versions Are Still Fascinating
With all that being said, the concept of the multiverse is one of the most fascinating things about Dark Matter and one of the reasons viewers will continue to go to the next episode. While I think the season is messy and a bit all over the place, the explanations and the logic provided about the box are a very interesting watch and make you want to learn more.
Watching different versions of the same person go through the same situations differently is truly a very interesting watch. Whether it be emotional moments or thrilling ones, the same characters going through the motions differently showcases how vastly our surroundings change who we are, even though we are fundamentally the same people.
Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly continue to be fantastic, having to work with several emotions of the same person across different worlds. Although a deeper look into the box itself would’ve been interesting, the performances almost make up for the lack of interesting explanations or explorations. The season is intentionally a bit more character-driven, which isn’t a bad thing. But it doesn’t balance the two elements well, thereby losing the thrill of multidimensional exploration.
A Finale That Leaves You Wanting More
While I expected the ending to pick up momentum and finally address several questions I had, Dark Matter Season 2 leaves us with more questions, hopefully to be explored in a third season. After a particularly uneventful season, viewers might expect more action or exploration in the finale. Unfortunately, that’s not exactly what happens. It’s an intriguing ending that has its moments, but it’s neither mind-bending fun nor a shocking thrill. Just a very mild shock, clearly creating space for a third season that will start off with panic, confusion and further exploration and undoing almost everything that was done in season 2.
What Works
As always, the multiverse concept and the idea of the box itself are extremely unique. The second season should’ve explored that part a bit more, but it’s still interesting to watch. Moreover, the season explores identity, relationships and the consequences of different choices effectively. Add to that great performances from across the board, and the season has many memorable moments.
What Doesn’t Work
The season takes forever to get to the point and, with 10 episodes, has too many emotional moments, as a result of which the thrills get lost. The sci-fi mystery is overshadowed by the emotional storyline. However, the most underwhelming part is probably the finale, which leaves us with more questions than answers that we have to wait to get for another year or two.
Final Verdict
Dark Matter Season 2 is huge and extremely character-driven, as a result of which the sci-fi elements get lost. The series has its winning moments, especially the performances and the exploration of how people become different thanks to the environment in which they find themselves, but overall, it tests your patience more often than not.
Dark Matter Season 2 will release on Apple TV from August 28, 2026, to October 30, 2026. Are you excited for what’s to come in the show? Let us know in the comments below!