Do yourself a favor and watch Dark Matter

Tonight the new season of Dark Matter will be premiered on Syfy, so I decided to review the first season, although I am one year late. In my defense, this blog didn't exist a year ago.

I'm always reluctant to watch Syfy's shows, mostly because there is always a good chance that such shows are going to be canceled after few seasons and I, as every viewer, don't want a broken heart. However, I liked Dark Matter so much in so little time that I took my chances.

Before going any further, I promise there will be no spoilers ahead, mostly because this is not Game of Thrones, no one saw this show a year ago. 

Let me begin with the negative aspects of the series, being the least important things for me this time. Dark Matter is a name to attract people like me, I am still trying to figure out the meaning of such title and I don't like it because is basically click-baiting, but (roll credits) titles are complicated. Maybe that's why every episode has no title. I also found the characters a little stereotyped in the very beginning of the season, but they acquired more deepness episode after episode so I didn't mind that much. It is also true that, being a low budget show, you will not find the best acting performances or the best visual effects.

The main plot is about six characters, traveling on a space ship, that wake up from cryosleep with no memories at all about who are they or where are they going. Most of the episodes have a structure founded in some not so important sub-plot that resolves itself within 40 minutes and partially moves along the main story. This is not a structure that I particularly like because very often the show feeds us the answers and, generically and like every TV series with this structure, make it too easy. My issue with shows like that is that sometimes the sub-plots are very boring or not credible.

However, in this case I have to admit that works very well since the main story is always pushed forward (I can complain about a couple of central episodes at most). The result is extremely entertaining because every episode contains action, constant movement of the main characters, without failing to provide us a solid mystery, a reason to see the next episode and to doubt about our own hypothesis. 

In this context, I particularly appreciated the fact that they don't spend much time to set up the universe, we just have the strictly necessary information to understand what is going on. We just know that we are in a future distant enough that Star Wars 36 is considered a classic, that there exists a Galactic Authority that should enforce the law and grant peace and safety, but the real power is held by big selfish corporations. I know that such disregard to the set up is going to piss off some nerd, but the solidity of the plot and the way it is presented make this defect irrelevant.

On top of that, that is almost everything that matters to me for a TV series, there are few interesting themes. 

(Minor spoilers ahead, nothing that you can't see from episode 1 anyway)

The characters shortly find out their real names and stories, in particular that they all have a criminal past. However, they keep their made-up names, so depersonalizing to be just numbers. I found very interesting how every character doesn't let their true self be defined by what the records say, but rather by what they feel right. 

At the same time, they have to face the fact that they can't run away from their past and, most of all, they feel the need to know who they really are. Because it is clear to all of them that somewhere in their memories, there is some traumatizing event that made them criminals, but they can't help their curiosity, their human need of knowledge. They all feel that knowing how they got there is crucial to not fall into the old bad habits.

The dynamic within each character is thus very interesting, constantly moving from one need to the opposite one, constantly fighting to identify themselves in a universe that put a heavy label on them.

Another interesting theme, although very common in the genre, regards the feelings of artificial lives. By asking themselves if such feelings are real although they were designed and assembled in some laboratory, they show how destabilizing is for them the existence of a creator. I found this a very nice way to explore the theme of religion. If a creator exists, there should also be a reason, a purpose, for the character existence. Such purpose is not known and the uncertainty can eventually consume the confidence of the character itself. I assume this is why then humans invented religions in the first place.

To conclude, it is a very enjoyable show, facing deep themes and providing action to move the plot along. Although the single episode can be predictable from time to time, the main plot is solid and every important twist will punch you in the face without you see it coming. 

What do you think about it? Did you enjoy it?