Apple TV’s 2-Season Sci-Fi Thriller Has Officially Switched Genres

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Published Oct 28, 2026, 7:49 AM EDT

Julio is a Senior Author for Collider. He studied History and International Relations at university, but found his calling in cultural journalism. When he isn't writing, Julio also teaches English at a nearby school. He has lived in São Paulo most of his life, where he covers CCXP and other big events. Having loved movies, music, and TV from an early age, he prides himself in knowing every minute detail about the things he loves. When he is older, he dreams of owning a movie theater in a small countryside town.

One of Apple TV's best science fiction series is about to have its second season finale later this week, but it has already achieved something incredible: completely switching genres while remaining every bit as good. When Dark Matter debuted back in 2024, its multiversal setting felt more like a background to the story of Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton), who has his life stolen by a different version of him from another reality; by the end, it's almost like a thriller with a mind-bending premise. In Season 2, however, Dark Matter shifts gears to a whole other tone and approach to Jason and his family's saga, leaving the thriller and mystery behind and focusing on more existential aspects of what happens to you after opening Pandora's multiversal box.

‘Dark Matter’ Season 2 Feels More Dramatic and Philosophical Than Season 1

Watching Jason 2 trying to settle within Jason 1's life without raising suspicion is the kind of thing that sets Dark Matter Season 1 apart from pretty much every other multiverse-based story. The sheer suspense is rivaled only by the complicated science of it all, which allows for infinite Jasons to arrive in Chicago looking for the same family. Suddenly, Jason 1's ordeal becomes an intricately twisty thriller, to the point where it was almost impossible to distinguish him from his other versions.

It was difficult to even imagine how that story could continue in a second season, as one would naturally expect the tension to continue rising. Turns out, the answer was the opposite. Instead of following the Dessens as they run around the multiverse and from other Jasons, Season 2 looks at the toll this takes on them from a personal point-of-view once they finally settle down. Thriller and mystery take the backseat, and a more dramatic and even philosophical approach as everyone starts to contemplate who they really are.

The beauty of this idea is that it also applies to other Jasons and even new characters, too, as everything is possible in the multiverse. Incredible episodes, like "Love and Be Loved" and "The Basic Oneness of Everything," might initially feel like simple bottle episodes, but they really give a dimension of what it's like to find one's footing among infinite possibilities. A Jason finding love again and Laurel (Margo Martindale) establishing her way station after a lifetime of heartbreak is incredibly wholesome, thanks to this change in genres.

Season 2 Still Focuses on Jason 1, but From a More Complex Approach

As much as the scope of Dark Matter has grown, though, the protagonist is still Jason 1, of course. In Season 2, his arc — as well as Daniela's (Jennifer Connelly) and Charlie's (Oakes Fegley) — is defined by questioning who he has become after going through so much. If no one steps into the same river twice, what about entire worlds? Direct contact with every possible what-if is what drives the Dessens in Season 2, allowing them to contemplate not only who they are, but also who they wish they were.

For Jason 1, this takes a potentially dark turn. What distinguishes him from Jason 2 is that he chose love and family over an accomplished scientific career, but, with the box weighing on him and his family, the need to understand it grows. And understanding the box means becoming more like Jason 2. With Daniela out to come to terms with everything that's happened and Charlie looking for Max, there's nothing between Jason 1 and the darkest corners of his persona.

There is still a bit of mystery and suspense to the story, especially concerning antagonists like Leighton (Dayo Okeniyi) and MacNamara (Chris Diamantopoulos), but even that serves to force Jason 1 to deal with the box and everything about it, considering the urgency that comes with having infinite Leightons, too, for example. This makes him one of the most interesting characters in recent sci-fi, given the complexity of his task. The risk of losing his own character is only rivaled by the threat to his family, and that's as existential as it gets.

‘Dark Matter’ Has Surpassed Its Source Material, Allowing for More Creative Freedom

In many series or franchises, such a radical shift would be enough to get most fans and viewers worried about what the endgame is or what's happening behind the scenes, but not with Dark Matter. Actually, Season 2 is completely uncharted material, as the original Blake Crouch novel only covers the events up until the end of Season 1. This "blank slate" allows for greater creative freedom in the new season, without the need to strictly follow a pre-existing narrative framework, hence the change in tone.

Much of Season 2's successful approach to the story comes from Crouch himself being part of the writing team for every episode. Usually, when a series goes beyond the source material, the results aren't good precisely because of the lack of commitment to the original author's vision, but, with Crouch himself as the showrunner, this risk is non-existent in Dark Matter. Quite the contrary; when "Love and Be Loved" came out, for example, he called it "the story that made me want to do Season 2 at all."

Perhaps what makes this change in genres work so well from a narrative standpoint is precisely having the creator of the original novel behind the wheel. It's quite refreshing to see a series like Dark Matter pull this off after having performed so well in Season 1. If it became a trend among other similar series, we definitely wouldn't complain, either, as long as the conditions are right.

Dark Matter is available to stream on Apple TV.