Dark Matter Season 1 Overview: Hang In There, It Gets Better

I had initially written off SyFy's "Dark Matter". The premiere was a bit ho-hum. After hearing some positive buzz though, I decided to give it another try. And I'm glad I did. Season 1 turned out to be a fun ride.

The show begins with six people emerging from hypersleep aboard a spaceship called the Raza. They soon discover that everyone has amnesia. Without actual names, they refer to each other in the order in which they awoke:

One (later Jace, later Derrick)- Appears to be the most idealistic of the six. He later turns out to have someone else's face and a secret agenda.
Two (later Portia, later Rebecca)- She quickly becomes the defacto leader. Two also knows how to pilot the ship. She hooks up with Three and later One. Two is not at all what she seems
Three (later Marcus)- He's the resident smart ass (but has a softer side underneath all that prickliness). He has nicknames for everyone. One is "Pretty Boy". Two is "Boss Lady". Four is "Slashy McStabberson". Five is "Kid" or "Mascot". Six is "Tiny". Android is "Robot". In turn, Three is sometimes referred to as "Sunshine".
Four (later Ryo)- He's a serious martial artist and the Prince of Ishida. He likes to shut his door on people when they're talking to him.
Five (later Das)- Five is a kid genius who stowed away on the ship. She has the memories of the others stored away in her subconscious.
Six (later Griffin)- Six is played by Roger Cross (of "The Strain" and "Continuum" fame). He is the last to awaken. Six has medical training and some heavy duty secrets.
There's also an Android aboard (played by Zoe Palmer from "Lost Girl"). She controls the ship thanks to her neural link. Android also has a wry sense of humor. She enjoys being around humans and learning from them.

Over 13 episodes we gradually learn more about the Raza's crew. All have serious criminal records. Each includes murder and theft for starters. They apparently previously worked as mercenaries for the highest bidder. Lot's of people/groups want revenge against them.

Secrets are revealed at each turn. Five is on the run for his father's murder. He is innocent but was framed by his step-mother. His half brother is currently in charge of their kingdom/planet. Six was part of a terrorist group called the Proycon Insurrection that killed some 10,000 people by exploding a bomb in protest to the Galactic Authority's rule.

One finds out his real name is Derrick. He suspects Three murdered his wife. That's why he had plastic surgery and then secretly boarded the ship (in place of the real Jace).

Two has one of the most interesting story lines. I thought she was a goner after being "spaced" by some scum. But she miraculously survives. We later learn Dr Will Wheaton (sorry, I dont remember the character's name) is her "creator". Two is an "enhanced human" (and thus is illegal). Nanites in her body quickly repair any damage. Will tells the others she has serious anger issues and is a danger to all around her. This is why she must be deactivated.

Two barely escapes the planet with her body intact-- thanks to Android turning off the force field controlling Two. Android and Two make a good team.

Speaking of the Android, Zoe Palmer does an excellent jobs as a robot who desperately wants to fit in. Episode 7 is one of the best examples of this. The crew discovers an "entertainment robot" (who has a default Aussie accent because Ruby Rose is Australian). Wendy aims to please (both in the kitchen and in the bedroom). One reluctantly takes her for a spin. Android becomes jealous of Wendy. She tries pointing out her own contributions to the crew (but is ignored).

Android then tries on different accents and even shows some cleavage. None of which works. But she is vindicated in the end. Wendy turns out to be a killer-robot. She was sent by a man seeking revenge on the crew. They end up beheading her but her headless body still beats up Three and Six. Hilarious!

I'm not sure how many people the Raza crew killed BEFORE they lost their memory, but they certainly offed a lot AFTER. This includes the entire population of a planet to which they inadvertently delivered white hole technology. Hanging around with these guys is dangerous for your health.

Since Day One the mercenaries have been distrustful of each other. It all comes to a head during the finale. Android is knocked offline (for like the fourth time). Four and six are rendered unconscious. Everyone else begins to panic. The a smoke grenade is thrown into the compartment where Two, Three and Five have guns drawn on each other.

In the final scene, GA commandos storm the ship. The crew members are carried out in the exact same order they awoke in during premiere. The only difference is, unlike the others, Six is not unconscious. He's alive and well. Six has been the traitor all along. I didnt see that coming. How bout you? We'll have to wait till season 2 to find out what he's really up to.

Favorite Quotes:

"What I want is for us to be able to trust each other."- Two to the rest of the crew.
"All I remember is cooking, cleaning and dunking the cosmic donut."- Wendy the Entertainment Robot. Too funny!
"I know you are just trying to fit in-- which must be hard in that outfit."- Snarky Android to Wendy Bot.
"We're busy-- stuff to steal, people to kill."- Three.
"Good news! We voted not to space you-- for now anyway."- Two to Six.
"Someday we're going to look back on this... and still be very angry."- Three.

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). A little slow in the beginning but once you get past that, it's a lot of fun. I enjoyed the fight scenes and the humor. All the characters have grown on me. Two's story line was intriguing. Zoe Palmer as Android was also great fun to watch.

Since the show is produced in Canada, there's lots of familiar faces. Roger and Zoe are of course main characters. Did you also catch Natalie Brown (from "The Strain") as Three's doomed love interest Sarah?

"Dark Matter" was renewed for a second season (which is currently airing). I'm checking out those episodes next.