Move over Marvel and DC, Dark Horse Comics just took a seat at the TV table with the new show, Dark Matter. The limited series comic turned Syfy TV show is the latest comic adapted for television, and despite playing to numerous TV tropes, it still surprisingly delivers an interesting story worthy of a nerdy audience. Take a look.
The Premise
Like the limited series comic that Dark Matter is based on, the Syfy show revolves around six people—who initially designate themselves with numbers—suffering from memory loss when they awaken on a spaceship. Who they really are, where they’re going, and why they’re going there soon become the primary concern for the motley crew? Luckily for them, they discover an android aboard the ship that helps clue them in with what little information she has access to, thanks to her neuro-link with the ship’s mainframe. Sounds interesting enough, right, especially if you’re into space operas?
Tropes-A-Plethora
In the first episode of Dark Matter, the group of “amnesiac heroes”—lead by number two, the apparent “action girl”—find themselves headed to an unknown destination with no clue as to what they’re mission is or how to accomplish it. So, what do they do? They greet the inhabitants of the foreign land, called miners, with guns blazing…you know, just in case.
As it turns out, the miners are expecting a delivery of arms to aid them in their fight to protect their planet and its precious resources from outside invasion by the Raza, sent by corporations. Enter TV tropes: “the dreaded” and “corporate warfare.” Even though the group isn’t exactly sure what their role is in the miners’ situation, they passively agree to follow in number three’s lead—who also just so happens to be the “jerk ass” of the group—by withholding what little information they do have regarding the shipment of arms on their “cool starship.” The first episode concludes before we see them carry out a decision regarding whether or not they should aid the miners, but the android—aka the “emotionless girl”/”no name given”—makes a discovery that helps the crew finally learn about who they are.
The Cliffhanger
As it turns out, every member of the group is a criminal on a list of most wanted, with rap sheets for murder, assault, trafficking, arson, theft and piracy. The only one not on the list was number four—“the quiet one”—who also happens to be the youngest member of the group. Oh, and they’re names are not actually numbers, by the way.
Despite the fact that you might have guessed what the cliffhanger was before I told you, Dark Matter is still interesting to watch. Maybe it’s because the show moves at a desirable pace, appears to have a compelling and mildly diverse ensemble cast—albeit TV trope-laden—or is based on a comic book, but nerds may find this show a cool way to pass the time over the summer months.
Dark Matter airs Friday nights at 10:00pm EST on Syfy.
What do you think of Dark Matter?