If you only know Melissa O'Neil from her role as the determined Lucy Chen on ABC's The Rookie, you're missing out on a whole other side of her talent. Years before she was solving crimes alongside Nathan Fillion, O'Neil was leading a ragtag crew of amnesiac criminals through the galaxy in SyFy's Dark Matter — a series that, despite its devoted fanbase, remains one of the most underrated sci-fi shows of the last decade.
Dark Matter kicks off with a classic sci-fi hook: six strangers wake up from stasis aboard the starship Raza with zero memory of who they are or how they got there. As they piece together their identities, they discover they're the most wanted criminals in the galaxy. The twist? They're not just criminals — they're the deadliest crew in the universe, and their pasts are darker than they could imagine.
Based on the Dark Horse Comics miniseries by Joseph Mallozzi, Paul Mullie, and Gerry Brown, the show benefits from having its creators deeply involved. Mallozzi and Mullie served as producers and wrote most of the episodes, ensuring the adaptation stayed true to the source material while expanding the universe in compelling ways.
Melissa O'Neil's Two: The Heart and Fist of the Raza
While the ensemble cast is strong across the board — including Marc Bendavid, Anthony Lemke, Alex Mallari Jr., Jodelle Ferland, and Roger Cross — it's O'Neil's character, simply called Two, who emerges as the standout. She's the natural leader, taking charge in crisis after crisis with a blend of tactical brilliance and raw intensity. In one early episode, she brokers a tense deal with miners over a crate of weapons, securing half for her crew while helping the miners defend their homes. It's a perfect example of her pragmatism and hidden compassion.
But Two isn't just a strategist. When the mercenary Tash threatens the life of Five, the crew's innocent tech whiz, Two ambushes her and snaps her neck in a fight scene that crackles with fury. O'Neil brings a visceral edge to the role, making Two's protective instincts feel both terrifying and deeply human.
A Tragic Backstory and a Cliffhanger That Stings
As the series peels back the layers of the crew's past, Two's origin story proves to be one of the most heartbreaking. She's a genetically engineered being created by a ruthless corporation, with nanites in her blood that make her virtually immortal. The experiments she endured were so horrific that she eventually broke free and slaughtered the scientists who made her. Later, she must confront an alternate-universe version of herself who is even more brutal — yet she manages to hold onto her humanity.
Dark Matter ran for three seasons before SyFy canceled it on a massive cliffhanger: an alien armada emerging from another universe, and Two learning she has a daughter somewhere out there. Co-creator Joseph Mallozzi later explained that the cancellation came down to a combination of factors — the show was produced by a Canadian company, so SyFy couldn't fully monetize it, and there was a disconnect between the network's New York and LA divisions over the show's potential. Fortunately, Mallozzi found a unique way to continue the story through other media, but fans still long for a proper TV conclusion.
If you're a fan of The Rookie and want to see O'Neil in a completely different light — or if you're just looking for a hidden gem in the sci-fi genre — Dark Matter is well worth your time. It's a show that balances action, mystery, and genuine emotional stakes, anchored by a cast that deserved a much longer run. For more underrated sci-fi, check out our list of 8 Sci-Fi TV Shows That Are Underrated Masterpieces.
