Apple TV's Dark Matter has been a hit since its debut in May 2024, captivating audiences with its mind-bending take on alternate realities and the choices that define us. As fans eagerly await Season 2, set to premiere on August 28, there's another sci-fi series that deserves your attention: Counterpart, a two-season gem that originally aired on Starz.
Created by Justin Marks, who later co-created the acclaimed Shōgun, Counterpart is a spy thriller set in a world where a Cold War experiment accidentally created a parallel Earth. The Prime World, as it's called, started as a perfect replica of our own, with every person having a counterpart. But over time, small divergences led to a rift between the two realities.
At the center of the story is Howard Silk, played brilliantly by J.K. Simmons. In the Alpha World, Howard is a mild-mannered office worker at the Office of Interchange, a bureaucratic agency that secretly manages the crossing between worlds. After 30 years on the job, he still doesn't know what the office actually does—until he meets his counterpart from the Prime World, a ruthless and hardened operative. Simmons delivers a tour-de-force performance, making the two Howards feel like entirely different people through subtle shifts in posture, tone, and demeanor.
While Dark Matter leans into quantum physics, Counterpart is more of a espionage thriller, using its parallel worlds as a backdrop for intrigue and betrayal. Set in Berlin, a city historically divided, the series follows Howard as he's pulled into a conspiracy involving a terrorist group called the Others, who have crossed over from the Prime World to seek revenge for a devastating flu pandemic that killed millions on their side.
The show's exploration of identity is its strongest suit. Just as Dark Matter shows how one decision can lead to vastly different lives, Counterpart illustrates how circumstances shape who we become. In the Alpha World, Howard and his wife Emily (Olivia Williams) are still married but grieving the loss of a child. In the Prime World, they're divorced and have a daughter. Emily is a spy in both worlds, but it's only in the Prime World that Howard confronts her about it. These parallel lives create rich, emotional drama that keeps you hooked.
One standout episode, "Twin Cities" in Season 2, written by Marks, delves into the origin of the parallel worlds. Scientist Yanek (Samuel Roukin) creates the Prime World, and the two versions of him experiment on each other's realities. But a personal tragedy in the Alpha World sends Yanek into a spiral of grief and distrust, showing how even the same person can make different choices under different circumstances. It's a brilliant, standalone piece that encapsulates the show's themes.
If you're looking for more sci-fi to binge while waiting for Dark Matter, Counterpart is a must-watch. It's a smart, character-driven thriller that will leave you thinking long after the credits roll. And if you're in the mood for more spy intrigue, check out our list of spy shows to binge while you wait for other favorites to return.
