After a two-year wait, Apple TV+ has finally unleashed Dark Matter Season 2, and the premiere wastes no time in delivering a gut punch. The sci-fi series, created by Blake Crouch, picks up with the Dessen family—Jason (Joel Edgerton), Daniela (Jennifer Connelly), and their son Charlie (Oakes Fegley)—still reeling from the multiverse-shattering events of Season 1. But the new season's opening episode throws them into even more chaos, culminating in a shocking death that will haunt the family for the rest of the season.
In the premiere, Daniela is forced to shoot and kill one of the many alternate Jasons who have infiltrated their reality. It's a moment that rocks her to her core, and as Connelly explains, it sets the tone for her character's entire arc this season. "I think it completely rocks her world," she says. "They literally have to leave this place that they've settled in. They have to uproot their lives and their son's life again. I think Daniela is riddled with guilt over that. She's very confused by the fact that she did that and by what it means. It really derails her, and she starts unraveling from that point on."
The fallout from that death forces the Dessens to hit the road across the multiverse, searching for a reality where they can finally feel safe. But as they hop from one dimension to another, the strain on their family unit becomes palpable. Jason and Daniela's relationship is tested like never before, and Charlie is caught in the crossfire. It's a far cry from Season 1, which was largely a solo mission for Jason to get back to his family. Now, the whole clan is on the run together, and the dynamics are completely different.
For Edgerton, the new season also gave him the chance to explore the many versions of Jason that were left behind in the "warehouse full of Jasons"—a concept he finds amusing. "There was a factory full of Jasons that are essentially a slight deviation from Jason 1," he says. "They just didn't quite inherit the family in that final stage of Season 1, so they kind of missed out and were heartbroken." One standout episode follows one of these Jasons as he grapples with the meaning of his existence without his family. Edgerton teases that the episode takes a surprising turn, offering a "rebirth" of sorts. "It's a nice reminder thematically that the great thing about human beings is their ability to regrow, rebuild, reconnect, and move on," he adds.
With so many alternate versions of the characters running around, keeping track of who's who can be a challenge—even for the actors. Edgerton admits there were moments on set when he'd wonder, "Am I wearing the right colored elastic band on my ring finger?" But the crew's meticulous attention to continuity—scars, costumes, and subtle physical details—helped ground the performances. "The job for us is really just about inhabiting each version of the character in a way that felt far more subtle in its execution to me than you would imagine," he says. "They're not really that different. They're just in different circumstances."
Connelly, on the other hand, has a more contained experience this season. "For me, really, Season 2, I'm with the one version of Daniela most of the season, except for one point," she says. "And it's pretty clear at that point which one is which." That clarity allows her to focus on Daniela's emotional journey, which is all about trying to find a sense of normalcy in the midst of chaos. "We see them trying to find a sense of normalcy and go on a quest as a family to find a place that might be safe," she teases.
The premiere's shocking death is just the beginning of the Dessens' troubles. As they navigate a multiverse filled with doppelgängers and danger, the lines between good and evil blur—especially when it comes to Jason 2, who was initially positioned as the villain. This season, Edgerton hints, that characterization becomes much more complex. "I think you imagine him as a villain, and then, in this season, it becomes very, very blurred for his character," he says.
For fans of the show, the new season promises to be a wild ride. If you need a refresher on how we got here, check out our Season 1 recap to catch up on all the twists. And for a deeper dive into the season as a whole, our Season 2 review breaks down the brilliance and the mess. Dark Matter Season 2 is streaming now on Apple TV+, and it's already proving to be one of the most compelling sci-fi dramas on the platform—a worthy addition to Apple TV's finest.
