![]() The only possible downside is the originating network: SyFy. Don't give up after one or two episodes - give it a chance to build, and it won't disappoint. But if you've got a place in your heart for sci-fi adventure painted boldly on a huge canvas, Dark Matter is a must-watch. If you found Stargate SG-1 too corny, or too silly, then forget Dark Matter. But they not only did it, they did it in fewer episodes than I could have imagined. I really didn't think Mallozzi and Mullie could pull it off. But four or five episodes later, this collection of apparent stereotypes has become a tight group of multifaceted characters, just as likable as Stargate's Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson and Sam Carter. It sounds like a recipe for cookie-cutter tedium. This is all the more amazing, considering the less-than-promising concept upon which Dark Matter is based: a crew wakes up on a starship, with no memory of who they are. But space opera deftly handled, to the point where it becomes absolutely compelling. Sure, it's 'just' traditional space opera. The story mixes humor, suspense and even tragedy. And it also harbors some nasty surprises. But it can also cook, which is far more important, given the crew's short rations. Yes, the android can perform sex - and we get the predictable jokes. What follows is a nice bit of fencing with our preconceptions. The crew finds an 'entertainment android' and assembles it. The most recent episode is a great example. ![]() Story lines that often seem breezy and lightweight, yet conceal a lot of clever writing - courtesy of Mallozzi and Mullie, two of the key writers on Stargate. Solid performances by actors you may not have seen a lot of times before. Dark Matter is showing the same strengths that made Stargate SG-1 and it's spin-offs so addictive. Each episode has been better than the last. After seven episodes, I'm convinced: it's the latter, and then some. The first few episodes of Dark Matter felt like they could go either way - descent into predictability and mediocrity, or rise into engrossing characters and ideas. I've held off a bit before posting a review.
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