The Multiverse Problem: When Ambition Outpaces Narrative

The second season of “Dark Matter” is a sprawling, ambitious mess. Creator and showrunner Blake Crouch’s desire to expand on the multiverse premise of his source novel has resulted in a narrative experiment that sacrifices coherence for sheer scope.

While it’s clear that Crouch wanted to push the boundaries of storytelling, the end result feels like a jumbled collection of storylines and characters. The show attempts to cram as much content into each episode as possible, leaving viewers struggling to keep up with multiple plot threads across different dimensions.

Despite this chaos, there are moments where “Dark Matter” shines. Joel Edgerton’s reunion with Jennifer Connelly’s Daniela is a highlight, and Chris Diamantopoulos makes a memorable appearance as a hard-nosed investigator trying to understand the true nature of the Box.

The show’s exploration of how every little choice people make in their lives has consequences is one of its most intriguing aspects. This theme is particularly pronounced in a season set largely in a tech-deficient world resembling the 1980s, where the Dessens must navigate a society progressing without microchips. Crouch and co-writer Jacquelyn Ben-Zekry come up with some clever extrapolations of how this would play out, but these ideas often get lost amidst more bombastic elements.

The cast, led by Edgerton and Connelly, does its best to keep the show grounded, but even their performances can’t compensate for the narrative overload. By trying to tackle too many storylines at once, “Dark Matter” ends up feeling like a series of vignettes rather than a cohesive narrative.

This problem is all too familiar in modern television. Shows like “Orphan Black” and “Russian Doll” have struggled with finding balance between ambition and coherence. However, whereas those shows were able to adapt and streamline their narratives over time, “Dark Matter” seems stuck in its ways.

The multiverse premise of the show is undeniably compelling, but Crouch’s struggle to contain his own ideas within a traditional narrative structure is evident. As a result, what could be a thrilling exploration of the consequences of every choice becomes instead a meandering exercise in scope without substance.

Despite this, there’s still something admirable about “Dark Matter“‘s sheer ambition. It’s a show that refuses to play by the rules, even if those rules are ultimately its own undoing. For fans of science fiction and multiverse drama, there’s still enough here to keep them engaged – but for anyone looking for a cohesive narrative, it may be time to look elsewhere.

The real question is whether Crouch will be able to find a way to reign in his ambitions and focus on telling a more contained story. If he can do so, “Dark Matter” could yet become the show that its premise promises: a thrilling exploration of the multiverse and all its possibilities. But until then, it remains a mess – and one that’s slowly losing its viewers’ interest.

The future is uncertain for “Dark Matter”, but one thing is clear: if it wants to succeed, it needs to learn when to say no. To itself, at least.