What I’m Watching: Dark Matter

Dark Matter: Season 1, Episode 9 “Episode Nine” (B+)

This show is taking an interesting approach now, focusing pretty much just on one character per episode as they pursue their individual backstories and try to make right what little they remember or have learned about their pasts. Objectively, Four is actually the least interesting character since he doesn’t say much and comes from an oddly ancient background, but it is worthwhile to see his sense of nobility play out and how he cares enough to save his captor’s life and then stabs him after bidding him a respectable farewell just to send a message. The part he doesn’t remember – and probably doesn’t know – is that his brother was not the one who killed his father, but it was his stepmother who engineered the whole thing. It was great to see the rest of the crew come after him and save the day. The conversations between each of our six protagonists continue to be what’s best about this show, with One and Two debating how responsible they really are for sins they can’t remember committing. I also liked how Three went over the number of times that he saved One’s life and that One saved him, with One concluding that it’s probably best that Three owes him at the moment. The budding friendship between Five and Six is endearing and entertaining, and that and One’s constant awkwardness are helpful in keeping the tone of the show relatively light when it could be very unforgivably serious and dark most of the time.