We’re Seeing Double in Exclusive Clip From Apple TV’s ‘Dark Matter’ – CNET [CNET]

Spoilers ahead for Dark Matter up to episode 8.

Dark Matter’s first season is about to end, and now the main question is, Will our Jason, the show’s main character, be reunited with his family, or will another version of him take his place?

Blake Crouch, executive producer of the Apple TV Plus series and author of the novel it’s based on, wrote in an appendix to the novel that when he came up with the idea for Dark Matter, three story lines had been teasing him. One had to do with the box, the mechanism that allows a person to travel to another reality. Another was about a man lost in time. And the last was about a man meeting himself. 

And in an exclusive clip of the upcoming episode, shared with CNET, we see one version of Jason trying desperately to avoid himself, and not in a metaphorical sense.

Read more: How a Physics Professor Helped Shape interdimensional Travel in Dark Matter

What’s happened in Dark Matter so far?

Prior to Wednesday’s episode (the penultimate episode, called Jupiter), Jason1 (Joel Edgerton) found his way back to his universe. This comes after Jason2 (also Edgerton) broke the concrete barrier around the box in order to retrieve Ryan Holder (Jimmi Simpson). Ryan was reported missing and a detective was looking a little too closely at Jason2. Whether this is Ryan1 or another Ryan is still up for debate.

Despite making his way back to his universe, Jason1 is now faced with a few problems. The main problem is, How does he get rid of Jason2 and get back to his wife Daniela (Jennifer Connelly) and son Charlie (Oakes Fegley)?

The other problem, though — maybe two or three problems — is that, as we saw at the end episode 7, more than one Jason made their way back to this universe. So Jason1 has to figure out how to evade and dispatch all the other Jasons that made their way to this universe.

The clip’s impending game of cat and mouse

In the clip, we see a Jason — probably Jason2 — finding Charlie in a library and convincing him to leave for some reason. As the two walk out, that reason becomes clear as we see a bedraggled Jason — my money’s on Jason1 — walking through the library hot on Jason2 and Charlie’s heels, hinting at Jason1 and Jason2’s imminent confrontation.

How many Jasons are there?

We know of Jason1 and Jason2, our two main Jasons, but we also know there is at least one more Jason, Jason3 (Edgerton once more), who appears at the end of Dark Matter’s seventh episode. 

So there are likely more Jasons on the way that we haven’t met yet. One of the central plot points of Dark Matter is that every choice the characters make causes another universe to form in which they made another choice. So that means that every choice Jason1 has made after being kidnapped has created another Jason. Multiply that over seven episodes of universe hopping and that’s a lot of potential Jasons.

That also means that somewhere there’s a Jason who stayed with Amanda (Alice Braga.)

What do the Jasons want?

They all want to be with Daniela and Charlie. After Jason1 was kidnapped, he just wanted to get back to his family, and he’ll do almost whatever it takes to get back to them. These other Jasons will likely do the same, and they might be more brutal than Jason1 to get what they want.

When does Dark Matter air?

Apple TV Plus will drop the penultimate episode of Dark Matter on Wednesday, June 19, and the finale will be released on Wednesday, June 26.

Has Dark Matter been renewed for a second season?

Dark Matter season 2 hasn’t been confirmed yet, but there are plenty of ways the show could move forward. Mostly because there are infinite universes. But here are a few ways season 2 could play out.

Jason1 could find out that the universe he’s in isn’t his universe despite all the evidence we’ve seen so far. He could make it through all the other Jasons only to find out that the Daniela and Charlie he’s been fighting for are other versions of them — versions who never questioned Jason2 in their lives.

As we’ve seen in other episodes, the main Daniela and Charlie are pretty suspicious of Jason2, especially after he almost kills Charlie by giving him ice cream with nuts in it. So having Jason1 find out that the Daniela and Charlie in his current universe aren’t the right ones could send him back to the box again.

Another way to go for season 2 is we find out the Ryan that Jason2 brought back to the main universe to stave off the police isn’t the correct Ryan. The world Jason2 drops Ryan off in looks similar to the world Amanda chooses to stay in. So another season could shift focus and follow these two as they try to get Ryan back to his universe — remember Jason1 left a few ampoules in Amanda’s purse before they parted ways.

How can I watch Dark Matter?

To watch Dark Matter, you have to subscribe to Apple TV Plus, which costs $10 a month. You can also sign up for a free trial after purchasing a new iPhone, iPad or Mac. 

For more, here’s what to know about Apple TV Plus, here’s a list of the best movies on Apple TV Plus, and here’s a look at the best streaming services of 2024.