REVIEW: ‘Dark Matter’ is strong science fiction with talented cast

Syfy recently premiered its new space drama, Dark Matter, and it’s a lot of fun. Featuring a group of talented actors bringing to life a rich plot with many possible routes, the show should have a long, healthy run on the network.

Characters known simply as One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six wake up on a spaceship with no memory of how they got there and who they are. Almost instantly they are suspect of some grander plot, but their memories don’t allow any window into the past.

Helping them piece together the information is “The Android” (Zoie Palmer), a cyborg-type creation who offers reasonable, if not helpful answers to their many queries.

In the pilot, the six-person crew find themselves headed toward a planet that houses a mining colony in a dire situation over an encroaching corporation that wants to exploit their services. What the crew members find out about this small population of people drives the narrative into its second episode.

The actors include Marc Bendavid, given the role of One. He seems to be a leader among the crew and also the most level-headed. He’s caring and considerate of the miners and their predicament. The same can’t be said of everyone else, but all of the six seem to be more in the hero category than the villain category.

Melissa O’Neil is Two. If Bendavid’s One is the heart of the crew, O’Neil’s character seems to be the brains. She devises plans for the six members and shares some leadership qualities with One. Although, truth be told, more people listen to Two than One.

Anthony Lemke is Three, a military-minded group member. Alex Mallari Jr. is Four, and Roger R. Cross is Six. Both of these characters are still forming over the first two episodes, and the audience doesn’t know much about their feelings and prospects.

Five is the most interesting. She’s played by Jodelle Ferland, and this character may prove to be the one who solves the ultimate mystery of who are they, what is their mission, how do these puzzle pieces fit together.

Palmer, an alumna of Lost Girl, offers a spot-on portrayal of the Android, offering no emotions and few clues of how she will affect the trajectory of the six leads.

The special effects are enjoyable — not cheesy like other shows, not quite cinematic either. The actual spaceship, with its neon-tinged corridors and dark passageways, offers stylistic scenery that fits the series well. There are some stunning effects used when the ship goes into hyperdrive and speeds across the universe.

The writing on the series, which was created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie, is smart and catchy. The scripts, at least for the first two episodes, don’t follow the many pitfalls that plague other science fiction. This is engaging entertainment that has true talent behind the camera.

Dark Matter is one to watch and hope for. Coupled with Defiance, this show could be a dramatic block Syfy can bank on.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Click here for more information on Dark Matter.