Dark Matters is a new SyFy show premiering tonight at 10/9c. It centers around a crew of individuals who wake up on a space craft with no memory of how they got there. Producer Joe Mallozzi and star Melissa O’Neil (Two) talk about the show and reveal some great things viewers can look forward to.
The series is based on a graphic novel from Dark Horse. According to Mallozzi, the show will follow very closely to the story it is based upon. “Actually, the comic book was based on, basically, the pilot that we have envisioned. So, if you read the first two issues of the comic book it’s almost word for word – the first episode of the series. And issues three and four of the comic book are very close to episode two. So, in terms of spoilers, you guys are going to get a sneak peek at episodes one and two by reading the first two issues of the comic book. But then after that, all bets are off,” he says.
To keep things authentic for the actors as well as the characters, the cast never knew anything too far ahead of time. They receive the script right before it’s time to shoot. For some actors this can be exciting, but perhaps also a little difficult. Melissa O’Neil talks about her experience. “I actually loved it. Being a first-time performer on television, I didn’t really know what to expect, and I thought that it was such a lovely thing to encounter that we were going through what our characters were going through.”
She continued, “At the same time we were discovering what was happening and how to interact with each other in the exact way that our characters would be doing it. We were just piecing it together as it came to us. I think that there is a great bit of truth that’s happening on screen that – you know, we’ve all done our homework to prepare our characters as much as we could.”
This sci-fi series will be one to keep the audience guessing as it progresses. Mallozzi explains, “I’ve always been a big fan of cable shows with twists and turns and surprises that always leave you at the end of the episode going, ‘Oh my god. I can’t wait until next next week’. And then you get to the boards, you discuss it or you go to work and it’s the first thing you talk about in the morning. That’s the show I wanted to create.
“It’s something with a lot of setups, but a lot of payoffs along the way. The mystery at its heart. It has a sense of humor … a fun, ship-based sci-fi. But, at the end of the day, it’s really about the characters and this great group made up of this crew. I’ve often said viewers tune in for the hook but they stay for the characters. And we’ve got an incredibly colorful bunch of characters in this show.”
The characters on the show won’t be stuck on their ship. Mallozzi explains, “We have an amazing standing set and we’re going to make use of it. As is the case with most of the ship-based shows like Star Trek or Stargate or Firefly, the ship almost becomes a character in itself, and we have an amazing ship. But, we’re going to be getting off [the ship]. We’re going to be visiting planets. We’re going to be visiting space stations. We want to avoid that claustrophobic feel. So, we’ll definitely be opening things up.”
If you’re a sci-fi fan of shows like Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, etc. you will definitely want to give this show a try. Tune in tonight at 10/9c on Syfy to see Dark Matters.
I write like I think—fast, curious, and a little feral. I chase the weird, the witty, and the why-is-this-happening-now. From AI meltdowns to fashion glow-ups, if it makes you raise an eyebrow or rethink your algorithm, I’m probably writing about it. Expect sharp takes, occasional sarcasm, and zero tolerance for boring content.
