Dark Matter (TV series)
Dark Matter is a Canadian science fiction series started in 2015 that was developed by Prodigy Pictures in association with Space channel. The concept was created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie while they were working on the "Stargate" franchise, and was originally published as a comic book series in 2012. An order for 13 episodes was placed for the first season of the series, which premiered on June 12, 2015, on both Space and Syfy. On September 5, 2015, the series was renewed for a second season. "Dark Matter" was renewed for a third season  in September 2016, which premiered on June 9, 2017. But on September 1, 2017, Syfy canceled the series after three seasons. Premise. A group of people in stasis pods awaken with amnesia aboard the starship "Raza". They have no memories of who they are or their lives before awakening, so they assume the names One through Six, in the order in which they left stasis. They regain control of their vessel and set about trying to uncover their identities and what happened to them. Also onboard is a female-looking android that is linked to the ship. At the end  of the pilot episode, the crew discover that they are a band of mercenaries who are ranked among the worst criminals in the galaxy, leaving them with the dilemma of continuing their original selves' violent path or seeking redemption. Their lives are frequently complicated by secrets from their forgotten pasts. Production. Principal photography for the first season began in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on January 9, 2015, and concluded May 20, 2015. On September 1, 2015, Syfy renewed "Dark Matter" for a second season. Chris Regina, Syfy's senior VP of program strategy, said that "With its mysterious premise and fascinating  characters, "Dark Matter" has built an incredibly loyal, passionate and engaged fan base. We look forward to another out-of-this-world season from this talented creative team." Production on the second season began on December 9, 2015, and concluded May 6, 2016. The third season began production on November 18, 2016. "Dark Matter"'s third season would be its last and the show's cancellation was announced in September 2017. According to Mallozzi in various interviews, the show was picked up by Syfy's acquisition division in New York, but it wasn't well received by the network's  original programming division in Los Angeles. In addition, while the series was outperforming several Syfy first-run programs, the network wasn't able to monetize the show because it was an acquisition. Broadcast. "Dark Matter" premiered on Syfy in the United States on the same day as Canada. Within the following week, the series premiered on Syfy Australia and Syfy UK – on June 13 and 16, 2015, respectively. Reception. As of 21 March 2022, review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gave season 1 an approval rating of 68%, with an average rating of 5/10 based on reviews from 19 critics. The  sites consensus statement says: "... [the] premiere benefits from likable characters and a concluding twist, but its gaping plot holes and worn premise add up to an aimless episode." Metacritic gave the series an average score of 58 out of 100, based on reviews from 5 critics, indicating "Mixed or average reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes season 2 received a 100% rating based on 7 reviews, and season 3 also received a 100% rating based on 7 reviews. Ratings. The series premiere pulled 273,000 overnight viewers on the Space channel in Canada, and 1.28 million viewers for its premiere on the Syfy  channel in the U.S.