Summary

• Dark Matter on Apple TV+ offers unique sci-fi storytelling with potential for multiple seasons.
• Dark Matter's creator, Blake Crouch, ensures the show diverges from its source material for fresh character development.
• Dark Matter season 1 ends perfectly, leaving room for expansion, while Stranger Things season 5 wraps up the beloved series.

Although I look forward to watching Apple TV+ show. Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things has been one of Netflix's biggest IPs, especially in the science fiction genre. After running strong for four seasons, the show is finally about to end with a fifth installment. Since Stranger Things season 5 will conclude its long run on Netflix, it is hard not to anticipate its release.

However, after recently binge-watching a gripping science fiction series on Apple TV+, I cannot deny that I am more curious about its potential future story developments than Stranger Things season 5. The Netflix series' final season is still exciting, but the Apple TV+ show has captivated me far more with its unique take on several overused sci-fi tropes and character beats. Now that it has been renewed for another season just two months after its finale, I am way more hyped about its season 2 than Stranger Things season 5.

Dark Matter Season 2 Is Even More Exciting Than Stranger Things Season 5

Dark Matter Benefits From Being Helmed By Its Source Material's Author

Dark Matter season 1 starts slowly and initially seems derivative of every other movie or television show that uses parallel universes as a narrative device. However, the more it progresses, the more it unfolds the many mind-boggling layers of its multiversal drama, making it reminiscent of some of the most incredible and highly acclaimed sci-fi shows, like The OA and Dark. Although Dark Matter still seems to have a long way to go to match Netflix's Dark's unanimous acclaim, its season 1 shows immense potential.

Based on a book of the same name, Dark Matter immensely benefits from having the original book's author, Blake Crouch, as its showrunner.

Apart from being driven by an intriguing sci-fi concept, Apple TV+'s Dark Matter is among the few sci-fi shows that seem almost as good as their source material. Based on a book of the same name, Dark Matter immensely benefits from having the original book's author, Blake Crouch, as its showrunner. Owing to this, even though the show's season 1 exhausts all existing source material content, viewers like me can rest assured that the show's future seasons are in the safe hands of the original book's author.

Interestingly, both Dark Matter and Stranger Things use "alternate worlds" as vessels to drive their storytelling. The two shows are vastly different from one another, but since Dark Matter has only scratched the surface of all the narrative avenues it can explore, I am excited about what its second season has in store. Stranger Things season 5 is still highly anticipated, but after watching the show for four seasons, I have a faint idea of what I should expect from its character beats and plot developments in the final installment, which takes away its novelty.

Dark Matter Can Be One Of Apple TV+'s Biggest Sci-Fi Shows

Dark Matter Season 1's Ending Underscores Its True Potential

When it comes to science fiction, Silo, Severance, and For All Mankind are perhaps Apple TV+'s most valuable IPs. Despite its renewal, Dark Matter may not yet rank among Apple TV+'s biggest sci-fi shows. However, it undoubtedly has the potential to rise in the ranks. With talented actors like Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga, and Jimmi Simpson on its roster, the show seems well-equipped to create a splash with its intriguing sci-fi story beats. Blake Crouch's vast experience with storytelling in different mediums also brings a significant edge to Dark Matter.

...Dark Matter season 1's ending hits the perfect sweet spot, leaving immense room for more installments but giving audiences a semblance of closure.

Most TV shows on streaming either end with a massive cliffhanger that leaves viewers dissatisfied or close with a well-rounded conclusion that leaves little to no room for expansion. Fortunately, Dark Matter season 1's ending hits the perfect sweet spot, leaving immense room for more installments but giving audiences a semblance of closure. The show's ability to achieve this is a testament to Blake Crouch's storytelling forte, highlighting how it has the potential to get better with each subsequent season.

Stranger Things Is About To End, But Dark Matter Is Only Starting

The Apple TV+ Show Has The Potential To Last For At Least Two More Seasons

In season 1, Dark Matter slightly drifts away from its source material to ensure that some of its side characters also get to shine and develop. This deviation from the books gives Dark Matter's future installments a lot to work with. The show's portrayal of the vast number of parallel worlds its characters can explore also opens the floodgates of numerous narrative possibilities. I cannot be too sure about how long Dark Matter will last before it ends its run, but its season 1 seems to have set the stage for at least two more seasons.

While Dark Matter season 2's release window remains unknown, Stranger Things season 5 is scheduled to land on Netflix in 2025.

Stranger Things has had an incredible run on Netflix, but it is finally ending with season 5. After the conclusion of the beloved series, I, like many, will miss its characters, nostalgic tone, and coming-of-age themes. Thankfully, shows like Apple TV+'s Dark Matter will keep me well-invested with their own compelling character beats and unique sci-fi explorations.