Apple TV’s Returning 9-Part Sci-Fi Can Be As Big As Netflix’s Dark In 2026

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As a sci-fi fan, I truly believe Netflix’s Dark is one of the best shows out there. But I’m getting really excited about this upcoming season of an Apple TV show – it feels like it might be the only one that can even approach Dark‘s incredible scope and complexity. What I loved about Dark was how deeply it dove into the idea of time travel. Over its three seasons, the show really thought through every possible outcome and consequence of messing with time – it was just brilliantly done.

I’m completely captivated by Dark – it’s not just a sci-fi show, it’s deeply human. It really digs into big, tough subjects like death, loss, how the past affects us, and whether we even have free will. What I especially love is how perfectly everything comes together – it’s a truly complete story, and honestly, very few shows these days can pull that off. But I’m really hopeful that Apple TV’s Dark Matter is going to get there too; it feels like it’s heading in the right direction.

The Apple TV+ series Dark Matter, based on the novel by Blake Crouch, isn’t a traditional time travel story. It explores the idea of multiple universes, much like the film Everything Everywhere All At Once. Similar to the Netflix series Dark, it’s a complex and thought-provoking show about how even small decisions can have huge, unexpected consequences down the line.

Apple TV’s Dark Matter Has The Potential To Become As Big As Netflix’s Dark

Netflix’s Dark is consistently excellent throughout its run, though it does start slowly. The initial episodes primarily establish the show’s central ideas before exploring complex concepts like quantum physics and relativity. Apple TV’s Dark Matter follows a similar pattern, feeling quite slow in its first two episodes as it sets up its story.

After a slightly slow start, Dark Matter quickly becomes engaging with a series of surprising twists. While season one isn’t quite as intricate as Dark, it does offer some clever mysteries that make you question what’s really going on. It’s generally more straightforward, but like Dark, it focuses heavily on the complexities of family relationships, even across different realities.

The first season of Dark Matter ends on a major cliffhanger, having largely adapted its original source material. Season 2 is expected to build on the show’s exploration of alternate universes, introducing new characters and expanding the scope of the story.

Season 2 of Dark Matter will tell a brand new story, as there aren’t any books to adapt this time around. But with Blake Crouch – the author of the original books – also running the show for Apple TV+, it’s likely to be just as good as the first season.

Most of the original cast from season one, like Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, and Alice Braga, will likely be back for season two, which is great news for fans.

Netflix’s Dark is famous for its incredible depiction of time travel, so Apple TV’s Dark Matter has a high bar to clear. If the new series is successful, it could potentially reach a similar level of critical acclaim.

Dark Matter Season 2 Will Make Or Break The Apple TV Series

The first season of Dark Matter didn’t really break new ground with its multiple-universe storyline, but it had some genuinely good moments, particularly as it neared the end. While the show’s complex take on traveling between universes is unlikely to become clearer in season 2, the writers could improve things by consistently applying the rules and backstory they’ve already created.

The first season suggested the upcoming season will broaden the story to include more characters and explore different universes, all while still focusing on the main family. This could mean Dark Matter will evolve like Dark, moving beyond a single sci-fi idea and becoming a larger, more complex story with many interconnected parts.

Because Blake Crouch is still involved, the show will probably stay consistent with the rules and story it set up in the first season, rather than drastically changing things. If season 2 does well – perhaps even better than the first – it has the potential to become a significant sci-fi hit, similar to Netflix’s Dark.

We’re hoping the new season of the Apple TV sci-fi series is as captivating as the second season of Dark on Netflix, and that it leads to the show being renewed for another season.

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2026-05-30 04:38