Dark Matter: I've Seen the Other Side of You
July 16, 2016 10:49 AM - Season 2, Episode 3 - Subscribe
A computer glitch makes the crew turn against one another.
Yeah, that's the silliest thing I've seen since the Amelia Earhart episode of Star Trek: Voyager where the entire (doomed, hurtling through unknown space) crew decides unanimously NOT to live in the utopian society full of Earth people that they run into.
Their memories have been the "getting off Gilligan's island" of this series and much of Season 1 was devoted to trying to get them back. Now they have that chance and brush it off.
On top of that, we have (a) yet another episode where the crew fights each other over a contrived misunderstanding rather than accomplishing anything, and (b) at least the third time the Android has been "fridged" for a whole episode because she could have easily saved the day if she was around. At least we had the psychopath Backup Hologram Android.
This show has so much potential but it keeps taking the easy way out of things. (The moral quandary of being able to get your memories back, but losing the only "self" you remember having? Brushed off. The complexity of integrating several new people into the crew and knowing whether to trust them? Ignored, let's have them all lose their memory and turn on #5 instead...)
At least we got a "That's what she said" joke.
Heaven help me, I miss Space Ross.
posted by mmoncur at 3:08 AM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Their memories have been the "getting off Gilligan's island" of this series and much of Season 1 was devoted to trying to get them back. Now they have that chance and brush it off.
On top of that, we have (a) yet another episode where the crew fights each other over a contrived misunderstanding rather than accomplishing anything, and (b) at least the third time the Android has been "fridged" for a whole episode because she could have easily saved the day if she was around. At least we had the psychopath Backup Hologram Android.
This show has so much potential but it keeps taking the easy way out of things. (The moral quandary of being able to get your memories back, but losing the only "self" you remember having? Brushed off. The complexity of integrating several new people into the crew and knowing whether to trust them? Ignored, let's have them all lose their memory and turn on #5 instead...)
At least we got a "That's what she said" joke.
Heaven help me, I miss Space Ross.
posted by mmoncur at 3:08 AM on July 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I hated the "open in the middle of the story" pre-credit sequence. That always feels like a cheap storytelling tool. Honestly when it started I was expected it to be a dream sequence.
When the credits rolled, however, I'll admit a slight smile touched my lips because it's been a while since I've had the opportunity to watch Nigel Bennett chew, maul and mangle some scenery, and seeing his name in the credits gave me something fun to anticipate. I hope he sticks around for a while. I'm really loving the Canadian-produced sci-fi revival. It's providing opportunities for some of the old guard of CanCon TV to grace out screens again. Now if only we can get Richard Comar or Winston Rekert to do an arc or two, I'd be really happy. Actually I'd love to see Comar play one of Three's male relatives (dad/uncle/etc.) as they both have a physicality I think would match well.
The little thing that jumped out and bugged me this episode was the escaped prisoners calling the crew by their numeric designations. No way. I'm sure they weren't called that while they were locked up. Their prison records would have used their original names, and so would the jailers and the other inmates. There is no reason for the new guys to make the switch.
posted by sardonyx at 7:26 PM on July 17, 2016
When the credits rolled, however, I'll admit a slight smile touched my lips because it's been a while since I've had the opportunity to watch Nigel Bennett chew, maul and mangle some scenery, and seeing his name in the credits gave me something fun to anticipate. I hope he sticks around for a while. I'm really loving the Canadian-produced sci-fi revival. It's providing opportunities for some of the old guard of CanCon TV to grace out screens again. Now if only we can get Richard Comar or Winston Rekert to do an arc or two, I'd be really happy. Actually I'd love to see Comar play one of Three's male relatives (dad/uncle/etc.) as they both have a physicality I think would match well.
The little thing that jumped out and bugged me this episode was the escaped prisoners calling the crew by their numeric designations. No way. I'm sure they weren't called that while they were locked up. Their prison records would have used their original names, and so would the jailers and the other inmates. There is no reason for the new guys to make the switch.
posted by sardonyx at 7:26 PM on July 17, 2016
The moral quandary of being able to get your memories back, but losing the only "self" you remember having? Brushed off.
You think so? I liked the way it was handled. The android presents the possibility with all the usual level of subtlety she manages. The conundrum wasn't spelled out or over-hashed; we just see them realize that this represents radically changing the self-identity they are now used to. An off-screen discussion and decision is fine by me, I don't need exactly why each person opts not to upset the apple cart.
I hated the "open in the middle of the story" pre-credit sequence.
Agreed 100 times. It's so tired and lazy. Learn to build some tension without hiding stuff.
posted by phearlez at 10:51 AM on July 29, 2016
You think so? I liked the way it was handled. The android presents the possibility with all the usual level of subtlety she manages. The conundrum wasn't spelled out or over-hashed; we just see them realize that this represents radically changing the self-identity they are now used to. An off-screen discussion and decision is fine by me, I don't need exactly why each person opts not to upset the apple cart.
I hated the "open in the middle of the story" pre-credit sequence.
Agreed 100 times. It's so tired and lazy. Learn to build some tension without hiding stuff.
posted by phearlez at 10:51 AM on July 29, 2016
I thought the crew deciding not to get their memories back was a bit rushed, but the arguments for and against were basically sound enough to give them pause. When 3 said "for now" to 5 at the end I was able to be fine with the choice as being something they might revisit, if not with the way it was glossed over in the writing.
Overall I thought this was a solid episode. A moment I particularly liked was the editing as they fast-forwarded through the sequence we saw in the cold-open. As someone who does a bit of video editing I thought it was a fun and creative way to go over that material again.
I really like the cast a lot. Melissa O'Neil uses her voice in really interesting ways depending on the status she wants to convey tactically and strategically.
I didn't get why 2 and 3 were actively dickish to their new guests. I get the lack of trust, but not the animosity. It seems like the escape experience should have engendered some kind of bond and a modicum of good will, or at least a veneer of congeniality. But they were straight-up assholes. Well, at least it was not all that consequential, and the episode didn't turn into an idiot-ball marathon.
This show is still on the bubble week-to-week in my household. This episode bought it another week. If they could achieve some consistency with their writing that would be a very good thing, but I don't expect them to based on previous experience.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 9:52 AM on August 7, 2016
Overall I thought this was a solid episode. A moment I particularly liked was the editing as they fast-forwarded through the sequence we saw in the cold-open. As someone who does a bit of video editing I thought it was a fun and creative way to go over that material again.
I really like the cast a lot. Melissa O'Neil uses her voice in really interesting ways depending on the status she wants to convey tactically and strategically.
I didn't get why 2 and 3 were actively dickish to their new guests. I get the lack of trust, but not the animosity. It seems like the escape experience should have engendered some kind of bond and a modicum of good will, or at least a veneer of congeniality. But they were straight-up assholes. Well, at least it was not all that consequential, and the episode didn't turn into an idiot-ball marathon.
This show is still on the bubble week-to-week in my household. This episode bought it another week. If they could achieve some consistency with their writing that would be a very good thing, but I don't expect them to based on previous experience.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 9:52 AM on August 7, 2016
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posted by adept256 at 2:56 PM on July 16, 2016