Dark Matter: “Episode Ten” Review

Season 1, Episode 10: “Episode Ten”
Air date: August 14, 2015

Dark Matter is a show that prides itself on good writing with unexpected twists and turns and while we still have no idea who wiped the memories of the Raza’s crew, we are getting a pretty clear picture of who each of the crew members are. Last week, I complained about the poor way in which Two had been handled in recent episodes and I don’t know if the writers heard me and made insanely quick last minute changes or if I should apologize to them (I’M SORRY) but I am so glad to see Two back on her feet with sharp-tongue equipped in “Episode Ten.”

At the end of last week, in one of Dark Matter‘s usual cliffhangers, the crew of the Raza was under attack by the Multicorp, leaving them with FTL drives powerless and missiles headed right for them. Two comes up with a brave plan to save them from the nukes, but then lands them in the crosshairs of Mekei Combine, the group who helped Two and the miners from earlier episodes. Commander Truffault boards the Raza and negotiates with the crew, offering them a well-paying job in exchange for them being bad guys for a little while, which most of the crew accepts because, well, they need money.

And One is especially excited to be a bad guy because he’s a strong independent white dude who don’t need no fiery brunette to tell him what to think. He’s his own man.

One of the best things about Firefly was that the crew of Serenity wasn’t always the good guys. Sure, they had a Robin Hood-esque mentality when it came to stealing medicine and protecting brothels, but ultimately, they were thieves and mercenaries and that’s what made them so exciting. The same can also be said of the Raza crew and that they are at their most fascinating when pulling down jobs that don’t exactly make them the best role models.

In order to be less-than-perfect role models and to fulfill the job given by Commander Truffault, the crew of the Raza are forced to make nice with Truffault’s own crew, led by the charming toothpick-chewing Wexler. Wexler’s crew is a bit more hardened than the numbered crew we know and love and Wexler himself is an exaggerated piece of work, wasting no time in perving his way to the infirmary at the hands of Two. Given that Wexler was the safe-cracker, needed to get the goods behind an impenetrable door, it’s up to Five to (gleefully) fill his shoes, despite Six’s protests otherwise.

Once inside the facility, things of course go awry when the crew happens upon an android that will reboot once it loses power. Naturally, it does lose power and attack, but thanks to Five’s quick thinking the android is down, but at the expense of their power source. One and Wexler’s bald goon are ready to throw in the towel, but in a shocking turn, it’s Three who shows the support for Five’s ability, certain that she will come up with a plan to keep the mission going. And it’s this reason that I love the show so much. When I first started watching, like many others, I hated Three, but now, I’ve become his biggest fan. It’s cliche, just like the entire crew calling Five “kid”, but for whatever reason, Three and his growth work for Dark Matter. Between his faith in the crew and the fact that he’s the first one to speak up with Two might be killed, Three has become an incredibly likable character.

With the stolen device stashed safely on the Raza, away from Wexler and his toothpicks, Wexler gets greedy, realizing that the bounty for the Raza’s crew is worth the same amount as the stolen device plus a free ship, a price tag that’s too difficult to pass up. Wexler knocks out the Android and then takes down Two as well, holding her hostage until someone from the Raza gives up the code to the door holding Truffault’s stolen device. Three gives in and Wexler’s goons take over the ship and the device, and Wexler opens the airlock hatch anyway, sending Two into space.

There are so many things that I loved about this episode. It moved at breakneck speed from minute one and it left me screaming at the screen with its cliffhanger. That’s one thing Dark Matter has always been good at: making 45 minutes feel a whole lot shorter. We were still treated to the Android’s ongoing quest to find out if she’s more human than initially programmed and while I am saddened she’s every enemy’s first target, I can understand why. While the plots haven’t always been the best, it’s the characters that pull the show along, and despite my hatred for One’s Whiny Pants, I love the Raza and its crew. Now someone get me next week’s episode because if something happens to Two, heads are gonna roll.

Dark Matter airs Fridays on Syfy at 10PM EST.

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