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Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024
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TV Recaps/Reviews

Dark Matter S2 Ep 1 Recap: Welcome to your New Home

This was a great start to the new season! I’m still mad at Six Roger Cross) despite his explanation!  Please wake up man! Let’s get to this recap! Warning: all recaps will contain spoilers!

General Population

Two (Melissa O’Neil), Three (Anthony Lemke), and Four (Alex Mallari Jr), wake up in a decontamination area with other people.  Someone on intercom orders them to strip.  Fortunately, they are able to keep their underwear on.  After getting decontaminated, a guard gives them some clothes.  A door opens and they are welcomed like fresh meet into prison.  They are lead to their cells which has an invisible barrier as a door.  During breaks and meals the barriers would open up.

DARK MATTER -- "Welcome To Your New Home" Episode 201 -- Pictured: (l-r) Anthony Lemke as Three, Melanie Liburd as Nyx, Melissa O'Neil as Two, Alex Mallari Jr. as Four -- (Photo by: Jan Thijs/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)
DARK MATTER — “Welcome To Your New Home” Episode 201 — Pictured: (l-r) Anthony Lemke as Three, Melanie Liburd as Nyx, Melissa O’Neil as Two, Alex Mallari Jr. as Four — (Photo by: Jan Thijs/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)

During one such break some punks try to hustle Three out of his ration card since he screwed them over with a past job.  Since he doesn’t remember he tries to weasel his way out of it.  Three is just about to get jumped when Nyx (Melanie Liburd) interrupts telling them to move on.  She must have a reputation because the guys back off. She then demands Three’s ration card.  Three refuses and tries to hit Nyx but she quickly knocks him out.  Two happens by and proceeds to attempt to kick Nyx’s butt but they are evenly matched. A guard shocks both of them and they are out for the count.

Three winds up in the medical wing getting a shot from a cute nurse.  He also gets some decent looking food.  A fellow patent tells him that he’s been injuring himself so he can keep getting sent to the clinic where he can get tended to by the nurse and eat better food. “Maximum time for minimum pain.” Three seems to be considering it. Sigh.  He sees another prisoner walk in.  The other patient gives him the 411. The guy’s name is Devon and his work detail is the clinic since he has medical training.  Go figure.

Meanwhile, Two wakes up in solitary.  The guard explains that there’s no fighting in his prison.  He doesn’t give her a specific timeline, but long enough for her to learn her lesson.  Gee, that helpful.

Later on Four sits down minding his own business trying to eat some food when some big fish cronies interrupt him to say he needs to come with them.  I was totally with Four when he refuses because he’s eating and the guy doesn’t want to tell him who he’s even meeting.  Four gets up when provoked ready to fight.  The guy doesn’t want to fight there because the guard can take out their whole block.  Four is now wondering, with one preoccupied guard, how it can be done, so then proceeds to start a fight.  The other prisoners start fighting and the one guard radios “Code Black.” Another guard sees on the monitors the fighting and presses a button which emits a loud high pitch ringing sound which knocks out the prisoners.

DARK MATTER -- "Welcome To Your New Home" Episode 201 -- Pictured: Alex Mallari Jr. as Four -- (Photo by: Jan Thijs/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)
DARK MATTER — “Welcome To Your New Home” Episode 201 — Pictured: Alex Mallari Jr. as Four — (Photo by: Jan Thijs/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)

Two is getting frustrated in solitary pacing when a pad lights up at the end of her cell. It turns out to be a simulation yard, where more violent prisoners can interact without hurting each other.  The yard is an open field surrounded by trees. Nyx is also there.  Two and Nyx take a walk. Nyx was just testing Boone and wasn’t expecting much from him.  Two however earned her reputation.  They both complement each other on being good fighters.

Four is brought to the man that wanted to see him in the first place.  His name is Arax (Mike Dopund) and he has an in with the Warden.  He goes into a little more detail about the ringing sound.  That was a sonic blast that the guards have earplugs for so it doesn’t affect them.  The Warden wanted to put the instigator of the riot earlier in solitary for six months but Arax didn’t give Four up? Why? Well Arax gets privileges for helping the Warden keep the peace in his cell block.  Arax helped by not ratting out Four so he doesn’t want Four and the others to even think about trying to escape because it hasn’t been done and everyone will suffer if they make an attempt.  Four thinks Arax is more concerned about his arrangement than everyone else.  Arax threatens the Raza crew to behave or else.

DARK MATTER -- "Welcome To Your New Home" Episode 201 -- Pictured: (l-r) Anthony Lemke as Three, Shaun Sipos as Devon -- (Photo by: Jan Thijs/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)
DARK MATTER — “Welcome To Your New Home” Episode 201 — Pictured: (l-r) Anthony Lemke as Three, Shaun Sipos as Devon — (Photo by: Jan Thijs/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)

Three isn’t feeling his meal at all since it looks like liquid crap.  He even finds a worm in it.  Ewwww. A guard approaches him about his laundry duties.  Just as he finishes one cart he gets another cartload.  I actually thought he did a pretty decent job with the first load.  He looks at the press machine and decides to injure himself. Sigh…Three is back in the medical wing where Devon patches him up.  He notices that the cute nurse isn’t in there and Devon informs him that she transferred out on stress leave. The inmate that was there with Three before, well the Warden got wind that he was self-inflicting his wounds so he’s now in the psyche wing getting electro-shock treatments.   That’s all Three needed to hear, he didn’t even stay the recommended 24 hours.

Back in the Sim yard, Two meets up with Nyx again.  Nyx knows about the trials that didn’t happen.  She’s surprised that Two excepts her fate.  Two spent two days in solitary before she’s released.  Man it seemed like it was longer.

She goes back to the eating area and eats with Three and Four.  They play catch up on the security protocol.  When hearing about the sonic blast, Two thinks she may be able to recover faster with her nanites.  Four warns them that the head of one of the prison gangs will also be watching their every move and the guards.  When Nyx walks by Three doesn’t want to remotely become friendly with her but Two thinks Nyx can be useful and may know a way out.  So despite everyone’s warnings they are going to try to break out.  Why? Because they are the crew if the Raza, what?!

The Warden (Carlo Rota) is looking at the profiles of the Raza crew up until Five (Jodelle Ferland) aka Emily Kolburn when the same guard that put Two in solitary and sonic blasted the riot enters.  His name is Durand (Tom Barnett).  The Warden tells him that he got a call and it’s on and to make the arrangements.  Durand mentions that for Five it will be hard if she’s not in general population but the Warden informs him that she will be sent to planet side and will be dealt with there.  Durand’s not comfortable with that since she’s just a kid. Since One got released it’s out of their hands.  That can’t be good.  Sounds like an assassination attempt or an orchestrated escape attempt…

Where is Everyone Else?

In another area of the prison, One (Marc BenDavid) and Five wake up in the same room.  They are wondering what happened.  Six walks in a uniform and introduces himself as Lt Kal Varrick of the Special Investigations Unit of the Galactic Authority (GA).   One and Five are in the staff wing of Hyperion-8, a Galactic Maximum Security Detention Center.

Sob Story

DARK MATTER -- "Kill Them All" Episode 202 -- Pictured: Roger Cross as Six -- (Photo by: Russ Martin/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)
DARK MATTER — “Kill Them All” Episode 202 — Pictured: Roger Cross as Six — (Photo by: Russ Martin/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)

Yeah Five isn’t too happy with Six right now.  Both her and One look shocked and betrayed.  Six explains that he was an undercover agent tasked to bring the Raza Crew in.  He didn’t know what he was until another undercover cop told him when he went after the General (back in S1).  Kal was also working undercover against the General but became a little unhinged after the General blew up a facility.  After some time away on medical leave, he was given the assignment to bring in the Raza crew.  The cop he talked to later sent him proof of what he was.  Five was practically done with Six at that point. She yells and gives him a good smack. Ka-Payow! Kal doesn’t regret what he did. Well sir, maybe you should!  The GA is still trying to figure out what to do with Five and One but the others will have to stay in general population until a trail is scheduled.   They will have to cooperate so they don’t get into trouble as well.  He also informs them that a DNA test was ran so GA knows who they are.  One reveals that he already knew he was Derrick Moss (he found that out S1) and is worried about GA finding out what Two is (illegal engineered human).  Just when Five brings up being potentially forced to testify against the others, a lawyer walks in.  Her name is Felicia (Trenda Keating) who is representing One and demands his immediate release.

Later Kal meets with the Warden, who congratulates him on his capture of the Raza crew.  Kal recommends that Two aka Portia Lin, be kept in isolation for a while.  His reasoning is she’s unstable but the Warden dismisses his concerns because everyone at that prison is crazy. Kal doesn’t explain any more the reason why, then leaves.

On what looks to be another planet, One is placed in a swank room.  Felicia walks in apologizing for not finding something better on short notice.  One doesn’t mind. He tries to inquire about what would happen to Five when she interrupts him by advising that he stay away from the others as they are criminals.  Felicia can schedule a surgeon to give him back his old face so he will be in a better position to face his company board but One rejects the offer since that is the only face he remembers.  He also wants to see the case files of his wife’s murder.  Felicia gives him a look like “you don’t want to go there buddy.”

Okay Where the Heck is Android?

Android wakes up in a chair a room with some high end computers.  A computer tech comes in and tells her to link so he can upload her files from the Raza.  Android politely refuses.  The tech gets pissy complaining about older models.  He threatens to upload a recovery program so he can retrieve the files that way.  Android bursts his bubble again by telling him that if he does that a security protocol would then be enacted which would fry her neural network, requiring a full reboot, losing the data he needs.  She’ll regret no longer having her personality matrix if that happens but she seems content with the sacrifice.  When the tech tries to reason with her about just following orders, in her own unique way she’s like “Oh, well.” I love Android!

Second Thoughts

Back to One aka Derrick, he gets another visitor in the form of the acting CEO of his company Darius (Doug MacLeod). He’s acting like he’s trying to be all helpful and loyal by mentioning that he worked for Derrick’s dad for thirty years, seeing him grow up and assisting him in the transition of him taking over the company.  I don’t trust him one iota.  Especially when he reluctantly agrees to find the ex-security guard that supposedly let Three in the night of Derrick’s wife’s murder (Three aka Marcus Boone is accused doing the deed).

Kal walks into a weapons room to find Lt Anders (Jeff Teravainen) the same undercover officer from his flashback cleaning Bubba, Three’s gun.  The Raza is out in orbit until forensics can get there to examine it for evidence.  Don’t ask me how Lt Anders knows this information before Kal, but he tells him that the trails are postponed indefinitely because some of the big corporations and others want extradition.  Kal thinks that GA should have their turn first because of justice and all that. Anders thinks based on the fact that one corporation keeps wanting to push back the trial that it could become a battle between the major corps and that Kal needs to stay away from the drama.  Anders also seems to be more realistic about justice taking a back seat a long time ago while proceeding to drink from his flask.  Kal seems to think about it.

Kal goes to the Raza to his old room to look up his profile.  He tries to access classified material and is denied.  He then visits Five, who reluctantly thanks him for entertainment in books and a tablet.  He gives her a coded file for her to hack.  She’s still hurt about his betrayal but considers helping him after he tells her who she is.  Her name is Emily Kolburn, 16, orphaned when her parents were killed in a shuttle accident. Been on the streets since she was 12 when she ran away.  I’m thinking we will learn more about Five this season.

One is on a video call with Darius.  GA is going to drop the charges so transit papers will come through soon.  When One asks about the security guard, Darius informs him that the man died the night before.  How convenient.  Darius thinks it doesn’t matter and wants Derrick to move on.

Lt Kal visits One.  He gives Derrick an update on Five that the GA will not press charges against her.  Awkward silence.  Kal tries to justify again for turning the crew in.  One doesn’t really respond to that.  He’s also not too excited for getting back to his old life.  He shares his concerns with Kal about how convenient it was that the one witness regarding his wife’s murder is dead.  He thinks that being on the ship woke him up about being too trusting.  Kal reminds him that he was always a good person.

Kal visits Five again (the man is getting around) and she was able to hack into the coded file, but he won’t be happy with the information.  He then slams Anders up on the wall confronting him about GA knowing the General was going to bomb a facility. Anders tries to calm him down by telling him they had this conversation before when he was on medical leave but he doesn’t remember.  Anders also told him that the purpose was so GA could sway public opinion against the rebels and that they got some major moolah support from the Corporations.  Kal is still confused as to why he went back to work.  Anders figures that he realized he was a puppet and went with it anyway. From Kal’s tone something tells me he doesn’t want to be a puppet anymore.

DARK MATTER -- Season:2 -- Pictured: Jodelle Ferland as Five -- (Photo by: Norman Wong/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)
DARK MATTER — Season:2 — Pictured: Jodelle Ferland as Five — (Photo by: Norman Wong/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)

Durand comes to take Five away to get transferred to planet side to a group home.  She protests and wants to be in general population with the others. Five starts struggling but Kal tells her to stop.  Kal just wants to help but Five believes that she is an inconvenience so she becomes someone else’s problem.  They start walking towards the shuttle when GA agent Chief Inspector Shaddick (Franka Potente) of the Special Crimes Unite interrupts them saying that Five is in her custody now.   Kal has been relieved of his duties and the case has been turned over to Shaddick.  If Five cooperates then she won’t get charged with anything.  Either Shaddick didn’t get the memo or something really fishy is going on. Well let’s face it there was a real stinky fish smell already going on with this situation.

One is finished packing when he gets a door ping.  He’s ready.  But it isn’t a driver but Jace Corso who steps in.  One looks surprised and Jace proceeds to shoot him at least five or six times.  Add insult to injury he also shoots him in the head and dips. Yeah guys, that’s how they end the episode!

Thoughts

What the hell!? One has to be presumed dead.  I’m thinking the only way he was able to survive that was if that was his clone.  The problem with that is the last time he used one it had his original face.  Did he arrange the clone to also get his face changed?

Also this situation at the prison stinks of conspiracy.  The Raza crew knows some secrets the companies don’t want found out.  I mean they know what really went down with that planet that blew up last season so there’s always that.

I thought the prison situation with both men and women in the same block to be very weird considering they are separate in present day.  Maybe because of the crimes the women committed it’s more cost effective to leave them with the men since they could probably handle themselves. I don’t know.

You could probably tell how I was summarizing that I was not feeling Six aka Kal Varrick’s excuse for turning everyone in.  Something tells me he will start to regret that decision.  I think he really felt that he was doing the right thing but I would think how the corporations operated during his travels last season that he was starting to see that not everything is black and white.

DARK MATTER -- Season:2 -- Pictured: Melanie Liburd as Nyx -- (Photo by: Norman Wong/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)
DARK MATTER — Season:2 — Pictured: Melanie Liburd as Nyx — (Photo by: Norman Wong/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)

I’m really liking Nyx.  Since she mentioned that she was in the system for a long time, so does she really know a way to escape?  Is she another plant like Kal but for a corporation? Could she be an engineered human like Two? It wouldn’t surprise me at this point.  I want to know more!

What are your thoughts on this episode? Do you forgive Six yet? Do you think One is really dead? Sound off below in the comments.

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