Perfect Sci-Fi Follow-Up to Constellation Coming to Apple TV+ in May

Summary

• Constellation has captivated audiences with its fresh take on a classic sci-fi genre.
• It's a thriller set in alternate realities we can't predict.
• Following its success, Apple's next psychological sci-fi thriller is just around the corner.

Apple TV+ has truly mastered the sci-fi genre. From the daring dystopian thriller Severance to the questioning nature of For All Mankind to the more traditional Foundation, it's fair to say it has become the streaming service for the genre.

The latest sci-fi thriller, Constellation, ended this week. Fortunately, the next show is set to land in early May, and it's a must-see for anyone who was hooked by Constellation.

It's another 'shifting realities' sci-fi adventure

In Constellation, astronaut Jo returns to Earth to find that parts of her life are missing or different. Across multiple timelines and through shifting perspectives, Jo – and the viewer – grapples with what's real, what's changing, and what the hell is going on.

With bursts of suspense embedded in mind-bending plot twists and moments of pure psychological thriller, it's gripping, if a little confusing at times.

Apple's new sci-fi show, Dark Matter, offers a different take on a similar premise.

How are the two shows similar?

Based on the novel of the same name by Blake Crouch, Dark Matter also explores the multiverse and the idea of blurred realities. Joell Edgerton stars as Jason Desson, a physics professor living in Chicago with his wife and son.

One day he is kidnapped and drugged. When he wakes up, he discovers he's in an alternate universe where he never married his wife and instead devoted his life to quantum physics and the creation of a device that allows people to move between different realities. Of course, it was this invention that brought him to this alternate world.

Like Constellation, if you think about it too deeply, it will blow your mind. But if you accept the basic premise and go with it, there's a kind of semi-believable authenticity to the premise that makes it fascinating and terrifying in equal measure.

They're very different shows, but a lot of the thriller element of both comes from the protagonist being confronted with an alternate view of reality that is warping their mind and shrouding them in the unknown.

It's all about quantum physics – but in a good way

The premise of Dark Matter is based on the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics that exists in real-world philosophical discourse. If that sounds confusing, don't worry. It's essentially a branch of philosophy that considers whether every event in every life has multiple possible outcomes, and that each of those outcomes results in a parallel universe.

In this case, there is a universe in which Jason married Daniela and one in which he didn't, which have now crossed over. From the viewer's point of view, the 'real' Jason is the one we meet first, and it's his path we follow.

The key to the show is that one version of Jason is fighting to save his family from the other.

When does Dark Matter air?

Dark Matter debuts on Apple TV+ on May 8, 2024.

It's hard to say it's too similar to Constellation, and you certainly don't have to worry about Apple offering too much of the same. They share the idea of quantum physics and shifting realities, and both are psychological thrillers.

Beyond that, they're clear, distinct shows, and trying to compare them is very much an 'apples and oranges' situation. If psychological sci-fi thriller is your bag, fill it with Dark Matter.