Dark Matter – a theoretical form of matter that doesn’t react with other forms of matter

Apart from a scientific theory of energy, Dark Matter is also the title of a novel by Blake Crouch which he adapted into a mind-bending television series.

“I love the way the term Dark Matter sounded. I loved the atmosphere it had,” says the writer about titling his story. Blake expanded on his knowledge of dark matter in the universe. “We don’t really know where it comes from, and just recently, I read an article that said there is no such thing as dark matter.”

“I also loved what it said about the idea of the human heart. The book and the show are very much about some of the darker places of the human heart, particularly as it corresponds to regret,” he continues.

Blake Crouch was cognizant of many book adaptations into TV series being “unsatisfying carbon copies.”

Blake Crouch. Photo by Matthew Staver

“I think adaptations should bring a new interpretation of it. I wanted to be faithful to the book, but I also wanted to explore a storyline.”

The novel tightly focuses on the narrative perspective of Jason Dessen (played by Joel Edgerton in the show). The series allows Crouch to delve deeper into his relationship with his wife Daniela Vargas Dessen (Jennifer Connolly). The writer describes this as a “paranoid Hitchcockian thread” that ran as a counterbalance to Jason and Amanda’s (Alice Braga) journey in the alternate universe of Jason2 without his son Charlie (Oakes Fegley). Crouch enjoys the tonal contrast between these parallel relationships.

Techno-Thriller

Crouch broadly categorizes his work as being techno-thriller – grounded character shows with a “heavy tech element.” He cites Michael Crichton as a major influence on his writing. “We’re living kind of in this quasi future.”

“It feels like the future of technology looms over us. I think there’s a little bit of existential dread about which of these things are going to be our undoing,” he ponders.

“I consider the box which transports Jason in the story be a non-human character. It has its own presence, does its own cool things, and allows characters to see places that we can never see in our lives.”

Although technology underpins Dark Matter, the story asks whether living an alternate life would make you happier as its foundation. It’s a story of choices, regrets, consequences and whether a parallel universe could undo any of that.

Jason spends much of the show in a parallel universe without his wife Daniela. “World building has always been about subtle brushstrokes,” states Crouch. He doesn’t spend too much time defining the parameters of complex science-fiction worlds.

“I love giving the audience just enough, whether it’s from a world building or a rules standpoint, for them to latch on to something, and then hopefully their imagination fills in the rest.” Crouch mentions that he often underwrites scenes and returns to them with more explanation about the world if required. So long as the world is set up clearly with consistent rules, the audience will allow for a suspension of disbelief.

A Personal Connection

As with many successful stories, Dark Matter has traces of personal matters in Crouch’s life. “I was going through a mid-life crisis and looking back at all the choices I’ve made… doing an inventory and an ‘after action’ report on my life so far. Regret is a very corrosive emotion and I wrote the story as a way of working through it.”

Blake didn’t consider this angle when he wrote the book in 2016, He just thought he was writing a cool sci-fi story. As he neared its completion, he realized the themes were about himself and where he was in his life.

“I love the ability that writing gives me to reflect on myself. I think each book is a bit of a snapshot of where I am emotionally, psychologically, and intellectually at that moment in time. This is how I see the world now. This is how I’m dealing with, or struggling with these things.”

Amanda Lucas (Alice Braga) and Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton) Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

He confesses that he wasn’t always this open in his writing. “I was very guarded early on in my career. I would not let those inner feelings ever guide me. I was a little afraid of that because it is terrifying to be a bit vulnerable when you put your stuff out there into the world and people read things into it,” he continues.

When Crouch became more comfortable sharing his intimate self, “it seemed to give my work more weight than it had when I was protecting myself.”

Portrait Of A Marriage

Dark Matter opens on a scene of an established marriage couple, Jason and Daniela. Things are fine. Not good or bad.

“They’re not an unhappy couple. They love and support each other and generally have a very healthy relationship,” says Crouch. Jason is in the early stages of that regret and corrosion of his soul.” These moments are subtle and we don’t feel that their marriage is bad; but there’s something off.

The Dessens are introduced discussing the mundane aspects of life. “It’s only after Jason gets abducted and thrown into this other life that he could have lived, and gets a taste of the fame and the fortune that this other version of him had, when he really starts examining himself and his choices through the lens of that marriage.”

“When we meet them, both have given up on those core dreams they had that drove them in their twenties. Daniela of becoming this incredible painter and visual artist and Jason becoming this world-renowned physicist.”

Daniela is not a passive bystander in their marriage. She has regrets too, but she’s made peace with it. “That piece that really propels their marriage and makes it a good thing. Daniela feels his disquiet on some level.”

From Sony To Apple

Blake Crouch originally adapted Dark Matter into a feature screenplay at Sony. “They were very good screenplays that were sleek and propulsive, but didn’t capture the heart of the book. We realized that if we made it as a film, it would only work on one level. You’d have the conceit of the box jumping between worlds, but it would miss the mark of what the book is really about.” Apple executives loved the book and decided Dark Matter would make a great television series. They realized the potential of the story over several seasons.

Blake had already written the first four episodes of Dark Matter when Apple green lit the project. He later hired a small writers’ room comprising Megan McDonnell and Jacquelyn Ben-Zekry to help him write the rest of the season.

Since much of the heavy-lifting had been done by Crouch, he used the writers’ room to flesh out the Jason and Daniela relationship.

Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton) and Daniela Vargas Dessen (Jennifer Connolly) Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

Dark Matter had a ten – twelve week writers’ room which focussed on writing outlines for the remaining episodes.

We asked Blake which were the defining episodes of the season. He replied with The Corridor (Episode 4) and Jupiter (Episode 8). “They live in the emotion of the characters, but they also explode the conceit of the show. What I want is to see that idea cranked up to a ten and explore the craziest manifestation of that idea.”

Am I ringing out every drop I can from this premise? Am I taking it to the furthest extent?

“You’ve followed the rhythm. There’s an element of mystery here. Who is the man in the white mask? Who’s the kidnapper? The last thing he says to him is, ‘You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.'”

Audiences expect an element of satisfaction and inevitability in the conclusion of mystery thrillers. All the major pieces of the puzzle are finally put together.

Blake Crouch’s main concern in writing novels or screenplays is the same – “Are you casting a spell on the audience? Anything that breaks that spell is bad and anything that perpetuates or enhances it is good. It’s not about form so much.“