There are two things that makeThe Rookiestand out from other procedurals on network TV. First, there’s its title; the titular “rookie,” John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), is 45 years old (and based on a real-life story). The second is the cast; in addition to Fillion, the main cast includes plenty of talented actors, includingMelissa O’Neilas Nolan’s fellow officer Lucy Chen. Lucy’s character arc throughoutThe Rookiehas been pretty compelling, from her relationship with Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) to Season 7 giving her a “renewed sense of agency,” according to showrunnerAlex Hawley. O’Neilwound up playing another complex, compelling characterin the SyFy seriesDark Matter(not to be confused withApple TV+’s sci-fi series of the same name), and her performance is just one of the many things that makes it a standout in the science fiction genre.
‘Dark Matter’ Has a Great Foundation To Build On
Dark Matteris based on theDark Horse Comics miniseriesof the same name byJoseph Mallozzi, Paul Mullie,andGerry Brown, and begins when six strangers wake up from stasis on the starshipRaza. None of them can remember how they got on the ship, or what they did prior to waking up. The attacks from theRaza’s on-board android — not to mention other starships — aren’t helping matters. Eventually, the six learn thatthey are the deadliest criminals in the galaxy; they struggle to survive while also piecing together their past. But in a galaxy where they’re wanted for a number of crimes, that’s no easy task. Unlike most comic book adaptations,Dark Matterhad its creators involved from the start: Mallozzi and Mullie served as producers on the show and also wrote or co-wrote most of the series together.
IfDark Matter’s massive twist wasn’t enough to hook fans, its colorful cast of characters is. Each of theRaza’s crewmates stands out in their own way: One (Marc Bendavid) is determined to keep them all on the straight and narrow; Two (O’Neil) ends up becoming the leader; Three (Anthony Lemke) is a brash weapons expert who turns out to have a heart of gold; Four (Alex Mallari, Jr.) is a fairly quiet man with a rather deadly streak; Five (Jodelle Ferland) is a tech wiz who turns out to be the only crew member whoisn’ta criminal; and Six (Roger Cross) winds up becoming theRaza’s pilot while hiding a major secret.
Melissa O’Neil Is the Standout of ‘Dark Matter’
ThroughoutDark Matter’s run, especially in Season 1,Two becomes a standout character due to her take-charge manner. A great example occurs during “Episode Two”; when the others discover they have a crate of weapons that a group of miners needs to defend their homes, she’s able to strike a deal where the miners get half the weapons and her crew gets the other half, allowing them to defend themselves if needed. Yet she also has a softer side, as she bonds with the rest of the crew — especially Five, who she grows protective of. In “Episode Eleven,” when the mercenary Tash (Jessica Sipos) threatens to kill Five,Two ambushes her and snaps her neck. It’s an intense fight scene that’s only heightened by the sheer fury O’Neil brings to her performance. Despite Two being aloof most of the time, she genuinely cares about the others.
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Dark Matteralso slowly begins to unveil the mysteries behind the crew’s past, and it leads to some dark revelations. Two might have one of the most tragic backstories: it’s revealed thatshe is a genetically engineered being created by a corporation, with nanites coursing through her bloodstream that make her virtually immortal. The only problem is that said corporation subjected her to unspeakable experiments once she gained sentience, leading her to break free and slaughter the scientists who created her. Not only does Two have to deal with the corporation’s CEO (Wil Wheaton) attempting to recapture her, but she also encounters an alternate universe version of herself who’s far more ruthless. Despite this, Two manages to keep her humanity intact, especially when she learns about her past relationship with one of the scientists who created her, Dr. Irena Shaw (Zoie Palmer, who also plays theRaza’s Android).
‘Dark Matter’ Was Cancelled on a Major Cliffhanger, but Its Co-Creator Found a Unique Way To Continue It
Dark Matterwould end up becoming a fan-favorite SyFy show,but it wascancelled after three seasons. The timing couldn’t have been worse, as the Season 3 finale ended on a major cliffhanger with an alien armada emerging from another universe. On top of that, Two learned that she has a daughter somewhere in the universe. Joseph Mallozzi eventually discussed the reason forDark Matter’s cancellation, and it came down to two factors. Unlike other shows,a Canadian production company createdDark Matterand thusthe network couldn’t monetize it. Mallozzi also revealed onRedditthat there was a discrepancy between SyFy’s New York and LA divisions about just how much of a pullDark Matterwould have:
When we were first pitching the show, the pilot script went to Syfy’s Acquisition division in New York. They picked up the show. But as it turns out, the script had also been sent to Syfy’s Originals division in L.A. – who hated it and passed. And when they found out that the Acquisitions department in NY had picked up a project they had passed on, I heard they were decidedly Unhappy. Then the show premiered and outperformed most of their originals. Which, from what I heard, really didn’t sit well with Syfy L.A.
Despite its cancellation,Dark Matterhas continued in the form of episodic breakdownson Mallozzi’s blog. Though Mallozzi only released details for what would have been the first three episodes ofDark MatterSeason 4, they had a prominent role for Two (and her alternate self), including more revelations about her daughter. While Melissa O’Neil may be well known forThe Rookie,Dark Matteris the show that truly made her a star. Not only is it a “ragtag rebels in space” story in the vein ofFireflyorGuardians of the Galaxy, but it also explores how people can change for the better.
Dark Matteris available to stream for free on the CW’s official website.
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Dark Matter
