'Dark Matter' on Apple TV+: 5 major changes the sci-fi series made to Blake Crouch's book

Blake Crouch has made significant changes in Apple TV+'s adaptation of his 2016 novel 'Dark Matter'

PUBLISHED JUN 17, 2024

Check out how Apple TV+'s 'Dark Matter' differs from Blake Crouch's 2016 novel (@appletv+)

Contains spoilers for Blake Crouch's novel and Apple TV+'s 'Dark Matter'

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Author Blake Crouch turned executive producer and creator for Apple TV+'s 'Dark Matter' to ensure a faithful television adaptation to his 2016 novel of the same name.

Along the way, he made certain changes in the Apple TV+ series to upgrade the narrative and add more layers to the characters in order to make the protagonist's journey more compelling.

Check out how the series differs from the novel:

1. Amanda Lucas and Jason 2 have romantic relationship in Apple TV+'s 'Dark Matter'

Jason Dessen and Amanda Lucas unravel mysteries of box on their adventures in superposition (@appletv+) — Joel Edgerton and Alice Braga in 'Dark Matter' (@appletv+)

The biggest change in the series is the relationship between Jason 2 (Joel Edgerton) and Amanda Lucas (Alice Braga) in Reality 2.

In the book, Amanda and Jason 2 are just colleagues at Velocity. However, in the series, they also shared a romantic relationship and lived under the same roof until Jason 2 abandoned her and traveled to Reality 1 to be with Daniela Dessen (Jennifer Connelly).

Amanda is the most charismatic character in 'Dark Matter'. In the book, she just vanishes suddenly. Blake Crouch has tried to make up for it in the series.

Adding a romantic angle adds weight to her arc and also gives a better explanation as to why she selflessly accompanies Jason 1 in his multiverse travels.

2. Apple TV+'s 'Dark Matter' introduces Jason Dessen's second child

Max was Jason Dessen and Daniela Dessen's first-born in 'Dark Matter' (@appletv+) — Max is Charlie Dessen's dead twin in 'Dark Matter' (@appletv+)

The series shows that Jason 1 and Daniela had twins- Charlie (Oakes Fegley) and Max. Episode 4 confirms that Max died at a young age.

While Jason 1 and Daniela still grieve for their loss, Jason 2 is clearly confused as he doesn't know about Max and what happened to him.

In Episode 7, Jason 1 accidently lands in a reality where Max is alive. While attempting to quietly leave the house, he even has a brief and heartfelt interaction with Max, something that he could never experience in his original world.

In the book, Blake Crouch has introduced a pool of other small characters and Max doesn't exist. However, we feel that introducing Max in the television adaptation has been one of the best decisions of Crouch as it adds to emotional depth to the protagonist's journey.

3. Leighton Vance doesn't follow Amanda Lucas and Jason 1 in Blake Crouch's novel

Leighton Vance's secret operations at brink of exposure in 'Dark Matter' (@appletv+) — Dayo Okeniyi as Leighton Vance in 'Dark Matter' (@appletv+)

In the series, we see Leighton Vance (Dayo Okeniyi) entering the box in an attempt to chase Jason 1 and Amanda. He, who has no idea how the box works, eventually gets lost in his multiverse adventures.

In Blake Crouch's book, nobody chases Jason 1 and Amanda. Once they escape from Reality 2, Leighton disappears from the narrative. He only appears when Jason 1 and Amanda land in a reality where versions of them are caught and shot dead by Leighton.

Blake Crouch has attempted to make his character more compelling and add further threat to Jason 1.

4. Ryan Holder doesn't offer job to Jason 1 in 'Dark Matter' novel

After Jason Dessen, Ryan Holder becomes the next victim of Jason 2 in 'Dark Matter' (@appletv+) — Joel Edgerton and Jimmi Simpson in 'Dark Matter' (@appletv+)

The series opens with Jason 1 attending Ryan Holder's (Jimmi Simpson) celebration at Village Tap bar. While this event happens in the book, the details that follow diverges in the series.

In the novel, Jason shares a quick drink with Ryan and then leaves the bar. However, in the series, they have a lengthy interaction where Ryan ends up offering him a job.

After winning the Pavia Prize, Ryan shares that he plans to start a neuro-tech company in San Francisco. He asks Jason 1 to accompany him. At this point, Jason 1 neither accepts nor denies the offer.

Later, when Jason 2 swaps places with Jason 1, he rejects the offer. While this entire incident doesn't affect the main plot in any way, it just showcases how much success Ryan has achieved in Reality 1 in comparison to his alternate selves in parallel realities.

5. Amanda Lucas' original plan to help Jason 1 differs in 'Dark Matter' series

Jason creates the box in an alternate reality and works on the principle of Schrödinger's cat (@appletv+) — Alice Braga and Joel Edgerton in 'Dark Matter' (@appletv+)

In the series, when Jason 1 is held captive by Leighton at Velocity, Amanda helps him escape. Her original plan includes sneaking Jason out of the front door. But when Leighton spots them and warns his security staff, Amanda is forced to take Jason to the hanger where they eventually escape through the box.

This entire scene has been treated differently in the book where Amanda's original plan is to take Jason directly to the box as she knows that it is impossible to help him escape from the building.

The book also shows that Amanda takes Jason 1 from a room that looks no less than a prison cell, contrary to the series where Jason is locked in a comfy room.

In the book, Amanda takes only one backpack as she didn't intent to go along with Jason. However, in the series, she grabbed two backpacks as she had planned to escape Velocity with Jason 1.

How to stream 'Dark Matter'?

Joel Edgerton stars as the protagonist Jason Dessen in the sci-fi drama series 'Dark Matter' (@appletv+)

'Dark Matter' features Joel Edgerton as Jason Dessen, a physics professor, who embarks on multiverse travels to return to his original reality and reclaim his life from his alternate self.

Other cast members include Alice Braga, Jennifer Connelly and Jimmi Simpson.

Seven episodes of 'Dark Matter' are currently available to stream on Apple TV+ while the remaining two are scheduled to release on June 19 and June 26.