With the hopes that all our work will not be in vain, we started spinning and breaking episodes for Dark Matter’s second season this week. We have our season arc in place and thirteen terrific stories – chock full of twists, turns, surprises, action, adventure, humor, character moments, scifi elements and, of course, those WTF?!! moments you’ve all come to know and love. We’ve beaten out our first three episodes and attack episode 4 tomorrow.
Let’s take a break for another Weird Food Purchase of the Day video:
Mailbag:
Scott B. writes: “Part of the fun of DarkMatter is them not knowing their pasts. That’s changing. Will they ever get all their memories back?”
Answer: There are no plans to have the characters fully regain their memories. Well, except under very specific circumstances. But that’s a story for another season…
Alisa Scott writes: “could it be possible that 2 is part of the federation & they had her genetically enhanced”
Answer: Federation? You have us confused with Star Trek. I think you mean the Galactic Authority. Is it possible? Sure.
LasseOleBosse writes: “Are there any plans for a Blu-ray release of Dark Matter Season 1 yet?”
Answer: Alas, DVD releases are out of my jurisdiction. My sphere of influence extends to scripts and lunch orders.
Glenda writes: “Will we ever find out who shot at the ship, in the first episode?”
Answer: Eventually, yes. Who fired at the ship. Who deleted the ship’s data stores. And, most importantly, who wiped their memories.
CraigLivesHere writes: “If the crew of the Raza are wanted criminals with their pictures/photos being broadcast all over “TV”, how is it that no one recognizes them when they dock at the space stations?”
Answer: For starters, it’s a big galaxy and while their faces may be recognizable to members of the Galactic Authority, they are the stuff of legend to much of colonized space’s civilian populations (note the miners’ take on The Raza back in Episode 101). The space stations they had are independent entities, some hosting unsavory travelers just as notorious as our lovable anti-heroes, making it easier for them to blend in and go unnoticed.
Fecrabond writes: “Do your ideas for scripts come naturally or was their training involved?”
Answer: I’ve been sitting on this project for quite a while and, in that time, have had the opportunity to really flesh out the character backstories, their world – and a five season game plan.
“Also, can we expect any kind of pets for the raza crew?”
Answer: No definite plans but Jodelle Ferland has requested a cat for her character, FIVE.
bambamfans writes: “1. Judging from your blog posts, it seemed like the cast and crew of Dark Matter bonded quickly, much like the Stargate days. What did you do to achieve this?”
Answer: I can’t take credit for the friendships that have formed. We were just fortunate enough to cast some very talented, very good people.
“2. The show is heavily serialised. Do you think there’s a trend towards more serialised TV, as opposed to procedurals?”
Answer: There is a definite trend toward more serialized show. Back when I was working on SG-1, the emphasis was on standalone episodes. Now, people are looking for long, involved story arcs with plenty of twists and turns.
“3. Dark Matter is extremely well cast with strong performances from all of the main cast and an array of awesome guest stars throughout the season – David Hewlett, Wil Wheaton, Ruby Rose, Torri Higginson, Jessica Sipos, Ennis Esmer and Jon Cor. What were the performances that really stood out for you?”
Answer: I can’t single out a specific performance. All the actors you mentioned were a delight.
“4. The production shot some days on location in Hamilton, Ontario. How did this compare to the forest locations near Vancouver during the Stargate days? Any bear or other wildlife stories?”
Answer: No bears – just more warehouses and A LOT colder weather.
“5. Cloning has become a reality on the show. It’s only been experimental in our lifetime but do you foresee it being used in other capacities?”
Answer: Uh, sure. You can have your dog cloned in South Korea for about $100 000.
“6. Name one surprising thing you learned about 2 members of the main cast on Dark Matter.”
Answer: Anthony Lemke was a lawyer before dedicating himself to acting. Roger Cross is a professional poker player.
“7. Can you give one dialogue tease from an upcoming episode?”
Answer: “But truth is, when the time comes that you do decide to leave, I’m gonna miss you kid. I’m gonna miss you a lot.”
“8. What can fans do to give Dark Matter the best chance of a second season, apart from watching the show live? Is tweeting SyFy OK or is it better to write?”
Answer: To be honest, tweeting, emails, and letter writing campaigns don’t do much to influence the network. If you can’t watch it live, then record and watch it the next day.
Lulu S. writes: “Why hasn’t Five told anyone about how she entered the Raza? Or has she and I missed it?”
Answer: No, she hasn’t. Probably because she hasn’t had the opportunity to tell anyone – or seen the advantage in doing so. After Episode 6, events proceed at a rapid pace. There’s very little downtime between episodes leading up to the finale.
Mark4 writes: “Why are you looking for a new agent? Isn’t an agent supposed to find you work? You already have a job, don’t you? Or is there something we Dark Matter fans should know?”
Answer: Who knows what the future holds? Nothing is definite and I want to be prepared for any eventuality. Keep in mind, the show still hasn’t been picked up.
ceresis64 writes: “I think these questions make sense – but no promises! And apologies, if they’ve been posed before…”
Answer: Great questions but all of the answers would be major spoilers. Answers to all these questions coming in the episodes ahead – and season 2.
FuturaSG writes: “Can you promise you’ll work on Dark Matter for as long as it airs. The show is your baby and, like you said in a recent blog, you’ve set up a bunch of stuff you’re going to pay off. How can someone else step in and try to do the same thing. Guess?”
Answer: As much as I’d love to work on the show through the entirety of its run, that’s something I can’t promise. Season One was a lot of fun and, as long as I’m enjoying myself, I will continue to write and produce Dark Matter.
Ponytail writes: “HOW IS LULU?????”
Answer: Lulu is still suffering from the same issues. She seems really rundown of late. Her endoscopy suggests inflamed bowel disorder. Awaiting the results of another test.
dasndanger writes: “Joe, did you see Guardians of the Galaxy?”
Answer: I did see – and enjoyed – Guardians of the Galaxy. Hmmm. I’m thinking it’s time our resident film critic, Cookie Monster, caught up on his reviews. I feel a “My Top 10 Superhero Films” blog entry percolating.
