Entertainment
11 Years Ago, This ‘Rookie’ Star Was a Total Badass in a Sci-Fi Hidden Gem
Two things make The Rookie stand 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, including Melissa O’Neil as Nolan’s fellow officer, Lucy Chen. Lucy’s character arc throughout The Rookie has been pretty compelling. But before the ABC series, O’Neil wound up playing another complex, compelling character in the SyFy series Dark Matter — not to be confused with Apple TV+’s sci-fi series of the same name — and her performance is just one of the many things that make it a standout in the science fiction genre.
‘Dark Matter’ Has a Great Foundation To Build On
Dark Matter is based on the Dark Horse Comics miniseries of the same name by Joseph Mallozzi, Paul Mullie, and Gerry Brown, and begins when six strangers wake up from stasis on the starship Raza. None of them can remember how they got on the ship or what they did before waking up. The attacks from the Raza‘s on-board android — not to mention other starships — aren’t helping matters. Eventually, the six learn that they 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 several crimes, that’s no easy task. Unlike most comic book adaptations, Dark Matter had 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.
If Dark Matter‘s massive twist wasn’t enough to hook fans, its colorful cast of characters is. Each of the Raza‘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 who isn’t a criminal; and Six (Roger Cross) winds up becoming the Raza‘s pilot while hiding a major secret.
Melissa O’Neil Is the Standout of ‘Dark Matter’
Throughout Dark 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, whom 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.
What’s it gonna be for your favorite slow-burn TV couple?
Dark Matter also 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 that she 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 the Raza‘s Android).
‘Dark Matter’ Was Cancelled on a Major Cliffhanger, but Its Co-Creator Found a Unique Way To Continue It
Dark Matter would end up becoming a fan-favorite SyFy show, but it was cancelled 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 for Dark Matter‘s cancellation, and it came down to two factors.
Unlike other shows, a Canadian production company created Dark Matter, and thus, the network couldn’t monetize it. Mallozzi also revealed on Reddit that there was a discrepancy between SyFy’s New York and LA divisions about just how much of a pull Dark Matter would 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 Matter has continued in the form of episodic breakdowns on Mallozzi’s blog. Though Mallozzi only released details for what would have been the first three episodes of Dark Matter Season 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 for The Rookie, Dark Matter is the show that truly made her a star. Not only is it a “ragtag rebels in space” story in the vein of Firefly or Guardians of the Galaxy, but it also explores how people can change for the better.
Dark Matter is available to stream for free on the CW’s official website in the U.S.
- Release Date
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2015 – 2017-00-00
- Directors
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Ron Murphy, Andy Mikita, Bruce McDonald, John Stead, T.J. Scott, amanda tapping, Craig David Wallace, Gail Harvey, Lee Rose, Paolo Barzman, Steve DiMarco, Melanie Orr, Mairzee Almas, T.W. Peacocke
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Alexander Mandra
Ishida Cruiser Soldier #2
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