NEW YORK, NY — The “Dark Matter” series returns to Apple TV, and star Alice Braga said season two leans further into the emotional stakes that made the multiverse thriller a hit. Braga, who plays Amanda Lucas, opened up about what fans can expect from the show’s next chapter and how her character is navigating a world that isn’t hers.
The first season of Dark Matter fully adapted Blake Crouch’s best-selling book, bringing the story to a close. Because season two remains unexplored, Braga says the second season feels like a genuine continuation of Crouch’s original story.
“We did the entire book, Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter book, on season one,” Braga told Nitecast Media. “Now it’s almost like a sequel to this best-selling novel that he did, which is a fantastic work. And I feel that season two continues what would have happened to these characters.”
That continuation finds Amanda and the rest of the ensemble grappling with a reality none of them chose. Having crossed between universes using the Box — the show’s central sci-fi device — the characters are left without a home to return to.
“How these characters are managing to survive between these universes that are not theirs,” Braga said, describing the throughline of the new season. “You are worldless because you don’t have a world anymore to call your own, because all of those characters had to leave where they were. And now we’re following their lives in the unknown. And I think it’s pretty exciting.“
Amanda’s Struggle Between Present and Future
For Amanda specifically, season two brings a new kind of emotional tension. She’s found a version of stability, Braga explained, but it comes with the constant awareness that it isn’t truly hers.
“She finds herself in a beautiful place that she found, but at the same time — because it’s not her home, it’s not where she belongs, it’s not the universe that she’s from — she’s feeling unsettled,” Braga said.
Complicating matters further is Amanda’s connection to Ryan Holder (Jimmi Simpson), whose life was upended by choices Amanda helped set in motion.
“The idea that someone that she feels responsible for, which is Ryan — when we see at the end of season one, we see on season two, she finds him. His life was destroyed because of something that she helped create,” Braga said. “I think she finds herself struggling to help him, but also create a life of her own. I think what she finds is that the truthfulness for the present is staying truthful to herself.”
Much of season two follows Amanda and Ryan as they team up in hopes of finding their way back home. Braga said their dynamic is defined less by traditional action-thriller teamwork and more by the emotional mechanics unique to the show’s multiverse concept.
“The box works a lot on emotional states, so they need to take care of each other so they’re both in a good emotional state to not end up drowning or in a fire or in anything that can harm their lives,” Braga said. “Which is what I most love about this show — the emotions connected to opening or closing a door.“
That shared vulnerability that becomes the foundation of their bond as the season unfolds.
“I think they’ve become a true friendship and care for each other,” Braga said. “And through kindness and respect, they understand that they need each other to survive and to find their home.”
Season two also expands the roles of Amanda Brugel, who plays Blair, and Dayo Okeniyi, who plays Leighton — two characters whose arcs Braga says add significant intrigue to the new episodes. Braga was enthusiastic about both actors, starting with Brugel.
“Amanda is a brilliant actress. I was a huge fan of her on season one, because when I saw her work and did a scene with her, I fell completely in love with her,” Braga said. “I was like, oh my God, I want more scenes with her. This woman is fantastic.“
Braga said she was thrilled to learn Brugel’s role was expanding for the new season, both personally and professionally.
“I heard that they were bringing her back and creating a whole arc for her. I was so excited for the friend that I made, but also for the actress that she is, because she’s such a powerful force,” Braga said. “And I love [the character] Blair. I think Blair has a journey of survival that is so fantastic, so resilient and so inspiring.”
Braga was equally complimentary of Okeniyi, whose character Leighton brings a very different energy to the season.
“Dayo brings a darkness that — damn, I’m scared of him. He’s such a brilliant actor, and he can be dark, but with nuances,” Braga said. “And I think the versions of themselves show so much strength as an acting skill that they have. I’m a big fan. I can keep talking about them a lot.“
The 10-episode second season of “Dark Matter” airs weekly, exclusively on Apple TV — giving fans more of the multiverse-spanning drama as it unfolds.
