Dark Matter Top 10 Differences Between the Book and Series

If you could, would you change a pivotal moment in your past? That’s the thrilling premise of this multiverse-hopping adventure, based on showrunner Blake Crouch’s 2016 novel. Eagle-eyed fans might’ve spotted some notable changes between the show and book. For instance, in the novel, Jason meets Daniela2 in an alternate reality where they’re not married. They have a steamy affair right in her apartment before her death. In the show, however, they visit what looks like their original home. There, they discover Jason2’s documents together, which helps Jason figure out what’s happening. Also, their encounter is tamer as they merely share a kiss before Daniela is dramatically shot. They’re not major changes but they do stick out for those familiar with the book.

AppleTV+’s acclaimed sci-fi series from Blake Crouch’s creative mind is a fascinating dive into parallel worlds. Like in the book, there are enough alternate realities to make your head spin, even if we only stick to Jason’s perspective. AppleTV+’s adaptation spices things up by presenting the multiverse traveling through different characters’ eyes. And, yes, we get to see other versions of Amanda. In the novel, Amanda is just Jason’s multiverse-hopping companion, who departs after catching feelings. But, in the show, we get a twist! Another Amanda plays a pivotal role in Jason2’s life as his therapist. While she doesn’t recognize him since Velocity doesn’t exist in this reality, he flirts and misses his multiverse companion.

In Blake Crouch’s novel, Charlie is Jason and Daniela Dessen’s only son but the show adds a poignant twist by introducing a deceased twin. Maximillian Dessen is Charlie’s twin who died from heart abnormalities as a child, a loss that deeply haunts his family. It’s such a profound, painful memory that Jason couldn’t share with Daniela2. This tragedy also plays a crucial part in why both parents stopped pursuing their dreams. Max’s existence is a shocking revelation to Jason2 who stumbles upon his birth certificate, and his lack of connection to Max’s memory leads him to missing the yearly tradition the Dessens set aside for him. Max may just be another clue for Daniela to figure out he’s an imposter.

In both book and show, after Amanda learns of Daniela’s death and the lengths Leighton is willing to go to in order to protect the project, she decides to help Jason escape. But, the escape plan itself is notably different. In the book, Amanda grabs whatever she can and they head straight to the hangar to escape Velocity’s goons. Initially, she had no intention of accompanying Jason. However, Alice Braga’s Amanda flees with Jason into the quantum box. The book Amanda knows it’s impossible to smuggle Jason out of the facility undetected but, in the show, she only comes to this conclusion because she couldn’t catch the elevator. One thing is for sure, one version understands her company better.

The book mentions individuals who traveled through the box before Jason but never returned. The show dives deeper into these characters by introducing Blaire, a Velocity employee who went missing. This Blaire is later shown in an apocalyptic universe where humans are devoured by swarms of insects. On top of that, another version happens to be Daniela’s pal. Chicago PD Mason, who questions Leighton about the disappearances of employees, also wasn’t included in the book, but it does make sense that a big-shot laboratory like Velocity should undergo investigation when employees go missing. It’s a solid retcon by Blake Crouch.

“Dark Matter” begins with Jason getting abducted by a seriously shady version of himself who wants to live in his reality. Following the abduction, he’s thrown into Jason2’s world where he meets Leighton, a prominent figure in Velocity. While the show implies that original Jason knows Leighton as he says it’s been a long time since they’ve seen each other, the source material makes it apparent that they’re total strangers. It’s an interesting change to make because, if Velocity doesn’t exist in his universe, we’re left with the question: how does Jason1 recognize Leighton?

While the romantic relationship between Amanda and Jason2 is a lot more blurred in the book, the show flips the script by refusing to let things be open to interpretation. Jason and Amanda are not just colleagues anymore; they’ve been living together for almost a year. It’s a pretty major shift away from the page, where Jason2 lives alone, but it certainly ups the drama. Instead of Jason1 stepping into a home simply decorated differently from the one he’s used to, there’s now the added twist of an unexpected roommate and all its implications to navigate.

The box was created by evil Jason, which was the only thing he dedicated his life to after giving up on being a family man. The book leaves this quantum box shrouded in mystery, with readers left to piece its secrets and mechanism. The show, however, in several episodes, fills in the technical aspects that the book omitted. Through the Schrödinger’s Cat experiment, it is revealed that the box allows people to be in a quantum superposition, letting them visit any reality of their choice. For this reality-hopping to work effectively, Ryan’s Lavender Fairy is needed. Crouch spices things up by giving another thorough explanation of the box’s design in episode 5 where Jason meets Leighton1.

For someone who created the quantum box, you’d expect Jason2 to be a genius. In the book, though, he’s not exactly fleshed out this way. Crouch manages to rectify this by making Jason2 a formidable adversary on screen. When he learns Jason is searching for his original universe, he thwarts this plan by blocking the box. He also ruthlessly banishes Ryan to another universe. Always one step ahead, Jason works tirelessly to maintain control. But, he isn’t the only rogue Jason in the original reality. The TV adaptation surprises us by introducing a third Jason who, if the reactions from his ex-wife and son are any indication, is much worse a person than Jason2. Things are about to get mind-bogglingly intense.

This parallel-universe series offers deeper insights to characters’ motivations unlike the book, which focuses only on Jason’s perspective. Leighton is one well-developed character. He is grandson of the founder of Velocity and its current CEO. In the show, we not only get to see a Leighton who’s in pursuit of Amanda and Jason but also a second one. In the fourth episode, we meet a Leighton who never inherited Velocity from his grandfather. He’s the trust fund baby who sharply contrasts with the determined businessman from Jason2’s reality. The second Leighton, unique to the show, adds an interesting twist. Also, in the book, Leighton doesn’t chase after Jason and Amanda, nor does Jason2 give Leighton1 a tour of his groundbreaking invention.

What other mind-bending sci-fi series left you utterly intrigued with multiverse traveling? Let us know in the comment section.