Apple TV's Best Sci-Fi Series Since Silo Returns As A Streaming Force At The Perfect Time

Published Aug 28, 2026, 9:57 AM EDT Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. Apple TV's best sci-fi series is finally back. The streaming service's best sci-fi show since Silo has become a viewership juggernaut on the platform, its popularity skyrocketing at the perfect time. Apple TV is home to a multitude of sci-fi shows, making the genre a staple of the streaming service. In 2026 alone, there have been many high-profile premieres, from the post-apocalyptic mysteries of Silo season 3, to the what-if scenario of For All Mankind season 5. The genre has seen plenty of new, compelling entries across the platform, many of which are continuations of some of its most popular shows. One of these series is Dark Matter, a multiversal sci-fi thriller developed by Blake Crouch, and based on his 2016 novel of the same name. The show follows Joel Edgerton as Jason, a physicist forced to travel the multiverse after he's kidnapped and replaced by a different version of himself from another world. Now, the show has re-entered Apple TV's global streaming charts, climbing to Number 5 in the world. This includes hitting Number 4 in the United States, while some of its most successful rankings are Number 3 in the Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua. Dark Matter's Streaming Resurgence Comes At The Perfect Time The series' sudden surge in popularity arrives at the perfect time for the show: Dark Matter season 2 premiered today, August 28, 2026, continuing the story of Jason and his family as they leave his original world to find a new home. However, while the family enjoys relative peace for a time, a new threat arrives, forcing the trio to find another home amid the multiverse's many doorways. Other characters from Dark Matter season 1 also become involved in the story, which promises a deeper tale that involves a TV show original journey beyond the pages of Crouch's novel. Season 2's return makes now the perfect time to watch Dark Matter, too, especially because it's one of Apple TV's most ambitious yet well-executed sci-fi TV shows. The series not only follows Jason, but also other people in his life as they become embroiled in the large-scale consequences of multiversal travel. But, in addition to the sci-fi elements, it's also a show that hinges on the development of its characters, something that makes its most thrilling sequences all the more emotionally intense. Dark Matter Could Climb Even Higher On Apple TV's Charts Courtesy of Apple TV While Dark Matter is already performing well on Apple TV's charts both in the US and globally, the show is liable to climb even higher in the coming weeks. As of writing, its Friday time slot is shared with Silo season 3, which is set to air its season finale next week. Based on Apple TV's upcoming release schedule, this means Dark Matter season 2 will be its only ongoing show airing on Fridays from episode 3 onward. All other programs airing while season 2 airs release new episodes on Wednesdays. The show's forthcoming end-of-week dominance is coupled by the popularity of season 1, which was both critically successful and a viewership powerhouse week-to-week. These factors mean Dark Matter will likely climb even higher on Apple TV's charts as season 2 progresses, its current arrival on the global Top 10 serving as a taste of what's to come. Release Date May 7, 2024 Network Apple TV+ Directors Jakob Verbruggen, Alik Sakharov, Roxann Dawson, Logan George Writers Blake Crouch Cast Joel Edgerton Jason Dessen / Jason2