DARK MATTER Recap: (S01E02) Trip of a Lifetime

Brian D. Bradley

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Jason, played by Joel Edgerton, stands in a art show surrounded by guests on Dark Matter

DISCLAIMER: This recap of Dark Matter Season 1 Episode 2, “Trip of A Lifetime” contains spoilers. Read at your risk. 

Last Week on Dark Matter

Dark Matter’s series premiere (“Are You Happy in Your Life?) we were introduced to Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton), or rather,  two Jason Dessens, from two different realities. One of them, whom we’ll call Orginal Jason, is a mild-mannered physics professor and family man, grinding it out at a no-name college in Chicago.

RELATED: Read our recap of the series premiere of Dark Matter, “Are You Happy in Your Life?”

The other, Jason2, is a world-famous and award-winning science celebrity. He helped found a mysterious tech company called Velocity Labs. He had it all, except a wife and child. And so, using some form of technology, transported himself to Original Jason’s world. He kidnapped his counterpart, shoved him into that same machine, and began taking over the poor man’s life. Meanwhile, Original Jason found himself a confused prisoner of Velocity Labs, until his harrowing escape into a reality he doesn’t recognize. 

Dark Matter’s episode 2, “Trip of A Lifetime” continues the parallel stories of both Jasons.  The episode provides some answers as to how and, possibly, why this has happened. 

Different Chicagos, Different Dessens

“Trip of a Lifetime” picks up where its predecessor left off. Original Jason is on the run in his Chicago neighborhood. He stops at his local bar, The Village Tap. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows your name, except, not this time.

In his reality, the bartender knew his name and his Scotch preferences but this version looks at Original Jason like a stranger and tells him to hit the road and get some help. Which he does, at the ER. After a no-insurance MRI and a little tranquilizer, he contemplates the dent in his finger where his wedding band used to be. The one that Jason2 took during the kidnapping. 

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Jason2 on the other hand is happy as a clam after waking up from a night of marital bliss with Original Jason’s wife, Daniella (Jennifer Connelly). Since that’s about all he did on his first night in this reality, it’s time for him to explore his new house. He hates original Jason’s mid dad wardrobe and the loose banister on the staircase. While he tries to discover where they keep the coffee, we bounce to the other reality. 

Original Jason is interviewed by a hospital psychiatrist who informs him that the MRI has come back normal. The only strange thing is the psychoactive substance in his bloodstream. The substance Jason2 jabbed him with before he sent him to this reality. Even more disturbing is that the hospital can’t seem to find any sign that he has a wife or child.

jason, in hospital gown, looks at a tablet

A rundown of his bio starts fine, but then the facts quickly depart from the ones he knows. Including the fact that in this reality he won the Pavia prize and, oh yeah, has been missing for 14 months. Conveniently the Psychiatrist hands him the tablet she’s using and he makes a stealth search for Dainella under her maiden name, Vargas. He discovers she’s a successful artist with a show opening the next day. As soon as he’s alone, he decides to spring himself from the hospital. He barely evades the scary Velocity Labs security agent, Dawn, who has shown up to collect him.

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Jason2, who has dressed up Original Jason’s low-key drip with some aviator sunglasses, shows up fashionably late at the college. He’s to teach his counterpart’s physics class. But he’s literally a different guy, so this class will hit a little differently. After telling the TA to take a seat, he confiscates a tablet from the same class clown who interrupted Original Jason in Episode 1, “Are You Happy in Your Life?”  He proceeds to give them a hard-core lecture about how, even if the Three Laws of Thermodynamics is boring, these students would be wise to pay attention, lest they end up miserable middle-management salary slaves with nothing to show for their lives. This Dr. Dessen doesn’t mess around and all the kids seem fascinated. 

The Art of Many Lives

In Jason2’s reality, Leighton (Dayo Okeniyi) and Amanda (Alice Braga) continue to search their wayward Dr. Dessen. Original Jason talks his way into the private opening of Daniella’s (from this point forward known as Alternate Daniella) art show. He gets some hassle at first, but when the gatekeeper recognizes him as THE Jason Dessen. She has him “choose a card” (part of the art show) and lets him in. Being Jason2 has its perks. Once inside he walks through Alternate Daniella’s elaborate multi-media art show where he’s surprised to discover his image is heavily incorporated.

alternate daniella, played by jennifer connelly, gives a toast at her art show on Dark Matter's "Trip of a Lifetime"

At a reception, he connects with Alternate Daniella, who is extra chic and cool.  They may not be married in this reality, but it’s clear there’s a history between them. He also meets an alternate version of Ryan, who in this universe is a puffy, sallow-looking sad-sack (amazing prosthetics on Jimmi Simpson here). He discovers that three of them are all still pals. Alternate Daniella invites them back to her place for an after party and Original Jason and Alternate Ryan step off for a drink.

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Alternate Ryan confirms that Jason has been missing for a while. He’s a scientist in this world as well, though not a successful one. In a sweaty plea, he presses Original Jason about the “compounds” he created for Jason and Velocity. Of course, Original Jason has no idea what he’s talking about, but would certainly like to know. Unfortunately, they are interrupted by Alternate Daniella giving a toast in which she describes the origin of her art show. It’s all about the choices we make in our lives and how they lead to alternate paths. So, yeah, it’s basically the plot of the series. 

It’s also what Jason2 is up to in the life he’s hijacked from Original Jason. As with his class earlier, he’s continuing to show alpha vibes that nobody in this reality is used to. Original Daniella seems to like it. And his son Charlie seems impressed, too. Especially when Jason2 gives him some decidedly manipulative advice on how to neg the girl he likes to get her interested. It’s kind of gross, but for some reason, everyone’s into it. 

Afterparty Pooper

At Alternate Daniella’s afterparty, we discover the art game has been pretty good to her. She has an incredibly chic and expensive-looking two-story, loft-style apartment with insane views of Chicago. Also, when she said that the afterparty was going to be smaller, she meant smoking a joint with just Alternate Ryan and Original Jason.

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a chubby Ryan, played by Jimmi Simpson, sits on a couch and looks at someone in Dark Matter's "Trip of a Lifetime"

With the sticky icky in play, everyone gets very honest. Original Jason explains what’s happened to him and Alternate Ryan suggests possible explanations: brain tumor (no), prank (to elaborate), LSD (uh… maybe?), and finally, insanity.  Alternate Daniella reveals the inspiration for her “many paths” art installation. It was a visit she had from Jason2 before he disappeared where he explained his theory of quantum reality. Namely that our choices create alternate realities that we simultaneously inhabit. In this reality, the worst choice he made was one he’d made with Alternate Daniella (so they were together!).

When Original Jason mentions that in his world he and Daniella have a son and happy family life, Alternate Daniella looks pale and Alternate Ryan gets angry.  It looks like Original Jason has stepped on a land mine. Despite this faux pax, Alternate Daniella invites Original Jason to stay in her guest room. It’s clear that, whatever’s transpired between them in this reality, there remains a powerful connection between them. 

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Jason2 struggles to avoid land mines of his own (which toothbrush is his) in his new reality. Original Daniella seems both invigorated and a little alarmed by her suddenly smoochy and attentive husband. It’s a different story for this reality’s Ryan, who gets an uncharacteristically aggressive phone call from Jason2 telling him to take his job offer and shove it. He’s staying in Chicago.

Original Daniella wears a wool hat and wears ear buds as she looks at her husband in Dark Matter's "A Trip of a Lifetime"

So That’s What’s Going On

Through a phone call, Jason tricks Amanda into leaving the house. Original Jason and Alternate Daniella break into the Dessen brownstone for a bit of investigation. As with his first visit there, Original Jason continues to see the differences between his reality and this one. In his world, there’s a charming photograph of the happy family standing in front of a waterfall. In this one, it’s a cold, black-and-white art shot with no people at all.

Jason spirals, Alternate Daniella reveals a key difference in the two Jasons’ timelines. The night she told him she was pregnant. In one version he gives up his scientific pursuits to be with her and raise their son, while in the other, he coldly tells her that he can’t be a father and goes his own way. This pivot point is where the two realities were created. 

Dark Turns

A calculating Jason2 returns to his storage unit to collect camera gear that is set up to surveil the device he used to send Original Jason out of this reality. While Original Jason, who has stolen documents from Jason2’s office, explains to Alternate Daniella what he thinks has happened.

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Having abandoned Daniella, Jason2 went on to create a device, a huge box, that would allow a human to enter a state of quantum superposition so that they could travel across the multiple realities of Quantum physics. A device he used to travel to Original Jason’s reality where he switched places with him so he could correct his greatest regret… leaving Daniella and the son they would later have. 

As this Dark Matter episode comes to its conclusion, Alternate Daniella seems more convinced that this insane story is true. In a moment of sweet intimacy, Original Jason tells her the story of the life she never had. About their marriage, the birth of their son, and the rough early days that graduated into marital comfort and warmth. A life in which There are no fancy art shows, but in which they have a son,  are best friends and are still very much in love.

This moment evolves into a kiss and is about to become something more when the doorbell rings. Unfortunately, the visitor is leather-loving, gun-toting Dawn (Marquita Brooks) from Velocity Labs. She’s tracked Original Jason down and intends to take him back into custody. In a moment of incredible (and fully unjustified) violence,  Dawn shoots Alternate Daniella between the eyes and tasers Original Jason who is now, once again, back in the hands of Velocity Labs. 

Catch up on our Dark Matter Recaps, here!

Watch Dark Matter on Apple TV+.

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