Dark Matter Review: Hot Chocolate (Season 3 Episode 8)

Dark Matter Season 3 Episode 8, “Hot Chocolate,” is a jammed packed ride full of great action sequences and the importance of personal interaction.

This ensemble-driven story has a lot going on, from trying to help forge a treaty between the colony delegates to fighting their former friend. Ryo has a plan, but he always seems to underestimate the people he spent so much time with.

Alex Mallari Jr shines as he showcases Ryo’s internal struggle of trying to be a good leader but never able to stay ahead of the game. We catch a moment where Ryo reminisces about his time as Four, and seems to have an internal struggle between the two identities, but ultimately he returns to being Emperor.

And the fight scene? Finally! Everyone has been waiting all season to see this.

Ryo looks like he came prepared to fight Two, and we know she’s been wanting this for a while. It is fun to watch former friends and crew members go at it head to head. They are both formidable opponents, but Two surrenders when she sees Three is captured.

Two: I assumed we’d be fighting the corporations, not each other.

Seeing Two and Three having a check-in session while all of this is happening is a unique way to highlight the fact these characters have a lot going on and sometimes they need to catch up once in a while.

The pair really does have a good working relationship, and it’s nice to see two leads who aren’t involved in a romantic entanglement with each other.

Speaking of romance, turns out Sarah can be a hero too! She gets the interaction she has been longing for and ends up saving the day with Five as she helps devise a plan to free Android from the hacker and give Two, Three, and Six the opportunity to get Ryo off the ship.

Three: We really gotta get that fixed.

Five proves once again that no matter how much people underestimate her, she is not one to hide from a fight. She also never gives up on Android, and that kind of compassion can either be an invaluable tool or a costly mistake in the future.

Zoie Palmer has a heavy lift during this ensemble arc, and she pulls it off as the hijacked Android. It’s all about the nuisances of her performance — the tone when she is hijacked and the physical cues like that menacing look.

The crew puts up an united front and proves they are a force to be reckoned with, especially when you mess with one of their own. Regrettably, they don’t win every battle, as Ryo is still able to convince the mining colonies to join the league, which will feed into the war that he is desperately trying to win.

Of course, not all the ideas that Five has turn out to be good, as we see in the final moments as the test on the blink drive backfires and they all lay unconscious on the ground.

Stray thoughts:

• Seeing Two, Three, and Six plow through Ryo’s soldiers was fantastic!
• Sarah seems to have a few cards up her sleeve so keep an eye out on her.
• Will Android keep the new hair do?
• Joseph Mallozzi has said he has a five-year plan for this show, so make sure to keep being vocal about letting SyFy know you want it renewed!

What did you think of this episode of Dark Matter? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Dark Matter airs Fridays at 9/8c on Syfy.

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