[1] The concept was created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie while they were working on the Stargate franchise, and was originally published as a comic book series in 2012.

They have no memories of who they are or their lives before awakening, so they assume the names One through Six in the order in which they left stasis and set about trying to uncover their identities and what happened to them.

At the end of the pilot episode, the crew discover that they are a band of mercenaries who are among the worst criminals in the galaxy, leaving them with the dilemma of continuing their original selves' violent path or seeking redemption.

Chris Regina, Syfy's senior VP of program strategy, said that "With its mysterious premise and fascinating characters, Dark Matter has built an incredibly loyal, passionate and engaged fan base.

[37] The site's consensus statement says: "... [the] premiere benefits from likable characters and a concluding twist, but its gaping plot holes and worn premise add up to an aimless episode".