ITV's new crime thriller The Dark, based on GR Halliday's debut novel, arrives with a promising setup: a naked corpse staged in the Scottish Highlands, a detective with a mysterious past, and a serial killer using a uniquely nightmarish method. Yet the show's impact is undermined by its release strategy, with all six episodes dumped on ITVX at once, robbing viewers of the week-to-week speculation that made predecessors like Broadchurch cultural phenomena.
Plot and Characters
DI Monica Kennedy, played by Laura Donnelly, leads the investigation into the murder of a young, lonely man—the first of many victims. She partners with DC Connor Crawford (Mark Rowley), who finds her enigmatic, especially given a strange branding mark on her upper arm hinting at a troubled past. The killer appears only as a hideous mask with heavy breathing, an effective but diminishing scare tactic. Meanwhile, distraught mother Bethany Morgan (Helen Baxendale, known as Emily from Friends) navigates her grief, contrasting with her husband's (Emun Elliott) reaction.
Missed Potential of Release Strategy
The full-series drop on ITVX, while convenient for binge-watchers, eliminates the communal theorizing that elevated Broadchurch in 2013. As the article notes, "With a week-to-week release schedule, I reckon The Dark could have delivered." The show even echoes Broadchurch's small-town paranoia and grisly murders, but without the buildup, the reveal feels less impactful. The article contrasts this with Widow's Bay, which gained Emmy attention through word-of-mouth from a weekly release.
Themes and Execution
The Dark avoids the typical violence against women in crime dramas, instead focusing on vulnerable young men in rural communities. The cinematography showcases the glen's breathtaking backdrop, though the article wishes for more community impact. The cast is strong, with few weak performances. However, the overall verdict calls the show a "fairly by-the-numbers thriller" that genre fans will enjoy, but the release strategy is a major letdown.
The series continues on ITV1 at 9pm on Monday, but the damage may be done. As the article concludes, "More of that please"—referring to the old-school weekly release that builds anticipation and conversation.
