ITV’s new Scottish crime drama The Dark begins tonight, Sunday 12 July, at 9pm. The six-part thriller stars Laura Donnelly as DI Monica Kennedy, a detective pulled into a disturbing new case after the body of a young man is found in the Scottish wilderness. The first episode airs on ITV1, with the drama also available to stream on ITVX. In Scotland, viewers can watch on STV and STV Player.
According to ITV, The Dark begins “when the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness,” leaving Monica fearing this could be “just the beginning of a terrifying campaign that will strike the heart of a rural community.” As paranoia rises, suspicions and secrets are forced into the light, and the locals begin to realise there may be a serial killer hidden among them.
Episode 1 sees Monica’s family day out brought to an abrupt end when a mysterious woman from her past appears. With that reappearance hanging over her, Monica is called into the investigation of a chilling crime alongside her new partner, DC Connor Crawford. The case begins with the discovery of a naked corpse of a young man in his late teens, posed in the middle of a remote Scottish glen.
Donnelly leads the series as DI Monica Kennedy, a detective balancing a gruelling career with raising her daughter, Lucy. Monica is guarded, observant and very committed to justice, but her work continually clashes with her need to protect her family. Donnelly, known for Outlander, The Nevers, Sugar and Say Nothing, said she was drawn to the atmosphere of the script, describing its tone as “very eerie.”
Mark Rowley stars alongside her as DC Connor Crawford, Monica’s new partner, whose more open personality puts pressure on their working relationship. Rowley’s previous credits include Trigger Point, Karen Pirie and The Last Kingdom. He described The Dark as “a murder mystery with grit and a sense of realism that celebrates the landscape,” adding that it felt like “Fargo set in the Highlands.”
Crawford is charming and emotionally intelligent, but this is his first murder case. His persistence gradually chips away at Monica’s walls, turning their early tension into a more trusting partnership.
Helen Baxendale plays Bethany Morgan, a mother pushed to her limit when Monica arrives with a case linked to her missing son. Baxendale said The Dark stood out because it avoids typical procedural detective work, instead coming from “the wilds of Scotland and the dark.” Bethany lives in an isolated farmhouse with Barclay Adams, played by Emun Elliott, and let’s just say their home life does not exactly sound peaceful.
Tunji Kasim plays Michael Bach, a children’s social worker who becomes involved when a teenage client disappears. Michael has crossed paths with Monica before on a missing person case, and when she comes back looking for information, she finds a very different man from the one she met years earlier.
Lois Chimimba also stars as PC Carol Stewart, with Phil McKee as Owen MacLennan, Liam King as Scott MacKay, Cal MacAninch, Aaron McVeigh, Jatinder Singh Randhawa and Stella Gonet among the wider cast.
The Dark is adapted from GR Halliday’s debut novel From the Shadows by Matt Hartley. The series is produced by Poison Pen Studios, part of ITV Studios, with Hartley executive producing alongside Ben Stephenson, Preethi Mavahalli, Luke Woellhaf and Fern McCauley. Matt Brown produces, while Lena Rae and Nessah Muthy also write on the series. Gilles Bannier serves as lead director and executive producer.
Bannier has said he wanted the series to avoid the usual crime drama formula, with no police station scenes and no flashbacks used to explain everything straight away. Instead, The Dark builds its tension through mystery and atmosphere, while also focusing on the impact of violence on the people left behind.
The opening episode airs tonight, with Episode 2 following tomorrow, Monday 13 July. The second episode sees Monica looking for links between the victims after another body is discovered, with the investigation beginning to turn towards the local sawmill and owner’s son Owen MacLennan.
For CultureCues, The Dark looks like a very strong addition to ITV’s slate. From the synopsis and first-look images to the cast involved, this has all the makings of an excellent crime drama. We are always here for a new Scottish thriller, especially one making full use of the Highlands on screen. The set-up leaves us wanting to know more, and we already know we will be watching with about a hundred theories on who the killer is. This is firmly on our watchlist for tonight. Windows locked, kettle on.
The Dark premieres tonight at 9pm on ITV1. It will also be available on ITVX, STV and STV Player.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.