ITV’s Scottish crime thriller The Dark is heading into its final two episodes, with DI Monica Kennedy’s investigation becoming increasingly tangled with the secrets she has spent years trying to keep buried. Four episodes have now aired on ITV1 and STV, leaving viewers with a growing list of suspects, several unanswered questions and another unsettling cliffhanger ahead of the final week.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Episodes 1 to 4 of The Dark, along with limited details from the official synopses for Episodes 5 and 6. It does not reveal the identity of the killer.
When Is The Dark Episode 5 on ITV?
The Dark Episode 5 airs at 9pm on Sunday, 26 July on ITV1 and STV, picking up directly from the latest cliffhanger as Monica’s attempts to draw the killer out bring the case even closer to her personal life. The sixth and final episode then follows at 9pm on Monday, 27 July, bringing the investigation to a close.
The entire six-part series is already available to stream as a boxset on ITVX and STV Player, so viewers can either watch the conclusion early or follow the remaining episodes as they air.
What Is The Dark About?
Adapted from G.R. Halliday’s novel From the Shadows, The Dark follows DI Monica Kennedy, played by Laura Donnelly, after the body of a young man is discovered posed in a remote Scottish glen. Monica quickly fears that the murder is the beginning of a wider campaign targeting young men in the surrounding community.
As more bodies are discovered, the investigation develops into a tense game between Monica and a killer who appears to anticipate her next move. The case also forces Monica to revisit an earlier disappearance and confront parts of her own history, placing pressure on her relationships with her daughter Lucy, her mother Angela and a mysterious woman named Philly.
Monica is joined on the investigation by DC Connor Crawford, played by Mark Rowley. Crawford is new to murder cases and initially struggles to connect with his guarded partner, but the pair gradually build a strong working relationship as the case intensifies.
What Has Happened in The Dark So Far?
The opening episode began when Monica’s family day out was interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Philly, a woman connected to a part of Monica’s past that she clearly did not want brought back into her life. Before Monica could properly deal with that reappearance, she was called to a remote glen where the naked body of a young man had been carefully positioned in the landscape.
The victim was Jason Morgan, whose older brother Nichol had disappeared several years earlier. Monica had been involved in that original investigation, immediately creating tension when she returned to the Morgan family home. Jason’s mother Bethany and stepfather Barclay had never received answers about Nichol, and both carried resentment towards Monica over the way the case had been handled.
A second body soon confirmed that Monica was dealing with a serial killer. The investigation uncovered a connection between the victims’ families through the local sawmill, leading Monica and Crawford towards owner’s son Owen MacLennan. Owen’s past made him an immediate suspect, but The Dark has repeatedly used apparent breakthroughs to open up another set of questions rather than provide an easy answer.
By Episode 3, Monica believed she had identified the killer’s next intended victim. She managed to reach the young man before another murder could take place, only to realise that the killer had anticipated her actions. What appeared to be a rescue was another part of the game, with Monica being deliberately guided towards particular clues and locations.
The case has also continued to expose tensions within the Morgan family. Nichol’s return sent shockwaves through the household, particularly because his disappearance had shaped Bethany and Barclay’s lives for years. Bethany has also developed a close connection with her colleague Stephen Wright, while her controlling relationship with Barclay has become increasingly difficult to ignore.
Episode 4 pushed the investigation towards another suspect when Monica looked into the employer of one of the targeted men, who was linked to several cold cases. The confrontation ended in tragedy, while Monica’s attempt to lure the killer to a remote location brought another shock when somebody familiar appeared instead.
What Will Happen in Episode 5?
The official Episode 5 synopsis confirms that Monica’s investigation will cross directly into her personal life. After being distracted by an attempt to save Philly, Monica is left facing the consequences as the killer escapes.
With the case slipping away from her, Monica decides to use a press conference to provoke the person responsible. The episode will also place further pressure on the Morgan family as Nichol discovers Bethany’s relationship with Stephen and tells Barclay, prompting a violent confrontation.
New information appears to point Monica towards another suspect, but any easy answer is probably worth questioning. The killer has spent four episodes staying one step ahead, planting clues and using Monica’s determination against her. The episode is expected to end with the case becoming painfully personal for Monica, setting up the final confrontation in Monday night’s finale.
What Do We Know About The Dark Finale?
The sixth episode begins with Monica dealing with a murder close to home. She is removed from the investigation, but the killer’s final actions pull her back into the centre of the case and give her an opportunity to save another intended victim.
Monica will also be forced to choose between protecting her family and continuing the pursuit she believes only she can finish. That conflict has followed her throughout the series, with her confidence at work standing in contrast to the uncertainty and shame she carries into the rest of her life.
Laura Donnelly said she hopes viewers find the series “really addictive” and are left desperate to discover what happens next. She also revealed that she knew the killer’s identity from her earliest meeting about the drama, while much of the cast remained unaware during filming.
Helen Baxendale, who plays Bethany, said she spent much of the shoot convinced that one particular character was responsible, only to discover she had been wrong when she eventually received the final script. Emun Elliott similarly admitted that it took several readings for him to begin piecing together the clues.
Who Is DI Monica Kennedy?
Monica is an experienced detective who feels at her most capable when she is working. Her determination and ability to remain controlled around violent crimes have made her an effective investigator, but those qualities also create distance between her and the people closest to her.
Donnelly described Monica as somebody who is always presenting a particular version of herself while refusing to examine what is happening underneath. Work is Monica’s safe place because it gives her order and control, while motherhood and personal relationships are much harder for her to navigate.
Her relationship with Lucy has gradually revealed another side of Monica. She clearly loves her, but work repeatedly pulls her away, and she continues to keep secrets about Lucy’s father. Philly’s arrival has also raised questions about Monica’s past and why that time still carries so much shame.
Donnelly said she was particularly interested in the fact that viewers may not immediately know whether they like or sympathise with Monica. The series has allowed that connection to develop slowly, revealing her wounds as the investigation strips away the control she depends on.
Monica and Crawford’s Partnership
Crawford initially appears to be Monica’s opposite. He is sociable, easy-going and determined to build a connection with his new partner, while Monica has little interest in making conversation or encouraging his attempts at humour. Rowley described Crawford as a detective who is eager to learn but has never worked on a murder investigation of this scale. Although he is disturbed by what he sees, he gradually becomes more confident and begins making decisions without relying entirely on Monica.
Their partnership has become one of the most grounded parts of the series. Crawford respects Monica’s experience, while Monica slowly realises that he may be one of the few people she can trust. Donnelly explained that their relationship develops through mutual respect rather than unnecessary conflict, allowing the pair to understand one another as the case progresses.
Rowley described The Dark as “Fargo set in the Highlands”, pointing to its combination of murder mystery, realism and the Scottish landscape. His research included speaking with former Inverness police officers and detectives to build a character who felt recognisable rather than drawn from familiar television clichés.
Why Does The Dark Feel Different From Other ITV Crime Dramas?
Although The Dark has a serial killer investigation at its centre, it deliberately avoids many of the usual settings associated with police dramas. There are no scenes inside a police station, no regular visits to a mortuary and very little focus on officers standing around boards explaining evidence.
Director Gilles Bannier approached the drama as a character-led thriller with elements of folk horror. The remote landscapes, isolated homes and long distances between locations allow the investigation to unfold away from the familiar structure of an urban police procedural.
Executive producer Ben Stephenson said the team removed several standard procedural elements because they wanted the series to feel recognisable as a crime drama without becoming too familiar. The story instead spends more time with the victims’ families and the wider community, showing how fear and suspicion begin to affect everyone around the case.
The decision to make the victims young men was also carefully considered. Donnelly said the creative team had been thoughtful about how violence was depicted, avoiding repeated or gratuitous images while still showing the horror of what Monica encounters. Bannier chose to use one strong image rather than repeatedly returning to bodies through mortuary or forensic scenes.
The Scottish setting remains central without making the drama solely about Scotland. Elliott described it as a universal story that happens to be set there, while also noting that the country’s sense of isolation and mystery makes it a strong setting for a thriller.
Who Is in The Dark Cast?
The Nevers and Outlander star Laura Donnelly leads the cast as DI Monica Kennedy, with The Last Kingdom’s Mark Rowley playing her new partner, DC Connor Crawford.
Helen Baxendale stars as Bethany Morgan, the mother of Jason and Nichol, while Emun Elliott plays her intimidating husband Barclay Adams. Tunji Kasim appears as social worker Michael Bach, who previously asked Monica for help with Nichol’s disappearance and now distrusts the police response.
Stella Gonet plays Monica’s mother Angela, who helps care for Lucy and has an enthusiastic interest in true-crime documentaries. Tamsin Jordan plays Lucy, Monica’s young daughter, whose increasingly unsettling stories and questions about her family add another layer to Monica’s already complicated home life.
Is The Dark Based on a Book?
The Dark is based on From the Shadows, the first of three novels in G.R. Halliday’s Monica Kennedy series. It is followed by Dark Waters, published in 2020, and Under the Marsh, published in 2022. With two more books in the series, there is already material for another season, although ITV has not confirmed a renewal. Donnelly said she has read the second novel and would be interested in continuing Monica’s story, particularly because each book keeps the central detectives while placing them in a different type of investigation.
For now, the immediate question is whether Monica can identify the killer before another victim is claimed, and whether solving the case will finally force her to confront the secrets she has spent years avoiding.
The Dark continues with Episode 5 on Sunday, 26 July at 9pm on ITV1 and STV, followed by the series finale on Monday, 27 July at 9pm. All six episodes are available to stream now on ITVX 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.