The Dark certainly does what it says on the tin when the first scene takes place in a cinema while the film is running, and then the next is outside, late in the evening…
Seriously, though, at the very start, when someone weirdo from your past starts offering your daughter some sweeties, you can understand why they want to get away – although how that person knows which screen they’re in is a curiosity, and I thought her kid was a boy, given the haircut.
Based upon the DI Monica Kennedy stories by GR Halliday, the opening episode shows a man’s murdered body dumped on a moor, and his bum’s on show!
But while the first 3 episodes were available for review, I’ve seen the first two and will wait for the rest to be shown on TV, or on ITVX. The reason is that while it’s great to see Helen Baxendale back onscreen for the first time in ages, the Scots accents from lead Laura Donnelly (The Program) and everyone else (except Ms Baxendale), are very strong and so it’s different to grasp them sometimes. Subtitles would be ideal, but these weren’t available on the preview.
Additionally, for what I have seen so far, it’s verrrrrry slowwww, and very “Gritty BAFTA”, so does make it difficult to get into.
This is just a preview, and I have some additional comments to make, but I’ll wait until the first episode has been broadcast for that, so as to avoid spoilers.
Thanks to our friends at ITV for the screener prior to release.
The Dark begins Sunday night at 9pm, and airs on Sunday and Monday for three weeks. Once aired, each episode will be on ITVX.
It’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but when it is, it will be listed on the New DVD, Blu-ray, 3D and 4K releases UK page.
However, you can buy the original books: From The Shadows (Book 1, and this first drama), Dark Waters (book 2) and Under The Marsh.
Director: Gilles Bannier
Producer: Matt Brown
Writer: Matt Hartley
Based on the DI Monica Kennedy stories by GR Halliday
Cast:
DI Monica Kennedy: Laura Donnelly
Lucy Kennedy: Tamsin Jordan
Angela Kennedy: Stella Gonet
Philly: Rona Morison
Barclay Adams: Emun Elliott
Bethan Morgan: Helen Baxendale
Don Cameron: Phil McKee
DC Connor Crawford: Mark Rowley
PC Carol Stewart: Lois Chimimba
Rob Wright: Aaron McVeigh
Stephen Wright: Cal Macaninch
DC Ewan Dhillon: Jatinder Singh Randhawa
Dr Hana Hadid: Hayat Kamille
Tammy Ward: Emily Mac
Muir Maitland: Jim Kitson
Scott MacKay: Liam King
Michael Bach: Tunji Kasim
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.