ITV's upcoming six-part crime drama The Dark, adapted from GR Halliday's novel From the Shadows, premieres this weekend. The series follows detective Monica Kennedy as she investigates a serial killer in the Scottish wilderness.
Chilling Detail Cut from Final Edit
Actor Tunji Kasim, who plays social worker Michael Bach, revealed a gruesome stage direction that did not make the final cut. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, he said: "There was a stage direction in the first script about a crow pecking. This is very gross. I don't think it made it into the final cut necessarily, but a crow pecking the vomit of an engineer that finds the first body."
Kasim praised the writing, noting that such details "created the world" and showed "fantastic writing." The series does not shy away from darker elements, according to Emun Elliott, who plays the stepfather of the missing young man. Elliott said: "Initially I just liked the title, and it does not shy away from the darker elements of the story. It's properly thrilling."
Plot and Cast
The official synopsis reads: "When the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness, detective Monica Kennedy fears this is 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 realize a serial killer is hidden among them. Kennedy, experienced with the darkest of humanity, becomes entangled in a cat-and-mouse game with a cunning killer. But when her own history creeps up on her, she begins to lose trust in her own judgment.
Laura Donnelly leads the cast as Monica Kennedy, alongside Mark Rowley as DC Conor Crawford, Tunji Kasim as Michael Bach, Helen Baxendale as Bethany Morgan, and Emun Elliott as Barclay Adams.
Broadcast Schedule
The Dark begins on ITV1 at 9pm on Sunday, July 12. The second episode airs on Monday, July 13 at 9pm. The series continues on Sundays and Mondays until the finale on Monday, July 27. All six episodes are available to stream for free on ITVX.
