ITV's crime thriller The Dark concluded on Monday night (July 27) with a final twist that left many viewers unimpressed. The series, which followed DI Monica Kennedy (Laura Donnelly) and DC Conor Crawford (Mark Rowley) investigating a series of murders in the Scottish Highlands, revealed the killer to be headteacher Kyle Ward (Brian Ferguson).
Killer reveal and viewer reactions
In the final episode, Monica was called by Kyle who claimed social worker Michael Bach (Tunji Kasim) was the killer and had attacked him before fleeing with his daughter Tammy (Emily Mac). However, Monica discovered it was a ruse: Kyle was the real killer, planning to murder his own daughter and blame Michael. As Kyle confessed over a drink, he explained his motive stemmed from his wife's death, claiming he helped young men with a 'tragic lack of vision' to do better in the next life. Monica, having switched the mugs, poisoned Kyle instead. Her partner Conor rescued Tammy and Michael.
Viewers complain about predictability
On social media, many viewers expressed disappointment. One said: "Well that was obvious. The teacher was looking dodgy from the start. How she missed that. Probably because it’s so bloomin’ dark you can’t see what’s going on!" Another wrote: "So predictable. So s**t." Someone else added: "This has annoyed me because he is so small and he looks nothing like the killer." Another commented: "Predictable but still enjoyable."
Cliffhanger teases second season
The episode ended with a cliffhanger: Monica received a letter addressed to her young daughter, from the girl's father, the leader of a cult called the Burning Light. The letter read: "My darling daughter, it is time to let the light in." The series had referenced Monica's past, and the ending suggests a potential second season exploring that storyline.
The Dark is available to watch on ITVX.
