ITV's upcoming thriller 'The Dark' is being hailed as a standout in the saturated serial killer genre, with star Laura Donnelly praising its focus on psychological depth and community impact over gratuitous violence. The six-part series, set in Scotland, follows DI Monica Kennedy as she investigates a string of disturbing crimes, centering the narrative on the grief of the families left behind.
A Detective Unlike the Rest
Laura Donnelly, who plays DI Monica Kennedy, told Metro that the script offered a refreshing departure from typical crime drama tropes. 'I was really interested because Monica wasn't introduced as the typical damaged, dysfunctional detective. There was so much more subtlety to her than that,' she said. Instead, Monica is portrayed as an ordinary woman navigating an extraordinarily difficult job, avoiding the 'Sherlock Holmes-style genius' cliché.
'When I first spoke with the producers, we both wanted the ordinariness and humanity of it all,' Donnelly explained. 'I wanted Monica to feel like a real person doing a difficult job – not some Sherlock Holmes-style genius.'
Shifting Focus from Gore to Grief
The series deliberately eschews graphic violence, instead exploring the emotional fallout of the crimes. 'We weren't dealing with the usual serial killer drama where young women are violently killed in gratuitous ways,' Donnelly noted. 'It was much more about the psychology and the relationships within the community, and the effect the crime has on the people left behind.'
The investigation unfolds through the grief of Beth, a central character, and its impact on her marriage and family. 'Throughout the series we keep returning to the emotional reality of the families left behind,' Donnelly added. 'That's something I don't think we often get to explore because these shows usually focus much more on the violence and gore of the crimes themselves. I felt we really resisted that temptation.'
Avoiding Stereotypes of Motherhood
Donnelly also highlighted that Monica's role as a mother is not her defining trait, a conscious choice to avoid common female character stereotypes. 'One of the things I loved was that she's a mother, but her work-life balance doesn't define her in the way it so often does with female characters,' she said. 'I'm really tired of answering questions like, "How do you balance your career with looking after your children?" People never ask men that.'
Monica's relationship with her own mother adds complexity, as she 'needs her own mother, but she also resents needing her. There are complicated emotions there.' Donnelly described Monica as feeling 'put on this earth to do her work, not necessarily to be a mother. She's trying to make everything work, but her priorities lie in understanding the psychology behind this crime.'
Scotland as a Character
Filming in Scotland's rugged landscapes enhanced the show's realism, with the environment becoming a character in its own right. 'The weather creates this unsettling feeling, but at the same time there's incredible beauty,' Donnelly said. 'That juxtaposition between the horror of the crimes and the landscape was something our director really wanted to capture.'
The challenging conditions took a toll on the cast and crew. 'You're filming long hours in cold, wet conditions and so much of it is literally in darkness. That really wears on you,' she added.
What Viewers Can Expect
Donnelly hopes the series will offer more than just thrills. 'I hope people find it thrilling and creepy and get that satisfying sense of unease at the end of each episode. But beyond that, I hope what stays with them is the human side of the story. Ultimately, I think that's the whole point of storytelling: empathy.'
'Monica reminds people throughout the series that you never really know what someone has been through or why they become vulnerable. I hope that's something audiences connect with too,' she concluded.
'The Dark' airs on ITV1 and ITVX, with lead director Gilles Bannier and writers Matt Hartley, Lena Rae, and Nessah Muthy. The cast includes Laura Donnelly, Mark Rowley, and Helen Baxendale.
