The 2019 CW crime show In The Dark might also be called A Series of Really Bad Decisions or I Can’t Believe They Stumbled Into Another Pile of Crap or Please, Can Something Just Go Well For Once. However, these titles wouldn’t be especially inviting and, trust me, if you are even remotely interested in a good crime show with a new spin, you will want to take a look at In The Dark. Plus, one of the main characters is a cute dog named Pretzel. For those of you who are like me and instantly heard a couple of alarm bells go off – the dog is going to be fine.
I first encountered In The Dark as one of those annoying trailers on Facebook which usually show me things I have already watched (Dear Disney+, I’ve used your streaming service to watch The Rise of Skywalker at least five times) or I’m not even remotely interested in. However, after a couple of clips, I decided to turn on the sound and eventually gave the crime show a chance.
The series centres around Murphy Mason, a 27-year-old blind woman, who drifts through her days with no goal or purpose and spends her nights getting drunk and picking up strange men at her favourite bar, which gets herself and her parents’ guide dog school into trouble in the very first episode. Her only two friends are her roommate Jess and Tyson, a drug-dealing teenager who once saved her life after a mugging. What started as a tragically-funny TV series turns dark at the end of the first episode when Murphy finds Tyson’s body in the street. By the time the police arrive, the body has disappeared. From that moment on, Murphy’s life takes a drastic turn and she vows to figure out what happened to her friend. Over the course of two seasons (and a third in the works), Murphy and her friends are thrown into a vicious circle of murders, police corruption, drug cartels, money laundering and even more murders and honestly? I saw none of that coming.
To get the negative out of the way right from the start, and there really is just one major point of criticism: Perry Mattfeld, who plays Murphy Mason, is not a blind actress. I think it’s a bit of a shame that CW passed up the opportunity to employ a person with the actual disability that is being displayed on the show, however, given the result, I am willing to forgive In The Dark for that. Perry Mattfeld is an amazing actress who clearly did her research to portray Murphy convincingly and I can see how a lot of the scenes and stunts on the show might have been downright dangerous to shoot for a blind person because, as the show progresses, Murphy finds herself in increasingly dangerous situations.
A lot of contemporary TV shows could take a page out of In The Dark’s book when it comes to pace, surprising twists and building suspense. While I do enjoy watching comforting feel-good shows, I have a particular soft spot for those that really have me at the edge of my seat and while I was watching In The Dark, I really felt like I was right at the centre of the action, living through it together with all those lovable characters. I cursed and yelled at the screen, I screamed into my pillow and I watched some of the scenes through my fingers because of how suspenseful and gripping they were. In The Dark is definitely not a show to put on while browsing the internet on your phone because not only will you miss half of the twists, but you also don’t want to miss a single thing. While the first episode takes its time to introduce the characters and set the plot into motion, the rest of the series is one wild, fast-paced ride that will have you gasping for breath. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience of watching the characters’ normal lives unravel into something that I couldn’t have imagined when I put on the first episode. In The Dark is certainly one of those shows that keep on taking you by surprise and exceeds every expectation. Yet for all its thrilling action scenes, the show doesn’t neglect the heartfelt moments that allow you to breathe and appreciate the characters in a quiet, calm or even funny setting.
The series doesn’t rely on action and surprising twists alone. Instead, suspense and surprise are built around and carried by a group of incredible and lovable characters. I think what I love most about Murphy is that even though she is blind, the show’s narrative never makes you pity her for her disability and that’s not because she can be mean or even cruel, but because she is a strong woman who is very much capable of handling whatever the circumstances throw at her – and they throw a lot of bad things her way. She is mean, inconsiderate, uncaring and reckless with herself and others, but over the course of two seasons, the viewer watches her grow and learn to appreciate and care about more than just one person.
Murphy isn’t the only character I’ve grown invested in while watching In The Dark because both her roommate Jess and her colleague and friend Felix are incredibly likeable in their own ways. We follow Jess, who has known Murphy before even before she went blind, question their friendship and how healthy it really is for the both of them, we watch her struggle with her love life and we watch her do things she hadn’t considered herself capable of as the group falls deeper into the vicious cycle of criminal activities. Felix only seems like a stuck-up idiot at first glance and I certainly enjoyed watching him grow bolder and braver as the series progresses even though I’m equally glad he never lost his nervous nerd-boy charm.
As for Murphy’s love life: For someone who claims that she doesn’t date, she certainly seems to attract the attention of a lot of great guys that will have you wonder who you’re even supposed to be rooting for. First, there is Max, who, admittedly, is also caught up in the drug cartel’s money-laundering business, but his feelings for Murphy aren’t as questionable as his taste in side jobs. Dean, the police officer in charge of Tyson’s case and an adorable, shy dork, clearly has feelings for Murphy, as well. The second season adds another potential love interest in the shape of an IRS agent who could get Murphy and her friends into a lot of trouble.
From Darnell, Tyson’s cousin and another member of the drug cartel, to Dean’s teenage daughter Chloe, who is also blind and looks up to Murphy as a role model. From Chelsea, the lovable bartender, to Gene, Dean’s new overly-excited partner on the force – you can’t help but care about each and every single character on the show – and fear for them as well because there is a murderer on the loose and you, as the viewer, might put your trust into the wrong person just like the characters.
After the eventful finale of the second season that aired on Thursday, I’m equally excited about and frightened by what a third season might bring and I can’t help but think that these characters deserve a break more than anything. I was lucky to tune in when the show already offered enough material for a good, thorough binge-watch because I don’t think my heart would have been able to take so much excitement over the span of 13 weeks, but I am more than willing to follow the lives of Murphy and her friends for at least another season. I live in hope that eventually, everything is going to turn out fine for all of them (especially the dog, because Pretzel signed up to be a guide dog, not a member of a criminal organisation).
If you are looking for a good crime show with interesting characters, an abundance of crazy twists, beautiful, heartfelt moments and a few mini-heart attacks that will make you forget about the world around you for roughly 40 minutes – In The Dark should move right to the top of your list because you now have two whole seasons to enjoy.
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