Following the shocking events of the penultimate episode comes the series finale of ‘In The Dark’. The four-part series began with a child abduction story and concludes with a venture into the murky criminal underworld.
The episode takes a while to properly get going as Helen’s paranoia and fear is explored. As a viewer it is hard not to feel like she is being followed. DI Weeks is not your normal hero. She is flawed. More than anything else she is human which is quite refreshing. Despite her efforts, putting herself in potentially dangerous situations, it seems that Helen is struggling to uncover the truth. On top of that, she also has to deal with Paul’s funeral and the questions that still linger about him.
MyAnna Buring has been consistently strong throughout the four-hour long installments. Whilst Buring has appeared in plenty of television shows, this series has brought her to my attention for the first time since playing Scooti Manista in ‘The Impossible Planet’ (2006). Her performance as DI Weeks has been very impressive. She has carried this show in practically every scene with consistency. The final installment is possibly not her best material given the way she merely bounces around the streets more like an investigative journalist than a police officer. As a result the truth, when eventually uncovered, is discovered with a significant element of luck than skill.
Concluding the story
As with most of this series there is still that sense of something not quite adding up. The revelations are pretty shocking because they are unexpected. I certainly didn’t see them coming, perhaps I lack the necessary imagination, and so won’t reveal them here. They almost make sense and given the lengthy buildup are at least a resolution to the tale, if not entirely satisfying. There isn’t really a happy ending but the story is at least resolved effectively and efficiently.
I admit to not watching a lot of crime dramas, modern British television is quite saturated for those, but have at least followed this one through to the end. Whilst on the surface ‘In The Dark’ masquerades as crime drama, the conclusion is more akin to an improbable ‘Jonathan Creek’ style resolution. Adding to the improbability is confused motivation amongst the players in the underworld. Why they seek vengeance for the death of a police officer is ropey to say the least. Ultimately ‘In The Dark’ is not about the bit players; it is about DI Helen Weeks. In that respect, as a vehicle for the acting talents of MyAnna Buring, the series has been absorbing.
