STV star hints at return of Scottish detective drama The Dark for Karen Pirie fans
Fans of Scottish crime dramas may not have seen the last of Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy.
As The Dark prepares to air its long-awaited final episode tonight, July 27, lead star Laura Donnelly has opened up about the possibility of returning for another season and suggested there is still plenty left to uncover about her character.
The STV drama has followed Monica, played by Outlander star Donnelly, as she investigates a terrifying serial killer operating in the Scottish Highlands. The first season has kept viewers guessing as the detective closes in on the culprit, with the finale set to reveal who is behind the killings and whether Monica can stop them before anyone else is targeted.
STV has not yet confirmed a second season. However, comments from the cast suggest the story could have considerably more room to develop.
Laura Donnelly says Monica’s story has more to explore
Speaking to the Daily Record last month, Donnelly explained that Monica’s complicated past was deliberately kept under wraps during the first season.
“Monica’s whole backstory, the way it has shaped who she is, there are still, even as we finish season one, there are still tonnes of question marks about that, and a long, long way to explore,” she said.
According to Donnelly, many detective dramas reveal their central characters’ personal histories relatively quickly. The Dark, however, has taken a slower approach, allowing questions about Monica’s past and personality to remain unanswered for longer.
That approach has also intrigued Mark Rowley, who plays Monica’s colleague, DC Conor Crawford.
“It’s nice just to prolong that, to keep the audience hooked in for longer to be like, ‘Okay, what’s really going on here?'” he said.
Rowley also praised the mystery surrounding Monica, particularly the contrast between her outward strength and the vulnerability she keeps hidden.
“It’s fascinating, right? Because I don’t know any of the other detective [shows] that [have] explored a character like that. So, to have someone so strong and then have such a held back vulnerability that you don’t know much about. You’re like, ‘Come on, season… whatever season, let me [see]. Show it!'”
The Dark could take several seasons to reveal Monica’s past
Donnelly suggested that the unanswered questions surrounding Monica are not necessarily something that could be resolved in a single follow-up season.
“This is all kind of knowledge that I have that it could take a few seasons to work through, but it’s also not all just in that,” she explained.
The actress also stressed that Monica’s behaviour cannot necessarily be traced back to one defining incident.
“That can also be a singular event that people try and explain this character’s entire way of being… [Everything] is interwoven, as well, but in a very psychological way, not because they were all related in terms of events.
“Everything really falls into place to me in Monica’s psychology with the more and more that I know about that.”
Her comments could give fans hope that Monica’s story was designed with more than one season in mind, although STV has yet to officially announce that the drama will return.
The Dark wins praise from viewers
The series has drawn comparisons with other popular Scottish detective dramas, including Shetland and Karen Pirie, and has received strong reactions from both viewers and critics.
One IMDb user praised the show’s willingness to tackle difficult subject matter, writing: “I like the bravery of being controversial and tackling difficult, prevalent issues, and the end of the first episode genuinely gave me the creeps & got me hooked!”
Another viewer was equally keen to see the story continue, adding: “Well worth your time! Would be nice to see season two sometime, hopefully it gets greenlit!”
For now, fans will have to wait for the first season’s conclusion before knowing whether Monica Kennedy’s investigation has reached its true ending.
The Dark is available to stream on STV Player.