BBC Viewers Are Rediscovering This “Perfectly Gritty” Crime Drama — But They’re Left Wanting More. In The Dark follows detective Helen Weeks as a missing-girls investigation in her hometown becomes deeply personal, with MyAnna Buring, Jamie Sives and Jessica Gunning among the cast. Four episodes, two investigations — and viewers still wish there were more.

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In The Dark: The Gritty BBC Crime Drama Viewers Still Wish Had More Episodes

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A four-part BBC crime drama starring MyAnna Buring has been drawing renewed attention from viewers, with fans praising its tense investigations, strong performances and grounded approach to police work.

In The Dark, which first aired in 2017, follows Detective Inspector Helen Weeks as she returns to her rural hometown of Polesford, Derbyshire, to investigate the disappearance of two young girls. The case becomes deeply personal when the main suspect is the husband of Helen’s childhood friend, Linda Bates.

As Helen tries to determine whether he is truly responsible, she is also navigating an unexpected pregnancy and the complicated relationships surrounding her return home.

A Case That Hits Close To Home

Helen arrives in Polesford with her partner and fellow detective, Paul, played by Ben Batt, just as the disappearance of the two girls puts the small community under intense media scrutiny.

Linda finds herself at the centre of that attention after her husband is arrested. Helen, meanwhile, is forced to confront a place and a past she had deliberately left behind.

The BBC’s synopsis asks whether the accused man is actually guilty — and why Helen is so determined to help Linda after avoiding Polesford for so many years.

The first two episodes focus on the abduction investigation before the drama shifts to a second case set against the darker side of urban Manchester. Across the four episodes, Helen finds herself dealing with two demanding investigations while her personal circumstances become increasingly complicated.

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A Strong Cast Behind The Mystery

The series is led by MyAnna Buring as Helen Weeks, with Ben Batt playing Paul. The supporting cast includes Jamie Sives, Ashley Walters and Jessica Gunning.

The drama also brings together actors known for several major television hits. Sives is known for Shetland, Walters has starred in Adolescence, while Gunning appeared in Baby Reindeer.

The series was adapted from Mark Billingham’s novels Time of Death and In The Dark, with Danny Brocklehurst handling the television adaptation. Brocklehurst has also worked on Netflix dramas Fool Me Once and Missing You, as well as the comedy Brassic.

Viewers Wanted More

Programme Name: In The Dark - TX: 11/07/2017 - Episode: n/a (No. n/a) - Picture Shows: Helen Weeks. ***EARLY IMAGE USE BY BBC PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT PARTY CONFERENCE SEPT - OCT*** Helen Weeks (MYANNA BURING) - (C) BBC - Photographer: Gary Moyes

The Guardian praised the opening episode for being fast-paced, thoughtful and carefully constructed, while acknowledging some familiar crime-drama elements.

Viewers have also continued to respond positively to the four-part format, although several have expressed the same frustration: there simply were not enough episodes.

One IMDb reviewer called the show “VERY good” and said they wished there had been more than four episodes. Another described it as a “perfectly gritty police drama” and similarly wanted more.

A third viewer rated it 9/10, praising its potential and hoping the drama would eventually return.

Originally broadcast across four episodes, In The Dark remains a compact crime thriller for viewers looking for a tense British police drama with an equally personal story at its centre. All four episodes are currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.