This week’s television drama lineup has been dominated by a series of bleak crime thrillers, continuing a trend of intensely dark narratives featuring disturbing themes and graphic violence. Among the most notable is ITVX’s *The Dark*, a grim series set in the Scottish Highlands that follows detective inspector Monica Kennedy, portrayed by Laura Donnelly, as she pursues a sadistic serial killer. The perpetrator administers a paralysing drug to teenage boys, keeping them awake to witness their impending fate before dumping their bodies in public places. The series employs a persistently dim visual style, with a heavy emphasis on atmosphere and tension.

*The Dark* has drawn attention for its harrowing content, highlighted by scenes such as one in which a grieving mother sleeps unaware as her son’s bleeding body lies upstairs, blood seeping through the floor onto her silk eye mask. Helen Baxendale also appears, depicting a character markedly different from her previous roles.

In parallel, Channel 5’s *The Crow Girl* offers a similarly dark narrative set in Bristol, where the police investigate a string of drugged young men found dead after apparent torture. This series delves deeply into disturbing subject matter, including a paedophile ring and a morally corrupt dentist whose views on incest and exploitation are presented without apology. Katherine Kelly stars as psychiatrist Sophia Craven, and Eve Myles plays DCI Jeanette Kilburn, supported by Dougray Scott as DI Lou Stanley. The police procedural unfolds within a grim world where corruption and depravity are pervasive, culminating in graphic violence that continues through the series' conclusion. A second series is already available to stream.

Both *The Dark* and *The Crow Girl* have been noted for their relentless bleakness, raising questions about programming choices given the striking similarities between the two series that aired concurrently. While *The Crow Girl* has been described as the superior production in terms of narrative depth and character development, the intensity of the content has left some viewers questioning the value of scheduling such heavy themes together.

In contrast, *Granite Harbour*, now in its third season, presents a somewhat more restrained approach to crime drama, though it also centers on the deaths of teenagers, including a Traveller community's involvement. The show incorporates conventional investigative dialogue and features DI Lara Bartlett, portrayed by Hannah Donaldson, who brings subtle character touches such as a distinctive neckerchief as a signature accessory, providing a slight tonal shift amid the sombreness.

Scottish crime dramas continue to attract attention for their quality and atmospheric storytelling, often balancing darkness with moments of black humor. Previous series like *Crime*, adapted from Irvine Welsh’s novel, and titles such as *Half Man*, *Department Q*, and *Guilt* have combined grim subject matter with wit, an approach perceived as lacking in the current tranche of series. The scheduling of multiple intensely dark dramas during the summer months—a period typically associated with lighter fare—has led to some criticism regarding viewer fatigue from consecutive heavy viewing experiences. Some suggest the timing mirrors the strategy of winter-weather programming filled with bright, escapist settings like the Caribbean backdrop of long-running series *Death in Paradise*.

Ultimately, these series underscore a continued appetite for complex, challenging narratives in crime drama, though the cluster of such bleak programming raises questions about tonal variety and audience endurance.