A new six-part television thriller, set against the stark backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, is poised to launch this summer, offering a chilling exploration of a masked serial killer terrorizing a remote community. The Dark, an adaptation of GR Halliday’s novel From The Shadows, opens with the grim discovery of a strangled teenager’s body found staged in the wilderness.

Filmed on location in Glasgow, Greenock, and Inverness, the series stars Laura Donnelly, known for Outlander, as Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy. She is partnered with DC Connor Crawford, played by Paisley-born Mark Rowley, whose character delves into the dark underbelly of the Highlands. The cast also includes Helen Baxendale, familiar to audiences from Friends, portraying Bethany Morgan, an English mother of two caught amid the community’s secrets and unresolved traumas.

Rowley, who has appeared in productions such as The Last Kingdom and SAS: Rogue Heroes, relocated from London to the Highlands over three years ago, describing the move as transformative. Speaking about life away from the urban bustle, he highlighted the calming influence of nature and the stark contrast with London’s relentless pace. To prepare for his role, Rowley drew on support from Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and engaged with a retired Inverness superintendent who served as a mentor, providing insight into the emotional toll faced by officers.

Although the series depicts the Highlands as a place fraught with menace and isolation, Rowley emphasized his personal experience of community connection in the area. He recounted a recent storm situation where neighbours checked on his property, illustrating a sense of solidarity uncommon in large cities.

Production company Poison Pen made a concerted effort to involve Scottish talent across all aspects of the project, both on-screen and behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Belfast-born Donnelly, who trained at Glasgow’s Royal Conservatoire, expressed enthusiasm for returning to Scotland to film. She noted that the often rainy, mist-covered landscape played a crucial role in establishing the show’s atmospheric tension and resonated with the story’s themes.

Filming conditions were challenging due to the elements, with cast members enduring cold weather that enhanced the series’ mood of isolation. As the plot unfolds, the community’s fragile bonds begin to unravel under the strain of the continuing murders.

Although The Dark has yet to premiere, Rowley expressed optimism about the future, citing the source material’s depth with multiple Monica Kennedy novels that could lead to further seasons. The upcoming series will be available on STV and ITV, with streaming options on STV Player and ITVX.