“In the Dark” attracts crime fanatics and thrill-seekers alike with mysterious twists

“In the Dark” is a crime drama that follows the many misadventures of Murphy Mason— a sarcastic, arguably narcissistic, stubborn, alcoholic, blind nymphomaniac with an unmatched tenacity when it comes to figuring out the truth.

She has the undying love of her truest friends, like her roommate and bestie since high school Jess, on her side to combat the pure hatred she earns from enemies like Nia Bailey, the woman in control of the Chicago drug trade.

Murphy Mason is introduced to the underbelly of Chicago when her friend, 17-year-old drug dealer Tyson, is murdered. Having limited options, Tyson had gotten involved with the drug trade under the influence of his older cousin Darnell who has a strange connection to their boss Nia. The night of Tyson’s murder, Murphy stumbles on his body in the dark alley they would usually meet up in for late night conversations.

By the time the cops arrive on the scene Tyson’s body has disappeared, and Murphy is under suspicion. From there on, the series is packed full of perilous love omni-angles, cynical humor, unexpected betrayals and plot twist after gut-wrenching plot twist. The ever-irreverent Murphy finds herself speeding down a slippery slope of bad choices.

However, she also manages to root out corruption in the Chicago Police Department, bring down major criminal operations and consistently outmaneuver law enforcement in their attempts to have her rot in prison for the rest of her life. The show premiered on the CW in 2019 and has since received a fair amount of hate.

Some critics feel that the portrayal of persons with disabilities was awful due to Murphy’s myriad of moral dilemmas, while others are outraged that a blind actor wasn’t cast for this lead role. While I can agree with the sentiment that a blind actor would’ve been a better casting choice, I refuse to accept the criticisms based on representation because they are actually contradicting.

Choosing to criticize the representation of disabled persons simply because the character in question is morally grey equates to painting all disabled persons with the same brush. Despite the critics assuring themselves it would be cancelled after the first season, the writers have churned out four seasons worth of hilarious and heartbreaking scenes.

It is definitely a must watch in my opinion, and all four seasons are currently on Netflix if you are interested. I have done my best to keep spoilers to a minimum, but if you love dark humor, murder mystery and romantic dramedies you will instantly fall for this show. And if that’s not enough to reel you in, Murphy has an guide dog named Pretzel!