Calling all detective drama fans! The 2017 BBC crime series, In the Dark, will be available to stream for free later this week, and it’s the perfect one-night binge.

The series stars MyAnna Buring as detective Helen Weeks, who returns to her hometown to investigate the kidnapping of two young girls. But things quickly become complicated when the man arrested is her childhood best friend’s husband.

In the Dark - Helen Weeks (MYANNA BURING)© BBC
MyAnna Buring stars as DI Helen Weeks in the series

MyAnna leads a seriously impressive ensemble cast, which includes Jamie Sives (Shetland), Ashley Walters (Adolescence) and Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer). If the stellar line-up isn’t enough to convince you, perhaps its creative team will.

The series is an adaptation of the Mark Billingham novels, Time of Death and In the Dark, and is penned by award-winning screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst, who is no stranger to bringing tense drama to the small screen. His previous credits include the Harlan Coben adaptations Missing You and Fool Me Once, and Sky’s Brassic.

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With just four one-hour episodes, In the Dark is the perfect one-night binge-watch. Keep reading to find out more…

What is In the Dark about?

The story centres around DI Helen Weeks, an ambitious detective who navigates her pregnancy while investigating a complex kidnapping case.

In the Dark - Linda Bates (EMMA FRYER), Helen Weeks (MYANNA BURING)© Matt Squire/BBC
The series follows DI Helen Weeks as she navigates her pregnancy while investigating a complex kidnapping case

The synopsis for episode one reads: “As DI Helen Weeks grapples apprehensively with pregnancy, she’s compelled to return to her loathed rural home town of Polesford, Derbyshire with her partner and fellow detective Paul (Ben Batt). Two girls have been abducted and the man arrested is married to Helen’s childhood best friend, Linda Bates (Emma Fryer).

“As a result, Linda has been drawn into the centre of a media storm and the local police force is under enormous pressure to get their man. But is he guilty? And why is Helen so desperate to come to Linda’s aid, after avoiding Polesford for all these years?”

In the Dark - DC Sophie Carson (JESSICA GUNNING)© Des Willie/BBC
In the Dark – DC Sophie Carson (JESSICA GUNNING)

In episodes three and four, DI Helen is plunged into a murder investigation in Manchester’s criminal underworld following a tragic gangland shooting.

What have viewers and critics said about the show?

The series has been hailed by viewers as “excellent” and a “suspenseful”.

In an online review on IMDb, one person described the show as “well-written, thoughtfully directed crime drama,” while another said they were “addicted” to the series.

In the Dark - Helen Weeks (MYANNA BURING), Jenny (GEORGIA MOFFETT)© Matt Squire/BBC
Georgia Tennant plays Helen’s sister, Jenny

Meanwhile, The Telegraph handed out three stars, describing the drama as “taut and tensely atmospheric with an intriguing premise”. Elsewhere, The Guardian said the show “doesn’t break the mould” but noted that “its dark strands still draw you in”.

How to watch In the Dark

In the Dark will be available to stream for free on U from Saturday 18 April. Viewers can also watch all four episodes on BBC iPlayer.