Blind protagonist Murphy and her friends won over viewers across four seasons of The CW’s crime drama In The Dark. But the network unexpectedly cancelled this underrated series after an engrossing Season 4 finale cliffhanger.
Devastated fans are still fighting and hoping for the show’s renewal. As we await news on In The Dark’s season 5 renewal or possible wrap-up movie, let’s explore why this unique series got cancelled and speculate on what adventures a fifth season could have held.
Will There Be an In The Dark Season 5?
In The Dark starred Perry Mattfeld as the show’s flawed yet fierce heroine Murphy Mason, a blind woman in her twenties struggling with vices yet gifted with heightened senses. Murphy stumbled into solving her friend Tyson’s murder in Season 1, which led her and her loyal support circle into confronting dangerous criminals and corruption in their city over subsequent seasons.
The show earned strong reviews for tackling weighty topics like addiction, trauma, and disability while balancing suspense and humor. So its cancellation despite a small yet passionate viewership came as a shock. Fans quickly united behind a Change.org petition to revive In The Dark, which has amassed over 30,000 signatures urging The CW or other networks like Netflix to save the show.
Table summarizing In The Dark viewership over seasons:
| Season | Viewership (Live+7) | Streaming Viewership |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.15 million | Top 5 on Netflix after airing |
| 2 | 770,000 | 78% growth on CW app |
| 3 | 540,000 | 88% growth on CW app |
| 4 | 390,000 | TBD |
So could growing digital viewership numbers help fuel an In The Dark season 5 renewal? Fans remain hopefully. Similarly rescued shows like Manifest and Timeless show it’s possible if networks realize this show’s untapped potential.
Why Was In The Dark Season 5 Cancelled?
The CW has gained a reputation for cancelling darker, mature shows prematurely in favor of cheaper unscripted programming. In The Dark simply became the latest casualty of this trend after four seasons.
Other factors like declining live viewership likely contributed to executives passing on renewal. For comparison, Season 1 debuted to 1.15 million live viewers, while the Season 4 viewership fell to just 390,000. However, delayed digital viewing on platforms like Netflix and CW’s app saw massive growth over seasons.
Reports also surfaced about the show’s budget climbing over $2 million per episode in later seasons. Paired with the network’s tight finances, producers faced uphill battles convincing The CW that pricier shows like In The Dark deserved renewal.
Could A Movie or Special Conclude In The Dark?
In The Dark’s last season ended with devastating cliffhangers, leaving nearly every character’s fate unclear. Understandably, fans feel robbed without a proper resolution.
Credible reports from TVLine and Deadline point to hopes of a possible two-hour wrap-up movie for In The Dark. This would satisfy fans while requiring a smaller budgetary commitment for the network compared to a full season order.
The Veronica Mars series received similar treatment, getting revived for an eight-episode miniseries in 2019 after a successful fan-funded movie in 2014. Perhaps In The Dark could follow suit!
What Would In The Dark Season 5 Have Explored?
If we speculate that Murphy and most fan favorites survived Season 4’s intense finale, what new challenges awaited our characters in their late 20s?
Showrunner Corinne Kingsbury hinted at plans to explore more mature themes related to their growth into full adulthood. We can imagine emotional arcs like Jess finally regaining her eyesight or Murphy confronting lasting trauma from her addict mother. The complex villains and rival gang dynamics within the city could continue raising the stakes.
And who knows, maybe a hypothetical Season 5 time jump years later would give us a heartwarming glimpse of where the friends finally end up building their futures! The creative potential made cancellation all the more painful for this underappreciated CW gem.
Here are just some of the dangling plot threads fans were left wondering about:
- Did Murphy, Jess, Felix and the others survive the Season 4 finale shootout? Who made it out alive?
- What will Murphy’s ultimate fate be with the authorities closing in?
- How will Trey’s father react to his death and will it spark gang wars?
- Could Josh Burton return from hiding to testify for Murphy?
- Will Guiding Hope expand and help more vulnerable people in the city?
In The Dark crafted complex, lovable characters that fans aren’t ready to say goodbye to yet. Hopefully network executives hear their demands and #SaveInTheDark with a renewal or movie finale. This undervalued drama deserves lasting appreciation – whether on The CW or a new home.
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Maxwell Brooks, a prolific wordsmith on BlogsProto.com, navigates literary realms with grace. His prose dances through genres, captivating readers with tales that resonate, leaving an indelible mark on the digital literary landscape.
