If Shetland Left You Wanting Something Darker, Douglas Henshall’s Next Mystery May Be The Perfect Watch—and It Begins With A Body Found Frozen Inside A Glacier. 😱 Iceland’s haunting landscapes set the stage for a six-part Nordic noir that becomes increasingly disturbing with every episode. Lena Olin leads the investigation as a veteran detective facing what was supposed to be her final case, only to find herself pulled into a much darker trail involving human trafficking, personal loss and buried trauma. For Henshall, it is a striking change of direction from Jimmy Pérez, with the actor taking on the very different role of Petur and bringing a more complicated edge to the story. The pace is deliberately slow-burning, allowing the mystery to unfold through gritty performances, bleak surroundings and revelations that gradually make the case feel far more personal than expected. And with only six episodes, the series is perfectly suited to a weekend binge. The body is frozen. The secrets are buried. The investigation is only beginning.

by

The Darkness: Douglas Henshall Leads a Gripping Six-Part Nordic Noir Thriller

Fans of atmospheric crime dramas looking for their next mystery may want to put The Darkness on their watchlist. The six-part Nordic noir thriller stars Shetland favourite Douglas Henshall in a markedly different role, alongside Lena Olin and Endeavour star Jack Bannon.

The 2024 English-language series follows Reykjavik detective inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir as she approaches the end of her police career. But instead of quietly preparing for retirement, Hulda is drawn into a murder investigation that forces her to confront both a disturbing case and painful experiences from her own past.

close-up young man in dimly-lit room

A murder case on the eve of retirement

Hulda, played by Lena Olin, is facing an impending early retirement when she is given a final case to solve. The investigation begins after the frozen body of a young woman is discovered in a glacier, setting Hulda on a trail that quickly proves more complicated than expected.

She is assigned a new partner, Lukas, played by Jack Bannon, and the pair begin piecing together the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.

As the investigation progresses, the case expands beyond a single murder. Hulda and Lukas uncover connections to a human trafficking operation exploiting refugees, pushing them deeper into an increasingly dangerous investigation.

The case also forces Hulda to deal with painful events in her personal life. The death of her daughter continues to weigh heavily on her, adding another layer of grief as the investigation becomes more dangerous.

Based on Ragnar Jónasson’s bestselling thriller series, The Darkness combines a murder mystery with the personal struggles of a detective approaching the end of her career.

close-up brunette woman

Douglas Henshall takes on a very different character

For viewers who know Douglas Henshall primarily as DI Jimmy Pérez in Shetland, The Darkness offers a noticeable change.

Henshall plays Petur, Hulda’s neighbour and a member of her walking group. He is also dealing with profound loss, having been widowed and forced to rebuild his life.

Rather than occupying the centre of the police investigation, Petur has a quieter presence within Hulda’s story. The role gives Henshall an opportunity to play a character defined less by determination and authority and more by grief and the aftermath of loss.

The wider cast includes Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Þorsteinn Bachmann and a number of Icelandic performers, alongside Olin, Bannon and Henshall.

Shetland star Douglas Henshall's 'gritty' crime drama is available to binge- watch for free

Iceland becomes part of the mystery

Directed by Lasse Hallström, the series was filmed in Iceland and uses its stark landscapes to reinforce the bleak mood of the story.

The remote, wintry setting creates an immediate sense of isolation around Hulda and the investigation. As the mystery develops, the landscape becomes an important part of the atmosphere, complementing the show’s slow-burning approach to crime and character.

The six-episode first season also gives the story room to gradually expand rather than rushing through its central mystery. Official episode listings include The Mountain of Pigs, Hello Old Friend, Beautiful Girls, Through Me the Way Into the Suffering City, All That Is Hidden and So Eden Sank to Grief.

Douglas Henshall in The Darkness

A compact Nordic noir mystery

At just six episodes, The Darkness offers a relatively contained crime story for viewers who enjoy atmospheric mysteries without committing to a long-running series.

The investigation moves from the discovery of the body toward increasingly disturbing revelations, while Hulda’s personal grief remains closely intertwined with the case. The combination of an experienced detective, a complicated murder investigation and an unforgiving Icelandic setting gives the drama its distinctly Nordic noir character.

For Shetland viewers in particular, Douglas Henshall’s involvement adds another reason to give the series a look. Instead of returning as Jimmy Pérez, he steps into the quieter role of Petur, showing a very different side of his screen presence.

The Darkness stars Lena Olin as Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir, Jack Bannon as Lukas and Douglas Henshall as Petur. The series was directed by Lasse Hallström and is based on Ragnar Jónasson’s The Darkness. It consists of six episodes.

Where to watch The Darkness

The six-part thriller has been available on streaming platforms including SBS On Demand, which lists the complete first season and all six episodes.

With its troubled detective, frozen-body mystery, personal tragedy and stark Icelandic backdrop, The Darkness brings together many of the elements associated with Nordic noir while giving Douglas Henshall a role far removed from the character that made him a familiar face to Shetland fans.