You're scrolling through the endless grid of posters on your home screen and you see it. Murphy Mason. She’s messy, she’s holding a cane, and she looks like she’s about ten seconds away from ruining someone's life—probably her own. In the Dark Hulu has become one of those "hidden gem" shows that people discover three years too late, and honestly, the experience of watching it now is way different than when it was airing weekly on The CW. It’s gritty. It’s kinda mean. It’s definitely not your standard "brave protagonist overcomes disability" story.
Murphy is a disaster. She drinks too much, she treats her best friend Jess like a human crutch, and she uses her blindness as a shield and a weapon. But that’s why people can’t stop watching. We’ve seen enough saintly characters. We want the chaos.
Why In the Dark Hulu Isn't What You Expect
Most people go into this show thinking it’s a standard procedural. A blind woman finds her friend dead, the police don't believe her, so she solves the crime herself. Simple, right? Wrong. By the time you hit the middle of the second season, the show has completely mutated into a high-stakes crime thriller involving money laundering, drug kingpins, and a lot of very questionable choices.
The shift is jarring. One minute you’re at Guiding Hope—the guide dog school run by Murphy’s overbearing parents—and the next, Murphy and her crew are buried neck-deep in a cartel's business. It’s a wild pivot. Some fans loved the escalation; others felt it lost the grounded "sleuthing" vibe of the first season.
There's a specific nuance to how the show handles Murphy’s blindness. It isn't a superpower. It’s a logistical reality. The show’s creator, Corinne Kingsbury, made sure that the camera stays tight on Murphy, often blurring the background or focusing on sound cues to mimic her sensory experience. It makes the tension feel claustrophobic. When a killer is in the room and she doesn't know it, you’re not just watching—you’re holding your breath because she can't see the knife, but you can.
The Problem With Likability
Let’s talk about Murphy Mason. Perry Mattfeld plays her with this incredible, jagged edge. If you're looking for a "good" person, look elsewhere. She’s manipulative. She’s selfish. But the writing is smart enough to show you why. It’s a defense mechanism. She’s lived a life where people either pity her or underestimate her, so she decided to become the most difficult person in any room.
📖 Related: Al Pacino Angels in America: Why His Roy Cohn Still Terrifies Us
It’s refreshing, honestly.
We see this most clearly in her relationship with Jess. Brooke Markham plays Jess as the ultimate enabler, and watching their friendship disintegrate under the weight of Murphy’s demands is one of the most painful, realistic parts of the series. It’s a toxic dynamic that feels real. It’s not "TV friendship" where they make up after a thirty-second heart-to-heart. They hurt each other. Deeply.
The Streaming Reality: CW vs. Hulu
There’s a lot of confusion about where this show actually lives. Originally a CW production, it lived on Netflix for years, which is where it built its massive cult following. However, the streaming landscape shifted. If you’re searching for In the Dark Hulu, you might notice it’s available through certain live TV packages or add-ons, but the licensing is a moving target.
Back in 2022, when the show ended its four-season run, it became part of the Great Streaming Migration.
Why does this matter? Because the show was built for bingeing. The cliffhangers are brutal. If you had to wait a week between episodes during the Season 3 search for Jess, you probably would have lost your mind. Watching it on a platform like Hulu allows the momentum to stay high, which is necessary because the plot gets dense.
👉 See also: Adam Scott in Step Brothers: Why Derek is Still the Funniest Part of the Movie
Realism and the Guide Dog Factor
Can we talk about Pretzel? The real star.
Pretzel is played by a golden retriever named Levi. In a show filled with terrible people doing terrible things, Pretzel is the moral compass. But even here, the show sticks to realism. Guide dogs are working animals, and the show portrays the bond between a handler and their dog without over-sentimentalizing it. Well, mostly. We all cry when Pretzel is in danger. That’s just science.
The production actually consulted with organizations like Guide Dogs of America to ensure the technical aspects were right. They used "blindness consultants" on set to help Mattfeld with her movements, ensuring she wasn't just doing a "Hollywood" version of being blind. She learned how to use the cane, how to orient herself in a room, and how to pour a drink without looking—all the tiny details that make the performance feel lived-in rather than a caricature.
The Controversial Ending (No Spoilers, But...)
If you’re just starting your journey with In the Dark Hulu, prepare yourself for the series finale. It is polarizing. Without giving away the plot, let’s just say the writers didn't go for the "happy ending with a bow on top."
They leaned into the noir.
✨ Don't miss: Actor Most Academy Awards: The Record Nobody Is Breaking Anytime Soon
A lot of fans were furious. They wanted redemption for Murphy. They wanted her to finally find peace. But that’s not the world of In the Dark. It’s a world of consequences. The show explores the idea that you can’t just "fix" a person like Murphy by giving her a boyfriend or a stable job. Her trauma goes deep, and the ending reflects that harsh reality. It’s a bold choice, even if it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Rewatch
If you’re diving back in or starting for the first time, keep an eye on the side characters. Max Parish, played by Casey Deidrick, is the "bad boy with a heart of gold" trope turned on its head. His arc from a low-level drug dealer to someone genuinely trying to change is the perfect foil to Murphy’s downward spiral.
Then there’s Josh. Oh, Josh.
The transformation of Josh Wallace from a sympathetic figure to a literal villain is one of the most fascinating (and frustrating) parts of the later seasons. It’s a study in how obsession can turn a "good guy" into a monster. It makes you question who the real antagonist of the show is. Is it the drug dealers? Or is it the guy so obsessed with "justice" that he’s willing to destroy lives to get it?
Actionable Takeaways for Viewers
- Don’t give up after Season 1. The show changes genres significantly. If the "murder mystery of the week" feels slow, hang on. It becomes a serialized thriller very quickly.
- Pay attention to the sound design. If you have a good pair of headphones, use them. The show uses directional audio to help you experience the world more like Murphy does.
- Check your expectations for "likable" leads. This isn't This Is Us. You aren't supposed to agree with everything Murphy does. You’re supposed to be fascinated by her survival instincts.
- Verify your streaming access. Licensing for CW shows is notoriously fickle. If you can’t find it on the standard Hulu library, check for the "Live TV" or "CW" app options, as the availability often jumps between Netflix and Disney-owned platforms depending on your region.
The legacy of In the Dark isn't about being a "blind show." It’s about being a messy, loud, violent, and deeply human show that happened to feature a blind lead. It challenged the way disability is portrayed on screen by allowing the protagonist to be an anti-hero. That alone makes it worth the stream. It’s uncomfortable, it’s stressful, and it’s one of the most unique things to come out of network TV in the last decade.
Go watch it for Pretzel. Stay for the absolute wreckage that is Murphy Mason’s life. Just don't expect a peaceful ending.