The CW has become largely known for its Arrow-verse of superheroes, but a show unlike any other on the network and television as a whole has officially debuted. In the Dark is a new drama starring Perry Mattfeld as Murphy, a twenty-something who likes drinking, smoking, and casual sex. Murphy also happens to be blind.
Unlike many other shows, the lead character is clearly not a hero whose example is to be followed to the letter. Perry Mattfeld chatted with CinemaBlend about In the Dark, and she discussed playing a female anti-hero on The CW:
I think it's really exciting that The CW is taking a risk with a show that's as unique and different as In the Dark. I think it'll be not only refreshing, but really exciting, for a lot of people to see this very flawed female antihero at the forefront. And then it's refreshing to see a lot of real, raw characters that we have on our show. Then on top of that, the diversity that we have in the writers room and behind the cameras is a direct correlation of what you see on camera. So getting that glimpse of a little bit of everything, a little bit of a mix and a raw presentation of that, I think regardless of if you're a CW fan or you're coming to The CW for the show, people are going to love to see that.
When In the Dark picks up, Murphy is no heroine looking to fight the good fight for folks who can't for themselves, although she is somebody who cares deeply and will do what she can for those important to her. Honestly, if there's any sign that she's more of an anti-hero than a hero, it's that she only begrudgingly keeps her adorable guide dog around. She doesn't even want Pretzel's help!
According to Perry Mattfeld, the diversity behind the scenes is one of In the Dark's greatest assets, and the first episode proves that the finished product is truly something unique. Not only is a show with a blind lead character something all but unprecedented, but it also presents a cast of characters with as many flaws as admirable qualities.
In some ways, In the Dark doesn't feel like a CW show. It lacks the superheroes of the Arrow-verse, the teen characters of Riverdale and Legacies, and the humor of Jane the Virgin and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, to name some. The unique nature of the premise could conceivably attract viewers who might not otherwise tune in to the network. Could In the Dark be the next show to really put The CW on the map?
Only time will tell. The Arrow-verse has been an undeniable hit for The CW, although it will lose its inaugural series next season. CinemaBlend's Nick Venable asked Perry Mattfeld how In the Dark could do alongside the Arrow-verse:
We're gonna find out. I think Corinne [Kingsbury], who's our brilliant creator, she always said that she had a hard time relating to the female heroes that she saw growing up. The kind of perfect females that she said were loved or celebrated, and she wanted to create a flawed woman who could be just as strong and just as vocal. So that's a hero that I related to, which is part of why I was drawn to the role. But it doesn't have to be one version of a hero. I think Murphy might just be one that a lot of people relate to. If you can even call her a hero. We call her an anti-hero.
Well, it's probably safe to say that Murphy and Supergirl aren't going to have a ton in common on the surface! It's clear from even the promos for In the Dark that the show doesn't intend to shy away from Murphy's flaws, and the series premiere on April 5 fleshed out the anti-hero viewers will follow along with on the show.
The CW has plenty of those loved and celebrated female superheroes; Murphy is certainly one of a kind, and not just because she's blind. Given that viewers watching from home are probably more likely to oversleep without remembering to charge their phone than fly off to battle supervillains, Murphy could indeed be somebody to relate to.
Perry Mattfeld's comments indicate that there's a lot to look forward to further along on In the Dark, and be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend in the future for more of what she has to say about the new show. You can catch new episodes of In the Dark this midseason on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.
