Into the Dark (TV series)


Into the Dark is an American horror anthology web television series produced for Hulu. The first season premiered on October 5, 2018, and consists of twelve feature-length episodes. Into the Dark was renewed for a second season, which premiered on October 4, 2019, and also consists of twelve episodes.
The series is produced by the television branch of Blumhouse Productions, with founder Jason Blum executive producing every episode. Each episode features its own ensemble casts and director, with directors including Patrick Lussier, Nacho Vigalondo, Sophia Takal, Daniel Stamm, James Roday and Gigi Saul Guerrero contributing installments.
Into the Dark was ordered in January 2018, and has been met with a positive response from critics upon its premiere. Each episode has starred different actors, including Tom Bateman, Dermot Mulroney, Nyasha Hatendi, Suki Waterhouse, Matt Lauria, Jimmi Simpson, Keir O'Donnell, Israel Broussard, Aurora Perrineau, Clayne Crawford, Martha Higareda, Corey Fogelmanis, Jahkara Smith, Adalaide Kane, Reign Edwards, Britt Baron, Giorgia Whigham, Felicia Day, Tina Majorino, Judy Greer, and Barry Watson.

Premise

The theme of each episode is inspired by a holiday during the month of its release.

Episodes

Season 1 (2018–19)

Season 2 (2019–20)

Production

On January 9, 2018, it was announced that Hulu had given the production a series order to consist of a first season of twelve episodes. Each episode was set to be released one month apart beginning in October 2018. The series' first twelve episodes were expected to function as standalone stories though some narrative device or structural device was expected to connect them.
On May 2, 2018, it was announced that the series had been titled Into the Dark and would premiere on October 5, 2018. Davis and Fisher were announced as producers and Alexa Faigen executive producer. On October 11, 2018, production designer Cecil Gentry revealed in an interview with Dead Entertainment that he was working on ten out of twelve episodes of the series.
In August 2019, Into the Dark was renewed for a second season. Hulu ordered nine further episodes in addition to the fifteen already ordered, bringing the total to 24 episodes. Alexander Koehne and Lauren Downey were announced as the co-showrunners and executive producers. The twelve-episode second season premiered on October 4, 2019, and will run through to September 2020, after the first season concluded in September 2019.

Release

Marketing

On September 13, 2018, the first trailer for the series was released.

Premiere

On September 21, 2018, the series held its world premiere during the annual LA Film Festival in Los Angeles, California with a screening of the episode "The Body" at the Writers Guild Theater. The episode "I'm Just Fucking with You" held its world premiere during the 2019 South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas as a part of the festival's "Narrative Spotlight" series of screenings.

Distribution

On October 11, 2018, it was announced that Sony Pictures Television had acquired the international rights to the series. Sony was expected to take the series out for sale internationally and begin its sale effort at the Mipcom market in Cannes the following week.

Reception

The series has been met with a positive response from critics upon its premiere. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 73% approval rating.
The first season holds a 73% approval rating with an average rating of 5.85/10 based on 8 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Into the Dark is a worthy horror anthology, offering viewers a selection of frightening and witty gothic tales like a tray of cobwebbed bonbons, making for a spooky Halloween treat." The second season holds an 74% approval rating with an average rating of 6.08/10 based on 85 reviews.