Six Years On, Dark Desire’s Crime Plot Still Can’t Shake Its Horror Roots

Dark Desire arrived on Netflix in 2020 as a crime thriller with a pedigree: it was created by Álex de la Iglesia, the Spanish filmmaker behind The Last Circus and The Inner Circle, who also directed several episodes. The series follows Inspector David Merino, played by Luis Toñas, as he investigates a series of murders in Madrid. What starts as a routine case quickly spirals into a web of lies, corruption and supernatural elements that strain the genre conventions of the show.

The premise is simple enough. Merino is assigned to a case involving a dead man found in a bathtub, but the investigation soon uncovers a pattern of killings tied to a cult operating in the shadows. The show borrows heavily from classic noir tropes, but it also leans into horror and fantasy, which is where the series begins to split directions. The case begins as a straightforward police investigation, but the presence of a cult with rituals and beliefs that blur the line between reality and mythology eventually forces the show into a mode of storytelling very different from the crime drama that opens it.

Luis Toñas and the Supporting Cast

Luis Toñas carries the show as Inspector Merino, a man whose life is upended by the case. His performance anchors the series, bringing a weary cynicism to a character who is forced to confront truths about himself and the world around him. The supporting cast is solid across the board, with Ana Fernández as the inspector’s ex-wife and fellow detective, and Blanca Suárez as a key witness whose involvement grows increasingly complicated as the story unfolds.

The ensemble works best when the show sticks to its crime drama roots. When it shifts into supernatural territory, the chemistry falters slightly, as some characters feel less grounded and their motivations become harder to follow. Fernández and Suárez both hold their own, but the show’s shift into the cult’s mythology weakens the clarity of their roles in the story.

Madrid as a Character

Madrid serves as a character in itself, with the show filming in recognizable locations that give the series a strong sense of place. The city’s streets, parks and office buildings are used to great effect, creating a lived-in world that feels both familiar and ominous. The production design is sharp, with a muted color palette that shifts towards darker tones as the story progresses.

This attention to setting pays off early, establishing a sense of place that helps ground the more fantastical elements later on. The contrast between the sunny exterior shots and the grim interiors of the investigation is a deliberate stylistic choice, and it works well visually. The city’s familiar landmarks provide a constant anchor even as the story grows stranger.

The Cult Revelation

The show’s biggest gamble is its shift into the supernatural. About halfway through the season, the murders are revealed to be connected to a cult-like group with rituals and beliefs that blur the line between reality and mythology. This is where Dark Desire splits into two distinct modes of storytelling, and the transition is not always smooth.

Some viewers will find the shift jarring. Others will embrace the weirdness as a fresh take on the procedural format. The pacing slows in these sections, and the focus shifts away from the police investigation towards the inner workings of the cult. This is a bold move, but it risks alienating audiences who came for a straightforward crime thriller. The cult’s mythology is the show’s boldest stroke, and it is also its riskiest.

Pacing Through the Season

The pacing is the show’s weakest link. The first half moves at a brisk clip, keeping the audience engaged with a steady stream of revelations. The second half, however, drags significantly as the supernatural elements take over. Some episodes feel padded, with scenes that seem designed to fill time rather than advance the plot.

The slow middle stretch is the most notable complaint among viewers. The series loses momentum at a moment when it should be building towards a climax. The finale tries to tie everything together, but it feels rushed, leaving some threads unresolved. The middle section is where the show’s ambition most clearly strains its own structure.

The Finale’s Twist

The finale attempts to bring the story full circle, tying the cult’s beliefs back to the inspector’s personal history. It is a clever twist that rewards those who stuck with the show, but it also leaves room for ambiguity, which some viewers found frustrating. The resolution is open-ended, leaving the door cracked for a potential continuation.

“The finale attempts to bring the story full circle, tying the cult’s beliefs back to the inspector’s personal history.”

Whether that ambiguity is a strength or a weakness depends on individual taste. For fans of the show, the finale offers a satisfying payoff. For others, it reads as a cop-out. The twist ties the cult’s mythology directly to Merino’s past, but the show leaves some questions unanswered rather than resolving them cleanly.

Comparing the Two Modes

The table above captures the tension at the heart of Dark Desire. The show is trying to do two things at once, and while it succeeds at both individually, the combination strains the overall narrative. The crime drama mode is tight and character-driven; the supernatural mode is bold but underdeveloped. Both are essential to the show’s identity, but neither fully delivers on its own terms.

Critical Reception

The show has received mixed reviews since its release. Critics praised the direction, the performances and the Madrid setting, but the shift into the supernatural drew criticism for being abrupt and underdeveloped. The overall critical consensus sits at 7.3 out of 10, reflecting a middle-of-the-road reception that acknowledges the show’s strengths while noting its flaws.

That score reflects the show’s identity crisis. It is a crime thriller that wants to be a horror show, and it never quite commits to either path fully. The 7.3 out of 10 represents a fair balance of praise and criticism, with the show’s strengths offset by its weaknesses.

The Verdict

Dark Desire is a flawed but entertaining watch. It is at its best when it focuses on the human drama of the investigation, and at its worst when it loses sight of the characters in favor of spectacle. The lead performance holds the whole enterprise together, and the Madrid setting adds a layer of authenticity that few shows achieve.

The supernatural elements are the show’s boldest stroke, and they are also its riskiest. Whether you come away impressed or frustrated will likely depend on how much you enjoy the middle section of the series. Those who can tolerate a slower pace and a more abstract ending will find plenty to appreciate. Those who want a tighter, more focused story may find themselves disappointed.

Dark Desire is worth watching for its ambition, even if that ambition does not always pay off. It is a show that tries to do something different, and that counts for something.

crime thriller · Netflix · Spanish television · supernatural · TV Review