Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004)

Directed by

Richard Ayoade

Genre

sitcom, science fiction television series

Country

United Kingdom

Length

1 season, 6 episodes

Rated

15

Rating

8.0 of 10 from 187 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

It is a parody of a lost 1980s horror TV series. The show follows Dr. Rick Dagless as he fights supernatural threats in a hospital. The broadcast is mixed with present-day commentary from the fictional creator and cast who take themselves very seriously.

campyparodicself-awarecheesyabsurdmock-seriousnostalgicdeadpan

What happens

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace is a British horror parody television series created by Richard Ayoade and Matthew Holness for Channel 4. The show focuses on fictional horror author Garth Marenghi (played by Holness) and his publisher Dean Learner (played by Ayoade), characters who originated in the stage show Garth Marenghi's Fright Knight. The series is presented as a special release of the fictional television series Darkplace. Within the reality of the show, Darkplace was produced in the 1980s for Channel 4, but never broadcast anywhere but Peru, eventually becoming a lost series. Saved footage has recently resurfaced, with Marenghi republishing with the intent of gaining interest from a modern audience. The "original footage" of the show is intercut or bookended with commentary from many of the "original" cast, where characters such as Marenghi and Learner reflect on what it was like to make the show. Darkplace parodies the fashion, special effects, production gaffes, and music of low-budget '80s television, as well as the arrogant attitude of certain writers and performers. Garth Marenghi's Darkplace was broadcast in a late-night timeslot, with very little advertising, and met with poor viewing figures. It built up a significant internet following, leading Channel 4 to repeat the series and produce a DVD release. In 2005, Channel 4's Film4 asked Holness and Ayoade to write a script for a film adaptation, but the project never saw further development. The show was later broadcast in the United States on the Sci-Fi Channel and Adult Swim and is available to stream on Peacock. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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