Why Garth Marenghi won’t return to his Darkplace
Channel 4Garth Marenghi – author, dreamweaver, visionary, plus actor – made his mark on the television landscape via Garth Margenghi’s Darkplace, but last night he told a live audience why the show won’t be returning.
Garth Margenhi is back. The horror writer published a new book called TerrorTome yesterday, about a horror writer forced to fight the hellish visions leaking from his own brain.
Marenghi did a live reading at The Prince Charles Cinema last night – about an author having relations with his typewriter – which was followed by a Q&A.
During the Qs, he was asked about Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, and whether the show would ever return to small screens.
What is Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace?
Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace aired on Channel 4 in early 2004, with the show’s official synopsis as follows…
A maverick doctor battles with the evil forces lurking beneath a hospital in Romford, engaged in a desperate struggle against poor production values, awful dialogue and unrealistic violence…
Garth starred as the heroic Dr. Rick Dagless and his publisher Dean Lerner appeared as the hospital’s administrator Thornton Reed. Todd Rivers played the improbably handsome Dr. Lucian Sanchez, while Madeline Wool was the sometimes psychic Dr. Liz Asher. Matthew Holness, Richard Ayoade, Matt Berry, and Alice Lowe were also involved.
Why Darkplace won’t return
When asked about a second series, Marenghi said: “Another Darkplace would be difficult because we’ve all put on a lot of weight. Not me. But everyone else. So you’d probably have to widen the aspect ratio.
He then elaborated: “Prose is the purest form of horror. Film – OK, fine, [gesturing to curtain behind him] you get a nice curtain, which parts, and then you enjoy your film.
“I’ve done TV. I’ve solved television already. What would be the point of doing it again? Possibly a film… I don’t know, I think I’ll just keep writing the books.”
Garth was later asked about the show’s impact on culture, to which he responded: “It would’ve had a much more profound affect had it not been buried – literally buried – by Channel 4 beneath 300 metric tonnes of industrial cement.
“If they avoided that, and screened more of them, then I think we wouldn’t be in this position we’re in today. But as I say, I mended television once, I’m not going to do it again. Mankind’s problem, not mine.”