Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace: The Apes of Wrath (S1E04)

Plot Summary

By episode four, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace fully embraces the idea that any genre can be horror if written badly enough. “The Apes of Wrath” pivots into creature feature territory, introducing genetically modified apes whose existence appears to be the result of unethical science, military involvement, and extremely loose regulation.

The episode centres on experiments conducted at Darkplace Hospital, where research into enhanced primate intelligence goes catastrophically wrong. The apes quickly develop heightened aggression and a vague sense of moral outrage, turning on their human creators with predictable consequences. Rick Dagless positions himself as both moral authority and action hero, delivering stern warnings that are largely ignored until it is far too late.

What follows is a muddled escalation of ape attacks, scientific jargon, and half-explained conspiracies. Characters enter scenes already aware of information the audience has not been given, while crucial developments occur off-screen. The apes themselves fluctuate between cunning masterminds and barely controlled animals, depending entirely on what the plot requires at that moment.

The climax resolves the crisis with a combination of bravado and dubious science, offering a solution that feels improvised rather than earned. As with previous episodes, the hospital suffers no lasting consequences, and the moral implications of animal experimentation are neatly swept aside.

Highlights

• The sudden shift into killer ape horror, handled with complete confidence.
• Obvious nods to classic creature features filtered through cheap television production.
• Rick Dagless’ unwavering belief in his own authority.
• Apes portrayed as both philosophical and feral, sometimes within the same scene.

What Doesn’t Work:

• The scientific premise collapses under even minimal scrutiny.
• Ape intelligence and motivation are wildly inconsistent.
• The threat level fluctuates without explanation.
• Ethical questions are raised accidentally and immediately abandoned.

Final Thoughts

“The Apes of Wrath” is Darkplace having fun with horror subgenres while continuing to parody television that mistakes ambition for coherence. The episode is chaotic, illogical, and oddly earnest, selling its nonsense with absolute conviction. It may not have the iconic central monster of earlier episodes, but it succeeds by sheer force of absurdity.