Pratik Handore
In the second episode of Netflix’s ‘Black Mirror‘ season 6, Davis and Pia are a young documentary filmmaking couple who discover the dark secrets of Loch Henry, a sleepy Scottish town. As the narrative progresses, Davis and Pia discover the story of Iain Adair and his heinous crimes, which have tainted the town’s history and image. As a result, viewers must be wondering whether Loch Henry is a real town and if Iain Adair is based on a real serial killer. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Loch Henry Is a Fictional Town
The second episode of ‘Black Mirror’ season 6 is titled ‘Loch Henry.’ In the episode, Davis, a young documentary filmmaker, arrives in his hometown of Loch Henry with his girlfriend, Pia. Davis’ hometown is called Loch Henry, and it is located in Scottland. However, the town is a fictional setting that exists only within the show’s realm. In the episode, viewers learn about the idyllic town’s fictional history. Loch Henry was once a popular tourist spot thanks to its natural beauty and peaceful vibe. However, that image was shattered when Iain Adair, a local man, kidnapped, tortured, and killed several tourists.
Although the town is fictional, the filming of its namesake episode occurred in actual locations in the Scottish countryside. Scottland is known for its Lochs, a lake or sea inlet where the surrounding town gets its name from them. Filming of the episode took place in parts of Inveraray, Argyll, and Bute in the western Scottish Highlands. Some sequences were also filmed on location in and around Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Given the similarity in their names and visual appearance, it can be said that Loch Lomond partially inspired the fictional town of Loch Henry. Ultimately, Loch Henry is a fictional town inspired by the Scottish Lochs and paints an eerie mystery with the real-life Scottish locations adding to the episode’s mysterious and creepy aesthetic.
Iain Adair Is Not Based on a Real Killer
After arriving in Loch Henry, Pia is introduced to Davis’ childhood friend, Stuart. From Stuart and Davis, Pia learns about the disturbing story of Iain Adair. He was a local man who lived at an Inn on the Five Farms. Adair was generally a disliked figure among the townsfolk. Stuart explains that Loch Henry was an idyllic tourist town in the 90s. However, one day, a young couple visiting the town goes missing. Later, it is discovered that Adair kidnapped and killed them and left them in his dungeon. The horrifying story attracts Pia’s attention as she wants it to be the subject of her and Davis’ true crime documentary.
In the end, it is revealed that Adair worked with Davis’ father, Kenneth, and mother, Janet, to torture the kidnapped tourist before killing them. Despite the headline-grabbing crimes of Iain Adair, he is not based on a real person. Firstly, there is no record of a man named Iain Adair being involved in serial killings of tourists in the Scottish countryside. Secondly, the character serves a narrative purpose in the episode, and his crimes are designed to explore the sensationalization of crime through true crime documentaries. The episode provides thought-provoking and effective satire on how the pain and suffering of victims are capitalized upon in true crime documentaries. It also highlights how such pieces of content can adversely impact the families of those implicated in the crimes. As a result, Iain Adair is a fictional character who serves as an effective tool for the episode to frame its satire.
Read More: Black Mirror Loch Henry Ending, Explained
