When True Detective first premiered in 2014, it was unlike anything that had been on television at the time. Two major, A-list Hollywood stars in an HBO anthology that crossed crime drama with the supernatural. The atmospheric and eerie tone was perfect, giving it a southern-style David Lynch vibe with a gothic twist. All eight episodes directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga were perfectly done, and I couldn’t wait for more. And then more came, in the form of the lackluster Season Two. Gone was the gothic twist, and in came the standard crime drama. Albeit, while there were some good things about Season Two, it paled in comparison drastically. I still haven’t seen Season Three, but it’s been on my to-be-watched list for some time, and I own it on Blu-ray. I’ll get around to it.
Buy True Detective: Night Country Blu-raySeason Four saw some new changes, such as original showrunner Nic Pizzolatto departing and being reduced to executive producer credit only, while Issa Lopez came in as both showrunner and director of the whole season. Plus, it brought in two female leads in Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, when the show usually features men in the lead. Reis is someone with whom I’m not familiar, but Foster is usually reliable. But as much potential as this had, it all gets squandered within the first episode and just how poorly written it is.
Taking place in the remote town of Ennis, Alaska, this season focuses on the disappearance of eight scientists and the discovery of a woman’s severed tongue at the crime scene. Police Chief Liz Danvers (Foster) and her partner Evangeline Navarro (Reis) are assigned to the case of the missing scientists, which they think has connection to a murder of an Indigenous woman six years prior. But that latter case is currently not on the radar, which upsets Navarro.
This season explores a lot of broken relationships amongst the people in law enforcement, the strained families and friendships in the small town, and the corruption of certain people in the force. What I did appreciate is how it brought back the atmospheric, borderline paranormal element of the first season. There are some moments that are truly terrifying to watch. But a lot of its inspiration is heavily worn throughout the season, and there’s hardly a moment that makes it unique. Lopez credited John Carpenter’s The Thing as one source of inspiration, and if you’re familiar with that movie, you can tell from a mile away that’s the tone for which it’s aiming.
By the time we reach the third episode of this season, most of the eerie, paranormal tone is thrown by the wayside to make room for the standard cop drama with maybe a little edge here and there since it’s on HBO. Most of the character development is underwhelming, with a lot of it being focused on a strained marriage, a strained stepmother/stepdaughter relationship, a strained father/son relationship, and on-again/off-again relationships that just happen with no real intrigue to them.
I get the sense that True Detective will be one of those shows that should have stopped at the first season, but somehow found a way to keep going – even if there are multiple-year delays in between. Again, I still need to dip into Season Three. But it still seems like the most creative and original season is still the first, while the others have their moments but are lesser in comparison.
All six episodes of True Detective: Night Country are available on a 2-disc Blu-ray that comes with a few special features on the making of the series. They include cast and crew interviews, an exploration of the Alaskan Native culture, and what led to choosing Alaska as the setting for this season.
