True Detective is an anthology series about detectives on cases that drive them to edge. I'll just be watching the first season for now, which is a dramatic, thrilling, and well-produced miniseries that feels like a complete novel, in more ways than one.
Season 1 of True Detective is about the detectives Cohle and Hart as they try to solve a series of creepy murders involving deer antlers and occultist themes. The main mystery throughout the season is compelling enough, particularly with all of the bizarre imagery that shows up, creating a sort of Lovecraftian vibe that helps it stand out as distinct. However, the real focus of True Detective isn't the case, it's the detectives. Right from the first episode, through a framing interview that takes place nearly two decades after the case was presumably closed, we learn that the Cohle and Hart had a pretty big falling out. It's a compelling hook, and creates this great sense of dread throughout since we know things are going to go to hell at some point. The first three episodes are honestly pretty slow with little progress made on the investigation, but all of that build-up and tension does become very worth it once things kick into high gear in episode 4. True Detective also plays around with the framing device in some interesting ways, with the last two episodes taking place in 2012 after the interrogation as Cohle and Hart reunite.
Cohle and Hart are definitely one of the best aspects of True Detective, mostly because of the great performances from Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. They have the type of chemistry that works really well for these characters, it's this sort of disconnected banter. Their interactions are consistently interesting due to their differing viewpoints and personalities, but their falling out also feels natural, with the two rarely being able to fully connect. Both characters are also pretty fleshed out, as pretty much all of their strong investigative skills are balanced out by them not being very good people, and as the show progresses, you learn more and more about their flaws. Seeing the characters throughout the different timelines is also really interesting, with Hart's constant reflection on his past being especially compelling. And that big fight that the whole show had been building up to was a painful and powerful payoff that was made even more wince-inducing thanks to the performances, even though I was a bit disappointed it was caused by their love lives rather than the investigation itself.
However, I do have some issues with this season, aside from the aforementioned slow start. It does fall for some of the prestige TV trappings like gratuitous sex scenes and overlong title sequences, but I wouldn't count them as massive flaws. The most glaring thing I noticed, however, is that True Detective feels like a novel rather than a TV show. The division between episodes doesn't really mean much, Cohle's philosophical waxing can feel fairly rambly and overlong at times, and some of the narration just feels like it work better in a story. Not to mention the sheer amount of literary references that show a pretty obvious love for that specific medium. Despite this, I'm still glad True Detective ended up becoming a TV show, because the direction and cinematography is just stunning. The whole season is dripping with mood and atmosphere, and the usage of long takes (especially in episode 4) manages to be impressive without feeling distracting. I think that's the best part of True Detective's direction, it doesn't try to look pretty or symmetrical just for the sake of it, instead it silently and thoughtfully conveys the mood of any given scene.
True Detective's highlights are incredibly high, especially in its second half:
Who Goes There: This is such a weird episode compared to most of True Detective for a number of reasons. Unlike most of the show, this feels like a self-contained story that doesn't hinge on the investigation all that much. Cohle goes undercover and plans a heist that goes horribly wrong, while Hart spends the episode dealing with his marriage completely falling apart. Both storylines are compelling in their own right, but let's face it, the scene that made this episode was the stunning and intense long-take shootout.
The Secret Fate Of All Life: This was easily the biggest game-changer in the series, dropping the 1985 timeline about a third into the episode. The reveal that Hart and Cohle basically faked a gunfight to hide that they shot the supposed killer was pretty shocking, especially since it pretty much ended the case right there and then. Seeing Hart and Cohle in 2002 was also really fascinating, as was learning that Cohle was a suspect the whole time.
Form And Void: While the reveal that the lawnmower man (known as Errol) is the murderer wasn't super surprised, the big final battle with him led to an intense finale to the season. The ending was nice and satisfying too, ending this otherwise gloomy and nihilistic show on a surprisingly happy note.
Overall, True Detective's first season offers an intriguing mystery and a compelling story about two detectives destroying their own lives, bolstered with strong acting and stellar production. It may have a slow start and suffers from some prestige TV trappings, but once it gets good, it gets really good.
4/5 Stars
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