Is True Detective: Night Country Worth Watching? HBO Series Has Critics United
HBO has another winner on its hands with "True Detective: Night Country."
Back in 2014, author Nic Pizzolatto unleashed the gritty, existential, and pulpy "True Detective" upon the world. Starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey as a pair of Louisana detectives whose lives turn upside down after a deeply troubling murder, the show became an instant hit. An anthology series, Season 2 traded in the swampy marshes of Louisana for the crime-riddled streets of California, with stars like Rachel McAdams and Colin Farrell in tow. Season 3 featured two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali in the Ozarks investigating missing children.
Now, after a nearly five-year hiatus, the series is returning with "True Detective: Night Country," helmed by director and co-writer Issa López. Starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, the fourth installment sees the two playing a pair of Alaskan detectives investigating the apparent murders of several scientists at a research lab. And according to the first reviews, it's another hit for HBO.
"'True Detective: Night Country' doesn't ever quite hit the smarmy noir notes Pizzolatto's seasons were known for, but it's crisp, chilling fun," wrote Decider's Meghan O'Keefe in a positive review. "It's a dark and twisty thriller that's perfect for these cold winter Sunday nights and even better for dissecting Monday morning with friends."
Other critics are echoing O'Keefe's sentiments, as "True Detective" Season 4 boasts a whopping 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing.
Critics say Night Country is a worthy follow-up to True Detective Season 1
While the 1st season of Nic Pizzolatto's "True Detective" was widely praised, Season 2 didn't land for critics or most fans. Season 3 was considerably better received, but it just didn't have the same punch. Now, with Issa López at the helm, "True Detective: Night Country" is being hailed by some critics as the best of the franchise since Season 1.
In her review for Collider, Carly Lane acknowledged the high expectations behind this latest installment of the series before writing, "Even with that big question hanging overhead, the very first episode of Night Country should successfully silence any doubters." Lane did opine the smaller episode count when compared to prior seasons but ultimately concluded, "But the best stories are always the ones you never really want to let go of, and True Detective: Night Country will keep you held fast in its grip right up until the ultimate black of the end credits."
In an A- review for Consequence, Clint Worthington discussed how Lopéz's stint is a worthy follow-up to Season 1, writing, "Night Country still hums with that sense of the terrifyingly possible — as seen through the eyes of two cops who've seen the worst of humanity, sometimes in the mirror."
Meanwhile, in a mostly positive review, The Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Fienberg did echo Lane's criticism about the series' length. "The streamlining of the overall storyline in the 'Night Country' home stretch ... weakens the overall season," he wrote, adding, "but at least increases momentum toward a conclusion that worked for me conceptually."
In addition to praise for the new season as a whole, some critics have specifically pointed to stars Jodie Foster and Kali Reis as highlights.
Jodie Foster and Kali Reis are the standouts of True Detective: Night Country
While a gripping mystery and compelling, complex detectives have always been at the heart of "True Detective," no season is complete without arresting performances. Unsurprisingly, critics are singing the praises of Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, who bring Detectives Liz Danvers and Evangeline Navarro to life. "Foster, in a performance so steely that she could cut through armor, is magnetic to watch as the obsessive Liz Danvers, a brilliant detective exiled to this cold small town," wrote Hoai-Train Bui of Inverse.
Bui had similar words of praise for Reis, who makes her television debut with the HBO series. "Reis, meanwhile, puts on an equally harsh performance as Navarro, Danvers' former partner whose obsession with the missing Indigenous girl's case caused the two of them to fall out," Bui wrote. The Inverse critic did note that Reis' performance is stiff as the series kicks off, though the former boxer does unravel as the narrative progresses.
Writing for Rolling Stone, Alan Sepinwall specifically noted the chemistry between the two leads. He wrote, "The energy between Foster (whose raspy growl is a perfect fit for an antisocial, my-way-or-the-highway veteran cop) and Reis (a former boxer with screen presence to spare) crackles throughout."
Overall, critics seem eager to recommend "True Detective: Night Country," dubbing it a worthy successor to the first "True Detective," which debuted 10 years ago.
"True Detective: Night Country" boasts six episodes and will air on HBO on January 14.