Since its debut in 2014 with stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, HBO's anthology crime series "True Detective" has captivated its audience, leaving them eagerly anticipating more. It's been a lengthy four years since fans have heard any news.
Various factors, including the pandemic and network decisions, have contributed to the delay of Season 4 of this acclaimed Emmy-winning crime drama anthology. The previous season, starring Mahershala Ali and Stephen Dorff, aired in 2019. Despite its success, there was uncertainty about the future of the series. The tumultuous events of 2020 further overshadowed any news about the show.
However, the long wait has finally ended. In March 2022, The Hollywood Reporter revealed plans for a new installment of the series, titled "True Detective: Night Country," with expectations of McConaughey and Harrelson returning as executive producers, a role they've held for the past three seasons.
While an official release date is yet to be announced, executive producer Barry Jenkins and showrunner Issa Lopez have begun revealing exciting details about the upcoming season, promising a unique and intense experience.
Issa Lopez's tweet highlights this direction, "Most producers will beg me please to be less weird," Lopez tweeted. "Barry will always push me to get the freak to 11."
For fans of True Detective, this is thrilling news. Here is what we know so far about Season 4:
It Stars Jodie Foster and Kali Reis
HBO
One of the hallmarks of the True Detective formula is a set of detectives who really don't like each other. And this season, our pair of squabbling protagonists is none other than veteran actor Jodie Foster and professional boxer-turned-actress Kali Reis. The two will be playing the roles of Detective Liz Danzers and Detective Evangeline Navarro, respectively.
These frontrunners mark a milestone for the series as they're the first all-female detective team to be featured on the show. It also sounds like the role could be a reprisal for Reis, who played Navarro in Season 1 of the show (according to her IMDb page). But the role was only for a single episode, and the showrunners have made no mention of her being the same character. So, it could be a total coincidence.
Foster—who has had plenty of experience with crime drama (see The Silence of the Lambs, Taxi Driver, and The Accused)—hasn't been as active in film and television lately and has mostly appeared in movies. So it'll be interesting to see how she fares in the dark and gritty world of True Detective.
Other names joining the show include John Hawkes as a police officer who's secretly harboring some serious grudges, Christopher Eccleston as the regional chief of police, and Fiona Shaw as a survivalist with a past she'd rather keep hidden. Other actors joining the cast include:
- Finn Bennett
- Anna Lambe
- Aka Niviâna
- Isabella Star Lablanc
- Joel D. Montgrand
It Takes Place in Alaska
As the name Night Country hints, darkness seems to be a central theme throughout this season. Starting with the fact that it's set in Ennis, Alaska—a town that's located so far up north, that it doesn't get daylight during the winter months.
It May Be Based On A Real-Life Mystery
Soviet investigators / Wikimedia Commons
According to the official synopsis, this season's case is about eight men who disappear without a trace during these dark winter months while operating the Tsalal Arctic Research Station. It reads: "To solve the case, Detectives Liz Danvers and Evangeline Navarro will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice."
While the details are slim to none, some people are already theorizing that this season's fictional mystery is based on the real-life mystery of the Dyatlov Pass. In 1959, nine experienced hikers mysteriously vanished while hiking through a remote mountain pass in Russia. Their bodies were eventually discovered, but the circumstances of their deaths were strange due to the fact that their injuries and deaths were inconsistent with what should have happened in the terrain and weather conditions.
Numerous theories have been put forth about what may have happened to the hikers, ranging from animal attacks to military testing to paranormal forces. But to this day, the true cause of their deaths remains a mystery.
Given the setting and synopsis of this season, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that True Detective is drawing from these real-life events and turning them into something even more sinister.
It'll Premiere in 2023
Sadly, there is not yet an official release date for True Detective Season 4. As of now, the show is slated to premiere on HBO sometime in "late 2023." That likely means we won't see the first new episode until November or December of this year.
Until then, we can only speculate what horrors will unfold in the icy wasteland of rural Alaska—but it looks like it'll be worth the wait.
