The reviews for HBO’s “True Detective: Night Country” are in and critics-wise, the series is pulling in the best reviews of the four seasons so far – on par with the first and well ahead of the second and third season.
The series takes place in the small town of Ennis, Alaska during the long winter night, when eight men who work operating the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish with no explanation.
Detective Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) have to confront their own dark pasts and hidden truths in order to solve the Arctic mystery. John Hawkes, Christopher Eccleston, Fiona Shaw, Finn Bennett and Anna Lambe co-star.
With 15 reviews counted on Rotten Tomatoes, the show is pulling in a stellar 100% (8.7/10) compared to the 91% (9.0/10) of Season 1, 47% (6.3/10) of Season 2, and 84% (7.65/10) of Season 3.
On Metacritic it sits at 88/100 compared to the 87/100 for Season 1, 61/100 for Season 2 and 72/100 for Season 3. Here’s a sampling of review quotes:
“The most thrilling and invigorating season of the show since its first.” – Hoai-Tran Bui, Inverse
“The night country and the dead are always calling, whispering, and crying out in filmmaker Issa Lopez’s spellbinding version of ‘True Detective,’ an incredible return to form for the series.” – Rodrigo Perez, The Playlist
“The end result is a lean, mean, six-episode season that retains most of what was great under Pizzolatto, while leaving behind the more self-indulgent or outright clumsy parts of those years.” – Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone
“The anthology’s fourth season thrives on its ability to exist as both a brisk, thrilling genre piece and a weighty, philosophical drama.” – Ross McIndoe, Slant Magazine
“We’re never not eager to see what happens next or what it means to the tarnished protagonists, however cliched, beside-the-point or undeniably moving that may turn out to be.” – Bob Strauss, The Wrap
“Night Country marks a frightening return to form for the long-running series, thanks in large part to its stellar cast, offering easily the most horror-inspired outing yet.” – Patrick Cavanaugh, ComicBook.com
“While it doesn’t dance about in time quite like Season 1, 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.” – Clint Worthington, Consequence
“The streamlining of the overall storyline in the Night Country home stretch… weakens the overall season, but at least increases momentum toward a conclusion that worked for me conceptually.” – Dan Fienberg, THR
Issa Lopez serves as showrunner, writer, and director of all six episodes of the upcoming season with Foster, Barry Jenkins, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak, Mari Jo Winkler, Steve Golin, Richard Brown, Alan Page Arriaga, Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson executive producing.
HBO will premiere “True Detective: Night Country” on its service on Sunday, January 14th.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
