I've just finished watching my favourite sci-fi in years. Well, if it could truly be called an out-and-out sci-fi – you could label it a crime drama in the same breath, although you'll need to get to the end of all six episodes to decide for yourself. But after the major success of True Detective: Night Country, the show is confirmed to return for a new season, with the writer Issa López back on board.
However, not all fans are happy about it. Indeed, the creator of the original series, Nic Pizzolatto, has already publicly slated Night Country, calling it "stupid". You can make your own decisions, but with the new show screening a decade after the original and clearly linking itself to that series – the original three True Detective seasons are famously standalone, with no links between them – it does therefore have a different feel about it.
Still, I really enjoyed it, right to the last. So did many critics, with the full season netting a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. But, as I say, fans didn't agree: the same page shows a much lower 58% audience score, so the idea of a follow-up season is certainly dividing fan reception. You don't need to dig long in Reddit's TrueDetective sub to see the mixed reactions.
The show stars Hollywood favourite Jodie Foster, as Chief Danvers, alongside newcomer Kali Reis, as State Trooper Navarro, the two key detectives in an unusual case that's set in the 'days of night' in Alaska, where the sun doesn't rise for many weeks in a row (hence the series' name). That dark backdrop is the ideal setting for some of the horror-esque sequences and other-worldly scenes that commence.
As with all True Detective series, while the story in Night Country is built around an unusual case, perhaps even a supernatural one, the real grit comes from the human relationships on screen. Danvers is almost immediately unlikeable, yet brilliant throughout. Good as she is, however, I wouldn't want the next series to feature the same characters – I'd much rather it honour the tried-and-tested standalone series approach.
How long we'll have to wait for the next season of True Detective is anyone's guess at this stage, however, the only confirmation is that López will be back at the helm in an HBO commission. I would anticipate that means Sky and NOW access for UK viewers, as this show isn't one for Netflix, Amazon Prime, or any other of the best streaming services competition. It feels like a fitting home – and the week-by-week rollout, rather than box-set binge-watch, makes it all the better too. If you've not seen Night Country yet, I strongly recommend giving it a go via NOW.
