Television True Detective: Night Country | Season 4 | FINALE SPOILERS

weetee

Full Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2021
Messages
3,760
Supports
no-one in particular
Binge watched S2 yesterday night :lol: Definitely not as bad as I remembered it only the last 1-2 ep were a bit all over the place.
 

Man of Leisure

Threatened by women who like sex.
Joined
Mar 14, 2014
Messages
13,931
Location
One Big Holiday
Seen the first 2 episodes... enjoying it so far. Getting a Twin Peaks/GoT (white walkers) vibe with a bit of Mare of Easttown sprinkled in.
 

Organic Potatoes

Full Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2013
Messages
17,166
Location
85R723R2+R6
Supports
Colorado Rapids
Well E4 was certainly a ride. I am always up for a hot…errrr…cold mess.

At least they nailed a music-centered scene, with Mazzy Star, this time.
 

GDaly95

Says he's one of the best posters
Joined
May 1, 2013
Messages
6,299
Location
Wicklow, Ireland
Just finished season 1 of True Detective. Outstanding.

Can anyone tell me how underwhelming season 2 will be in comparison, if its still worth watching?
 

Brwned

Have you ever been in love before?
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
50,848
Just finished season 1 of True Detective. Outstanding.

Can anyone tell me how underwhelming season 2 will be in comparison, if its still worth watching?
It was so bad I gave up midway through and picked up season 3 late because I was half-expecting it to be the same. It’s a lot better. I’d just skip season 2 altogether personally.
 

weetee

Full Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2021
Messages
3,760
Supports
no-one in particular
Just finished season 1 of True Detective. Outstanding.

Can anyone tell me how underwhelming season 2 will be in comparison, if its still worth watching?
Most hate it.

Imho, if you can mentally totally detach it from S1 and are a huge fan of (pulp) noir fiction around the LA area, it's entertaining. Photography is nice and quite different to S1, cast is good, plot is a bit of a convoluted mess at times. Not a fan of how it ultimately resolves the murder mystery but that's quite on the sideline anyway for almost the whole show and also takes just a minor part in the finale as the focus is someplace else.
 

GDaly95

Says he's one of the best posters
Joined
May 1, 2013
Messages
6,299
Location
Wicklow, Ireland
Most hate it.

Imho, if you can mentally totally detach it from S1 and are a huge fan of (pulp) noir fiction around the LA area, it's entertaining. Photography is nice and quite different to S1, cast is good, plot is a bit of a convoluted mess at times. Not a fan of how it ultimately resolves the murder mystery but that's quite on the sideline anyway for almost the whole show and also takes just a minor part in the finale as the focus is someplace else.
Cheers mate.
 

hobbers

Full Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2013
Messages
28,409
You cant go from S1 to any of the subsequent seasons without a huge break or you'll just hate them.

I'd say 3 is the most tolerable to follow because it's at least quite similar in tone, and who doesnt love 3 different ongoing timeskips. Also nowhere near as shit as s2.
 

Mike Smalling

Full Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
11,085
This show just made me feel bad for the abusive asshole that didn't get his mail-order bride delivery in time for Christmas.
 

Massive Spanner

Give Mason Mount a chance!
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
28,234
Location
Tool shed
This has quickly gotten really boring and daft now.

Navarro is a dreadful character and actor.

if you dropped the “True Detective” from the title and it wasn’t Jodie Foster in the leading roll this would be considered a very average show.
 

Mike Smalling

Full Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
11,085
This thing about a cop intentionally getting into a fistfight he/she can’t win in order to deal with som emotional problem is also practically a cliche by now. They used it in Season 3 as well, and before that it was in Breaking Bad.
 

Sanche7

Full Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2018
Messages
2,796
Really like the first episode and the whole endeless night backdrop, but the last two episodes have been a tough watch.
 

ha_rooney

Correctly predicted France to win World Cup 2018
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
38,845
Expected it to be a lot better than it is. A very boring & tedious watch so far.
 

Ish

Lights on for Luke
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
32,297
Location
Voted the best city in the world
Yeah, tough watch at the moment. Says it all that the only reason i will be watching till the end is because it's "only" 6 episodes long, so the end is near. If it was 10 episodes, I doubt i'd be continuing.
 

wr8_utd

:'(
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Messages
38,262
I know there's a lot of hate for the latest episodes but I'm still finding it fairly watchable even if it isn't top tier television.
 

Kaos

Full Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Messages
31,831
Location
Ginseng Strip
It's a decent watch tbh. Still no where near the quality of S1, but enough to keep me interested to tune in every week. Foster is pretty great in it, even if her character is highly unlikeable. The supporting actress is awful though.
 

Pogue Mahone

The caf's Camus.
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
134,073
Location
"like a man in silk pyjamas shooting pigeons
I’m only three and a half episodes in but I think this is pretty great. One of the better shows I’ve watched recently. Setting it in such a strange place at a time when it is permanently dark gives it a unique atmosphere and sense of place. All the acting is good (especially Foster) and there are a lot of genuinely creepy moments. The fecked up pile of frozen naked dudes makes for a hell of a centre piece! Genuinely don’t understand the hatred for the actor who plays Navarro. She’s not the most expressive person but isn’t that mainly the character she’s playing? She’s got plenty of charisma and is a former boxer (I read somewhere?) which gives her physicality and heft that works well for the role.

Anyhoo. This is decent. Recommended.
 

Salt Bailly

Auburn, not Ginger.
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
Messages
9,653
Location
Valinor
I’m only three and a half episodes in but I think this is pretty great. One of the better shows I’ve watched recently. Setting it in such a strange place at a time when it is permanently dark gives it a unique atmosphere and sense of place. All the acting is good (especially Foster) and there are a lot of genuinely creepy moments. The fecked up pile of frozen naked dudes makes for a hell of a centre piece! Genuinely don’t understand the hatred for the actor who plays Navarro. She’s not the most expressive person but isn’t that mainly the character she’s playing? She’s got plenty of charisma and is a former boxer (I read somewhere?) which gives her physicality and heft that works well for the role.

Anyhoo. This is decent. Recommended.
You're doing it wrong, it's either excellent or dog shit with no in-between ;)

The people calling it shit will no doubt be some of the first in here after the next episode leaving a comment. Hatewatching is real.
 

Mike Smalling

Full Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
11,085
I’m only three and a half episodes in but I think this is pretty great. One of the better shows I’ve watched recently. Setting it in such a strange place at a time when it is permanently dark gives it a unique atmosphere and sense of place. All the acting is good (especially Foster) and there are a lot of genuinely creepy moments. The fecked up pile of frozen naked dudes makes for a hell of a centre piece! Genuinely don’t understand the hatred for the actor who plays Navarro. She’s not the most expressive person but isn’t that mainly the character she’s playing? She’s got plenty of charisma and is a former boxer (I read somewhere?) which gives her physicality and heft that works well for the role.

Anyhoo. This is decent. Recommended.
People expect (or hope for) something great, because HBO has slapped the "True Detective" label on it, so they are disappointed when they get something average. This feels like a show I wouldn't have watched or maybe even heard about, if they had just called it something else.

So far, I think it's decent like you say - no more, no less. Episode 3 was a real slog, but the rest has been fine. I like the setting as well, but I don't really like how it is leaning into the supernatural. I can't really tell if it's supposed to be their minds playing tricks, because of the constant dark along with the mental illness of the sister character, or something actually supernatural.

Will be interesting to see how they wrap this up in just two episodes. Feels like there could easily be four or five left.
 

Massive Spanner

Give Mason Mount a chance!
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
28,234
Location
Tool shed
You're doing it wrong, it's either excellent or dog shit with no in-between ;)

The people calling it shit will no doubt be some of the first in here after the next episode leaving a comment. Hatewatching is real.
Well I'm not one of those as I really enjoyed the first episode and said it here, but it's gone quite downhill since.

I don't think it's "shit" but it's a far-cry from the first series. It also doesn't feel like a True Detective series which is the big problem. The tone, dialogue, especially music are all very different. It's honestly like they wanted to make this show and decided to slap the "True Detective" label on it for added viewership figures. The problem with that is that you'll inevitably get people pissed when it's nothing like it!

The production values are great (as expected for HBO) and the performances are generally good (Navarro aside who lacks charisma) so it's definitely watchable but it's not as good as I expected it to be, at all.
 

Pogue Mahone

The caf's Camus.
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
134,073
Location
"like a man in silk pyjamas shooting pigeons
People expect (or hope for) something great, because HBO has slapped the "True Detective" label on it, so they are disappointed when they get something average. This feels like a show I wouldn't have watched or maybe even heard about, if they had just called it something else.

So far, I think it's decent like you say - no more, no less. Episode 3 was a real slog, but the rest has been fine. I like the setting as well, but I don't really like how it is leaning into the supernatural. I can't really tell if it's supposed to be their minds playing tricks, because of the constant dark along with the mental illness of the sister character, or something actually supernatural.

Will be interesting to see how they wrap this up in just two episodes. Feels like there could easily be four or five left.
Why would you expect greatness after the last few seasons of True Detective, which weren’t great at all?

Admittedly I’ve only watched the first two seasons but would rate this as a lot better than s2 and I haven’t heard or read anyone raving about s3. And s1 had flaws too. The ending was awful. If this can pull of a great ending it will run it close.

I loved s1 but went into that with no great expectations. I think if this season had dropped back then, without all the baggage and expectations it would be a hell of a lot better received than it seems to be on here. It’s got a lot going for it. Dark and nasty and compelling. A level above a lot of similar shows. I’m enjoying it anyway.
 

Mike Smalling

Full Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
11,085
Why would you expect greatness after the last few seasons of True Detective, which weren’t great at all?

Admittedly I’ve only watched the first two seasons but would rate this as a lot better than s2 and I haven’t heard or read anyone raving about s3.
I was more hoping than expecting, to be fair. There was always this chance that it might return to Season 1 form, but in reality that was probably just lightning in a bottle - it's always going to be hard to match it.

I haven't watched Season 2, but I really enjoyed Season 3. It was coherent story that also wasn't so big or complicated that you couldn't follow along or try to guess the ending. It also just felt like an actual detective story, and I liked the different elements they worked in with the racial issues in the 1980 plotline, the memory loss later, the backdrop of the Vietnam war, etc. It even had a great set piece and some really creepy moments. I'd recommend it.
 

HookedOnAPhelan

Full Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2022
Messages
3,769
Location
Norway
Considering the creator, writer and showrunner of the first three seasons isn't involved this time it's no wonder it doesn't quite feel like True Detective.

I do think there's a lot to like about it, but I'm skeptical that they'll be able to nail the landing, both because of the supernatural element, and because there are only two episodes left, and there are a lot of loose ends.
 
Last edited:

Pogue Mahone

The caf's Camus.
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
134,073
Location
"like a man in silk pyjamas shooting pigeons
I was more hoping than expecting, to be fair. There was always this chance that it might return to Season 1 form, but in reality that was probably just lightning in a bottle - it's always going to be hard to match it.

I haven't watched Season 2, but I really enjoyed Season 3. It was coherent story that also wasn't so big or complicated that you couldn't follow along or try to guess the ending. It also just felt like an actual detective story, and I liked the different elements they worked in with the racial issues in the 1980 plotline, the memory loss later, the backdrop of the Vietnam war, etc. It even had a great set piece and some really creepy moments. I'd recommend it.
That’s interesting. I must check it out. Is this current season not as good as that one? (in your opinion)
 

Mike Smalling

Full Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Messages
11,085
That’s interesting. I must check it out. Is this current season not as good as that one? (in your opinion)
No, I personally think Season 3 was a step above this. I enjoyed the characters a lot more, and the story felt more grounded in a way.
 

Ish

Lights on for Luke
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
32,297
Location
Voted the best city in the world
Yeah think I'd agree here. It's still quite watchable and of decent quality. Guess the supernatural elements in a "True Detective" series has just disappointed me as it wasnt something i expected from the genre. But as a standalone (non-TD branded) series, it's quite decent still. Maybe i got carried away by my criticism.
 

girish

I too love women...for their shoes.
Joined
Jul 23, 2004
Messages
14,495
Location
Kerala,India
It's been garbage so far. I did give it a chance until 3rd episode. But that episode turned a lot of people off the series.

It's after that, I started seeing a lot of posts on the TD subreddit. Earlier posts and comments were mostly downvoated by the fanbois.
 

hobbers

Full Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2013
Messages
28,409
Fails as a mystery-horror, fails as a character driven show because they're all awful, and doesnt even get started as a detective show.

Shame because with better writers and a better director and a better co-lead actor to complement Jodie Foster, it might have been good.
 

Mr Anderson

Eats, shoots, leaves
Joined
Jul 6, 2009
Messages
24,299
Location
Ireland
Serious Fortitude vibes. If it turns out to be the dodgey water or a frozen insect defrosting and causing havoc I’ll just give up on True Detective forever.

its ok so far, but no the depth of say even season 3. This season is all half stories involving half characters that make the ‘mystery’. Making us ‘ask the question’.