Originally written August 24, 2015

True Detective is one of HBO’s newest dramas, and the network has always had a pretty good reputation for delivering quality shows, including The Sopranos and The Wire. I gave True Detective a shot because most people ranked it among the best of the best (it’s even ranked as #11 on IMDB’s top TV shows of all time). Quite honestly I wouldn’t rank it among the best TV series of all time, so in that respect it’s a little overrated. However, I think it’s still an amazing show.

Basically, True Detective is an anthology show, so each season revolves around one set of characters, and then once the season is over, their story is over. Season 1 centers on two detectives in Louisiana, Rustin Cohle and Martin Hart, played by Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, respectively. Rust is the kind of guy that seems so other-worldly, not having the kind of personality you see in many people. He’s very detached from reality, going off on pseudo-intellectual rants most of the time, yet he’s a very smart detective who figures things out pretty quickly. Marty, on the other hand, is a man of questionable moral values, who is quick-tempered and struggles with personal demons that threaten to destroy his marriage.

The case that Rust and Marty are investigating is the murder of a prostitute, Dora Lange, who is found at a crime scene that has this huge cult vibe to it. This tone permeates throughout the entire season, with an almost supernatural horror element to it all. It gives off a neat vibe unlike most other police/detective procedural shows, with the interesting aspect of the case being the weird kind of elements that go into it.

Probably even more interesting than the case itself is how it’s presented though. The season takes places in two different main time periods (with one other time period being shown in two episodes). In 2012, Rust and Marty are being asked questions by two new detectives about the events of the investigation, which took place in 1995 and that we’re shown the process of. So the show actually takes place in 2012, but they’re recalling the events of 1995. The point of this is that after 17 years the case isn’t quite as closed as it seemed in 1995, with a new murder having happened in 2012 that has the same M.O., even though Rust and Marty had apparently caught the guy 17 years earlier. The way they utilize this time difference is actually really well executed, without spoiling anything.

However, it isn’t really the case or the setting or the tone that makes this show so universally loved (although all those things are great), it’s the two lead characters and the relationship that they have. Rust is the favorite, of course, with the highlight of the show being the long rants that he goes on. And of course this couldn’t be pulled off so well if it wasn’t for such a great, scene-stealing performance from Matthew McConaughey. However, that’s not meant to belittle the brilliance that Woody Harrelson injects into his performance of Marty. Woody is typically the kind of actor that I only know from comedies, but there were moments where Marty got angry on the show where I was actually downright intimidated and terrified of him. More than their interesting individual qualities, though, the greatness comes from seeing these two together, as they play off each other in such fun ways.

While everything about the season was pretty well done, seeing McConaughey and Harrelson as Rustin Cohle and Martin Hart is the main reason to watch this show. These two characters are so memorable that even though I don’t rank the series in general as one of the best shows ever, I will say that those two are some of the best characters I’ve seen on TV. The only thing I have against the show is that I felt it took a few episodes to get going, which is a bad thing since it’s only 8 episodes. It’s still interesting all the way through, but the first two or three episodes were a little slow-paced. Unlike other great series like Breaking Bad, I can’t actually recommend True Detective to anyone since I feel like it’s the kind of show that’s not necessarily for everyone, but still, if you’re into detective-type things and are looking for something a little different from the norm, True Detective is worth a watch.

4.5/5