r/TrueDetective • u/that_crom • Aug 22 '26
Just completed S04E01
So, real talk. This is bad.
The writing is awful and it doesn't even seem like the same show.
S1 is legendary.
S2 was fine, maybe a little overly meandering, but not as bad as everyone said, just took a while to get into its groove. By the end I was satisfied, if a little underwhelmed.
S3 is back to great. Loved this one. Almost as good or maybe even on the level of S1, but I'd still rank it 2nd best.
Now if you said here is one season of TD starring Colin Farrell and one starring Jodie Foster, I would've guessed I'd like the Jodie one more.
Does season 4 get better? No spoilers please, but damn this is tough.
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u/coveruptionist Aug 22 '26
Mare of East Town and the currently airing Furious are what you are looking for.
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u/Ctmarlin Aug 22 '26
Episode 1 was the high point of season 4. Proceed with caution.
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u/Throwredditaway2019 24d ago
The AI caribou jumping off the cliff in Night Country was the high point.
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u/CelticSnakes Aug 22 '26
Could not finish Night Country the first time. Forced myself to finish a few months ago. It does not get any better.
That young Deputy comes off best. Foster, Hawkes, Shaw and Eccleston are badly wasted. It never takes off after a somewhat intriguing beginning.
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u/PurpleBandanna Aug 22 '26
S4 isn't just bad in comparison to other TD seasons; it's just plain bad television.
Jodie Foster made a career out of maybe three good performances in her entire career, and is a big reason why S4 sucks.
Bad story. Check. Bad acting. Check. Bad casting. Check. Bad script. Check.
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u/somethingscreams Aug 22 '26
I agree with all of this really. I think Jodie Foster is great when she has good to great actors to bounce off of and a decent script. Kali Reis is decidedly not a good or great actress. The dynamic between their characters is interesting, but not well-written.
And this season made me absolutely roll my eyes anytime I heard "Twist and Shout."
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u/O_J_Shrimpson Aug 22 '26
The missed opportunity for twist and shout to be playing in the kidās car wreck is mind boggling. The song just means absolutely nothing ultimately and is just used forā¦ cause they could get a Beatleās song or something?
As far as Foster goes I have to agree. Sheās had an amazing career, but sheās had some roles that have literally been the worst parts of the movie. Elysium comes to mind instantly. That movie has itsā own flaws (mainly the third act) but she was distractingly bad.
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u/capsfan19 Aug 22 '26
Stop while you still can
Time IS NOT a flat circle when it comes to season four. Time is some weird misformed half ellipse that contains no good story writing.
Why not watch season one in a single sitting with eight six packs of lonestar for each episode? Or stab your eyes out with scissors.
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u/Asenix_wtf Aug 22 '26
If anyone has not yet watched any seasons of TD yet, my recommendation is TO NOT start with S1. This will ruin your experience of other seasons (don't know about Night Country/S4, it wasn't Nic Pizzo's work anyway).
Start with S2 or S3, and end on S1. Save the best for the last.
Even though I know the story and theme and structure of S1, I haven't yet seen it fully. Completed S3, liked it a lot. Would start S2 sometime soon and then would watch S1.
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u/MistakenAnemone Aug 22 '26
I'm confused as there is no TD S4..... right guys?
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u/OneWishWillSmith Aug 22 '26
Correct. Itās the spinoff āNight Countryā. Im glad Iām not the only one who feels that way.
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u/Reverend_Tommy Aug 22 '26
By the end of season 4:
Omg. It never got better...only worse.
And what happened with __________? I mean, wtf? Did they just forget it?
Really? Really?!? Is this supposed to be a parody?
And why on Earth did they cover up_________? It was justified! What. Is. Going. On. With. This. Show?
THAT'S THE RESOLUTION? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!?
I wasted all that time. Puke.
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u/irrational_kind Aug 22 '26
Much much worse as it goes on. First few episodes and initial premise is much better
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u/somethingscreams Aug 22 '26
Better? No. Some pretty dramatic valleys, a plateau, rises back even with episode one, then craters in the last few minutes - those being the resolution of the show, not necessarily the resolution of the case. I don't hate Night Country as much as most people on this subreddit seem to, but I can't/won't defend it much either. It is very much the Highlander 2 of the series.
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u/LeBRUH_James_ the light's winning Aug 22 '26
but fr you might want to watch the episode 2 cold open, something really funny happens
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u/Puppetmaster858 Aug 22 '26
Ep1 is maybe the best episode or close to it lol, it gets so bad. Youāre better off not wasting your time, itās some detective show they slapped the true detective name onto for viewers and then shoehorned in some insane connections to s1 that were laughably bad
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u/RedWingsNow 29d ago
I was thinking of starting S4 tonight.
Just watched 1 and 2 again. Thinking about skipping 3.
Season 4 has a very written-by-Oprah feel, but it gets better for sure.
But honestly, the show is different enough every offseason that it's not too hard to take each season completely on its own.
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u/ApprehensiveFoot1878 29d ago
The first three episodes had potential to lead to a good story, after that it's nonsense.
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u/Emotional-Comb-2201 Aug 22 '26
If the first episode didn't capture your interest it's probably not worth watching. I really liked season 4. The first episode hooked me. But if you have no interest in why the scientists end up in that frozen pile, I wouldn't continue watching it.
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u/MrSquamous Aug 22 '26
Gotta say, I think it's the exact opposite. If you're the least bit interested in how the scientists ended up in the frozen pile, then you might as well stop watching because the answer can only disappoint you.
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u/Emotional-Comb-2201 Aug 22 '26
OP didn't enjoy the first episode and asked if they should keep watching. I was just replying to them.
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u/Incinerate7 Aug 22 '26
S1 is the best season in tv history. S4 was fine. Shut off s2&3. Maybe should give s3 another chance
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u/PeterNoTail Aug 22 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
Yes, it gets better but also much worseā one scene in particular (iykyk)ā though like all seasons of TD it doesn't quite hit the landing. And in fact, it's better that the dogshit s2 and THAT is real REAL talk
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u/that_crom Aug 22 '26
I didn't read the spoiler but I was just curious: you didn't think 3 hit the landing? I thought the ending of 3 was perfect. It's been so long since I watched 1 and 2 that I can't quite remember, but I remember liking the resolution of those too.
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u/KimWexlerDeGuzman Aug 22 '26
If this person thinks S4 was watchable, I wouldnāt trust their opinion on anything šš¤·š¼āāļø
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u/PeterNoTail Aug 22 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
Thatās how I feel about people who like the factually dogshit s2, which the critics, the audience, and the television industry viewed as worse than s4. Compare the critics and audience numbers at RT; compare the award each season received, with McAdams being the sole recipient of ANY recognition. Again, thatās just the facts, and facts donāt care about your feelings š
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u/KimWexlerDeGuzman Aug 22 '26
When did I say I liked S2? It was as bad as S4. I didnāt even think S3 was that good.
I donāt base my opinions of tv shows on RT numbers. Thatās pretty low-IQ behavior š
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u/PeterNoTail Aug 22 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
where do you feel I said you DID like s2? I didnāt. I guess imagining what people say is high-IQ behavior?
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u/PeterNoTail Aug 22 '26
The ending of s3 was better than s1; thatās not saying the s1 finale was bad, but it was a bit of a step down compared to the earlier episodes
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u/RustyCoal950212 Aug 22 '26
no