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True Detective (Season 1 Review)

Over the past two decades, HBO has become a gold standard in original TV programing. With such shows as The Sopranos, Sex in the City, and Game of Thrones, HBO has accumulated quite a line-up of award winning TV shows. This year the cable network hopes they have one more with the crime noir show, True Detective.

Set against the backdrop of the Louisiana bayou, True Detective follows State Police detectives Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey Ghosts of Girlfriends Past) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson Now You See Me) as they try to solve a brutal murder. The detectives so realize that there is more to this strange killing than they bargained for professionally and personally.

The first ‘season’ (The show is being marketed as an anthology like American Horror Story on FX) of True Detective consists of only 8 episodes, so the show doesn’t waste any time getting right to the story. The story of the season is told mainly through flashbacks as the two detectives recall the events of the investigation of 1995. In my personal opinion I think this was the best first season of any show I have watched. I think that because of the length of season, the show quickly gets to the point of the story and shows us, the audience, that every minute is very important to the progression of the storyline.

The acting in this season was incredible. McConaughey pulls out all the stops with his performance of Cohle. It reminded me of his earlier performance in Frailty (highly recommended). The way McConaughey gives the audience glimpses at the layers hidden in Cohle is amazing. If you look into Cohles eyes, you know something isn’t quite right. Harrelson does an equally great job with detective Marty Hart. A man that can’t seem to find his identity, Harrelson conveys Hart’s internal second guessing of himself, especially when it comes to his partnership with Cohle. I think the underrated performance this season comes from Michelle Monaghan (Mission: Impossible III) as Hart’s wife Maggie. Housewife turned ‘fighter’, Monaghan’s Maggie could have been a character easily forgotten, but Monaghan give her an inner strength most women would love to have.

Since this season’s episodes are directed by one person, Cary Fukunaga (Sin Nombre), I would like to comment a little. Fukunaga gives this season a gritty tone and somber feeling. Think this came from the locale that the story takes place. Mostly shot in rural areas along the bayou, Fukunaga tries to show the dirty underside of Louisiana. His use of colors like browns and greys, help the tone of the story as well.

Playing like an eight hour movie, True Detective was one of the best, if not THE best, show of 2014. The stellar performances of its lead actors just left the audience wanting more after each passing episode. Here is to hoping the second season is just as intriguing.

The Verdict: Very Much Worth Your Time.