Television: True Detective Season One

HBO's first season of True Detective wrapped up tonight. Here's a few parting words about this truly amazing show

HBO has always had impeccable originality when it comes to their programming. But this year's introduction of True Detective was one of the best offerings since the first season of The Sopranos. As we look forward to the next season, we take a few minutes to give respect to the new show that's changing television as we know it.

The characters that True Detective introduced were brilliantly conceived and the story line was one that could easily go head to head with movies like Silence of the Lambs as one of the best thrillers of the last few decades. The plot was set up perfectly for a short 8 episode story arc while McConaughey and Harrelson served up performances worthy of any big screen treatment as they each brought something special to their relative roles. Yet, McConaughey remained a step ahead with his stand out portrayal as the gritty, obsessive, and often times mind bending, Rust Cohle.

True Detective is exactly how television should be done. This season was a short but tasteful presentation of how big Hollywood stars can make the jump to a cable show and make it classier than all the rest with believable characterizations, dramatic chops, and an altogether realism that is lacking in most of today's hottest shows. And (even better) the depth of story was equally as satisfying as all the twists and turns unraveled in all their grimy glory.

With this, we bid farewell to Rust Cohle and Marty Hart while we look forward to next year's totally new season of True Detective with new characters and a brand new mystery. If its half as good as season one, we're in for one bumpy ride.


-CG