I took a long break from True Detective after the mess of a second season the show produces for its sophomore effort. I even figured that was quite possibly the final season we would see. I heard that season three was made, but went with a wait and see approach and honestly just forgot about it. I heard some hype for season four and felt it was proper to catch up before watching it (even if the seasons are not related). It is nice to be pleasantly surprised sometimes right?

I am foremost glad that the overly complicated web of unexplained connections as left behind in season two. Right off the bat, starting with detectives recalling a previous case mirrors the first season and feels compelling right away. The case does get complicated, with lots of interleaving narratives from the three different time periods, but it happens at a reasonable pace that does not feel overwhelming. Hays’ Alzheimer’s also complicates these narratives, but in way that is engaging and adds empathy. The opportunity to feel empathy feels welcome, as generally speaking, the characters are all morally complicated and while we are rooting for them, they are not classic pure good guys.

The eight episodes feel like just the right amount of time to spend on the case. Maybe the weakest part of the story is the final reveal of the whodunit, but I feel that it can be forgiven with the discovery that Julie is alive and well and how that scene plays out. There are a lot of great themes at play here around the cost of serving and the complicated places it leaves veterans in, outsiders in rural america, and the death of rural areas. I guess we can all just forget season two ever happened and be happy that there was a strong return to form here.