True Detective is one of the best drama series ever, but it’s not exactly in a hurry when it comes to getting new seasons out. It’s been almost a decade since Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson first brought the concept to our screens. There was an agonising four year gap between seasons two and three. And now, four years after season three, we’re still waiting for a True Detective season four release date.
The fourth season stars Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, and is set in Alaska (but was filmed in Iceland). Barry Jenkins is executive producing, with horror movie director Issa Lopez writing the pilot episode and directing. It follows detectives Liz Danvers (Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Reis) as they investigate the disappearance of six men from a research station. Members of the supporting cast include Doctor Who‘s Christopher Eccleston, John Hawkes, and Fiona Shaw.
Now, after a long, long wait, we finally have our first look at the new season and a hint that it may be coming soon. The True Detective Twitter account has posted a photo of Foster and Reis; “Meet your new True Detectives. The darkness of the Arctic falls heavy upon Night Country. The new season of the HBO Original True Detective, starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, is coming soon.”
The first season of True Detective starring McConaughey and Harrelson was highly acclaimed. The second season starring Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, and Rachel McAdams had a more mixed reception. The third season starred Mahershala Ali and had better reviews than the second, but far less viewers than the previous two seasons.
True Detective has been known for using brilliant directors over its four seasons – with the first being Cary Joji Fukunaga, then Justin Lin, then Jeremy Saulnier (known for cult horror movie Green Room). Mexican director Issa Lopez’s horror movie Tigers Are Not Afraid was highly regarded, leading to excitement for the fourth season.
While we wait for an exact release date, check out our guide to the best TV series.