True Detective: What Is The Value Of Season 4 With Jodie Foster?
Ten years after its HBO debut, the hit series True Detective returns for a chilling Season 4. The eagerly anticipated new season, titled Night Country, has fans wondering: How does this polar night investigation, led by actresses Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, measure up?
A much-anticipated season
If you've never heard of the phenomenon True Detective, you should know that it's not a conventional TV series, but rather a television anthology.
This project, launched in 2014 by American producer and screenwriter Nic Pizzolatto, consists of several distinct criminal investigations. Each season takes viewers to new settings and different eras. For instance, season 1 tells the story of tracking a serial killer in Louisiana in 1995, while season 2 is set in northern California and season 3 in Arkansas...
Season 4, unveiled in January 2024, takes us to an Arctic research station in the hostile and icy lands of Alaska, where it remains night continuously for several weeks in winter, hence the subtitle Night Country!
Fans had to wait a long time, as this brand-new season hit the screens five years after the previous one. Initially announced for 2023, it was delayed due to the actors' and writers' strike. But has the viewers' patience ultimately been rewarded? With huge expectations surrounding this new season, the outcome is inevitably mixed and fans are somewhat disappointed.
A recipe that always works
Even though True Detective changes settings and performers each season, the formula for these crime investigations has remained the same since Season 1: a pair of tormented cops conduct an investigation in an oppressive area, amid a climate of social misery tinged with mysticism and metaphysical questions.
More than just simple murder cases, these stories delve into collective violence and the existential demons that drive individuals to commit crimes.
In Season 4, the detective duo is for the first time exclusively female. Detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) are tasked with solving the disappearance of eight scientists from the Tsalal Arctic research station.
Lukewarm reviews
True Detective is a cult classic detective series. The brand new season 4 was subject to much speculation and high expectations from fans.
While critics have praised the quality of the direction and cinematography, both worthy of the silver screen, some were disappointed with the plot development, going so far as to describe the suspense as a "deflated soufflé."
The first episode in Alaska during the darkness of the polar night offers a sensational opening, with suspense tinged with mysticism and the supernatural. However, as season 4's six episodes unfold, this promise isn't fully kept.
From this new season, we'll remember the chilling beauty of the setting and the quality of the performances. Jodie Foster and Kali Reis take up the mantle after Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Colin Farrell, and Mahershala Ali. They form an impressive duo and portray two detectives grappling with a supernatural mystery against a backdrop of social and racial hardship.
To watch this HBO production in France, you need to subscribe to the Warner Pass, available at an additional cost on the Amazon Prime Video streaming platform.
