Sizzlin' Summer Streaming 24' - True Detective: Night Country - Season Four

True Detective is back! This time it's heading into the Night Country. The fourth instalment of True Detective, created by Nic Pizzolatto, landed mid-January on HBO, Binge in Australia. The season concluded whilst I was away, landing before the next two miniseries are set to air on HBO, The Regime and The Sympathizer.

Season four of the anthology crime series is set in the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska, and follows the investigation behind the disappearance of eight men from a research station. 

High profile lead, Jodie Foster joins Kali Reis as Detectives Liz Danvers and Evangeline Navarro. 

Night Country was created by Issa López, who serves as showrunner, writer, and director. It is the first season without the involvement of Pizzolatto; however, he is still credited as an executive producer. So was the new leadership, along with a series title an improvement on the second and third stories?

SPOILERS AHEAD! WARNING!

In episode six (the shortest of all True Detective seasons) Danvers and Navarro find a hidden underground lab where Annie was murdered, connected by tunnels to the Tsalal scientific facility. 

They capture missing scientist Raymond Clark, Annie's former lover. Clark confesses Annie discovered the facility's bogus pollution data and their world-changing secret research. All the other scientists took part in stabbing Annie but it was Clark who finally smothered her to death. 

He claims they didn't cut Annie's tongue, suggesting Deputy Hank did, but commits suicide before he can provide more evidence. 

Peter receives support from Kayla and disposes of Hank's body with Rose's help, who warns him of lingering grief. 

Danvers falls through ice into the ocean below, but Navarro saves her, each woman having a vision, Danvers of her long-lost son and Navarro of her dead mother. Danvers and Navarro find evidence linking a Tsalal cleaning lady and Indigenous women workers from the local crab factory to the researchers' attack. 

The women admit that they discovered the secret lab and avenged Annie by forcing the researchers out into the cold, believing Annie's spirit punished them. Danvers and Navarro close the case, citing natural causes for the researchers' deaths. 

Danvers leaks a video left to her by Navarro in which Clark has exposed the Silver Sky mine's pollution, leading to its closure. 

Danvers is questioned about Otis Heiss's murder, with Hank as the prime suspect. When they ask her about Navarro's whereabouts, Danvers claims she has no idea where she is. Before closing the case, Navarro had promised Danvers to return but the ending does not confirm if she returns as a spirit or in mortal form.

This was honestly a bit whack. I did lose interest after episode two. The first episode was interesting, I was excited about the new turn for the show, however it just got annoying as the season rolled on. HBO has however renewed the show for a fifth season recently. Which truly is no surprise. Apparently the series received powerhouse ratings in the USA across all HBO platforms.

So will there be a big break between seasons again? All we know is Issa López will return for her second crack at the True Detective series.

Honestly HBO is off to a strong start to 2024 with  The Regime starting next Monday followed by The Sympathizer, then likely the highly anticipated second season of House of Dragon. 2025 will see another Game of Thrones spin-off along with The White Lotus, The Last of Us and Euphoria apparently all returning. Now that is a strong ass lineup!