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In 2012, Louisiana State Police Detectives Rust Cohle and Martin Hart are brought in to revisit a homicide case they worked in 1995. As the inquiry unfolds in present day through separate interrogations, the two former detectives narrate the story of their investigation, reopening unhealed wounds, and drawing into question their supposed solving of a bizarre ritualistic murder in 1995. The timelines braid and converge in 2012 as each man is pulled back into a world they believe they'd left behind. In learning about each other and their killer, it becomes clear that darkness lives on both sides of the law.
On the surface, HBO's new series may seem like a run-of-the-mill (if admittedly exciting) entry in line with what we've come to expect from quality dramas in this modern age. Like Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright in "House Of Cards", "True Detective" is headlined by two movie stars: Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. Like "American Horror Story", it's an anthology show with a whole new plot, setting and characters every year (although unlike AHS, "Detective" won't be keeping any of the same actors, either). Like countless dramas before it, the show employs a murder mystery, a gritty atmosphere, challenging subject matter, and a fractured timeline to tell its story. And it does all of these things very well. Harrelson and McConaughey are both at the top of their game. The limited-run storyline promises answers and a satisfying conclusion. The mystery is disturbing. The camerawork is gorgeous. The material is thought-provoking. And the jumping between timelines is a terrific way to both keep an audience engaged and slowly unravel an intricate plot. But none of these things is what's most impressive about the show.
What makes "True Detective" so unique is happening behind the scenes. Since its inception, television has always been a collaborate art form. Seasons and episodes are crafted inside a writers' room, usually with the guidance of a showrunner, but ultimately as a group effort. Unlike movies, the director is often the least important person in the room, with a different person stepping in to direct each episode and executing the material under the guidance of the showrunner. "True Detective" eschews all that tradition in favor of a more feature-film-like model.
All eight episodes of "Detective" were written by one man: Nic Pizzolatto. The southern noir novelist (who also worked on AMC's equally moody "The Killing") spent three months singlehandedly crafting the 500-page script for the first season, giving himself unfettered creative control over the story. Not only that, but all eight episodes of "Detective" were also directed by one man: Cary Fukunaga (of the most recent "Jane Eyre" with Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska). This two-man creative team is unprecedented in the world of television. It gives the show a consistency in tone that in essence renders "True Detective" an eight-hour-long movie rather than a TV show. Pizzolatto has admitted that, as the show enters a second season, it will likely be impossible for him to continue crafting the show on his own under the demands of a production schedule. But even if the show adds a writers' room next year, he is still likely to retain a large amount of control over the creative process.
HBO hasn't released ratings for the premiere yet, but based on universally warm critical reviews and word-of-mouth buzz, "Detective" is almost guaranteed to be a hit. If it is, you can anticipate more shows being made in this format. With FOX President Kevin Reilly's announcement today that his network would be abandoning the standard "pilot season" practice, it seems as though television is about to enter a new era, finally shedding the constraints of tradition and finding creative ways to compete with more flexible and increasingly popular options like Netflix. This increased flexibility in the TV production process should attract higher-caliber people to the art form and result in higher-quality shows across the board.
We are standing on the precipice of a giant change in the way we make and consume television, and it's encouraging to see a show as good as "True Detective" prove that change can not only be good, it can be exhilarating.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roiKrE5KLbk[/youtube]
