HBO's The Night Of: 8 Reasons It's The New True Detective

3. Its Stellar Cast, With Characters Who Aren't Just Stereotypes

Although James Gandolfini sadly didn't get to take on the part of Jack Stone, John Turturro does a wonderful job with the character and makes it his own. He's a run-down, rumpled lawyer, but also an excellent one, and carries himself with a sense of dignity and pride; he's full of quirks, but comes off as endearing, and serves as the anchor for the show.

Elsewhere, the cast is populated with a great number of character actors, many of whom are recognisable from other heavyweight HBO dramas. Bill Camp (Boardwalk Empire, The Leftovers) plays the infuriating Detective Box; Jeannie Berlin (The Heartbreak Kid) as the world's weariest DA; and Michael Kenneth Williams (The Wire, Boardwalk Empire) as a prison kingpin.

There's a lot of talent here, but crucially they all feel like real people, with depth and purpose that means they aren't just stereotypical figures in those roles, but proper characters who each have a story that would probably be worth exploring.

True Detective was more known for its A-list talent, putting the focus on those in the lead roles, but it definitely had plenty of talent in its supporting cast too, such as The Wire's Michael Potts, and Veep's Kevin Dunn.