What more is there to say about the cultural phenomenon that was True Detective's first season? The subject of countless articles written when the series was in the midst of its run, dissecting every aspect of the scripts and performances, and countless more column inches when the dust had settled on the finale. Social media went crazy after every episode, with fans theorizing about everything from the true nature of Matthew McConaughey's eloquent nihilist Rust Cohle to the identity of the Yellow King; from the meaning of Carcosa to just what the hell Woody Harrelson was actually saying through that sometimes impenetrable drawl. The fact that True Detective made such a breakthrough into the mainstream is an impressive feat considering the somewhat art-house leanings of the show. Produced by HBO, on the surface it was a story about two Louisiana State detectives hunting a serial killer, but it merely used that somewhat generic description as a launching pad for much meatier, esoteric material. Created by novelist Nic Pizzolatto, the series takes a very literary approach, with the story being told at a leisurely pace through rich, provocative dialogue and a sense of mounting dread that permeates nearly every scene. True Detective was decidedly non-commercial, eschewing the traditional approach at every turn and yet it burrowed its way deep into the recesses of viewers brains with surgical skill. There's no doubt that the casting of McConaughey and Harrelson, two highly successful film actors, brought more curious eyes to the show but that wouldn't have counted for much in the long run had it not been so stunningly written and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. Will season two, starring Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAdams, scale the lofty heights of season one? Only time will tell.
