True Detective: 10 Reasons Season 1 Can’t Be Topped

7. Rust's Philosophy

In essence, the diametrically opposed Hart and Cohle represent both the grounded, troubled circumstances that an obsession with earthly pleasures can bring as well as the cracked spiritual torture that can come about due to a strict perseverance in locating a balance of truth and justice. But if it is Hart€™s nonchalant acceptance of the world and society put in front of him that grounds us in a relatable scenario, then it is Cohle€™s ability to open up every existential can of worms at his disposal that makes us an audience want to question this world with him. His no-holds-barred attitude, combined with his outside-the-box school of thought, makes for a complicated and militant protagonist. For one, consider how Cohle's declaration that "time is a flat circle" is engrained in the show's structure. Its willingness to travel between different points in the investigation prove how it is in those moments that Cohle's philosophy is allowed to breathe and take prominence. It is here that not only the character, but the entire show, can be defined.