True Detective Season 3: What Does The Ending Really Mean?

by James Hunt

1. Was It A Letdown?

True Detective Season 3
HBO

As mentioned, the finale to True Detective has proved divisive among viewers, with some fans and critics both finding it a disappointment given the grander conspiracy theories that had been hinted at, including those Season 1 connections.

It's an understandable feeling if that's what you were expecting, and to each their own, but this finale fits perfectly with what's come before. Not only does it echo the Season 1 finale - which again, some found disappointing - but it not only wraps up most of the season-long mysteries, but it resolves the character arcs in a way that fits with the bigger themes of the season. It's an intimate, emotional conclusion to a journey that was often the same, especially through the eyes of the older Hays. It gives enough answers to be satisfying, without being too neat, and makes for a powerful end to Hays' story.

What did you think of True Detective's ending? Let us know down in the comments.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.