True Detective:Season 4
Season 4 of the True Detective anthology just concluded on MAX. It gets a “A” for ambition and effort. Jodie Foster, an icon, plays the lead- a hard nosed, smart, bitter and angry police officer. The setting is Alaska- foreboding, dark, unwelcoming and dangerous. Indigenous locals getting the short end of the stick. Creepy scientists, crooked corporations, corrupt cops, a steady diet of violent murders, a supernatural twist combine to create a juicy recipe for a scintillating mystery thriller. Alas NO! The production is poor. The writers and director team ultimately fails to deliver a coherent finished product. Disappointing.
True Detective has been erratic-perhaps now is the time to end the franchise. Season 1 was spectacular- I loved it. Nic Pizzolatto had a vision and executed it to perfection. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson were scary good and the supporting cast excelled as well. The ending was never obvious and the narrative was captivating throughout. It also left us with questions. Had all the villains been identified? Were there responsible darker forces still at large- a conspiracy only partially unmasked? No criticisms. Season 2 was uneven and suffered when compared directly to Season 1 which remained fresh in the audience’s mind. Colin Farrell was solid but Vince Vaughan was unconvincing as a demonic figure. I don’t remember much about Season 3. Meh! Perhaps I was afflicted with Covid related brain fog.
Season 4 is the weakest edition. It is mired in trivial and nonsensical subplots, characters who enter and then disappear without explanation, too may unanswered questions and an ending that was rushed and too neat by half. The solution to the shocking events of the first episode is a crazy and unbelievable scientific phenomenon. To paraphrase- “We needed to have the mine produce more pollution, therefore creating enough micro-organisms to soften the permafrost, unfortunately poisoning everyone in the vicinity in the short term but saving all mankind in the long term.” Really- I don’t think so! Challenge our imaginations but don’t insult our intelligence. Two key murders frame the plot. First, scientists murder an indigenous activist. Years later, indigenous women retaliate against the scientists. Two other murders with multiple victims- both committed by police officers who are the “good guys” in the story. The overall narrative is just too strange- a bridge to far- even for viewers with overdeveloped imaginations.
I temper my negativity with several positive observations. The last 2 episodes are a substantial improvement over the first 4 segments. Vague characters come into greater focus, key relationships are clarified and several quirky characters (Fiona Shaw as Rose) add dramatic value. There are two incredibly tense and spine tingling scenes, beneath the icy Alaskan tundra that succeed- you feel the eerie environment. Finally Jodie Foster is great. She remains a magical actress.
Finally, Alaska’s tour board should file a formal protest. No one who sees this program will be rushing to visit Alaska soon- or ever. The state has no redeeming qualities with the exception of mystical and moving green lights in the night sky. At one point, frustrated with the pacing of the program and confused by the unending plot twists, I thought of Tina Fey on SNL playing Sarah Palin in the 2008 campaign. Attempting to make the case for her foreign policy moxie, she states without shame- “I am from ALASKA- I can see Russia from my house.” I laughed to myself and that was the only emotion i could generate during this series. I have eliminated an Alaska cruise from my bucket list!
