True Detective Scores Season 5 Renewal; Night Country Showrunner Returning

True Detective is set to return for a fifth season, with Issa López at the helm once again following the huge success of Night Country. Under a new deal with the network, López delivered the most successful season of the anthology series since its debut a decade ago. Garnering an impressive 12.7 million cross-platform viewers, with the season finale alone attracting 3.2 million viewers across HBO and Max, the series saw a significant 57% increase in viewership from its premiere in January, something that is rarely seen on network shows.

López expressed her enthusiasm for the project, highlighting the collaborative journey with HBO and the opportunity to embark on a new chapter of True Detective. As per Variety, the director said:

With such a huge reaction, it is probably not surprising that HBO want to see López continuing her journey in the franchise. Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO drama series and films said:

“Issa López is that one-of-a-kind, rare talent that speaks directly to HBO’s creative spirit. She helmed True Detective: Night Country from start to finish, never once faltering from her own commendable vision, and inspiring us with her resilience both on the page and behind the camera. Alongside Jodie and Kali’s impeccable performances, she’s made this installation of the franchise a massive success, we are so lucky to have her as part of our family.”

True Detective: Night Country Was Not Without Criticism

Night Country delved into the eerie disappearance of eight men at a remote Arctic research station in Alaska, with detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) uncovering connections to a past case, leading them on a dark and unforeseen journey. The season boasted an impressive supporting cast, including Finn Bennett, Fiona Shaw, and Christopher Eccleston.

While fans were mostly in support of the new supernatural direction the show took, someone who was not so taken with the new vision of True Detective was series creator Nic Pizzolatto, who has made his feelings about the show very clear on social media. After throwing shade at the series, Pizzolatto found himself on the end of some heavy criticism, and as a result, was forced to share a post on his Instagram account asking for people to keep their opinions on his Night Country thoughts to one specific post and not attach them to other personal family-orientated posts on his account.

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True Detective: Night Country Showrunner Hits Back at Series Creator’s Criticism of Show’s New Direction

True Detective: Night Country’s showrunner Issa López has bluntly responded to creator Nic Pizzolatto’s criticism of show’s darker direction.

All in all, even with the disapproval of Pizzolatto, True Detective: Night Country has found a new, successful path that will no doubt become the blueprint for Season 5. Having said that, following the format of the show, it is unlikely that Foster and Reis will return, and we can probably expect another new stellar cast to be playing out the story.