‘True Detective: Night Country’ makes a departure from the anthology series with its supernatural undertone

Debashine Thangevelo|Published 11 months ago

Kali Reis and Jodi Foster in a scene from ‘True Detective: Night Country’. Picture: Supplied

“TRUE Detective” is one of my favourite anthology offerings.

I’ve been hooked on the franchise since season one, which was anchored by Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, who were looking into a serial killer with occult links. Their investigation ran over 17 years.

The second instalment, which was directed by Justin Lin, starred Colin Farrell as one of the detectives trying to take down a criminal-turned-businessman, played by Vince Vaughn, who is linked to a series of crimes and the murder of a corrupt politician.

The third season, which aired in 2019, featured Mahershala Ali, who is one of the Arkansas State Police detectives looking into the disappearance of two missing children.

Jodi Foster in a scene from ‘True Detective: Night Country’. Picture: Supplied

This brings us to the latest instalment, “True Detective: Night Country”, which is helmed by Jodie Foster as Chief Liz Danvers and Kali Reis as Trooper Evangeline Navarro.

As far as plots are concerned, this is a wild one in many ways.

It is set in the remote town of Ennis, Alaska, which can experience up to 67 days of night.

During this period, weird and spooky things are known to happen.

But Liz has her work cut out for her when eight scientists working at Tsalal Research Station are missing. Compounding the investigation is their finding of the tongue belonging to an Alaskan native in an unsolved case from six years earlier.

When one of the locals finds the researchers, naked and frozen in a solid mass, the case ends up disrupting everyone’s lives as they also juggle personal challenges.

Foster and Reis make a formidable team in the series. The subject matter is dark and unusual.

While the show, which homes in on politics, family, pollution, culture, mental health and the paranormal, enjoyed soaring ratings, it isn't as critically acclaimed as previous seasons.

That said, a fifth season is on the cards.

∎ “True Detective: Night Country” will be streaming on Showmax from Monday, April 22. It is also available on DStv Catch Up.