by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
There are a few issues that have hampered audiences’ ability to enjoy modern television. First, the wait between seasons keeps getting longer and longer since studios have so many projects in the air due to the streaming boom. Because of this, it puts much more pressure on shows in a climate where streaming data is scarce and leashes continue to shrink. Second, due to the unknown of getting more than one season, shows front load their earlier seasons, causing an expectation that is almost impossible to achieve. Finally, shows are sometimes unable to take risks due to audience backlash. In the age of the internet, women creatives in particular become the unfair target of cruel and unfair criticism.
True Detective: Night Country suffers from all of these in some way.
It’s been five years since Season Three of True Detective. Season One has been the gold standard for the show since its premiere, which has led to unreasonable expectations, with later seasons paying the price. Season Four is set during Alaska’s long night, where two detectives, Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis), who are also former partners, are investigating the disappearance of a group of research lab scientists with a connection to a cold case involving an Iñupiat woman from the town of Ennis.
Foster continues to prove why she’s one of Hollywood’s best performers. As the Chief of Police, Danvers has to walk a fine line between maintaining the laws and preserving order in a town that has plunged into chaos. Ironically, Danvers also has a dark side, where she bends the law from time to time. Her family life is a bit of a mess as well, balancing both the responsibilities of being a parent and being a figurehead of Ennis. This is a return to form for Foster that harkens back to her Clarice Sterling days, but she also feels like a more jaded version of that character. As a solo performer, Foster struggles at times to garner empathy. When she partners with Navarro, we see a caring and more nurturing side of Danvers that helps the us root for her.
Although Foster is amazing, Reis is the real star of Night Country. Coming back to her old precinct, Navarro carries the emotional storylines, and is a true symbol of representation for Ennis. She’s also a window into what Liz was like before some deeply troubling events that happened while they were partners. Unlike Liz, Evangeline has a tougher task balancing the pull of her Iñupiat culture and the rule of law. Reis knocks this performance out of the park and deserves all the praise coming her way.
Iñupiat and Indigenous culture in Alaska are prominently featured in the series. Two aspects of this culture are well represented and are important to the story. The first is how their land was taken from them and exploited for corporate gains. A major storyline revolves around a mining company and the damage it does to the community and citizens. We see numerous protests and also how the Iñupiat community protects one another. Second, Iñupiat women are shown as overlooked. Some subplots revolve around addressing issues of mental health and the toll it takes on Iñupiat women. Several moments focus on why mental health issues feel a bit like a curse and we see the toll it takes on a few different women in the community. Good for the showrunners to showcase this representation.
From a technical perspective, True Detective: Night Country is incredible. Billie Eilish created an amazing theme which feels both creepy and energizing. In fact, the music the entire season is really strong. As well, since the story is told almost entirely during the night, the lighting becomes critical to ensure we can properly see everything. It is outstanding, and feels organic and necessary. This also isn’t to say the behind-the-scenes crew didn’t use shadows and the natural light coming from moonlight and snow together. All of Alaska is beautifully portrayed, which makes for stunning cinematography. Between the long shots of the snowy landscape, the claustrophobic feeling when it’s snowing, and the use of the night sky, True Detective: Night Country might be the best-shot version of the anthology series.
However, the season lost me in a few areas. With only six episodes, that isn’t a lot of time to solve the primary (and secondary) mysteries. Because of this, there are a few storylines that felt a little too jammed in, and don’t bring a whole lot to the table. Danvers has an incident involving one of her children that doesn’t get fleshed out enough to warrant its inclusion. It made me wonder if it was included for the audience to have more empathy for Danvers. She also has a ton of family drama that takes up a large chunk of the season. This drama is unnecessary at times, and takes away from the investigation of the actual cases.
Beyond story issues, this season strays too far from the grounded feeling of Season One. I understand the aesthetic choice, because it helps show the audience how much of a burden something can become. The issue I ultimately have with “supernatural” elements coming, though, is that it creeps too much into the investigation, and a small part of you thinks that the supernatural could be responsible for the disappearance of all these residences.
True Detective: Night Country splits the difference between the amazing heights of Season One and the issues that plagued Seasons Two and Three. I love the representation of the Iñupiat community and women as a whole, and the show uses the Alaskan landscape is stunning. The story has too many unanswered questions in the end, though, and loses sight of the bigger mystery, instead of focusing on the actual investigation. That being said, Night Country is a step in the right direction to have True Detective return to prominence.
Rating: Liked It
True Detective Night Country is currently streaming on Max
You can read more from Mike Hilty, and follow him on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Serializd