Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

True Detective: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie Review

"And He will make straight your paths..."

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown June 5, 2014

American television is evolving, aggressively abandoning the 20-episode season in favor of shorter, character-driven, story-concentrated seasons heavy on substance and light on filler. Episodic series are being supplanted by leaner shows, miniseries, event television, and anthologies that are less and less inclined to fall in line with what was once the big network status quo. AMC, FX, Netflix, Showtime and HBO continue to explore new ground and forge new paths, promising and, more importantly, delivering masterful series as engrossing as they are unconventional. No longer do A-list actors shy away from small screen productions. No longer do Oscar-winning filmmakers scoff at networks vying for their involvement. TV is becoming as influential and integral in the cinematic landscape as cinema itself, a development few thought possible fifteen years ago, even as The Sopranos and others like it began fundamentally altering the rules of the game. It's an exciting time to turn on the television. It's an era unlike any other. And networks like HBO are just getting warmed up.

No one quite knows what form True Detective is going to eventually take, save perhaps creator Nic Pizzolatto, and even that may not be the case. Described as everything from a "loosely connected anthology series" to an "open-ended ongoing series" to... whatever might accommodate Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson's schedules should they be invited back or choose to appear in future seasons, True Detective is a bit of an anomaly with a clouded future. (Note the Blu-ray edition's cover art doesn't feature any mention of "Season One" or "The Complete First Season.") But even if, God forbid, a second season never materializes, underwhelms or completely distances itself from the first, the series' opening 8-episode volley will remain one of the most meticulously crafted, deftly penned, remarkably performed, wholly absorbing, eerily unsettling television crime dramas in recent memory. Perfectly self-contained and satisfying as a miniseries yet ripe for expansion in any number of directions, the slowburn Deep South thriller stands among HBO's greatest and the genre's finest, and will no doubt be a fixture at the Emmys and Golden Globes. It's not TV. It's not HBO. It's a different beast entirely.

Life is pain. Death is emptiness. Nothing is ahlright, ahlright, ahlriiight...

In 2012, Louisiana State Police Detectives Rust Cohle (McConaughey) and Martin Hart (Harrelson) are brought in to revisit a brutal homicide case the former partners worked in 1995. As the inquiry unfolds in present day through separate interviews, the two ex-detectives recount the story of their investigation, reopening unhealed wounds and drawing into question their supposed solving of a bizarre ritualistic murder in 1995. The timelines slowly braid and converge in 2012 as each man is pulled back into a world they believed they'd left behind. In learning about each other and their killer, it becomes clear that darkness lives on both sides of the law.

True Detective is a complex, slow-build dual-character study from start to startling finish. Cohle and Hart aren't just from different sides of the tracks, they're from completely different walks of life, clashing over ethics, experience, faith, reason, philosophy, morality, action, reaction and really any conviction or tradition the nihilistic, at-times ruthless Cohle decides to dissect. Where one man retreats, the other pounces. Where one relents, the other presses the advantage. When one grows convinced, the other grows skeptical. When one seethes with anger, the other exudes calm. And it all functions as an organic extension of internal logic and reality; never beholden to the screenwriter's keys or turn of phrase. Pizzolatto doesn't favor or rally behind either detective either, casting a stark light on the glaring flaws and deep-seated hypocrisy of Hart's principles and dogma and the despair and pretention of Cohle's pessimism and fatalistic delusions of intellectual grandeur. Pizzolatto hasn't created mouthpieces for his own thoughts or judgments, he's developed living, breathing, bleeding Louisiana detectives as noble and confident as they are reprehensible and conflicted. Both Cohle and Hart serve the story and the story alone, despite the fact that it's all so cleverly conceived and intricately mapped that it's difficult to tell where Pizzolatto's scripts end and the heart and truth of the show's pulp fiction begins.

The cast is outstanding, with no role too small or too thin to call Pizzolatto's grasp of narrative or ensemble into question. Obviously, not every cop, creep or victim is explored as intimately as Cohle or Hart, but there's a feverish intention and purpose behind every side character and twist of the plot, regardless of whether a biker, criminal, witness or key player is unforgettably colorful, casually memorable or easily overlooked. And while "powerhouse" may be an overused word in critical circles, few other words are so fitting when labeling McConaughey and Harrelson's absolutely stunning, sometimes jaw-dropping performances. I'll save you the long-n-hyperbolic version and simply say the two are at the top of their game, essentially tackling two roles apiece -- Cohle and Hart circa 1995 and 2012 -- both of which are so divergent and initially disparate that it only highlights the nuance and skill McConaughey and Harrelson brought to the table. The supporting cast is stronger for it too. Yes, Michelle Monaghan's Maggie Hart has been criticized by some as being undeveloped and underutilized, but I contend the exact opposite to be true. She's used sparingly, sure. Yet she stands as a crucial linchpin in Cohle and Hart's relationship, from its weakening to its unraveling to its eventual repair. (Credit goes to Pizzolatto and Monaghan, whose performance is excellent.) It's also important to note that the story is being told from the detectives' perspectives, a move that ingeniously minimizes Maggie's contributions as actively as her husband and his partner do.

Pizzolatto's unshakeable marriage of story, character and performance is only intensified by his command of atmosphere, music and cinematography. Director of photography Adam Arkapaw and composer T Bone Burnett provide the distressingly beautiful fabric of a frayed, unstable Louisiana at the crossroads of sweat-stained spirituality and encroaching hopelessness. The sun-struck expanses and buzzing harmonies of True Detective's South are also home to a dark, disturbing underbelly; one that draws upon the works of Robert W. Chambers, H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King and Thomas Ligotti. At any point in Pizzolatto's mystery, an ancient, indescribable beast could have risen from the depths of some subterranean ruin and the series wouldn't have faltered for a second. In fact, while Pizzolatto maintains that True Detective's supernatural overtones are just that -- overtones -- the show could be watched in two wildly different ways: as a subtly terrifying, expertly constructed supernatural horror tale by genre aficionados or as a pointedly realistic, down to Earth procedural by more pragmatic viewers. I chose the former and loved every minute of it, especially during the eighth episode when -- mild spoiler alert -- Cohle and Hart finally track down the series' monstrous, frighteningly inhuman killer. Were I to strip the final episode of what I viewed as distinctly literal supernatural elements, I don't think I would have bought into the show's revelations and endgame quite so emphatically.

Still, no matter the approach, True Detective stands apart as a fully realized crime drama that excels in every regard, from McConaughey and Harrelson's performances, to Pizzolatto's vision and execution, to the sights and sounds of the series and beyond. The second incarnation of the show has yet to be detailed, but even with a new cast, setting and story, Pizzolatto and his team have shown themselves capable of greatness. Where True Detective goes from here is anyone's guess but you can guarantee millions of fans will be anxiously awaiting its return.

True Detective: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

True Detective boasts a striking, perhaps even perfect 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation that's utterly faithful to Pizzolatto and cinematographer Adam Arkapaw's every intention. Color, contrast and saturation are exceptionally well-delivered, with warm, lifelike hues, gorgeous skintones and deep, sinister shadows. Detail is natural and unhindered as well. Edges are cleanly defined and free of ringing and other anomalies, textures are beautifully resolved, grain is intact and the only softness present is of the optical variety. Better still, the series' eight episodes are spread comfortably across three BD-50 discs, without any macroblocking, banding, crush, aliasing or other distractions or eyesores to be found. This is yet another wonderfully proficient HBO video presentation that left me completely and unabashedly satisfied. I walked away without a single complaint.

True Detective: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Equally impressive is HBO's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, which masterfully captures the immersive qualities of the series' open fields, cramped interrogation rooms, crowded church tents, dilapidated shacks, dusty hotel rooms and ritualistic cathedrals without fault or exception. Dialogue is intelligible, convincingly grounded and perfectly prioritized at all times, and T Bone Burnett's score is as balanced and eerily effective as it was meant to be. Dynamics are excellent too, LFE output is assertive and strong, and rear speaker activity is engaging and enveloping from beginning to end, no matter the locale or location. Insect choruses drone, summer winds rise, unsettling silence presses in, gunshots ring out, screams erupt and the investigation continues on, through the quiet and chaos. True Detective sounds as good as it looks, making for yet another HBO AV presentation worthy of top marks.

True Detective: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentaries: Although True Detective is an eight-episode event, only two audio commentaries are available: "Who Goes There" (Episode 4) with series creator/executive producer/writer Nic Pizzolatto and composer T Bone Burnett, and "The Secret Fate of All Life" (Episode 5) with Pizzolatto, Burnett and executive producer Scott Stephens. The fact that six episodes go without a track will be terribly disappointing to those itching for every last insight into the series, but the showmakers cover a lot of ground in two-plus hours, despite allowing too many stretches of silence to creep in.
• Making True Detective (HD, 15 minutes): The only downside to this surprisingly extensive production overview is its relatively short runtime. Otherwise, it's essential supplemental viewing. Chapters include "The Story," "Cohle and Hart," "Script to Screen," "7 Minutes of Hell," "Louisiana," "The Look," "Creating a Crime Scene" and "Hand of the Killer."
• Up Close with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson (HD, 8 minutes): McConaughey and Harrelson chat about their characters as explored and revealed over the course of three crucial sequences, then reflect on their experience working on the series. Segments include "The Dinner Scene," "The Fight Scene," "The Bar Scene" and "Fatigue."
• A Conversation with Nic Pizzolatto and T Bone Burnett (HD, 14 minutes): There's some overlap between Pizzolatto and Burnett's "Conversation" and commentaries, but the benefit here is editing. The conversation is more engaging and informative, or perhaps just more focused. Either way, it's definitely worth watching.
• Inside the Episodes (HD, 36 minutes): Each episode of True Detective's first season includes a four to five-minute behind-the-scenes featurette in which Pizzolatto and key members of the cast and crew discuss everything from that episode's title to its place in the overarching storylines to challenges encountered during production.
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 10 minutes): Two lengthy but inconsequential deleted scenes -- the first from "The Locked Room" (Episode 3), the second from "Form and Void" (Episode 8) -- round out the package.

True Detective: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's a method to every move of Pizzolatto's madness and True Detective reaps the rewards. With magnificent writing, performances, atmosphere, cinematography, music and vision, the anthology series' first eight episodes offer a hypnotic, unmistakably refined crime drama sure to win numerous awards, inspire even further critical acclaim and build an audience worthy of HBO's best... something the Blu-ray edition will only help, thanks to a top tier AV presentation primed to impress at every turn. The 3-disc set is a bit light on supplemental excellence, but it's a decent start and the only less-than-terrific aspect of the release. This isn't just a must-see, it's a must-own. Don't hesitate or delay.