It’s difficult to think about a season-to-season letdown in the same vein as what most fans experienced between the first and second season of HBO’sTrue Detective. Sure, some people didn’t likeFargo’s second season as much as its first, but on the whole, everyone seemed to be on board for whatNoah Hawleywas doing. The same might be said ofHannibal,Orange is the New Black, or evenDaredevil, but all of those were continuing a larger narrative rather than exploring new vistas.True Detectivecame into Season 2 with immense creative control and the product suggested a severely dumbed-down variation on theChinatownnarrative at best and an ode to an outdated, woefully self-serious type of masculinity at worst.
The failure of the second season to grip viewers was made all the more infuriating in that creatorNic Pizzolattoand his creative team wasted a great cast, includingColin Farrell,Rachel McAdams, andVince Vaughn, on this tripe. For what it’s worth, however, Pizzolatto and HBO seemed to come back with some welcome fresh blood when Season 3 of the anthology series was announced, beginning with the addition ofDavid Milch, one of the lead creatives on HBO’sDeadwood. And now comes word viaThe Tracking BoardthatMahershala Aliis in final talks to join the new season, presumably in the lead role of whatever detective Pizzolatto and Milch dream up. Word as of yesterday was that Ali had not officially signed on but that he was very close to a deal with the network.
This would be an immense get for HBO. Ali is the kind of actor whose very presence renders a movie immediately more watchable and engaging. When he’s in great movies, such asMoonlight,Hidden Figures, orThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button, he matches the sublime pitch of his directors, writers, and co-stars. When he’s in mediocrities, such asFree State of Jones,The Place Beyond the Pines, andKicks, he elevates his scenes and brings out the best in his colleagues, even for just a few minutes. And on TV, he’s been a welcome, galvanizing addition toLuke Cage,House of Cards, and HBO’s exquisiteTreme. In other words, Ali’s presence inTrue Detectivewould be a coup for HBO and the show’s creative team, even if the series proves to be unsalvageable in the aftermath of a uniquely insufferable second season.
