Original 'True Detective' creator Nic Pizzolatto has stirred controversy by seemingly criticizing the show's fourth season, 'True Detective: Night Country,' which was the first season not created by Pizzolatto himself. The season was helmed by Issa López, who directed and co-wrote all six episodes. Despite being an executive producer on the show, Pizzolatto distanced himself from 'Night Country' during its airing and faced backlash for reposting negative critiques of the finale on his Instagram story.
Pizzolatto refrained from offering personal commentary on the 'True Detective: Night Country' finale and instead shared disparaging reactions from others who labeled the season as 'disrespectful and insulting' and a 'hot mess.' He reposted several fans who expressed outrage over the finale's perceived 'lazy, nonsensical' resolutions and claimed that López had 'butchered' his original writing, citing connections between 'Night Country' and the first season of 'True Detective.'
The backlash against Pizzolatto caught the attention of Kali Reis, who starred in 'Night Country' alongside Jodie Foster. Reis criticized Pizzolatto for amplifying negative reactions to the finale, expressing disappointment in his actions.
In since-deleted Instagram comments, Pizzolatto had initially criticized the ties between Season 4 and his first season as 'stupid' and distanced himself from the story, stating, 'I certainly did not have any input on this story or anything else. Can't blame me.'
López responded to Pizzolatto's criticisms by acknowledging his unique perspective as a storyteller and defending her reinvention of the series. She emphasized her love for the original work and invited viewers to join in the new storytelling approach of 'Night Country.'
'True Detective: Night Country' revolves around a murder mystery involving an Indigenous Alaskan woman. The season received praise from TV critics, with Variety's Alison Herman lauding it as a 'rewarding reboot' and 'a haunting murder mystery' that takes a fresh approach to the supernatural elements present in previous installments.
All episodes of 'True Detective: Night Country' are currently available for streaming on Max.
