“True Detective” has been off the air for two years, and whether or not there would ever be a third season was up in the air, since the second was seen as a massive drop in quality following the highly acclaimed first. But the ratings for season 2 were still high. Not “Game of Thrones” high, but still high numbers for premium cable network HBO.
So, HBO were always adamant that there would be a season 3 of “True Detective,” albeit leaving it up to visionary creator Nic Pizzolatto to make the call. Now, it’s been revealed that Pizzolatto has written the first two episodes (at least) of a new season of his anthology crime show.
HBO are taking steps to prevent another disappointment
The trouble with “True Detective” is that the Southern Gothic-inspired first season was a project Pizzolatto had been sitting on for years, nurturing and refining and making perfect like one of his novels, so it was a great season of Television because he had the time to make it great. But after its initial success, HBO had their foot on the gas for season 2, leaving Pizzolatto with no time to craft it to be the same standard as the first. The Lynchian noir-style season season felt rushed and hashed together and cartoonish with its dark-for-the-sake-of-dark approach, and that put a lot of viewers off. The problem is probably that Pizzolatto insisted on writing all the episodes himself, which is simply too hefty of a burden for one writer.
So, HBO are bringing in another writer to collaborate with Pizzolatto on “True Detective” season 3, and he’s got serious cred. It’s only David Milch, the Emmy-winning creator of “Deadwood.” Apparently Milch is not being eyed as the showrunner for season 3, so Pizzolatto will likely be able to remain in charge of the series, although no showrunner is yet officially in place for season 3.
There’s also still no greenlight from HBO on “True Detective” season 3, but it’s only a matter of time until it’s official (probably waiting for all the papers to be signed to get Milch onboard as Pizzolatto’s co-writer first), since the network’s programming head Casey Bloys says that “HBO are open to another season,” because “True Detective” is “a valuable franchise,” adding that “it’s not dead,” despite the poor reception of season 2 and two years of radio silence on the matter.
