True Detective: Season 3

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 239 Ratings

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6.8

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6.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 239 Ratings

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True Detective

Now Playing: True Detective

Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: January 13, 2019

Summary: Arkansas state police detectives Wayne Hays (Mahershala Ali) and Roland West (Stephen Dorff) seek to solve the mystery of a disturbing crime that took place years ago in the Ozarks.

Creator: Nic Pizzolatto

Genre(s): Drama, Action & Adventure, Suspense

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Season 3 Episodes

tbd
S3:E8. Now Am Found
Air Date: February 24, 2019
tbd
S3:E7. The Final Country
Air Date: February 17, 2019
tbd
S3:E6. Hunters in the Dark
Air Date: February 10, 2019

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Richard Roeper

Feb 1, 2019

The fiery and intense performances; Pizzolatto’s dense and rich writing; the finely calibrated directing from Jeremy Saulnier; the superb editing; the chilling and mournful music from the great T. Bone Burnett; the cinematography that changes hues to reflect the various time periods--all of these elements contribute to a slightly intoxicating case of Viewer Vertigo, as we try to maintain our balance while constantly being thrown OFF balance. ... This is addictive television. Read full review

Ellen Gray

Jan 10, 2019

[Mahershala Ali's] take on Hays enhances rather than overwhelms a story intriguing enough to justify the show’s 35-year timeline. Read full review

The Times Carol Midgley

Jan 7, 2020

This is often a one-man show for Ali, sometimes wearing prosthetics to make him old, grey and suffering from dementia, and he is terrific in all three timelines. Great performances too from the missing children's dysfunctional, barneying parents. ... It's not yet as good as series one but there are rich, tragic seams here. Read full review

IndieWire Ben Travers

Jan 2, 2019

The first five episodes are stirring entertainment, steadying a very rocky boat and teasing an end that feels far more likely to exceed expectations than spoil a strong setup. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Roger Ebert

Jan 9, 2019

[The third season] has much more in common structurally and tonally with the first season but still can’t quite compare with that year or the best of current television it so wishes to join. Read full review

Dave Nemetz

Jan 2, 2019

It’s safe to say that Season 3 improves on that mess [Vince Vaughn’s Season 2 performance], but it still registers as a mild disappointment, all things considered. Read full review

Troy Patterson

Jan 7, 2019

The new “True Detective” is faintly pretentious, manageably ridiculous, and dull. ... Throughout his terrific performance as this emotionally wounded warrior, Ali steams and simmers and smolders with repressed emotion. The display of heat is all the more remarkable because the script sheds little light on Hays’s inner self. Read full review

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User Score

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6.8

User Reviews

Cobweb

Jan 13, 2019

Just enough like season 1 to feel like a real follow-up, but the characters and the world are so distinct that it doesn't feel like an attempt to repeat past glory. It's so good to have it back. As everyone points out, it's not season 1, but it doesn't really have to be and it's unfair toJust enough like season 1 to feel like a real follow-up, but the characters and the world are so distinct that it doesn't feel like an attempt to repeat past glory. It's so good to have it back. As everyone points out, it's not season 1, but it doesn't really have to be and it's unfair to constantly compare the two. This is fantastic in its own right.… Expand

6 of 15 users found this helpful69

BeastJ18

Feb 19, 2019

Echoes the first season in narrative and setting, but it's very much its own brilliant and unique thing. Extraordinary cinematography, performances, direction, editing, mise en scène and all accompanying artistic attributes. The first season of True Detective is the greatest season ofEchoes the first season in narrative and setting, but it's very much its own brilliant and unique thing. Extraordinary cinematography, performances, direction, editing, mise en scène and all accompanying artistic attributes. The first season of True Detective is the greatest season of television ever, so while this third season isn't quite as good, it is still realms beyond most other shows and the return of a masterpiece, after the slightly disappointing second season.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

m15964

Mar 15, 2019

beyond any other fields through this season, any capture, sequence and dissolve that mentioned to discuss about "time" subject are all enough to enjoy from the whole season... and Mahershala Ali acting is so watchable. MUST SEE!

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

Voodoo123

Apr 5, 2019

+Superb cast
+Great soundscape
+Excellent cinematography +Fantastic makeup effects -Plot has vapid quality Considering the disaster of S2, with S3 the direction feels inspired with the cast delivering memorable standout performances that breathe life and texture into each frame+Superb cast
+Great soundscape
+Excellent cinematography
+Fantastic makeup effects
-Plot has vapid quality

Considering the disaster of S2, with S3 the direction feels inspired with the cast delivering memorable standout performances that breathe life and texture into each frame (Especially from leads Ali, Ejogo and Dorff).

The soundscape here is haunting and the use of 'period time jumps' through the lens of Wayne's dementia in telling his story of events are inspired (even though ultimately these only seem to add much needed depth to the story in a gimmicky sort of way rather than paying off in some epic way). At times the pacing wavers but overall this is a stellar production and highly recommended for fans of S1 or of the gumshoe detective 'noir' genre.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Gadlajk

Feb 25, 2019

This show keeps getting worse each season, went from 9.5 to 8 and now 5/10, even intro song is mediocre, that one hit me surprisingly hard because of great intro songs in previous seasons.

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

haltey

Feb 27, 2019

Absolutely flat, boring and mundane narrative. The so-called "clues" were really red-herrings. As for the character development which is so praised in this season, I didn't feel any emotional connection with any of the characters, neither detectives nor victims. People praising charactersAbsolutely flat, boring and mundane narrative. The so-called "clues" were really red-herrings. As for the character development which is so praised in this season, I didn't feel any emotional connection with any of the characters, neither detectives nor victims. People praising characters should go and check movies like Prisoners or TV shows like Haunting of Hill House where characters really came alive and we felt their anguish or sadness.

To be fair, Ali, Dorff and Amelia did gave amazing performances. In fact, I liked Dorff more than Ali in every scene he was. While Ali's character felt like a d**k at times, Dorff was always impressive and balanced.

But story! oh boy, did it go all downhill? There was no suspense, no big reveal, no twist - just flat. As Amelia character asks in the final episode "Is that not the story worth telling?" NO, God No. There was nothing in that story to tell. The detectives were just lame - they were so incompetent, they couldn't even find a man with one eye till after 25 years, that too when he practically begged to be found by parking outside Wayne's house. The final so-called "twist" was also suggested by Amelia's ghost. So what were the detectives doing all the time? Wayne was so egoistic that he never read his wife's novel till end whereas the fact is that she was helping all through his investigation. These are the characters people are raving about..what a bunch of geniuses!

If you want a good mystery show, watch Dark or How to get away with Murder. TD season 3 was an utter waste of time and money to me. You were warned.… Expand

5 of 7 users found this helpful52

P4inskiller

Mar 28, 2019

The most boring TV show I have ever seen. The first and second seasons were masterpieces rich in black humour and interesting characters. But the third season..what is that?! I was watching every boring episode in the hope for something interesting, something special. But I was totallyThe most boring TV show I have ever seen. The first and second seasons were masterpieces rich in black humour and interesting characters. But the third season..what is that?! I was watching every boring episode in the hope for something interesting, something special. But I was totally wrong: from the beginning to the end there is nothing. Only waste of time.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

SEE ALL 51 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

73

Series Overview
Season 3

72
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: January 13, 2019
- tbd
  S3:E8. Now Am Found
  Air Date: February 24, 2019
- tbd
  S3:E7. The Final Country
  Air Date: February 17, 2019
- tbd
  S3:E6. Hunters in the Dark
  Air Date: February 10, 2019
- tbd
  S3:E5. If You Have Ghosts
  Air Date: February 3, 2019
- tbd
  S3:E4. The Hour and the Day
  Air Date: January 27, 2019
- tbd
  S3:E3. The Big Never
  Air Date: January 20, 2019
- tbd
  S3:E2. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
  Air Date: January 13, 2019
- tbd
  S3:E1. 01-13-2018
  Air Date: January 13, 2018
Season 2

61
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: June 21, 2015
Season 1

87
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: January 12, 2014