TOMATOMETER
Critic Consensus: With "The Long Bright Dark," True Detective makes a strong debut, showcasing fantastic acting against a dark, decadent backdrop.
Episode Info
Cast
as Rust Cohle
as Martin Hart
as Ken Quesada
as Maggie Hart
as Lisa Tragnetti
as Det. Thomas Papania
as Det. Maynard Gilbough
as Laurie Perkins
as Beth
as Charlie
as Billy Lee Tuttle
The Long Bright Dark Photos
Critic reviews for The Long Bright Dark
The show is beautifully subdued and restrained, offering a more contemplative tone. It forgoes the typical harried nature of a procedural in favor of character, striking the perfect balance between a grim case and the effect this line of work can have.
There is such gravitas and intensity on display that it hardly matters if we have seen similar investigations in police dramas before.
There was so much to take in, with the jumps between years and different cases, but I think the show has all the right ingredients to a recipe for success.
After one episode, True Detective already stands out as somehow greater than the sum of its impressive parts.
It's a show that looks and sounds as good as anything currently on TV, pairing lush, lingering shots of an artfully decaying Louisiana with T Bone Burnett's spare, unsettling soundtrack.
If finely acted, moody murder mysteries, with film noir dialogue and tortured characters are catnip to you, then this is just the ticket.
Discussion Forum
Discuss True Detective on our TV talk forum!