Our Picks for the Top 5 True Detective Spoofs

By Reuben Levine | Nov 6, 2014

True Detective has proven itself to be a boon when it comes to spoofs. Since the first season premiered there have been a number of high-profile spoofs on the series, usually focusing on Rust Cohle. An easy target, perhaps, but it works. The Soup’s own version of the True Detective spoof even won it an Emmy, so there is certainly at least one high-water mark.

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We’ve gathered together our top five picks that we feel best get to the heart of the True Detective spoof. If you disagree or even have your own to show, feel free to let us know. There are many spoofs out there, but we feel that these are the cream of the crop. At lest for now.

5. Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley

This isn’t the best spoof out there, by far. But it is list-worthy simply because it’s a fitting example of just how much True Detective has wormed its way into popular consciousness. Shaq and Barkley aren’t exactly known for the spoofing of popular culture, so this is almost like a snapshot in time. What this one does get right, as far as audition spoofs go, is that it seems loose and genuine.

The two of them seem to be having fun here, and it shows. Instead of dressing the part or playing it straight they just have fun with it. There’s something refreshing about that. It might not be the funniest, but it gets enough right to warrant a place on our list. And to think it’s not even the only sports-related spoof out there.4. Rust Takes the NYC Subway

This is one of the more unique spoofs out there. It perfectly transplants the Rust that we know in love onto a NYC subway. His pessimistic philosophy fits in scarily well with the subway experience. Extra points are award here for going so far as to dress and act the part, but then go in a totally unexpected direction.

You probably never even thought that you need to see Rust on a subway. Well, you were wrong. Just another fine example of the internet acting on your needs before you’re even aware of them.3. Jim Carrey in a Lincoln

This Jim Carrey SNL spoof came at just the right time. The wold was slapped with the Matthew McConaughey’s Lincoln commercial not too long before, an ad that seemed to bring us the McConaughey of True Detective. It was a bizarre ad and it just begged to be spoofed well. Jim Carrey took matters into his own hands when he hosted SNL.

The results are about as funny as you expected, and still just as bizarre. We started with a commercial that was only tangentially related to True Detective in the first place, and now we have a spoof about it. If this continues we’ll be able to play a pretty rousing game of five-degress of separation from True Detective.

2. The Soup

This one made it to the Emmy’s, so did you really think that we weren’t going to include it? This one is really what cracked the whole thing wide open. It also happens to be one of the best True Detective spoof out there. The Soup’s spoof is one of the earliest examples of a successful True Detective spoof, and it helped pave the way for the others.

Arriving while the first season of True Detective was still airing, The Soup is fairly conservative with their taking. Their jokes can be considered low hanging fruit, but they hit it out of the park. Sometimes the simple stuff just works best. At least when it capable hands.

1. Tiny Detective

This spoof, which features Ellen Page and Kate Mara trying to solve cases while dealing with their tiny stature, is probably the silliest one. It’s also the best. It handily combines True Detective with a pure riduclousness, not unlike Subway Rust. The best spoofs are those that flex their creative muscles while still embodying the show.

Do you disagree with our choices? Let us know!