True Detective Season Two: Multiple Directors Bring a Sense of Normalcy

By Reuben Levine | Mar 6, 2015

The fact that True Detective’s first season was directed entirely by a single person, Cary Fukunaga, was unusual. In fact, there were many unique and unusual aspects to the inaugural season of True Detective. But its direction and cinematography is what really helped propel it forward. In a visual medium such as television, such a thing can be even more important than the story or acting.

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Most series employ multiple directors, making Cary Fukunaga’s one season of True Detective something of an outlier. Even on HBO most series have or have had multiple directors, such as Game of Thrones, or The Sopranos.

The fact that the second season of True Detective will employ multiple directors actually brings it more in line with most other series.

Initially there was some skepticism that the same magic could be created with Cary Fukunaga’s direct involvement, as having a single director made sense considering the way the private way that True Detective operates. Having multiple directors relieves stress. We don’t know what went on during True Detective’s production, but Cary Fukunaga has been distancing himself from it.

We don’t know who these new directors are except for Justin Lin, nor do we know if having multiple directors will ultimately be beneficial for True Detective. It’s possible that, years from now, we will look back and see that the first season of True Detective was actually a lightning in a bottle situation.

For better or worse, True Detective has made a major step toward normalcy. How it will affect the series in the long-run is currently anyone’s guess. But hopefully we won’t have to wait too much longer.

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