How Different Should True Detective Season Three be?
True Detective season three has to make changes, but how drastic should they be?
By taking an extended period of time away — and allowing fans to focus instead on The Night Of — True Detective has an opportunity that most other shows don’t get. We’ve previously discussed how some things have to change for season three to distance itself from season two, but that hasn’t really extended to the actual plot of the show.
True Detective‘s first two seasons are, fortunately, not all that similar. Season one follows two detectives, but season two encompasses more than that. While that didn’t end up working out, it does mean that season three won’t necessarily be expected to follow a particular pattern. Yes, it will likely involve police of some sort, but beyond that it will be free to carve its own path.
The success of Spotlight could influence True Detective to go in a different direction. Even though we firmly believe that season three shouldn’t stick strongly to actual events, Spotlight’s focus on journalism is something that True Detective hasn’t explored.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 28: Walter ‘Robby’ Robinson and Michael Keaton, Open Road’s Tom Ortenberg, Director Tom McCarthy and First Look’s Michael Bloom attend the SPOTLIGHT Oscar After-Party Hosted By Open Road, Participant Media, And First Look Media on February 28, 2016 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Getty Images for Participant Media)
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That’s not to say that True Detective season three should outright copy Spotlight, but there is nothing wrong with borrowing. We don’t know how far along season three is in terms of writing, though we do know that Nic Pizzolatto changed season two at some point during production to cut some of the more occult overtones. Things can change, sometimes for the better.
Season three doesn’t have to focus on simple police work, or just police officers. There’s an infinite amount of room in the justice system to find something new that works, and True Detective’s serious tone and noir leanings make investigative journalism a fine fit. Regardless of the fact that traditional noir has been about simple cops and criminals, there is more there that can be mined.
Next: This Week in True Detective: The Future of Cary Fukunaga Edition.
True Detective season three will be easily identifiable as True Detective, but it should be willing to make changes and find new paths.