Showrunner Finds Creator’s Criticism of Night Country “Confusing”

The fourth season of True Detective—True Detective: Night Country—received rave reviews from critics, marking some of the best critical reactions since the series debuted. However, not everyone was pleased. Series creator Nic Pizzolatto had some critical comments about Night Country, the first season he was not involved in. He took to Instagram earlier this year to share his thoughts.

Now, with Night Country concluded and a fifth season of True Detective in development, Issa López is addressing Pizzolatto’s comments. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, López described Pizzolatto’s reaction as “confusing.”

“For me, it was very confusing,” López said. “To have created something that you have three successful runs at, and then for it to become so meaningful that different filmmakers and voices want to keep it alive beyond you, that’s the dream.” She added, “When I move on, someone else is going to take the mantle and go in a completely different direction. It should be exciting to watch. It feels a little silly to not enjoy that achievement, really.”

Earlier this year, López also addressed Pizzolatto’s comments, acknowledging that he is entitled to his feelings. She emphasized that she approached True Detective “with profound love for the work he made.”

“I believe every storyteller has a unique relationship to the stories they create. Whatever his reactions are, he’s entitled to them. That’s his prerogative,” López told Vulture. “I wrote this with profound love for the work he made and love for the people that loved it. It is a reinvention, and it is different, but it’s done with the idea of sitting around the fire to have some fun, feelings, and thoughts. Anybody that wants to join is welcome.”

HBO renewed True Detective for a fifth season following the success of Night Country. López is returning for the next installment and has confirmed that Season 5 will be completely different from Night Country. She recently teased that Season 5 is not only different from what fans might expect but it’s “even darker and even more twisted.”

“I’m dying for everyone to know because it’s very different and very exciting,” López said. “It’s even darker and even more twisted. I can’t wait to put it out there.”

In True Detective: Night Country, “When the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska, the eight men who operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace. To solve the case, detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice.”

The series earned critical acclaim and was a hit for HBO, reaching a record number of viewers with 3.2 million for its season finale earlier this year across HBO and the Max streaming service. The season also became the most-watched of the True Detective series, with 12.7 million viewers across HBO and Max, surpassing Season 1’s 11.9 million.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Vulture