The reception to True Detective Season 4’s finale, which premiered on February 18, 2024, has become a bone of contention. Some critics have lauded Part 6, considering it a redemptive entry; others were a tad bit more cynical. While this conclusion tied up loose ends, wrapped up the narrative, and solved the mysteries this season revolved around, not every viewer found it a fitting end.
There were a few questions unanswered and aspects left to one’s imagination. It’s safe to say several individuals deemed it frustrating.
At the core of these criticisms, some arguments have also highlighted parallels between True Detective: Night Country and Taylor Sheridan’s 2017 neo-Western crime film, Wind River.
While some have been harsh with their judgment, deeming it a blatant rip-off of the Jeremy Renner starrer, others merely wondered if the movie was a point of inspiration for Season 4 showrunner, writer, and director Issa López. Although it may have been the consensus to fall on, the creator’s response to a fan on X seemingly suggests otherwise.
True Detective Season 4 Creator Denies Drawing Inspiration From Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River (2017)
As the narrative developments witnessed throughout True Detective: Night Country reached a crescendo with its season finale, many wondered if one of the sources of inspiration behind the latest installment in the HBO anthology was Taylor Sheridan‘s Wind River (2017). Similarities between the two pieces of media appear undeniable to some.
One fan took to X to have this doubt quelled by Night Country creator Issa López. The user brought up the similarities between the murders in both stories and inquired if the neo-Western inspired the showrunner. In response, the Mexican director claimed:
“It was not. I saw [Wind River] after writing the pilot and really liked it. Great movie!”
Night Country, starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, delves into an icy dual mystery revolving around the vanishing of eight men who worked at a remote research station and also a six-year-old unsolved murder case involving an indigenous woman. This season’s otherworldly, occult elements, mixed with a white-specked, snow-covered landscape, intensify the themes explored.
Similarly, in Taylor Sheridan’s directed and written film Wind River (2017), an indigenous perspective on the neo-Western crime genre is presented in a similar remote ice-cold setting.
It follows U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Agent Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) and FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) working their way through a murder mystery, uncovering the culprit behind the death of an 18-year-old indigenous woman.
Many people believed that the murder cases (or the tragedy itself) played out in both tales were identical. There was also a heavy reliance on environmental/naturalistic themes. Aside from the actual premise, there are other motifs and elements (flashback reveals, frozen deaths, etc.) in True Detective: Night Country that many fans believe has been ‘borrowed’ from Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River.
Whether or not such is true remains speculative.
True Detective‘s Original Showrunner Nic Pizzolatto Has His Qualms About Season 4
Night Country marked the first time original True Detective showrunner Nic Pizzolatto wasn’t involved in an installment of the anthology crime series. Nevertheless, he retained a credit as an executive producer. A few weeks ago, as the Jodie Foster starrer was pushing out episodes that met with critical appreciation but a divisive reception from audiences, Pizzolatto took to Instagram to answer some fans’ questions, the responses to which have been criticized since.
In one comment, he wrote (via Reddit), “I certainly did not have any input on this story or anything else. Can’t blame me.” When another viewer brought up the Tuttle Family lore and an S4 Easter egg related to it, the screenwriter-director responded, “So stupid.” Although these replies were later reportedly deleted, the True Detective creator’s seeming disapproval of the fourth iteration in the anthology didn’t stop there.
After the season finale of Night Country premiered, Nic Pizzolatto took to Instagram again. This time, it was to repost some negative reviews directed at the Issa López-helmed narrative (via X). The former’s Instagram activity has prompted the wrath of many on the internet. Some have called his actions ‘immature,’ ‘disrespectful,’ and that of an ‘enormous baby.’
Previously, López had to respond to the criticisms voiced by Pizzolatto. She said in a Vulture interview:
“I believe that every storyteller has a very specific, peculiar, and unique relation to the stories they create, and whatever his reactions are, he’s entitled to them. That’s his prerogative. I wrote this with profound love for the work he made…”
It’s yet to be seen if the Night Country showrunner is compelled to address Pizzolatto’s reposted Instagram stories. Interestingly, the series’ star, Kali Reis, has already responded (via X) to these developments, and she didn’t seem too amused. “That’s a damn shame,” Reis concluded.
Amid the whirlwind of conflicting reviews and reactions surrounding Season 4, it is up to one to take it in their liberty to explore whether they find the premise to their liking. All six episodes of True Detective: Night Country are available for streaming on HBO Max.
