True Detective
HBO noir anthology
True Detective is an American crime anthology television series, each season following different detectives investigating disturbing cases.
The first season (2014), starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as Louisiana investigators pursuing a serial killer, became a cultural phenomenon for its philosophical dialogue, Southern Gothic atmosphere, and unreliable narration.
The format—self-contained seasons with new casts and stories—influenced prestige television's approach to limited series.
Something hard to fathom
- whodunitCrime fiction identifying perpetrator
- puzzleChallenge testing ingenuity
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
- secretsConcealed information
twist · riddle · intrigue · hidden · occult · spiral · symbols · cult
Premium cable network
- LouisianaGulf Coast pelican state
- ArkansasSouthern state, capital Little Rock
- AlaskaAmerica's frozen northwest
- anthologyCollected literary works volume
Matthew McConaughey · Woody Harrelson · Jodie Foster · seasonal · standalone · miniseries · Emmy Awards · Golden Globe
Hints toward answers
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- interrogationFormal, probing examination
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
- autopsyMedical examination after death
witness · alibi · suspect · testimony · surveillance · casefile · deduction · partner
Tough, cynical fiction style
- cynicismDistrust of human sincerity
- femme fataleTreacherous enchantress
- grittyCoarse or courageous
- pessimismExpecting unfavorable outcomes
shadows · corruption · sleuth · stakeout · nightclub · whiskey · trenchcoat · alleyway
Causing another's death
- murderDeliberate unlawful killing
- serial killerRecurring lone murderer
- victimOne harmed by another
- perpetratorOne who commits wrongdoing
trafficking · cover-up · cartel · organized crime · violence · abduction · body · grave
enigma
Something hard to fathom
- whodunitCrime fiction identifying perpetrator
- puzzleChallenge testing ingenuity
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
secrets · twist · riddle · intrigue · hidden · occult · spiral · symbols · cult · mask
HBO
Premium cable network
- LouisianaGulf Coast pelican state
- ArkansasSouthern state, capital Little Rock
- AlaskaAmerica's frozen northwest
Matthew McConaughey · Woody Harrelson · Jodie Foster · anthology · seasonal · standalone · miniseries · Emmy Awards · Golden Globe · critical acclaim
clues
Hints toward answers
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- interrogationFormal, probing examination
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
autopsy · witness · alibi · suspect · testimony · surveillance · casefile · deduction · partner · cold case
hardboiled
Tough, cynical fiction style
- cynicismDistrust of human sincerity
- femme fataleTreacherous enchantress
- grittyCoarse or courageous
pessimism · shadows · corruption · sleuth · stakeout · nightclub · whiskey · trenchcoat · alleyway · moral ambiguity
homicide
Causing another's death
- murderDeliberate unlawful killing
- serial killerRecurring lone murderer
- victimOne harmed by another
perpetrator · trafficking · cover-up · cartel · organized crime · violence · abduction · body · grave · predator
True DetectiveLaw & Order
Enforcement and adjudication
CSI · NCIS · Brooklyn Nine-Nine · Criminal Minds · Bones
true, truly, truth, truths, truthful, truthfully, untruthful, untrue, truism