HBO's best crime thriller is worth watching again – I like season 2 most

Controversial opinion alert! My colleague just re-watched season 1 of HBO's True Detective – it's available now on NOW (formerly Now TV) – and it got me thinking back over the show as a whole. And, yes, I have a soft spot for season 2 – which is now over a decade old, if you can believe it.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the original season, although with some of Matthew McConaughey's dialogue almost unintelligible, it's a sometimes taxing watch. It's worth it for that final payoff, of sorts, but I respect season 2 for treading a totally different path. Check it out in the trailer below, if you missed it the first time around:

True Detective Season 2 - Official Trailer - YouTube

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I do enjoy seeing Colin Farrell in his pre-Penguin days, as a glimmer of what the actor had in store for Home Box Office's ongoing success in that 100% rated show. He's joined by other acting stalwarts in the show, from Vince Vaughan to Rachel McAdams.

Not that the Hollywood cast was able to grab people's admiration – as True Detective season 2 has a meagre 30% score on Rotten Tomatoes. I think that's partly down to how extraordinary – and, indeed, sci-fi – the first season was and how straight-up the second season comes across.

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Second seasons, like second albums, are always tricky territory. I think back to other classics, like The Wire, which I first watched and despised – only to re-watch and appreciate far more on their second, isolated viewing. For me, that's the case with True Detective S2 – especially Vaughn's crime lord role as Frank Semyon, and his wife's tricky relationship (played by Kelly Rielly).

You can watch all of True Detective – including the more recent and adjacent Night Country – on NOW (formerly Now TV) right now. Interestingly that best streaming service option is now available in the US, not only the UK – although HBO's Max is also a great spot to watch, too, which is where the show originally aired. Happy re-watching!