Before I get started, shout out to the WB for supplying a copy of this show for our review. My opinions are my own.
Story: True Detective: Night Country is an interesting blink and you'll miss the action type of show that follows a blunt detective by the name of Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and the kinda sorta religious Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis). Set in Alaska, this psychological horror like show... is set around the disappearance of eight scientists and the investigative process. During the investigation, you will see the various ups and downs that take place in the lives of the detectives, including both of them experiencing other worldly things. When I saw a hand touch Liz, and then it was gone when she looked, I was like... "Oh hell no". The show would've been called 'Goodbye Alaska' if it were me, with a spin off called... 'Hello Florida!'.
Things start to rev up as the detectives uncover more information about the incident at the Arctic Research Station. It has a certain charm that I feel most would appreciate (especially those curious about Alaska), just keep an eye on the action or you'll miss certain key moments for sure. I mention this because when the action isn't high, some viewers may tune out, but the backstory of the characters also plays a part in the story. Speaking of which, one thing I didn't like about Liz is how selfish she can be, literally crapping on Officer Prior's relationship. She tried to be understanding, but no one wants to hear it when they're trying to keep their relationship intact while also following orders of the chief to keep their job. It wasn't the standard shift, it was her calling him and pulling him away from his family. I get it to a small degree, but not when it was completely avoidable because she couldn't put the bottle down (like... WTH?!).
This gives me 'The Outsider' vibes to an extent, but... its different. I think they try to mix one too many things in for the sake of making it well rounded, but it runs the risk of losing some viewers in the sauce. Overall it's showcasing the hectic and complicated lives of two detectives taking on one of the craziest cases they've ever experienced, and it ends on a note that a number of people will appreciate. I won't get into the details of why some may have wanted an entirely different ending, but... you'll see what I mean when you grab your copy of True Detective: Night Country on Blu-Ray.
Before I wrap this section up, I will say that i'm glad they left a certain situation regarding a particular woman... unfinished because it leaves the door open for more.
Audio: When it comes to the audio, it's served up in DTS-HD MA & Dolby Digital 5.1. I wrestled with this one. Good audio elements were there (i.e. most of the chilling screams), but... audio didn't draw me in as much as it could have. One thing I noticed with the scenes is they were a bit hard to hear, where as others were loud or had certain elements that sounded as if they peaked out. Luckily the peak didn't occur alot, but... they could've tightened things up a bit more. I found myself increasing and decreasing the volume, especially during the intro... which was a bit annoying.
Price: True Detective: Night Country... is $29.98 on Blu-Ray and $24.98 on DVD. If you can get the Blu-Ray... the extra $5 for the visual boost is worth it. I think the sweet spot for the SRP would've been $5 less for both options, but... no worries, we have the hook up!
In addition to the standard show, you also get extras:
- Meet the True Detectives - Cast Q&A
- New Chapter
- Exploring Indigenous Themes
- Max Inkblots
- Setting Featurette
- Atmospheric Teases
Story 5
Visuals 5
Audio 3
Price 5
4.5 out of 5 Cool Points
