True Detective
The truth lies in the dark.
Created by Issa López, Nic Pizzolatto
On HBO
A philosophical neo-noir anthology that uses nonlinear investigation to excavate moral corruption and existential dread, treating detective work as a descent into darkness rather than a path to truth.
An American anthology police detective series utilizing multiple timelines in which investigations seem to unearth personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within or outside the law.
Where to watch
Questions people ask
Is True Detective sad? Yes, very. More sad than 96% of series.
Is True Detective easy watching? No. Less comforting than 94% of series.
Is True Detective scary? Yes, very. More frightening than 93% of series.
Does True Detective leave you hopeful? No. Less hopeful than 93% of series.
Is True Detective violent? Yes. More violent than 81% of series.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- The Opposite of HBOFinding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Distinctly its own thing.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like True Detective, and what each one shares →
Like True Detective
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as True Detective
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like True Detective, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like True Detective, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like True Detective, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
