Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for True Detective: Night Country.
While the first season ofTrue Detectivechanged television forever with itsmovie-star caliber performancesand thrilling investigative narrative, the series struggled to live up to the lofty expectations of its initial installment generation. The subsequent two seasons failed to conjure mysteries that were as confounding as the case of the “Yellow King,” and lacked the propulsive intensity that had made the first season so impactful. Thankfully,True Detectiveseems to have redeemed itself with a more focused fourth season that transports the gothic mystery series straight into the wintery blizzard of Alaska. While the seriesstill has many secrets left to be unearthed,a brief reference to Cormac McCarthy’s acclaimed novelBlood Meridianmay provide insight into the motivation for the newTrue Detectivekiller.
True Detective
Anthology series in which police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law.
How Does ‘True Detective: Night Country’ Reference ‘Blood Meridian’?
True Detective: Night Countyis set in the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska, which contains a scientific facility known as the Tsalal Research Station. After eight men working at the station mysteriously disappear, the veteran police Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) begins an investigation into the strange occurrence. Although Trooper Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) initiates a separate investigation, neither detective is able to find conclusive evidence that explains the enigmatic situation. However,Danvers discovers the severed tongue potentially belonging to anIndigenous woman, Anne Masu Kowtok (Nivi Pedersen),during her initialsearch of the facility in the premiere episode.
Earlier in the premiere, however, when a local food deliveryman searches through the facility for clues about its inhabitants’ whereabouts,an open copy of McCarthy’s novelBlood Meridiancan be seen. Released in 1985,Blood Meridianis set during the 19th century and follows the experiences of an enigmatic protagonist known only as “the kid.” As America emerges from the Civil War era into reconstruction, the kid discovers that a mysterious group of scalp hunters have been preying upon Indigenous communities and leading violent raids. The gang’s leader, Judge Holden, utilizes his position of influence to attract a violent band of devoted followers. Although it’s been hailed as one of the greatest works of fiction in American literary history,Blood Meridianis one of the manyclassic novels that has never been adapted to the big screen.
Although it’s easy to dismiss as simply a passing reference,the appearance ofBlood Meridiansuggests that theTrue Detective: Night Countryvillain is targeting Indigenous people.While Danvers has yet to identify a key suspect in Anne’s murder, the ritualistic removal of her tongue suggests sadistic intentions from the killer that could be motivated by discrimination. Considering that this evidence was discovered in the facility itself, theBlood Meridianreference also may suggest that the researchers discovered by Rose Aguineau (Fiona Shaw) at the end of the episode may be directly tied to Anne’s disappearance. Considering thatTrue Detective: Night Country’s cast includes many Indigenous actors, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the season will examine how the historical violence against Indigenous people links to the current mystery in Ennis.
How Does ‘True Detective: Night Country’ Pay Homage to Cormac McCarthy?
Beyond the acknowledgment ofBlood Meridian’s narrative within the initial episode,True Detective: Night Countryshares many stylistic similarities with McCarthy’s work.Many of McCarthy’s novels emphasize nihilistic themes and take place in isolated environments, similar to the secluded nature of the Tsalal Research Station inTrue Detective Night Country. Although his straightforward narratives may initially appear to be simplistic, McCarthy showed unparalleled ability to examine the banality of evil throughhis truly memorable villains; whileTrue Detective: Night Countryhas yet to reveal its antagonist, it is safe to say that the enigmatic killer has wicked motivations that could evoke comparisons to McCarthy’s characters.
Many of McCarthy’s most beloved novels focus on tense interpersonal relationships, andTrue Detective: Night Countryshows that there is a pre-existing conflict between the two lead investigators. McCarthy’s novels likeThe Orchard KeeperandOuter Darkexamine specific points in history and analyze how the preexisting social, ethnic, and sociopolitical tension of the era drives various characters to doubt each others’ intentions.True Detective: Night Country similarly constructs its story; while a backstory between Danvers and Navarro has yet to be spelled out, it’s clear that a moment within their past caused their partnership to split.Blood Meridianmay have been deemed “unadaptable,”butTrue Detective: Night Countrycertainly uses it as a source of thematic inspiration.
Isolation is a recurring theme within McCarthy’s neo-Western novels, andTrue Detective: Night Countryhas done a great job facing its characters with the fear of the unknown. While a traditional crime procedural may have already identified witnesses and begun to uncover a motivation for the killer,True Detective: Night Countrypresents a mystery so otherworldly in its brutality that it feels nearly supernatural. Giventhe seclusion of the Alaskan location, the events ofTrue Detective: Night Countryfeel even more divorced from “civil society.”
Cormac McCarthy’s Novels Have Been Adapted to the Big Screen
While the style and tone of his work have had an outsized effect on the development of the neo-Western genre,McCarthy’s work has frequently been adapted to the big screen. The filmed versions of McCarthy’s work have varied in terms of quality; whileJohn Hillcoat’s 2009 post-apocalyptic thrillerThe Roadcaptured the haunting family relationship at the heart of McCarthy’s story beautifully,Billy Bob Thornton’s ambitious adaptation ofAll Them Pretty Horsewas butchered in theediting room and never released in its entirety.However, McCarthy’s influence on Hollywood peaked whenJoelandEthan Coen’s 2007 adaptation ofNo Country For Old Menwon the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Although hetragically passed away in 2023,McCarthy continued to push the boundaries of storytelling in the last few years of his life. Although many of his novels have been adapted, McCarthy wrote the completely original screenplay forRidley Scott’s bizarre 2013 crime thrillerThe Counselor.While the drug war thriller baffled audiences upon its initial debut, featuring many surrealist sequences and off-kilter performances,The Counselorhas earned a strong cult followingfrom genre enthusiasts interested in its provocative themes.
True Detective: Night Countyis available to stream on Max.
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