Top 35 Shows of 2014: No 1 True Detective

I love a mystery. I love a story that can make me obsessed with what is going to happen next and spend way too much time thinking about it. I love getting to know characters and seeing the course of their lives. I love a tale with an emotionally satisfying ending.

There are many shows I’ve liked and loved this year but that sweet combination of all of the above is why I fell so hard for True Detective. Going into the show I knew it would be good just the level of talent on screen was enough but I never expected to be caught up with it so much and to fall in love with the characters of Rust Cohle and Martin Hart. These are hard bitter men who spend a whole lot of the time being brilliant but complete assholes and that can get tiring fast. Yet in the hands of Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson the detectives become something more complex and fascinating.

For many True Detective was about solving the mystery and when the conclusion to that ended up being fairly straight forward many ended up disappointed. Whilst the Yellow King was something that drew me to the show at first and kept me up late at night in the end it was Cohle and Hart and their 17 year partnership that really held my attention.

Whether True Detective can capture the magic a second time round is unclear, its not just McConaughey and Harrelson that are gone but director Cary Fukunaga whose thrilling tracking shot at the end of episode 4 made sure everyone was talking about the show.  In the end though if S2 works or not it doesn’t really matter because S1 of the show will always be remembered for its addictive quality and for two world class performances.

Favourite Episodes: The Secret Fate of All Life / Form and Void