Why is True Detective Season 4 called Night Country?
HBOAs fans continue to watch new episodes of True Detective Season 4, many wonder why its called Night Country, so here’s everything we know.
Season 4 of True Detective launched in the US overnight, and hits screens in the UK today. Kicking off with a mysterious quote.
It’s already being crowned the best season since the first, and we agreed in the Dexerto review, awarding the series five stars.
But it’s also the first season to carry a subtitle, so here’s everything we know about the phrase ‘Night Country,’ how folds into the show’s central mystery, and the relevance of those early words onscreen…
Why is True Detective Season 4 called Night Country?
Season 4 of True Detective unfolds in Ennis, Alaska, 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The sun sets on December 17 in that location, and doesn’t rise again until the New Year. Meaning it’s permanently night while the show’s police investigation plays out – hence the title ‘Night Country’.
For López – who directs and writes or co-writes all six episodes – the title also fits thematically, with the showrunner calling Season 4 a “dark mirror” of Season 1. Speaking to Vanity Fair, López says: “Where True Detective [Season 1] is male and it’s sweaty, Night Country is cold and it’s dark and it’s female.”
There are also more specific reasons why the series is called Night Country, with characters using the term towards the end of the season, alluding to it being a place rather than an idea. But that strays into spoiler territory, so we’ll update this article with that information once the episodes in question have aired.
Explaining that opening quote
Episode 1 opens with a quote about night and darkness – attributed to Hildred Castaigne – that reads as follows: “For we do not know what beasts the night dreams when its hours grow too long for even God to be awake.”
Castaigne is a fictional character in Robert W. Chambers ‘The King in Yellow,’ which played a central role in Season 1 of True Detective.
But this quote by a fictional character isn’t even real, with Season 4 showrunner Issa López making it up to suit her Night Country needs. As the writer-director explained to Business Insider: “I was looking for the perfect quote to talk about the things that hide in the dark and I couldn’t find it. So I wrote it.”
What is the new series about?
Here’s the official synopsis for Season 4: “When the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska, the eight men who operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace. To solve the case, Detectives Liz Danvers (Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Reis) will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves, and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice.”
True Detective Night Country debuts on HBO this Sunday, January 14 in the US, where it will also be available to stream on Max. In the UK, the show premieres in the early hours of Monday, January 15 on Sky Atlantic, and streaming service NOW. For more on the show, check out the below articles:
