How to watch 'True Detective: Night Country' and catch every twist and turn
After a five-year hiatus, True Detective is back with a chilling new mystery. Now in its fourth season, True Detective: Night Country navigates the "tension between madness and the supernatural," as Mashable's Belen Edwards writes in her review, calling it a "can't-miss mystery with ghostly bite."
For those who've been fans since the beginning, Edwards notes that Season 4 has quite a few things in common with the OG season: "A tortured pair of detectives with a contentious relationship, a deeply atmospheric murder case, and even hints at the occult." However, now in the hands of new showrunner, writer, and director Issa López, True Detective: Night Country cranks up the horror aspects of the show. It nods respectively to Season 1 while carving out a new path — one that viewers are already obsessing over.
Intrigued? Here's everything you need to know to tune in to the twisted case of Season 4 of True Detective.
What is True Detective: Night Country about?
True Detective: Night Country transports us to the coldest depths of Alaska during the polar night (daylight is weeks away). Head-butting detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) investigate the disappearance of eight men working at the remote Tsalal Arctic Research Station.
"The bizarro nature of the case leads Ennis Police Chief Elizabeth Danvers (Foster) to label it a 'shitbowl.' But that doesn't stop her from seeking out who might be responsible, especially when evidence found at Tsalal links back to a cold case from six years ago: the murder of Iñupiaq activist Annie Masu Kowtok (Nivi Pedersen)," writes Edwards in Mashable's review.
Get a sneak peek at the new case in the official trailer:
How many seasons of True Detective are there?
Night Country, which officially premiered on Jan. 14, marks Season 4 of True Detective — five years after the third season graced us with its presence pre-pandemic. Season 1 first dropped in 2014, so the show is officially a decade old. It's hard to believe it's been that long, but here we are.
When and where can I watch True Detective Season 4?
True Detective: Night Country will air simultaneously on HBO and Max every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET from Jan. 14 through the season finale on Feb. 25. That means cable subscribers who have access to HBO can tune in live. No premium cable? No problem. You'll need a Max subscription in order to watch every episode. We've rounded up the best Max streaming deals below to help you out.
Best Max subscription deals
Best Max streaming deal for most people: Save 17% on a Max With Ads annual subscription
Monthly Max streaming subscriptions with ads will run you $9.99 per month, but if you opt for the annual plan instead, you'll only pay about $8.33 per month. Most people will find that saving 17% or so is the best bang for their buck. However, if you don't want to fork over $99.99 for the year all at once, a monthly subscription through the end of February will allow you to stream the entirety of the new season (there will only be six episodes). Just remember to cancel before your month is up to avoid further charges.
Best Max deal with no ads: Save 22% on a Max Ad-Free annual subscription
Can't take the endless ads interrupting episodes? Sign up for the Max (ad-free) annual subscription instead. It's certainly not cheap at $149.99/year, but it does save you about 22% compared to paying $15.99 per month. If money is no object, there is also a Max Ultimate subscription, which gives you not only an ad-free viewing experience, but also 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, the ability to stream on two more devices at once, and 70 more downloads. It'll run you $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year (save $3.50/month).
Best Max deal for Cricket customers: Free Max with ads for customers on the $60/month unlimited plan
Cricket customers on the $60/month unlimited plan are eligible to stream Max with ads for no cost. When you log in to Max, select Cricket as your provider and enter your credentials. Then, boom: you're able to stream True Detective: Night Country and plenty of other shows and films without any monthly or annual costs. Have a different Cricket plan? You can upgrade or change over to the $60/month unlimited plan to secure the deal.
Is there a Max free trial?
Max free trials have come and gone over the last year. Previously, you could score a free week of Max via Amazon Prime Video or Hulu. Those trials are no longer available, but keep an eye out: they could return. In the meantime, the only way to score a free trial of Max is via DirecTV Stream.
If you sign up for the DirecTV Stream Entertainment package for $79.99/month, you'll get three free months of premium channels — that includes Max (as well as Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, STARZ, MGM+, and Cinemax). DirecTV Stream serves as a cable replacement, so it's certainly not the most affordable option if you simply want to watch True Detective: Night Country and be on your way. But it does give you a whole lot of bang for your buck.
Topics Streaming How to Watch
Frequently Asked Questions
Although the first three seasons of True Detective included eight episodes a piece, the full season of Night Country is only six episodes total. New episodes air every Sunday on HBO and Max at 9 p.m. ET.
The schedule is as follows:
Episode 1: January 14
Episode 2: January 21
Episode 3: January 28
Episode 4: February 4
Episode 5: February 11
Episode 6: February 18
Although True Detective: Night Country takes place in the fictional Alaskan town of Ennis, the production actually took place in various locations in Iceland. The production crew built a replica Alaskan town (based on a real area in the northernmost state: North Slope Borough, Alaska) in three main locations — Reykjavík, Akureyri, and Dalvík.
"As much as we would have liked to be true to the elements of the story, the part of Alaska where we needed to shoot this – which is above the Arctic Circle where the night expands into months – doesn’t have the infrastructure," says showrunner Issa López. "It’s a big production. And Alaska, in the months that we were going to be shooting there, you reach temperatures of minus 36 Celsius. It gets beyond human endurance… to the point that cameras don’t work."
One great thing about the anthology television series is that each season centers around a completely new story, case, and even cast. You don't need to watch the previous seasons to understand the plot of True Detective: Night Country. However, the previous seasons — or at least Season 1 — are certainly worth the watch.
As Mashable's Sam Haysom points out, "There are a number of very northern and southern places in the world that experience what's commonly known as a Polar Night, which is a period of darkness lasting more than 24 hours. The closer to the Earth's poles you go, the more dramatic this effect is due to the tilt of its axis. There are a number of remote locations where the effect is so extreme that the sun isn't visible in winter for months on end. Svalbard, an archipelago north of Norway, is one of them. Northern Alaska is another." TL;DR: yes.
Christina Buff is a Nashville-based freelance writer for who covers shopping with a splash of entertainment. If you’re ever wondering what streaming service you need to watch something (and the cheapest way to sign up for it), she’s your girl.
Christina received a B.S. in Business Communication (concentration in writing) from Stevenson University and began her professional journey writing and editing press releases. Since then, she’s written content for a marketing agency, blogged for celebrities, and covered local news, politics, women’s lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and just about everything in between for various publications.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably enjoying live music, studying human design, or embroidering and upcycling clothes. You can follow her on Instagram at @touchinfinity.
