Original “True Detective” creator Nic Pizzolatto’s social media feed might get pretty active again soon: HBO has announced it is renewing “True Detective” for a fifth season, with Issa López as showrunner.
The renewal arrives days after its fourth season, “True Crime: Night Country,” concluded its six-episode run, the crime drama’s most-watched season — and the first not to have Pizzolatto at the helm. Set in fictional Ennis, Alaska, the season starred Jodie Foster and Kali Reis as detectives trying to solve the case of eight men who operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station, who are later found frozen in a “corpsicle.” Sunday’s finale brought in the season’s largest first-night audience, with 3.2 million cross-platform viewers. Overall, it’s averaged 12.7 million viewers per episode since its January premiere, according to HBO, outperforming the 11.9 average for its debut season in 2014.
But its success wasn’t without some controversy. Pizzolato, who remains an executive producer on the series, made headlines for his vocal distaste for the new season, reposting criticisms of the finale to his Instagram stories.
“From conception to release, Night Country has been the most beautiful collaboration and adventure of my entire creative life,” López said in a statement. “I can’t wait to go again.”
López’s return to oversee the new season is part of a new multiyear overall deal with HBO, in which she’ll also create content exclusive to HBO and Max.
“Issa Lopez is that one-of-a-kind, rare talent that speaks directly to HBO’s creative spirit,” HBO drama chief Francesca Orsi said in a statement. “She helmed ‘True Detective: Night Country’ from start to finish, never once faltering from her own commendable vision, and inspiring us with her resilience both on the page and behind the camera.”