4 Reasons to (Re)Watch True Detective S3 Before Night Country 

On January 14, the fourth season of True Detective, Night Country, starring Jodie Foster, was released.

When people talk about True Detective, they first remember the first season – the mystical story about murders in the swamps became one of the most outstanding projects of the 2010s, winning many awards and unlimited love from the audience.

Because of the brilliance of the first season, the other two are often overshadowed, and that's why we remind you why the third season deserves your attention, too.

1. You Will Love the Third Season If You Liked the First One

While all seasons of True Detective are promoted as separate and distinct, and they are, the first and third seasons have more in common than you might think.

And even if your love for the first season was based on adoration of Matthew McConaughey, the third season has something to offer as well (although, of course, you can't beat McConaughey).

2. The First and Third Seasons Are Set in the Same Universe

Not only do the first and third seasons have a similar vibe, but they also take place in the same universe – the first theories about this appeared in the first episode, when straw dolls appeared in the frame, and then a woman mentioned a spiral (the same one that was on the victim's back in the first season).

Easter eggs then turn into direct references – in particular, the elder Wayne Hays is told about a case from the first season, drawing analogies to the current one, and a newspaper appears on the screen with an article about Rust Cohle and Martin Hart.

3. Non-linear Storyline (Just Like in the First Season)

The story unfolds in three time periods. A retired detective named Wayne Hays has been haunted for 35 years by the mysterious disappearance of two children, the Purcell siblings, in 1980.

We first see Hays during an interview in 1990, when shocking news reignites interest in an old case. Then, in 2015, we see a very old, haggard man being interviewed for a documentary about the Purcell case. Desperately struggling with his memory, he delves into the past in search of answers to the interviewer's questions.

4. Executive Producers are Harrelson and McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson did not give up on the project that was dear to their hearts: they served as executive producers of the show along with Nic Pizzolatto, Jeremy Saulnier, and Daniel Sackheim.

The script was again written by Pizzolatto, except for one episode, which was written by the showrunner of the cult project Deadwood, David Milch.

The first two episodes were directed by Saulnier (creator of Green Room), and the remaining six episodes were shot by Sackheim (who directed Lovecraft Country).