True Detective episode 5 review ★★★★★

It was always going to be difficult to match last week’s episode, which proved to be a pulsing debut from writer/creator Nic Pizzolatto. But even though episode 5 doesn’t possess the same sort of tension, it’s still an engaging and mind-squashing journey into an old man’s troubles.

There’s little heard from 1980, aside from the fallout of episode 4’s cliff-hanger – in which Woodard lays explosives in his house when the racists come knocking with shotguns. It’s a thrilling opener, and shows Pizzolatto’s talents with action as much as dialogue.


Becca (Kennedi Butler) is feeling poorly. That's not a good sign...

This season probably didn’t need eight hours when six would’ve sufficed. There have been a fair few empty and repeated spaces this week, namely in Wayne and Amelia’s (Carmen Ejogo) continuous arguments about the case. Pizzolatto clearly has a lot to say about the current (though eternal) fascination with these gruesome tales, but it’s just a rehash of what’s been implicitly said in previous weeks.

However, the closing dialogue between two old friends is beautiful, even tearful, and a perfect way to set up the next chapter of the story.

True Detective season 3 is climbing close to its end, and although it’s not been an overly exciting adventure, it’s been fascinating to journey with the fading Detective Wayne Hays.