

It had been a long time coming when True Detective: Night Country hit the silver screen earlier this year – the original True Detective show had been absent from TV programming for nearly five years by that point.
Thankfully, though, the fourth season of the anthology franchise was a roaring success, with major plaudits coming the way of its leads Jodie Foster and Kali Reis. Pretty soon after the season started to air, we got confirmation that it would be coming back for a fifth outing, too.
Now, though, its showrunner has gone into more detail on how that'll work, and crucially has confirmed that it will once again tell a single story in the anthology format, rather than trying to keep going with the same characters.
This has been a key part of the dramatic arc of each True Detective season, right from the very start, so it's really reassuring for fans of the series to hear that nothing is being torn up simply because of the last season's rip-roaring success.
Issa López, the series' current showrunner, told Variety that it would be a completely new story next time out, with new characters and dynamics to explore, and therefore an entirely new mystery. This fits with form, as we've explained, but doesn't rule out the possibility of some links.
After all, Night Country brought motifs from the first season of True Detective back to the fore for fans who'd been watching since the start, something that gained it plenty of praise, so we might well get more hints and details along those lines.











Without wanting to give away any spoilers for those who haven't seen or finished that fourth season, Issa López also discussed the question of a major character's fate at the end of last season. She indicated that it was left deliberately open-ended and that people can therefore interpret it how they like – that's the sort of weird and counter-intuitive storytelling that we want from True Detective.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
So, this might all mean that it's time to strap in for a hefty wait for news about the next season, from casting to themes and location – there are a whole heap of questions that still need answers. Whenever it arrives, though, you can be sure it'll come to Sky in the UK and HBO's Max platform in the US – each of which aims to be the best streaming service for lovers of serious drama.

Max is T3's Staff Writer for the Tech section – with years of experience reporting on tech and entertainment. He's also a gaming expert, both with the games themselves and in testing accessories and consoles, having previously flexed that expertise at Pocket-lint as a features editor.
-
I slept on Rab’s insulated mat that weighs less than a loaf of bread – here’s my verdict
800-fill down, winter-ready warmth, and barely any bulk – sounds perfect, right?
-
I finally used Samsung's thinnest-ever Galaxy phone – is the S25 Edge worth the money?
Thin form, big impression: Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge is a stunner
-
Sydney Sweeney returns to her Euphoria roots in Apple TV+'s new thriller
Echo Valley looks harrowing
-
Apple TV+ proves it's the streamer for auteurs with Highest 2 Lowest
A Spike Lee Joint approaches
-
Netflix's fantasy action blockbuster returns in July, five years after huge original
The Old Guard 2 is on the way
-
I think this might be the biggest Netflix teaser ever
Squid Game's final season will do huge numbers
-
The Better Sister might be your next TV thriller obsession
Jessica Biel, anyone?
-
Prime Video's bringing Orlando Bloom back to your screens
A rare Legolas sighting
-
Netflix drops a stunner of a horror trailer – if you can bear to watch it
Fear Street is creeping back
-
I can't believe the cameos in this raunchy new Prime Video comedy trailer
Overcompensating for something?