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Season 3 – True Detective

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2019

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

110 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Anthology series in which police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law.

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Critics Consensus

Driven by Mahershala Ali's mesmerizing performance, True Detective's third season finds fresh perspective by exploring the fallibility of memory.

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Peter Hartlaub

San Francisco Chronicle

Season three powers through with wonderfully dense visuals, a layered story and an absolute powerhouse performance by Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 13, 2019

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

RogerEbert.com

I just wanted a moment when the characters caught their breath and didn't feel like they were part of an overly-scripted machine. Now, having said that, this is still engaging, dark, complex material, anchored by a great performance from Ali.

Dec 13, 2019

Full Review

Ellen Gray

Philadelphia Inquirer

[Mahershala Ali's] take on Hays enhances rather than overwhelms a story intriguing enough to justify the show's 35-year timeline.

Dec 13, 2019

Full Review

Victor Pineyro

Seventh Art Studio

It's already a feat to say this might be Mahershala Ali's best acting craft. But what amazes me is how perfectly it swerves around three different timelines. Impressive storytelling. Full review in Spanish

Rated: 8/10

Apr 7, 2022

Full Review

Taylor Baker

Drink in the Movies

Episode 27: Valhalla Rising / Bronson / Starred Up / True Detective S3

Rated: 60/100

Sep 9, 2021

Full Review

Kieran Fisher

Film School Rejects

Pizzolatto also came up with an engrossing and very haunting slow-burn mystery that reaffirmed his place as one of the most exciting writers working in entertainment today. Hopefully, he gets to keep making this show for years to come...

Dec 17, 2019

Full Review

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Paul S

This season was a massive improvement compared to the last one. The story was compelling and the characters were great. I definitely recommend it for crime and drama fans!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/04/25

Full Review

Daniel J

A return to form! I thought this was a great season. Worth watching if you enjoyed the first season. This one doesn't quite scale those heights, but it holds its own!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/22/25

Full Review

Jimmy J

Coulda been SOOOO good until the final few weird AF episodes and terrible ending

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/07/25

Full Review

John Y

Outstanding television. And Ali's performance is amazing. All of the performances are top notch. Great mystery television.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/25

Full Review

Gary K

The time jumps were a little too much sometimes, but overall I thought it was a good series. It would have got 5 stars had I been able to make out what they were saying.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/25/25

Full Review

Carl M

Great acting by two leads but a painful experience to watch all the way through…too much human suffering!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/04/25

Full Review

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Nic Pizzolatto

Creator

Mahershala Ali

Wayne Hays

Stephen Dorff

Roland West

Carmen Ejogo

Amelia Reardon

Scoot McNairy

Tom Purcell

Josh Hopkins

Jim Dobkins

Episode 1

Aired Jan 13, 2019

The Great War and Modern Memory

The disappearance of a young Arkansas boy and his sister in 1980 triggers vivid memories and enduring questions for retired detective Wayne Hays, who worked the case 35 years before with partner Roland West.

Details

Episode 2

Aired Jan 13, 2019

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

Hays looks back at the aftermath of the 1980 Purcell case, including possible evidence left behind at an outdoor hangout for local kids; as attention focuses on two conspicuous suspects, the parents of the missing children receive a cryptic note.

Details

Episode 3

Aired Jan 20, 2019

The Big Never

Hays recalls his early romance with Amelia, as well as cracks in their relationship that surfaced after they married; 10 years after the Purcell crimes, new evidence emerges, giving Hays a second chance to vindicate himself and the investigation.

Details

Episode 4

Aired Jan 27, 2019

The Hour and the Day

Hays and West see a possible connection between the local church and the Purcell crimes; as the detectives search for one suspect and round up another for interrogation, Woodard is targeted by a vigilante group.

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Episode 5

Aired Feb 3, 2019

If You Have Ghosts

Wayne finds himself in a no-win situation as new clues emerge in the Purcell case; Roland wrestles with how to keep evidence secure as lawyers demand a new investigation; Amelia finds her relationship with Wayne imperiled.

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Episode 6

Aired Feb 10, 2019

Hunters in the Dark

Wayne and Roland revisit discrepancies in the Purcell case that were hidden or forgotten, and take another look at Tom Purcell and Lucy's cousin, Dan O'Brien; the glitter of Amelia's book release is tarnished by a voice from the past.

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Episode 7

Aired Feb 17, 2019

The Final Country

Wayne and Roland track down a man who left the police force in the midst of the Purcell investigation; Amelia visits Lucy Purcell's best friend in hopes of gaining insights into the whereabouts of the mysterious one-eyed man.

Details

Episode 8

Aired Feb 24, 2019

Now Am Found

Wayne struggles to hold on to his memories, and his grip on reality, as the truth behind the Purcell case is finally revealed.

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