After a stunning first season that gave us the existential buddy-cop pairing of Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson), a slow-moving, overly complex and critically panned second season saw True Detective's ratings dip.
As a result, True Detective season 3 looked unlikely (really unlikely, actually – see below for more information on that) but recently, some key news reports have hit the trades suggesting that a third season isn't just possible, it's actually happening.
We've decided to play telly detective, and gather all the important info in one place.
So stop staring at those spirals in the sky and check out everything you need to know about True Detective season 3.
True Detective season 3 cast: Who's in it?
This was the big news piece that got us hoping – according to Variety, Mahershala Ali is in talks with HBO to join the cast of True Detective season 3. Which is obviously very exciting – Ali's the Oscar-winning star of Moonlight, and any TV series would be very lucky to have him.
And Ali isn't just being tapped up to appear, he's going to be one of the leads. After experimenting with multiple leads in season 2, we wouldn't be surprised if showrunner Nic Pizzolatto went back to the dual-detective format of the successful opening season, or even opted for a solo detective.
Let the #TrueDetectiveSeason3 memes (in which tweeters post unlikely prospective pairings for the new series) begin!
True Detective season 3 release date: When's it coming back?
HBO still hasn't announced the third season officially, so your guess is as good as ours in terms of when it will air. What we do know is that Pizzolatto has teamed up with Deadwood creator David Milch to shape the season's narrative.
Two scripts are written – presumably as proof of concept – and Ali's being courted, so we'd say an official announcement isn't far away.
Let's hope the announcement is as lengthy and intricate as a Rust Cohle monologue.
True Detective season 3 Rust Cohle: Is McConaughey coming back?
When True Detective was announced as a concept, it was as an anthology series, in which the cast and cases would change from season to season, meaning that season 1's finale was definitely the last we'd ever see of Rust and Marty.
Or, um, was it? After the failure of season 2, we would totally understand if Nic Pizzolatto wanted to lean on the incredible characters he created in that perfect first season. And one of them is definitely keen to return.
"I've talked to Nic about it," McConaughey said. "It would have to be the right context, the right way.
"I miss Rust Cohle, man. I miss watching him on Sunday nights. I miss watching True Detective on Sunday nights... I was a happy man when we made that for six months."
You know, we miss him too – but not enough to tarnish his legacy with a lame ratings-boosting cameo. But it sounds like McConaughey would only come back if the concept was right, so if he is indeed announced as being part of True Detective season 3, it can only be a good sign.
True Detective season 3 'cancelled'? What happened there?
It seems strange to be even discussing the idea of a True Detective season 3, when the harsh reaction to Season 2 made that seem impossible, before that instalment had even finished airing.
Last year, that decision looked official, as HBO moved Pizzolatto onto different projects under his development deal, including a Perry Mason reboot with Robert Downey Jr.
Former HBO programming president Michael Lombardo was critical of True Detective season 2, even if he didn't call it an outright failure.
"Our biggest failures – and I don't know if I would consider True Detective 2 a failure – but when we tell somebody to hit an air date as opposed to allowing the writing to find its own natural resting place, when it's ready, when it's baked – we've failed," Lombardo admitted.
But something's clearly changed at HBO. Luckily, it looks like the channel, and Pizzolatto, are taking more time this time around.
