I was disappointed to learn that True Detective is an anthology, mainly because it meant Rust Cohle—the instantly iconic Matthew McConaughey character who coined the catchphrase of last summer, “Time is a flat circle”—wouldn’t appear in Season 2. But the second trailer for this upcoming season—which has 100 percent more dialogue—makes it clear that there will still be plenty of borderline nonsensical philosophical pronouncements when the series returns in its new, L.A.-based incarnation.
“Sometimes your worst self is your best self,” proposes Vince Vaughn within the first few seconds of the trailer, followed by a Colin Farrell assertion: “My strong suspicion is we get the world we deserve.” What does it all mean? The details remain to be seen, but the trailer suggests that the new season will echo some of the themes and motifs of Season 1, including a missing girl whom “nobody cares” about, some kind of occult worship (unless that carved figurine is a red herring), and a tense, thumping soundtrack.
HBO summarizes the new season thusly: “A bizarre murder brings together three law-enforcement officers and a career criminal, each of whom must navigate a web of conspiracy and betrayal in the scorched landscapes of California.” True Detective returns June 21.
