Jeri Jacquin

On Bluray this week from the series creator Nic Pizzolatto and HBO is the fourth season of the crime drama TRUE DETECTIVE: Night Country.

Tsalal Research Station, located in the remote town of Ennis Alaska, is bustling with scientists. Something has made its way inside the work station bringing police Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) to the location. What they find is basically nothing, oh, except for a woman’s tongue and a loud television. Also on the case is trooper Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) who has a beef with the police chief as she believes this could be connected to an Inupiat woman’s death.

Local Rose (Fiona Shaw) calls the police because of the horror she has found near the frozen local lake. It is bizarre and cannot be explained. A pile of frozen bodies and a spiral symbol just confuses the situation all the more. Danvers isn’t happy when the dog brass Captain Ted Connolly (Christopher Eccleston) wants her to tie up the case quickly. Frozen scientists aren’t Navarro’s only problem as her sister Julia (Aka Niviana) is someone the trooper has to consistently be watching out for and Danvers is dealing with her rebellious teen Inupiat stepdaughter Leah (Isabella Star LaBlanc).

More pressure is coming from Silver Sky execs Kate McKitterick and Conolly is a part of that. Both warn Danvers to steer clear of the case but, honestly, who is going to stop her from doing her job. Leading them back to the lab, Danvers and Navarro work together and discover and underground lab where a local was murdered leading to Raymond Clark (Owen McDonnell). Continuing to look for evidence, Danvers and Navarro have visions of things that are personally painful.

The two women push back against what they uncover about Silver Sky, the murders and disappearances and the spirit world that knows the truth of it all!

Foster as Danvers is like a dog with a huge chunk of juicy steak and refuses to let go of the case no matter who comes up against her. I love when Foster takes on these types of roles where she doesn’t have to scream and holler to get the answers her character wants. Instead, she kind of puffs up and spikes whenever anyone tries to tell Danvers anything that goes against what she knows to be true. That being said, Foster gives Danvers a “softer” side when it comes to figuring out how to be a compassionate but stern step-parent. All of this in the midst of an icy mystery that needs her qualities if its going to be solved. I just love Foster in this role!

Reis as Navarro may butt heads against Danvers for a perceived wrong she feels but she is equally a force to be reckoned with. As much as these two characters feel they are at odds, it is their strength together (once they get past the animosity). Reis gives as good as she gets but also has the issue of her sister’s mental state and trying to bring to light the lack of concern about missing Inupiat women which angers her to no end. Reis gives a strong performance and doesn’t let up even to the very end. A wonderful and riveting performance.

Shaw as Rose is what I’d imagine I would be like in my senior age, living out in the middle of no where and being happy about it. It is when strange things begin to happen that she has something to say about it all. Shaw is such a wonderful and undervalued actress but slowly finding her way into her own (see the film IF and she’ll make you cry). Niviana as Julia portrays a character that suffers from a mental illness and shows the personal impact it has on family and the lack of resources available for the native peoples.

Shout out to John Hawkes as Captain Hank Prior. Watching him go up against Foster’s character is twisted and filled with emotional history. It’s always a joy to see him on the screen.

Other cast include Anna Lambe as Kayla Malee,Erling Eliasson as Travis, Nivi Pedersen as Annie, Joel D. Montgrand as Eddie, Finn Bennett as Officer Peter Prior and John Hawkes as Captain Hank Prior.

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Bonus Features include Meet the True Detectives: Cast Q&A, New Chapter – Showrunner/Writer/Director Issa Lopez and Cast Discuss Night Country’s Unique Role in the Series, Exploring Indigenous Themes – Delves into Alaska Native Culture and How it has Informed This Season, Max Inkblots – Get to Know Cast Through Show-Themed Inkblot Interpretations, Setting Featurette – Sets Up Alaska as a Pivotal Character in the Story and Atmospheric Teases – Social Environmental Shots to Tease Key Moments From the Series.

TRUE DETECTIVE: Night Country is brilliant story telling by Nic Pizzolatto and the perfect cast to bring it all off. Set in Alaska, the surrounding environment is another player in the game of mystery and murder. The series also takes on the issue of the lack of help regarding the native women. Not only in Alaska but on reservations there are women who are missing or murdered yet getting help seems to be the least of law enforcements concerns.

It is the twists and turns that had my jaw dropping constantly thinking I had figured things out early but clearly was very, very wrong. To be honest, I actually watched the series with the lights out giving the series an even spookier feel. Watching Foster and Reis together is a winning combination and these two women have brought a stunning fourth season to the TRUE DETECTIVE series.

In the end – uncover the truth and unravel the evidence!

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