Although True Detective was a show that plumbed the depths of time, death, futility, and other fun topics, I never considered it a downer show.  Russ' misanthropic observations were always balanced out by Marty's reactions and the sheer charisma of McConaughey's performance.  Saying "Time is a flat circle," is more fun in a Texas drawl.

But since True Detective is an anthology, season two will be a whole new ballgame.  According to Variety, HBO programming president Michael Lombardo told the audience at the Guardian International Television Festival in Edinburgh that the new season "won't be quite as dark as the first."  But then he added, "It’s still dark. [Creator, writer, and executive producer Nic Pizzolatto] explores the darkness in people’s souls. … It’s not as dark, but it’s not a light ride. Nic likes looking into the crevices of the soul."  Hit the jump for more.

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Filming on True Detective season 2 is expected to begin next month in California, and according to THR, Lombardo confirmed "There are three cops. One of the characters is female," and went on to say, "We'll probably be announcing casting soon."

As we've previously reported, it's looking like Elisabeth Moss, Colin Farrell, and Taylor Kitsch will be playing the cops.  It's rumored that Moss' character is "a tough, no-nonsense Monterrey sheriff whose troubled upbringing has driven her to gambling and alcohol,"; Kitsch is "a motorcycle California Highway Patrol officer who’s put on leave after soliciting oral ex from a beautiful girl he pulls over for drunk driving,"; and Farrell is playing a cokehead cop with anger management issues.  With main characters like these, I already feel like we're entering darker territory since we now have three fucked-up leads instead of two (not to mention two additional characters possibly played by Vince Vaughn and Michelle Forbes).

Part of the show's tone will also come from the direction.  While Cary Fukunaga did a masterful job directing season one, it was exhausting and borderline impractical to put it all on the shoulders of one person.  Lombardo says they'll be using three or four directors on the new season.  I'm curious to see if they follow the tone set by Fukunaga in season one, or if they'll be using their new story and new setting, California, to go in a radically different direction.

With filming set to begin next month, I assume we'll get a slew of announcements regarding the cast and directors in the near future.  HBO is aiming to air the new season next summer.