I try to be ladylike and I do not say this lightly, but holy shit. Of all the ways I thought a new season of True Detective might materialize (if in fact it did, since Season 2 was a mess and there's been a long break since then), I could not have predicted this. After the success of Season 1, HBO pushed Season 2 into production too fast (as was admitted in hindsight), so taking a break before Season 3 didn't necessarily portend doom, especially since there were so many reasons left to continue the series. As we can see now, it has led, potentially, to a new degree of greatness.

EW is reporting that TV veteran David Milch is joining the production for the new season (you'll know him from Deadwood and NYPD Blue among many, many others -- including the beleaguered Luck which was very underrated), reportedly teaming up with True Detective creator Nick Pizzolatto. In Season 1, Pizzolatto wrote the entire season worked closely with director Cary Fukunaga (who directed all of the episodes), and their reportedly contentious relationship is what may have led to the first season being as great as it was (creative pushback is often a good and necessary thing). In Season 2, Pizzolatto again took the lead in writing, but there was a revolving door of directors, and the show suffered. With Milch on board, it seems like a smart move to have a great storyteller for Pizzolatto to bounce ideas off of, presumably, although we don't know exactly what the separation of duties will be.

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Image via HBO

It's worth keeping in mind a few things: Pizzolatto has reportedly already written two episodes of the new season, but the season has not been officially greenlit. To speculate wildly, maybe HBO liked where things were going but wanted to bring in another voice to help shape the new season in order for them to move forward with it officially. Also, Milch is not going to be acting as a showrunner, but no showrunner has yet been declared.

Milch's voice is really the perfect one for a new season of True Detective, and not just because the Emmy winner has a storied TV past relating to crime series. As any fan of Deadwood knows, no one can marry lyrical prose with gritty vulgarity like Milch can. His influence in any way should be a welcomed addition to a new season.

We'll let you know more as it is announced but for now, how hopeful and excited are you? And by the way, yeah, this also suggests that we aren't getting that Deadwood movie anytime soon (Especially with Ian McShane being tied up on American Gods over at Starz). Still, this is something! Let's hope they go with the one-director policy again, too.

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Image via HBO
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Image via HBO
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Image via HBO