HBO has finally put a date on the highly anticipated return of True Detective for Season 3, which stars Mahershala Ali as Wayne Hays, a state police detective from Northwest Arkansas. After an exciting and immersive first season (one that helped make director Cary Fukunaga a household name -- well, as far as the TV and film community generally go -- and kicked off the McConaissance), creator Nic Pizzolatto had a rough go for Season 2 of his anthology series. So given that critically panned and largely forgettable follow-up, can Season 3 now get back to Season 1 glory?

According to a press release, "the new season tells the story of a macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks, and a mystery that deepens over decades and plays out in three separate time periods." This sounds a lot more like Season 1's vibe, especially with its Southern setting and multiple time periods. The series' great cast also includes Carmen Ejogo and Stephen Dorff. Sign me up!

HBO revealed today that Season 3 of True Detective will run for eight episodes starting Sunday, January 13th. The premium network also released a new batch of images which highlight some of the different time periods (and wigs!) at work this season. Even though time is a flat circle, we at least know when to expect the show's return in early 2019. You can also check out the great Season 3 trailer here, as well as the new images below. Maybe it's time to start getting our hopes up ...