‘True Detective’ trailer: Matthew McConaughey shines in new HBO series

For a few years there, Matthew McConaughey was almost becoming a joke in Hollywood, a romantic-comedy actor best known for mostly taking his shirt off at various times and delivering cheesy lines. There has always been some talent there, but like with many other projects, it depends on the quality of the role and the writing to back it up.

The past couple of years have been a renaissance of sorts for the actor, and it leads him to a major TV role now on HBO’s “True Detective.” This trailer first aired prior to premiere of “Boardwalk Empire” on Sunday, and it’s dark and fantastic. You have McConaughey and Woody Harrelson starring as a pair of detectives from different eras coming together to try and solve a serial killer whose patterns span several decades. The setting here is Louisiana, but not the part of the state that you see on “True Blood” or many other shows.

So do we need another cop show? That is a question that is very understandable right now, given that “The Killing” and “The Bridge” are both tackling very similar topics. But the selling point here, like with those shows, is the cast. With leads like McConaughey and Harrelson at the top of their game, we don’t care if the subject is cops or basket weaving. What matters is whether or not the material makes for compelling entertainment, and it sure seems like the show is off to a good start in this trailer.

“True Detective” will premiere this January, forming a night that will likely also include “Girls” on it along with another show. What do you think about this trailer? Be sure to share your thoughts below!

Photo: HBO