True Detective season 4: Why is it only six episodes?

We knew that there is a lot to be wondering about entering True Detective season 4, whether it be the mystery or the characters.

For the time being, though, why not shift the focus over to episode count? There are only six episodes this season, and that is smaller than a lot of people were most likely expecting. It is also shorter than most other shows that HBO tends to bring to the table.

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So what is the reason for this? Well, so much of it happens to be tied to the desires of writer-director Issa López, who was the main creative voice behind the season. Speaking on this further to Polygon, she explained:

In my initial conversation with HBO about it, they were like, “How do you feel about True Detective?” and I told them what I had in mind. And they said, “We love it. 10 episodes?” And I was like, “No,” because I wanted to direct every one of them, you know?

And as time went by there were several conversations where they were like, “Seven?” and I was like “No, six.” It was always six. It is tight for all the terrain we cover in the series, but at the same time, I am a firm believer in economy and saying what’s necessary and never overstaying your welcome, leaving people wanting more. So it was a perfect size, I think.

Honestly, we are concerned that the season is going to be too short — yet, leaving people wanting more is a good thing. This is honestly one of those things that we will be able to judge a little bit later after the fact — it is so much harder to figure out far in advance.

Related – Be sure to get some more news on True Detective now, including a new video behind the scenes

Why do you think that True Detective season 4 is only six episodes?

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