The first season of the show True Detective (HBO, 2014) is one of the most compelling amalgamations of horror, detection, philosophy, and personal conflict ever presented on television. The show’s creator, Nic Pizzolatto, has drawn upon a wide array of sources for the eight episodes of this season, which starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as two police detectives investigating mysterious deaths in an impoverished region in Louisiana.
In this pioneering study, veteran weird fiction scholar Heather Miller has unraveled the complex network of influences that made True Detective so memorable. First and foremost, there is H. P. Lovecraft, whose rich pseudomythology underlay the entire series. Then there is Robert W. Chambers, whose “King in Yellow” mythology was utilized in a profound manner by Pizzolatto. Finally, there is the fiction and philosophy of Thomas Ligotti, the modern-day apostle of pessimism and anti-natalism.
In successive chapters, Miller dissects each of these influences, drawing upon her extensive knowledge of primary and secondary sources. She understands that the show, aside from merely drawing upon past literature, also makes keen statements on such contemporary issues as environmental degradation and domestic trauma. Her conclusion—“It is necessary that we be the bad men sometimes so that the light can win”—exhibits the paradoxical morality embedded in an unforgettable instance of modern media.
Professionally, Heather Miller is a medical writer for the National Institutes of Health in Washington, DC, where she specializes in oncology. She has a master’s degree in English, is ABD in technical communications, and has been a regular presenter at the Dr. Henry Armitage Memorial Scholarship Symposium during NecronomiCon Providence since 2015. In her personal life, she is a tabletop roleplaying game player, writer, and editor, having played in actual-play games for, among others, Into the Darkness, Miskatonic Playhouse, WasabiBurger, and Symphony Entertainment. She is a wine enthusiast, holding a Level 2 Award with Merit through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, and is a trustee for the Mensa International Charitable Foundation.
This product was added to our catalog on Friday 19 July, 2024.
