The long-awaited new season of HBO’s hit series “True Detective” premiered at the end of winter break to leave its conspiracy-minded audience hungry for more. Jan. 13 saw the release of the first two episodes of the new season, entitled “The Great War and Modern Memory” and “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye,” both an hour long. The series explores the dynamic nature of memory, the effects of loss, and the power of love in the fictional wake of the kidnapping and murder of two young children in 1980s Arkansas.

When a young boy and his sister are last seen riding their bikes around a small-town rural neighborhood, detectives Wayne Hays and Roland West of the state police are put on the case. What they believe to be a benign routine case of child runaways quickly and shockingly turns into a murder mystery.

Star detective and Vietnam war veteran Wayne Hays, played by Mahershala Ali, becomes consumed by the events that follow the disappearance of the Purcell children. As the audience learns through seamless flash-forwards to family-aged Hays and old-man Hays, the story of the Purcell children has led him to question everything he thought he knew, everything he thought he saw, and most jarringly, everything he thought he remembered.

While season three is off to a great start with three episodes out as of the writing of this article, “True Detective” has had its ups and downs, with the ups being in season one, and the downs in season two. Unlike season one, this season has less of a focus on the gruesomeness and perversion of humanity and instead explores the faults within our minds and existence—a shift more harrowing in its inescapability.

Carried by Ali’s magnetic performance, season three of “True Detective” pushes the boundaries of fiction on cinematic merits. If you were turned off from the show after the lackluster affair that was season two (Vince Vaughn… sigh), I assure you that season three carries the intensity and vigor of season one, and then some.

“True Detective” season three airs Sundays on HBO.

Can’t afford HBO? Have no fear! Rowan students can sign up for the HBO GO streaming platform by selecting Rowan University as their provider. Use your Rowan credentials to sign into the account and get streaming.

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