True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto shares contentious post after backlash to season 4 criticism

True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto has shared a contentious post about the finale of season four, titled Night Country.

The latest HBO series is the first one not to have been devised by Pizzolatto. He is credited as an executive producer, but has previously criticised the series, saying he “certainly did not have any input on this story”.

Night Country was created by Issa López and stars Jodie Foster as Liz Danvers, the local police chief of a fictional town on the fringes of the Alaskan wilderness.

Pizzolatto posted to Instagram on Wednesday (22 February) so viewers could share their positive and negative comments about the show.

“This here is the place for all your trolling/support/infighting around True Detective and the absolute moral degeneracy and misogyny of anyone who did not think it was good. Let’s move these screeds off my posts about my wife, true love, and my father’s death, kay?” he captioned the post.

“I’d say ‘stay civil’ but of course civility has no place when criticism of a television show indicates some form of Hitlerian evil that must be stamped out. So roll on, tide. Satire is welcome, and do try to have a nice day.”

Fans took to the comment section with mixed reaction to Pizzolatto’s post – especially as it followed his re-sharing of instagram Stories criticising the series.

“To be clear: 1 season masterpiece, 2 season masterpiece, 3 season underrated, 4 season is not exist without your talent and vision. That’s all,” one user commented.

“And yet… My female lead character gon an Emmy nomination,” Pizzolatto replied to a user criticizing him. “‘Mediocrity gets rewarded’ … you should reflect on that, given what’s being rewarded at present.”

Previously, the screenwriter reshared comments after the finale aired that called the season a “hot mess” and criticised the final reveal as “self righteous vigilantism”.

Night Country star Kali Reis, who plays Alaska State Trooper Evangeline Navarro in the series, has has clapped back at Pizzolatto’s criticisms.

Responding to news of the original creator’s negativity, Reis wrote on X on Monday (19 February): “That’s a damn shame. But hey I guess ‘if you don’t have anything good to share, s*** on others’ is the new wave lol.”

Showrunner Issa López also responded to his comments, adding in a 31 January interview with Vulture: “I believe that every storyteller has a very specific, peculiar, and unique relation to the stories they create, and whatever his reactions are, he’s entitled to them. That’s his prerogative.”

True Detective: Night Country is available to watch on Max in the US and on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK.