True Detective Season 5 Just Got a Major Update

HBO’s upcoming fifth season of True Detective will take place in Jamaica Bay, New York, according to new details revealed by HBO’s Head of Drama Series and Film Francesca Orsi in an interview with Deadline. This announcement provides the first concrete information about the next installment of the anthology series, which will begin production this year under returning showrunner Issa López. The series’ move to Jamaica Bay follows the breakout success of True Detective: Night Country, which aired in early 2024 and became the most-watched season in the franchise’s history with 12.7 million viewers across HBO and Max. The fourth season also dominated the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards with nineteen nominations, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, and wins for both Jodie Foster’s lead performance and López’s directing and writing. This critical and commercial success established López’s creative vision for the franchise, leading to her return for the fifth season.

“It’s set in New York, in Jamaica Bay,” Orsi confirmed. “Issa has a lot to say, not unlike she did with Night Country. It’s a different milieu but just as powerful.” Jamaica Bay represents the first urban setting in the series’ history, marking a significant evolution for the crime drama. The area encompasses both heavily developed urban regions and one of the largest wildlife preserves in New York City, creating a unique environmental contrast that distinguishes it from the franchise’s previous settings. This duality of urban spaces and natural landscapes provides a complex backdrop for the kind of layered storytelling that has become the series’ trademark. The extended development period, with production beginning in 2025 for a 2027 release, demonstrates HBO’s continued commitment to maintaining the high production values that have distinguished the series in the premium television landscape.

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With López’s return confirmed and the setting established, the fifth season enters its development phase at a crucial moment for the franchise. Following Night Country‘s success, HBO has positioned the series as a cornerstone of its programming strategy, evidenced by the substantial pre-production timeline and the network’s willingness to continue evolving the show’s formula. The selection of Jamaica Bay suggests a conscious effort to explore new thematic territory while maintaining the psychological tension that has defined the series since its inception.

How Night Country Changed True Detective‘s Legacy

The announcement of Jamaica Bay as Season 5’s setting comes amid ongoing discussions about True Detective‘s creative direction. The fourth season sparked controversy when series creator Nic Pizzolatto publicly criticized Night Country through now-deleted Instagram posts, sharing messages that called the season a “hot mess” that “butchered and misappropriated” the franchise’s signature elements. Despite remaining credited as executive producer, Pizzolatto distanced himself from the project, telling fans he “certainly didn’t have any input on this story or anything else.”

The controversy highlighted the significant creative shift under López’s leadership. Night Country departed from previous seasons with its supernatural elements and focus on Indigenous issues, following detectives Liz Danvers (Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) as they investigated the mysterious disappearance of eight men from the Tsalal Arctic Research Station in Ennis, Alaska. When asked about Pizzolatto’s criticism, López maintained a diplomatic stance, saying, “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.”

Star Kali Reis was more direct in her response to the criticism, stating on social media, “That’s a damn shame. But hey, I guess ‘if you don’t have anything good to share, shit on others’ is the new wave.” Despite the behind-the-scenes tension, audiences and critics overwhelmingly embraced López’s vision, as evidenced by the high ratings and the Emmys Night Court received. 

True Detective: Night Court is currently available for streaming on Max. What do you think of Season 5’s Jamaica Bay setting? Let us know in the comments!