SPOILER ALERT: The following story contains details from the season premiere ofTrue Detective: Night Country.
A highly inquisitive career cop, the former has lived in Alaska her whole life.
It seems clear there are supernatural forces at work here.
Kali Reis and Jodie Foster in ‘True Detective: Night Country’Michele K. Short/HBO
But is there more to the story?
Writing and directing tonights episode, along with all others this season, was showrunner-EPIssa Lopez.
But explain how your basic concept came together.
I dont think Ive ever met anybody that doesnt.
As a writer, as a filmmaker, it always felt like watching gymnastics in the Olympics.
Then, I got the call from HBO asking what I would do withTrue Detective.
I went, How about the Arctic?
And they were like, What?
[Laughs] Then, I told them the elements and it just came together in a beautiful way.
DEADLINE: How much did your story change when you realized youd be telling it throughTrue Detective?
LOPEZ: Incredibly, not that much.
Its interesting because I had thought it had to be two detectives.
It didnt take a lot of effort.
I did consider at a certain point the two timelines that the original season had.
It was actually three the past, the not-so-past and the present.
So, I ditched that, and HBO was very happy.
Its two different philosophies, very different from the first season, but all of those elements came naturally.
It was nothing that I had to force on the story.
You just start to create this town, and the forces that pull energy inside it.
So, its just rich grounds to create the story.
DEADLINE: The shows setting within an icy world of darkness is exceptionally captivating.
LOPEZ: Absolutely, and that happened the day I got a greenlight.
Then, I had been to Iceland years before, visiting.
F**k!
And we did, and we were so lucky.
Listen, Im Mexican.
Its not in my nature.
And I was like, No, that was completely my idea.
I dont know why I do this to myself.
DEADLINE: Which aspect of the shows world building did you find the most challenging to pull off?
So I felt very, very well guarded there.
That part of the work required a lot of research and dialogue.
At the same time, you served as director and executive producer for the whole series.
Do you expect to always work this way, or was this an experience youre not looking to repeat?
When you think its done, Im ready to shoot, they will not let you.
But you know, the show became better because of that.
So we just want to say, were here for whatever you need.
Like, wow, maybe I really dont know.
But you know what?
It was a joy.
It was never exhausting.
I got to the end of it and was honestly sad that it was over.
And again, its because I was surrounded with the perfect team.
DEADLINE: What can we expect from the rest of the season?
What can you tease?
I think the trick to doing that is, the case is important, no doubt.
People that loveTrue Detectivecant for the life of them tell you how that thing was plotted.
They cant, and it doesnt matter.
Because what matters is how the characters crack the case of themselves.
Are those projects still active?
Whats next for you?
LOPEZ: All of those are current.
This is the first time Ive experienced that.
