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When the series finally did start production in early 2018, a mini-drama about achange in directorssprung up.
Bloys says some of the external narrative aroundTrue Detectiveis simply wrong, particularly reports of trouble once filming began.
There is just more noise around this show than a lot of [other shows], he says.
That lack of certainty had nothing to do with HBOs interest in keepingTrue Detectivealive.
While season two was critically panned, it was still a hit with audiences.
Lets get a pass that were really excited about.
And lets not rush to do it, just to do it.
I dont think Nic had any interest in doing that, nor did we.
Well, you know what?
I had sort of putTrue Detectiveon a shelf, he said.
I was working on something else for HBO during most of 2016.
Not long after, Pizzolatto was sharing scripts with HBO.
That got us very excited, Bloys says.
It was all on the page.
But by summer 2017, he and the web connection felt comfortable enough to begin searching for a cast.
Mahershala read the scripts, thought they were great and came in to meet with Nic, Bloys says.
But instead of Roland, He said, I want to play Wayne, Bloys recalls.
I think Nic initially was like, I dont know if I can write that.
Im paraphrasing here, but Mahershala basically said, Well, you already did.
Thats not race dependent.
By June of 2017, Ali was in formal discussions to come on board as the lead.
Those early trade reports about Milch possibly being a collaborator ended up being overblown, the exec says.
David came and wrote an episode and [was then] off dealing with theDeadwoodmovie, Bloys says.
[Pizzolatto] and Jeremy both decided mutually, Lets move on.
Is Bloys concerned audiences will greet the shows return with a shrug?
If youre asking me if I worry, I worry about every single thing, he laughs.
Its a limited series, so its new characters, new situations, new locations, Bloys says.
As long as its compelling and interesting, you’re free to restart them.
Indeed, early reviews of season three have singled out Alis performance for praise.
Bloys, however, makes it clear hes not interested in playing the ratings prognostication game.
You know this old chestnut: Its not just about ratings for us, he says.
I think that it will do that.
And if it flops spectacularly?
The other obvious question surroundingTrue Detectiveright now is whether HBO will keep the franchise alive beyond season three.
For now, though, the exec remains open but very much noncommittal to a season four.
The mistake you could make is deciding beforehand that youre going to do something, he says.
Nic has to be excited about an idea [and] we have to be excited about the idea.
I dont want to be in a position where we are green-lighting things just to fill time.
But there is nothing set in stone, he says.
You just put out things that you believe in and take it from there.
