I watched True Detective about ~10 years after it was released.
Watched Season 1 first. Great experience. I generally prefer movies (most TV shows just feel off), but this is something you can recommend.
Skipped Season 2/3 because of bad reviews. Watched Season 4 because I like “small communities in the far north” settings. S04 was solid, although I felt the core hook was never defined. Is this a more mystical movie? Cultural commentary? It was great to see Jody Foster (the first movie with her that I watched was The Silence of the Lambs as a kid when I didn’t really understand the movie), but something didn’t connect.
Decided to watch Season 2. While in many ways it was very flawed, I found it far more rewarding than Season 1 or Season 4.
It had a gritty and realistic vibe. Flawed characters trying to do their best. A realistic ending. Social commentary without being overbearing.
In my opinion, Season 2 of True Detective is by far the best season. And I say this as someone who has a massive list of things that I felt were annoying and unrealistic about Season 2 (list is bigger than for Season 1 or Season 4). But Season 2 felt real and the overall narrative arc felt like something any of us could experience (versus Season 1/4 that were more of a fairy tale for adults).
Never heard of Bosch. Might need to check it out. Cheers!