David Cronenberg Passed on 'True Detective' Season 2 Over "Bad" Script

BY Josiah HughesPublished Oct 1, 2015

Offering the sobering realization that not all TV dramas are amazing, the second season of True Detective was a garbage heap of stilted acting, laughable dialogue and general confusion. Since it aired, its script has been the subject of pile-ons. Andy Samberg roasted it at the Emmys while season one director Cary Fukunaga said he had nothing to do with it. Now, esteemed director David Cronenberg has chirped up with some trash talk of his own.

At the Reykjavik International Film Festival, where he received a lifetime achievement award, David Cronenberg revealed that he was offered a job directing the first episode of season two. He had a great reason for turning it down — the script was a giant turd.

"Last year I was approached to direct the first episode of the second season of True Detective, I considered it but I thought that the script was bad, so I didn't do it," he said, demonstrating a great deal of wisdom. "In TV, the director is just a traffic cop, but on the other hand, it is work and there's a lot of it."

True Detective has not yet been renewed for a third season, so only time will tell if the show can redeem itself or if it'll forever be remembered for dialogue like, "It's like blue balls, but of the heart."

Thanks to IndieWire for the tip.

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