True Detective season 4, aka True Detective: Night Country, is one of the best TV shows of 2024 so far, but if you don't have HBO or Max you probably haven't seen it yet. Well, that's no longer a problem, at least for the first episode, as you can now watch True Detective season 4 episode 1 for free on YouTube.
Returning for the first time in five years, this latest edition of the True Detective anthology series stars Jodie Foster, Kali Reis and John Hawkes and is set in a small Alaskan town during what is known as "the long night," a stretch of winter days when the sun doesn’t come up. The case at the center of the season is the mysterious disappearance of a group of scientists from a research facility without a trace. To solve the mystery, detectives Liz Danvers (Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Reis) must confront their past and the dark truths that lie underneath the ice.
Three episodes of True Detective season 4 have aired to date, with another three remaining, including this Sunday, February 4. So if you watch the season 4 premiere episode 4 and decide you have to find out what happens, you’ll have time to catch up with the season, possibly before it ends.
Just don't expect anymore episodes to come onto YouTube for free. HBO has done this with a few of their shows, including The Gilded Age season 1 episode 1 and the first two episodes of The Sopranos, but it's meant to entice viewers to sign up for Max, where they can stream all of these shows on-demand or, in the case of True Detective season 4 and other current HBO shows, basically live, as they premiere on the streaming service simultaneously on Max and HBO.
Max has a starting price of $9.99 per month for its ad-supported plan, while you'll have to go up to $15.99 per month to watch ad-free. But in addition to HBO shows, you also get Max originals, including the upcoming Tokyo Vice season 2 and Hacks season 3, a library of classic movies and, at least until the end of February, live sports for free (after February sports will cost an additional monthly fee).
Take a look at all that is new on Max in February.
Of course if you are somewhere HBO and Max are not available, like the UK, there are other options. UK viewers wanting to catch up with True Detective season 4 can do so on Sky TV's video on-demand library, as well as watch the episodes live on Sky TV.
Watch True Detective season 4 episode 1 one YouTube right here. New episodes Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO and Max, and the Mondays on Sky TV in the UK.
