Top News

If you need a new TV show to binge-watch this weekend, this series that has been compared to Breaking Bad and The Sopranos might be the thing for you. Many of us love curling up on the sofa at the end of a long week and watching something entertaining, but with so many great shows at our fingertips, it can be hard to choose what to watch.

Streaming services like Netflix, Now TV, and Amazon Prime Video have made it easier than ever to access our favourite shows and introduce us to new content, and now one person on social media has urged everyone to check out one show they would compare to television greats like Breaking Bad and The Sopranos.

In a post on Reddit, the person said they had just finished watching the first season of True Detective, a HBO series that aired on Sky Atlantic in the UK. He said the series was the "greatest thing" they had ever watched, but there's just one problem - the following seasons aren't as highly recommended as the first.

• Queen Camilla leaves The One Show viewers saying same thing after 'inspiring' speech
• Coronation Street Sam Aston's real-life sibling is soap co-star and fans are gobsmacked

They said: "I just finished watching [season one of] True Detective. What do I do now? That might have been the greatest thing I've ever watched, definitely right up there with The Sopranos and Breaking Bad for my favourites.

"I'm very sad it's over now, but curious to see with you guys how season two [and beyond] are? Is it worth a watch? I've only ever heard people recommend season one."

Commenters on his post were quick to recommend other shows they should watch instead of continuing with True Detective, including Mind Hunter, Station Eleven, and Deadwood. Others said that if they wanted to carry on watching True Detective, season three is the closest the show gets to capturing the magic of season one - but they'd have to power through season two first.

One person said: "Skip to season three. Skip the others. Three isn't even close to one, but it's decent."

Another added: "Two was okay, three was pretty good, but still not close to one. And let's just not talk about four. Ever."

Someone said season two of the show is "shockingly awful", while another said they found the following seasons "lame", so wouldn't recommend them to anyone looking to get into the show for the first time.

Thankfully, you can watch the first season of True Detective and enjoy a self-contained narrative without missing anything from the other seasons. The crime drama is an anthology series, meaning each season is structured as a self-contained narrative with new cast ensembles and new characters.

The first season of True Detective aired in 2014 and stars Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Potts, and Tory Kittles. It takes place in Louisiana and follows a pair of police detectives in the pursuit of a serial killer with occult links.

Season two features Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, and Vince Vaughn, while the third stars Mahershala Ali and Stephen Dorff. The most recent season, which aired in 2024, features Jodie Foster in the lead role. A fifth season is expected the air in 2027. The cast is yet to be announced, but it has been reported Nicolas Cage was in talks to star.

True Detective is available to watch on Now TV. Episodes can also be bought on Prime Video and YouTube, but they are not included in a standard subscription.