True Detective Season 5: Jodie Foster Addresses Potential Return Alongside Night Country Showrunner

Jodie Foster has addressed whether or not she will be coming back for True Detective season 5, following confirmation season 4 showrunner Issa López would be developing the next season. Foster starred in season 4, subtitled Night Country, as Liz Danvers, Chief of Police in Ennis, Alaska, investigating the disappearance of eight scientists. The season has been polarizing, earning high praise from critics but negative reviews from audiences.

Speaking with Variety, Foster bluntly revealed that she would not be coming back for True Detective season 5 despite López’s return as showrunner. She swiftly answered, “No, it’s an anthology,” and “It’s one and done.” Her response confirms the series won’t be straying from its usual format by having Liz return for its next mystery.

Why Jodie Foster’s Absence In True Detective Season 5 Makes Sense

True Detective: Night Country ended with Liz and and Trooper Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) discovering most of the answers surrounding the mysterious deaths of the research team. The resolution of the mystery means there’s no story-based reason for Foster to reprise her role during season 5. Much like the many groups of characters that have been featured on the show before, no one from season 4 is expected to come back in future seasons.

By not coming back to the show, Foster helps maintain the series’ status as an anthology, with stories far-removed from each other. While some references to season 1 appeared throughout season 4, for the most part, every season of True Detective stands on its own as a different story. Keeping every story separate maintains the show’s identity, giving a whole new cast of characters the spotlight for every season.

However, season 4’s callbacks to season 1 open the door for more direct references between the stories told in the series. While Foster may not be coming back in True Detective‘s future, that doesn’t mean Liz’s investigation will go unmentioned in later seasons. Night Country has opened the door for a more thoroughly connected anthology in the future, something López could further develop in season 5.