"True Detective" season 2 didn't just suffer in critical acclaim in comparison to season 1; its ratings were also down.

Sunday's season 2 finale drew 2.73 million viewers, a 22 percent drop from the season 1 finale. The only good news is that ratings rose for the finale 25 percent from the series-low Aug. 2 episode.

Season 1 of the HBO drama was applauded by critics for its beautiful visuals, a stunning single-take action scene, and the performances by Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. But season 2 took shots from the start — for "sketchily written" characters, clunky dialogue, "no sense of place," and "disorganized" plotting.

Still, HBO is on board for season 3, if creator Nic Pizzolatto is game to write another season. Let the #TrueDetectiveSeason3 hashtag game commence!


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