HBO executive takes the blame for True Detective's second season failure

To say that True Detective's second season didn't live up to the phenomenon set by its first would be an understatement.

Critics and audiences alike called out the show for its lack of focus, bland characters and directionless build. Unfortunately for creator Nic Pizzolatto, the blame inevitably fell on him.

In a recent interview with The Frame, however, HBO president of programming Michael Lombardo said he took full responsibility for True Detective's shortcomings. He said that while he didn't know if he'd consider the second season to be a direct failure, he regretted pushing Pizzolatto to write something of that caliber too quickly instead of letting the writer figure out the story on his own time.

"When we tell someone to hit an air date as opposed to allowing the writing to find its own natural resting place, when it's ready, when it's baked — we've failed," Lombardo said. "And I think in this particular case, the first season of True Detective was something that Nic Pizzolatto had been thinking about, gestating, for a long period of time."

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Lombardo added that he had become too much of a network executive at that point and had allowed the fact that the show was a hit to cloud his judgment.

Still, Lombardo said he took the entire ordeal as a learning experience and won't start green lighting shows until he's seen the script, despite the massive success and following the series may have. Although, it seems highly unlikely he wouldn't approve of a seventh season for a show like Game of Thrones without seeing the script.

There is currently no word on whether True Detective will return for a third season, but Pizzolatto has signed an exclusive contract with HBO to produce and create other content. From the sound of it, True Detective may continue at the network, especially with Lombardo's support behind it, but it won't be until Pizzolatto finishes writing the script on his own time.