Because of their prolonged darkness, the polar regions have long been preferred settings for mystery and horror stories. John Carpenter knew this all too well. The visionary director took full advantage of this existential despair with his science fiction horror film The Thing (1982). One of the best ‘body horror’ movies of its era, Carpenter used the desolate frozen landscape to emphasise the growing suspicion among Kurt Russell’s group of survivors as they were being picked off one by one by a terrifying, shape-shifting alien.

Which brings me nicely to True Detective’s fourth instalment, Night Country.