True Detective S4's Billie Eilish Theme Explained

The Eerie Connection

True Detective: Night Country's Billie Eilish theme song seems to give away several story clues. Directed by Issa L\u00f3pez, True Detective season 4's episode 1 wastes no time and jumps straight into action by revealing the eerie moments before a group of scientists suddenly vanished from their Alaskan research facility.

Jodi Foster as Liz Danvers in True Detective season 4

It then introduces detectives Navarro and Danvers, who gradually realize that the disappearance of the scientists might have something to do with another murder case they worked on in the past.

Kali Reis as Det. Evangeline Navarro and Jodi Foster as Det. Liz Danvers in True Detective season 4

Decoding the Song

As True Detective: Night Country's storyline progresses, it becomes evident that season 4 borrows several elements from its predecessors. At the same time, it also etches a unique identity for itself by immersing viewers in a distinct setting and hinting at the metaphysical underpinnings in its overarching narrative. However, long before the show walks viewers through its captivating character beats and murder mysteries, it drops clues to several story details by featuring Billie Eilish's 'Bury A Friend' as its opening theme.

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The Deeper Connection

Billie Eilish once talked about the meaning of 'Bury A Friend' and explained (via Pop Song Professor) that it unfolds from the perspective of 'the monster under my bed.' She added that she could be the monster under her bed and someone else's. Her vision of her song seems to be in tandem with how True Detective portrays humans. The show highlights how humans are not only their own worst enemies (or the monsters under their own beds) but also responsible for harming the people around them (by becoming monsters under their beds). Rust Cohle talks about something similar in True Detective season 1 by quoting that 'human consciousness is a tragic misstep in evolution.'

Kali Reis as Navarro and Jodie Foster as Danvers staring into the ice in a True Detective season 4 promo