Matthew McConaughey Says 'True Detective' Brought Him Closer To God

"True Detective" had a monumental impact on Matthew McConaughey's life off the screen.

The legendary HBO crime series helped give McConaughey's career a giant boost, and many view the first season of "True Detective" as the greatest single season of television ever made.

I definitely believe that. McConaughey and Woody Harrelson both played incredibly complex and dark characters on the hunt for evil in the all-time great mystery.

Well, it turns out McConaughey playing Rust Cohle stuck with him when the cameras weren't rolling.

Matthew McConaughey reflects on playing Rust Cohle in "True Detective." He says the role changed how he looked at things in life. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Matthew McConaughey reflects on "True Detective."

"I'm not coming home tormented as Rustin Cohle. Am I coming home seeing torment where it should be seen? Am I reading the news differently? Are things coming out of the news and catching my eye as being bullsh*t or lies or truth that is just hard and going 'yep'? Yeah, I'm seeing it through a different lens, but I'm seeing my life through a different lens. A lens that was opened up and an aperture that was opened up through Rustin Cohle," McConaughey explained during an interview with Lex Fridman.

Seeing life differently wasn't the only thing that playing the detective on the HBO show did for McConaughey. It also brought him closer to God.

"I was as strong spiritually with my relationship with God when I did 'True Detective' as I've ever been," McConaughey further added.

"True Detective" is simply outstanding.

Very few shows withstand the test of time. There are plenty of shows that are solid within the moment, but very few are talked about years down the road.

It's been more than nine years since the first season of "True Detective" aired on HBO. Yet, it's still talked about and watched all the time.

Now is the perfect time to dive in if you haven't already seen it.

Rust Cohle was one of the darkest parts of "True Detective." It's probably the best performance of Matthew McConaughey's career.

Cohle was torn between fighting the darkness in his own soul and fighting evil in the world while hunting for truth. It's shown in length in the series that Cohle at his core is probably a good person, but was mentally darkened after the things he'd seen and done.

Clearly, McConaughey took part of the character with him when the cameras weren't rolling. It's that kind of commitment that made the show so damn good.

Matthew McConaughey gave one of the best performances of his career in "True Detective." (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

You really need to watch "True Detective" if you haven't already. Season four arrives this year. It'll be worth watching if it's even a fraction as good as season one with Matthew McConaughey. You simply can't beat it.