The Secret Fate of All Life

"**The Secret Fate of All Life**"
"The Secret Fate of All Life"
True Detective episode
Episode no.	Season 1; Episode 5
Directed by	Cary Joji Fukunaga
Written by	Nic Pizzolatto
Cinematography by	Adam Arkapaw
Editing by	Alex Hall
Original air date	February 16, 2014
Running time	57 minutes
Guest appearances
	Kevin Dunn as Major Ken Quesada; Elizabeth Reaser as Laurie Perkins; Jackson Beals as Detective Mark Daughtry; Christopher Berry as Guy Francis; Joe Chrest as Detective Demma; JD Evermore as Detective Lutz; Dana Gourrier as Cathleen; Charles Halford as Reggie Ledoux; Michael Hartson as Examiner #2; Floyd Herrington as Child #1; Jim Klock Jim Klock as Detective Ted Bertrand; Gretchen Koerner as Examiner #1; Garrett Kruithof as Detective Jimmy Dufrene; Dave Maldonado as Abbeville Sergeant; Harlon Miller as Video Tech; Anthony Molina as Detective; Erin Moriarty as Teenage Audrey Hart; John Neisler as Abbeville Investigator; Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Dewall Ledoux; Dane Rhodes as Detective Favre; Terence Rosemore as Detective; Brighton Sharbino as Teenage Maisie Hart; Joseph Sikora as Ginger; Madison Wolfe as Young Audrey Hart; Meghan Wolfe as Young Maisie Hart; Don Yesso as Commander Speece;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "Who Goes There"	Next →; "Haunted Houses"
	True Detective season 1
	List of episodes

"The Secret Fate of All Life" is the fifth episode of the first season of the American anthology crime drama television series True Detective. The episode was written by series creator Nic Pizzolatto, and directed by executive producer Cary Joji Fukunaga. It was first broadcast on HBO in the United States on February 16, 2014.

The season focuses on Louisiana State Police homicide detectives Rustin "Rust" Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Martin "Marty" Hart (Woody Harrelson), who investigate the murder of prostitute Dora Lange in 1995. Seventeen years later, they must revisit the investigation, along with several other unsolved crimes. In the episode, Cohle and Hart find Reggie Ledoux's location and set out to catch him. The events lead to serious repercussions to their careers and personal life.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 2.25 million household viewers and gained a 0.9 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received universal acclaim from critics, who praised the performances, directing, writing and character development. For the episode, Nic Pizzolatto received an Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series nomination at the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards.