Ep 6. Hunters in the Dark

In "True Detective" season 3, episode 6 titled "Hunters in the Dark," the story revolves around Detective Wayne Hays, played by Mahershala Ali, and his partner Roland West, played by Stephen Dorff, as they continue to work on solving the case of two missing children in the small town of West Finger, Arkansas. It's been 10 years since the case began and Hays is no closer to solving it than he was a decade ago. However, a new lead has emerged that might finally bring him some answers.

The episode opens with Hays standing outside of a house, staring intently at a group of teenagers who have gathered around a bonfire in the yard. One of the teenagers catches his eye and he follows them as they leave the house and head into the woods. Hays' obsession with the case is starting to take a toll on his personal life and his relationship with his wife Amelia, played by Carmen Ejogo.

Meanwhile, West continues to work the case with Hays, but he's starting to lose patience with Hays' single-mindedness. The two detectives interview a former schoolteacher who taught the missing children and she gives them some valuable information that leads them to a cornfield where they find a disturbing clue.

As Hays and West continue to follow the trail of the case, they meet a mysterious man named Harris James, played by Scott Shepherd, who seems to hold some key information about the case. However, he's reluctant to speak to them and instead sends them on a wild goose chase.

Throughout the episode, Hays has flashbacks to his time serving in the Vietnam War, which sheds some light on his current mental state and why he's so driven to solve the case. At the same time, Amelia continues to work on her book about the case, which causes tension between her and Hays.

As the episode comes to a close, Hays and West find themselves in a dangerous situation as they're lured into a dark alley by an unknown assailant. The episode ends with a cliffhanger, leaving viewers wondering what will happen next and whether Hays and West will finally solve the case of the missing children.

Overall, "Hunters in the Dark" is a tense and suspenseful episode that further develops the characters of Hays and West and moves the plot of the season forward. The flashbacks to Hays' time in Vietnam and the tension between him and Amelia add a layer of complexity to the story and make it clear that this is much more than just a simple missing persons case. Fans of "True Detective" will not be disappointed by this thrilling episode.