We knew there'd eventually be redemption in "True Detective" (currently trending at an absurd 9.5/10 on IMDB), but we didn't know it would come like this. Last night's penultimate episode, "After You've Gone," became the culmination of all the positive aspects of Rusty and Marty's relationship. It only took them 19 years to form something close to a stable friendship.

We'd seen flashes of their potential. Likely the two smartest men in their division in 1995 when the Yellow King case first broke, they were at least intelligent enough to recognize each other's competence. Back then, Marty didn't believe in religion, but held an uncommon reverence for evidence and the risk of it being misinterpreted. (He says something along those lines to Rusty when they first encountered the ritualistic murder scene that spurs the story.) For a man not particularly shrewd in any other aspect of his life, he was gifted in this area -- and gifted in putting another man in his place -- which earned most of Rusty's respect and kept his arrogance in check better than any other cop on the force could at that time.

Nineteen years later, Marty's matured significantly. He's still as careful as ever -- even a bit simple-minded when it comes to the corruption of men -- but he's only improved at following evidence and tracking paper trails. Plus, he's trustworthy. Perhaps that, above all, is why Rusty has held something of a soft spot for the adulterating cop. He may not have been a good father or a good husband or in some ways even a good cop (like when he gives justice to his daughter's high school sexual partners), but he believes in something (strongly revolved around young children) and isn't afraid to work outside police bureaucracy. The two men shared some piece of common ground, but at opposite ends of the spectrum -- until one of their flaws would invariably unravel whatever rapport they'd built. Present day, it appears as if their older versions are also better versions, capable of overcoming previous differences.

It was nice watching the men share beer and work a case like it was the mid-1990s again. You could picture Marty working hard in the file room and on the computers sifting through information, his anticipation building for the moment he could present his findings to Rusty that night. Rusty's motivations are less clear, but he appears to be enjoying the company; he actually asks Rusty personal questions and seems interested in the answers. As Marty said to his wife, Rusty is the "same, different," a statement which applies equally to both men. They're just enough different to overcome the event in 2002 when Rusty was seduced by Maggie.

One more episode left (it won't be a two-hour special). It doesn't seem like enough time to wrap up a series of story lines that twist and span almost 20 years. Then again, we saw reconciliation between Rusty and Marty in just a single episode. Anything can happen in 60 minutes.