I really don't think directors have as much to do with the final product as we are led to believe. Star Wars was saved in editing. Cinematographers are responsible for the visual aesthetic. The writers obviously control what you're hearing in terms of dialogue and story. The director is usually a glorified manager. His or her artistic input is frequently limited to delegating work, making some requests, and handling the actors. In the cases of Matthew McConaughey and Woodie harrelson, exactly how much direction do you think these guys needed?

Point being: true detective season 1 was generational television for a lot of reasons. This cuck director might not be a particularly big one.