True Detective Thread VII... or is it Thread I? Time is a circle

[Commodore]

Rust Cohle giving a TED talk

[Sci-2]

@Maid:

Kinda looks like black stars in Audrey's painting, though maybe not. Seems hard to believe that the suggestion is an accident.

I still Audrey got exposed to something when she was young. I don't think it'll be made clear but I think it'll be hinted at in Ep 8.

[Tony Soprano]

Shit, I swear this episode felt like it lasted less than twenty minutes. Nonetheless, a great episode. I think the show gets progressively better and better with each coming week. Can't believe there's only one more to go, it's been a hell of a ride and I'm sure as hell gonna miss Rust and Marty after all this is over.

Anyway, that was really clever, how they used the lighting to show us the scars on Lawnmower Man's face. Speaking of, that scene was indescribably creepy for me, no idea why. But yeah, even though they may be getting close to the guy who did the actual killings, I think they still have a long way to go to catch up to the ringleader of the cult.

And I'm glad they're putting some more focus on Carcosa next episode. I finished reading The King in Yellow last week and it's gonna be interesting, paying attention to all the references that may or may not pop up.

I wear no mask.

[Anatúrinbor]

The thing is, a lot of the weird shit with Marty's daughter as a child seems rooted in more than just some paternal neglect. The sex drawings and doll scene especially, and to a lesser extent the spiral drawing. Acting out sexually as a teenager, yea, not really evidence of abuse by the Yellow King. But that other stuff can't be so easily dismissed - if it amounts to nothing then Pizzolatto is very much guilty of "tricking us"

I still think as I mentioned upthread that the doll scene was imagined by Marty. The only way I can see how it actually took place is if there were some major continuation issues involved. Which is odd for this show and a scene that is relatively important. Plus, that episode was called 'seeing things'...

IMO, the only clue is the drawings. Don't know how they're going to explain that, or if they will at all. I'm guessing it has to do with the other kids at school, which is also what she told her father IIRC.

Having her turn out as another victim of the cult in the finale is possible I guess, but I don't know... I kind of have more faith in the showrunners than that based on what I've seen in the first 7 episodes.

[Ouroboros]

The next episode looks like its going to be pretty crazy.

[Jabronius Maximus]

I thought that was a good episode, fairly 'conventional' though. Marty's been an asshole, but it was kinda sad to see that the Caddy is the highlight of his life in present times.

[red snow]

Pat on the back for the person who posited the lawnmower man theory. I think that scene would have been a jaw-dropper if I didn't have the idea in my head from the thread already. That said I did break out into a big smile as soon as the detectives stopped to ask the lawnmower man a question :) I kind of worry for what they may find. What was so chilling was how the lawnmower man has no fear at all - I guess after this much time he's warranted in feeling that way. I wonder if those scars were ritualistic?

Am I the only one who's a bit suspicious of Maggie's behaviour this episode? She seemed awfully keen to know what Rust and Hart were up to and unless I missed it HArt didn't mention where Rust was working. That and the fact she lives in a borderline mansion. Looks as though she's married into an integral part of the community - one that may be in a cult? Unless that's all her of her own making. I never thought there was anything more to Maggie than being married to a shit husband but this episode made be a skeptic.

Loved the "barbell" line. Hart has a lot of faults but insults aint one of them.

Discussion of Oscars spoiler

I can't be the only one who loved the irony of the actor who plays Rust being quoted as saying "it's all thanks to god" "that's who i look up to" and

"He's graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human hand," Just feels really weird seeing Rust's face say those things :)

[Ramsay Gimp]

Any ideas on why different victims are treated differently? There seem to be plenty of kids who were abused but weren't murdered. And then some that "disappeared." And then Dora Lange and 2012 girl who were proudly displayed.

[Inquisitor Glokta]

Can't stop stop listening to this song...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4zluA60hjs

[red snow]

Any ideas on why different victims are treated differently? There seem to be plenty of kids who were abused but weren't murdered. And then some that "disappeared." And then Dora Lange and 2012 girl who were proudly displayed.

Unfortunately, I guess it's an initiation thing. Some are worthy, others are not - all are abused. I think the adult was killed because she was maybe starting to talk, or because it was a very weird way of someone trying to draw attention to the cult to get it stamped out. eg some of the abused kids from the class may have staged her murder. Crackpot though.

[Queen of Whores]

I gotta be honest and admit.... I was really disapointed and underwhelmed by this episode, just as I have been for episodes 5 and 6 as well. I'm starting to feel that True Detective isn't the flawless masterpiece I heavily praised it to all my friends and family. He first four episodes were pretty close to perfection to me, and the start of episode 5 was great as well, but then as soon as it went into 2002..... it lost me. The dense, forboding atmosphere slipped away, and it began to feel more and more generic. Rust's long and deep philosophies of nihilism that filled the first few episodes were a massive highlight to me, so the show definitely suffered when they stopped, and I'm kind of disappointed all of that was only an act for the other two detectives. I adored all the 1995-centered episodes, with episodes 3 and 4 possibly being the greatest TV I've ever seen in my life, but everything after the showdown at Ledoux's farm really underwhelmed me. The true climax of the show happened in episode 4, which ironically is kind of a filler episode (granted, the greatest filler episode in history). I really wish I didn't see the theory of the lawnmower man earlier, since that completely took away all shock I may have had. I'm really disapointed though that it's just him. I know this show doesn't go for cheap shocks, and I'm glad of that, but I felt.... underwhelmed...? The reveal of Reggie Ledoux stalking across a field in a gas mask holding a machete was absolutely haunting and shocking, and I'll never forget that scene, but this lawnmower guy? Nah, pretty damn forgettable and disappointing to me.

I guess I just don't really like where the show has gone from episode 5 onwards. I preferred the small-scale but creepy serial killer story from episodes 1-4 than the large-scale government conspiracy cult thing from episodes 5 onwards. Personal taste I guess :dunno:

Reggie Ledoux is a thousand times more terrifying and creepy than this lawnmower guy. I wish they kept Ledoux as the 'main' antagonist rather than going for this whole government cover-up angle.

I know my opinion is in the minority, I just really wanted to get it out there. I'll still watch episode 8, in fact the wait is painful, but I can't help but feel my passion for this show left when Reggie Ledoux and his brother left this world.

[The Monkey]

What church was the two black detectives looking for? The one from episode one with Cool Lester Smooth, or the burned out one?

Anyhow, fantastic episode once again, but I'm having a hard time seeing how they can tie everything together in just one episode.

[Warg Arry]

Any ideas on why different victims are treated differently? There seem to be plenty of kids who were abused but weren't murdered. And then some that "disappeared." And then Dora Lange and 2012 girl who were proudly displayed.

We've been introduced to the notion of child sacrifice. And other horrors. The 3? women that have been shown. 2 displayed. 1 Rust found a crime scene photo of and connected her with the others because of the stomach stab wounds - all seemed to match.

I was just wondering after reading your post. What if those women were pregnant?

Can't really get more "pure" and "innocent" than an unborn child of a believer. As far as human sacrifice of innocence goes. I suppose.

[Mexal]

What church was the two black detectives looking for? The one from episode one with Cool Lester Smooth, or the burned out one?

Anyhow, fantastic episode once again, but I'm having a hard time seeing how they can tie everything together in just one episode.

There isn't that much left. I think they'll tie up the most important bits (taking down the killer, exposing the cult) and leave some things to the viewer.

[Tony Soprano]

After watching this episode for the second time in five hours, it dawned on me that Errol the Lawnmower is a Childress. And so is the sheriff that dismissed the Fontenot girl's missing persons report.

PS: Congrats to Matthew for his Oscar! Alright, alright, alright!

[Mexal]

After watching this episode for the second time in five hours, it dawned on me that Errol the Lawnmower is a Childress. And so is the sheriff that dismissed the Fontenot girl's missing persons report.

PS: Congrats to Matthew for his Oscar! Alright, alright, alright!

Yup and so is one of the cops that was with the guy who "committed suicide" after telling Rust about the Yellow King in 2002.

[matt b]

Fuckin' Remus. never trusted that guy.

Totally missed that was Remus when we first met him. Maybe because he didn't refer to himself in the third person?

[Trebla]

After watching this episode for the second time in five hours, it dawned on me that Errol the Lawnmower is a Childress. And so is the sheriff that dismissed the Fontenot girl's missing persons report.

PS: Congrats to Matthew for his Oscar! Alright, alright, alright!

Yep. The name Childress had been mentioned more than once: the previous sheriff in the area Marie Fontenot disappeared and as a guard in the prison the guy committed suicide in. I was thinking this guy really got around but it seems that there is definitely more than one.

[NestorMakhnosLovechild]

I gotta be honest and admit.... I was really disapointed and underwhelmed by this episode, just as I have been for episodes 5 and 6 as well. I'm starting to feel that True Detective isn't the flawless masterpiece I heavily praised it to all my friends and family. He first four episodes were pretty close to perfection to me, and the start of episode 5 was great as well, but then as soon as it went into 2002..... it lost me. The dense, forboding atmosphere slipped away, and it began to feel more and more generic. Rust's long and deep philosophies of nihilism that filled the first few episodes were a massive highlight to me, so the show definitely suffered when they stopped, and I'm kind of disappointed all of that was only an act for the other two detectives. I adored all the 1995-centered episodes, with episodes 3 and 4 possibly being the greatest TV I've ever seen in my life, but everything after the showdown at Ledoux's farm really underwhelmed me. The true climax of the show happened in episode 4, which ironically is kind of a filler episode (granted, the greatest filler episode in history). I really wish I didn't see the theory of the lawnmower man earlier, since that completely took away all shock I may have had. I'm really disapointed though that it's just him. I know this show doesn't go for cheap shocks, and I'm glad of that, but I felt.... underwhelmed...? The reveal of Reggie Ledoux stalking across a field in a gas mask holding a machete was absolutely haunting and shocking, and I'll never forget that scene, but this lawnmower guy? Nah, pretty damn forgettable and disappointing to me.

I guess I just don't really like where the show has gone from episode 5 onwards. I preferred the small-scale but creepy serial killer story from episodes 1-4 than the large-scale government conspiracy cult thing from episodes 5 onwards. Personal taste I guess :dunno:

Reggie Ledoux is a thousand times more terrifying and creepy than this lawnmower guy. I wish they kept Ledoux as the 'main' antagonist rather than going for this whole government cover-up angle.

I know my opinion is in the minority, I just really wanted to get it out there. I'll still watch episode 8, in fact the wait is painful, but I can't help but feel my passion for this show left when Reggie Ledoux and his brother left this world.

I'm in your boat. I really fell in love with this series during the first three episodes. The deliberate pace, the cinematography, the slow burn of the investigation, the interplay of the two leads - that's what really drew me in. Episode 4 was the beginning of the end of all that, and while that episode was compelling in its own way, it felt like a different show. But after the beginning of episode five, everything has begun to seem so utterly conventional. I was particularly unimpressed with the presentation of Rust's break-ins of the Tuttle houses (although I loved the shot of the three Rusts rifling through Tuttle's office). Much like my problems with Episode 4, it was all so very mechanical and remote. There's no real build up to it; it's presented matter of factly; there's no tension, and it just so happens to yield just enough information to completely confirm the conspiracy and convince Marty and leaves out just enough to provide some mystery to get us through the last episode.

At this point, I'm almost hoping they don't tie everything up into a neat little bow. It's certainly possible that Maggie's father is involved with the cult and that Hart's daughter was sexually assaulted by them. They've laid more than enough groundwork to substantiate the connection. But given that we've only seen her father once, and that Hart's daughter has been such a relatively minor character, barely sketched out, who cares? It may be true, but it's dramatically inert at this point. It would definitely be a "reveal" - but at this point, hardly a gut punch.

[RumHam]

What happened to that dude around here that threw a fit at the mere notion that someone brought up that the guy on the lawn mower might be scarred, might have a lot more to do with that story than we figured?

In his defense I don't think that's what happened. He thought the idea that if Rust had ignored Marty's honking and just spoken to the guy for another few minutes he would have cracked the case was absurd. Assuming we're talking about the same guy. There have been a lot of these threads.

After watching this episode for the second time in five hours, it dawned on me that Errol the Lawnmower is a Childress.

I missed that, where is it mentioned?