(Spoilers) HBO's True Detective Season 2

[Cashless Society]

Maybe Birdman was just hanging out waiting for someone to come sniffing around. Maybe he is the neighbour. Maybe its a Birdwoman to me the body

language wasn't very "gender-specific), I mean there must be some point in protecting the crime scene,or ar they just trying to cripple Simeon by killling off his agents?

It's unlikely that birdperson is the neighbour, why wait in your car instead of just look out your window?

If birdperson was just waiting around, then (s)he must be bored and unemployed.

I don't get why the crime was left the way it was, or was it just because Nic wanted to have that final scene? As for crippling V.V's agents, maybe V.V is in the way of something?

[Black Wolf Smith]

And shut the front door, do NOT tell me the freaky doctor was RICK SPRINGFIELD!

I did not know who it was, until he took off the sunglasses, and then only one brief shot from a distance. Glad to seem him playing a character other then "former rock star Rick Springfield"

OMG, it wasn't looking like a good ep until the very end. Since the "cat is out of the bag", I think he is a gonner, and he will only be seen in flashback scenes. What I don't understand is why the house wouldn't be "cleaned" but someone would be watching.

[red snow]

I think we also need to pay attention to Semyon's MO this episode. He has goons beat up a target then wanders over to "help" the victim and to get his message across. Think about that when thinking about how things played out with Velcoro.

I'm also with all those who think the kid is his as it makes it more layered. He thinks the child isn't his but desperately wants him to be.

If it hadn't been for the birdman I'd have been happy for the attacker to be the bully's dad.

Also what was in the room we didn;t see? It almost sounded like there was a geiger counter in there :stunned:

[dbunting]

The thing in the room was a camera of some type. When he opened the door the sound you heard was the camera lens auto focusing.

What if the birdman is one of them? Or even the psychiatrist?

The visuals are there for a reason, the obvious shots of the brown (likely toxic) water that the kids are playing in, the flow of traffic vs the flow of money and or blood.

I will say I was surprised when Farrels character was killed, will need to see how they play it out now. I don't see VV character having anything to do with it since he clearly sent him there, and even made a threat to him before he left. You don't threaten someone you already have set up to be killed.

[Elaena Targaryen]

I think Paul's burns could be the result of a hate crime and it's why he's trying so hard to suppress who he is. If so I wonder how layered they will make it and if it was his own mother or father that could have done it. This season seems all about dysfunctional families and sexual dysfunction and Paul's burns could connect with both in an emotionally complex way.

[Jojosh]

Paul has a lot going on that scene with his mom implied a few things and then you have his PTSD. I'm not sure if he's overcompensating closeted gay but that would explain his sexual hangups.

[Howdyphillip]

Certainly didn't see that ending coming. Not sure why Ray suddenly got so casual and holstered his gun like that. Curious to see if this is permanent or not. I would think two shotgun blasts would mean you are a goner, but this is TV, so anything can happen. But if this is a fake-out, I hope it was rubber bullets, because I would be willing to believe that. If they go the whole "It was the Kevlar!" path instead, I'm calling bullshit. If it isn't a fake-out, I guess credit to HBO and crew for keeping this hidden. Would Colin Farrell be OK with only appearing in two episodes? Unless we get flashbacks or something...

Took me a while to get into this episode. The opening speech sure didn't help. I really feel like the dialogue is clunkier so far this season, and only certain actors can make it work. Colin and Rachel McAdams can make me forgive it, but I feel like Vince Vaughn and Taylor Kitsch struggled a bit more this time. Also, I'm not sure really what to make of Frank yet. I think they're trying to make him sort of an everyman gangster, with problems normal people can relate too. But it doesn't fully work for me yet. Part of it could be I find him similar to Wilson Fisk on Daredevil, but vastly enjoyed Fisk more.

I really hope they aren't going the obvious "Paul is freaking out because he's closeted" route. I'm fine with him actually being gay, but I hope his problems will be bigger then that cliched story-line. I did love how he tried to be all manly in front of W. Earl Brown's character and toss around gay slurs, and Brown wasn't impressed. Hey, he might be the typical alcoholic, older cop, but at least he ain't impressed with homophobia!

Recognized Abigal Spencer as Ray's ex. That alone makes me think that the Ray story is far from over, although, again, it could be he just comes back in flashbacks or something.

Still loving McAdams, even if all I really know about Ami is she smokes e-cigarettes, seemed more interested in that porn then she probably wanted to, likes knifes, and is very bitter.

Since he returned, I totally think Lieutenant James Frain will be a part of this. Frain should never, ever be trusted.

I did like the brief moments of the different police divisions jocking for position and trying to be the lead. I always find it fascinating that despite having the same goals, there always seems to be pettiness like this, when it comes divisions working together.

That was a long and thoughtful response. Where did you plagiarize it from?

[red snow]

I think Paul's burns could be the result of a hate crime and it's why he's trying so hard to suppress who he is. If so I wonder how layered they will make it and if it was his own mother or father that could have done it. This season seems all about dysfunctional families and sexual dysfunction and Paul's burns could connect with both in an emotionally complex way.

I even if considered the possibility that his mum noticed his homosexual leanings and then scarred him for it. That's even darker than her wanting to keep him to herself.

[DanteGabriel]

Count me among those who doesn't believe Velcoro is dead. My wife and I zeroed in on the same "my guy got shot" as opposed to "my guy got killed" line from the preview.

You know what I liked about this episode? The dueling instructions given to each cop at the beginning. Felt like the setup for a tabletop RPG group. I told my wife -- "I've done this in roleplaying games before. Bring together disparate characters to investigate some grisly, mysterious murder, and give them competing secondary motivations along with the main mission." Generally in my games I set them up with contradictory orders from their superiors to help them eventually realize their superiors didn't have their backs and the only people they could trust would end up being their fellow player-characters. Which may be where things go with this group, if Velcoro continues to be somewhat open with Bezzerides.

I even if considered the possibility that his mum noticed his homosexual leanings and then scarred him for it. That's even darker than her wanting to keep him to herself.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to put the scarring on his mother, but I did think she had been aware that her son was probably gay, just by how much she talked up the "you're such a player, women love you so much" stuff. Motherly denial/encouragement.

[Baitac]

snip

Perfect response. Thank you. :)

[kairparavel]

I even if considered the possibility that his mum noticed his homosexual leanings and then scarred him for it. That's even darker than her wanting to keep him to herself.

Not so much the burns, but I think this is onto something I wondered too.

[Lady Olenna]

I know everyone's sick of the aerial freeway shots - but it's on par with all of the refinery shots of ep 1. I have a feeling it's meant to give a visual clue as to how much everything is connected in LA as well as the fact that these 3 characters are coming together from 3 different locations that are being tied together. The freeways here are integral to getting anywhere. Frank is trying to get his piece of the "bullet train" that is supposed to change the dependency of Los Angelean's on the overcrowded freeways. It would change the entire landscape. If it travels from LA to SanFransisco it would also include all of the areas that the characters are from.

The refineries have to do with the illegal dumping of chemical waste. Which I'm guessing Frank is also trying to grab a piece of. I'm not certain of how each tie in to one another. The refineries are right next to the port of LA and a lot of business happens there. I'm wondering if the next few episodes will show more of the Port.It's a huge industry and the show seems quite focused on all the industries: sex industry, industrial areas of LA, sweatshop industry, travel industry.

I'm torn between Paul being a repressed homosexual or just someone that has probably been abused by his mother and seen massive amounts of violence or some combination of all the above. The ED could also be a direct side effect of the PTSD. In combat situations the body and mind are in an adrenaline packed heightened sense of awareness. Sex can often put the mind and body in a similar state which is difficult for someone with PTSD and often results in ED. Pretty common.

Odds are that Ani is also the victim of some kind of abuse (probably sexual) as a result of growing up in a cult. If all the other kids are in prison or committed suicide then something went on that wasn't right.

I'm not sure if she was looking at porn or at her sister's web cam site.

I like the dialogue between her and Velcro.

However, I can't stand VV. How/why he was cast for his part is beyond me. He's just awful, imo.

Eta:

When the mom says "all the girls are nice to you Paulie, don't you know that by now?" - I can't tell if she's referring to the fact that he's good looking and a "hound like his father" or if it's a jab at him possibly being gay.

[A_Cornered_Wolf]

The thing in the room was a camera of some type. When he opened the door the sound you heard was the camera lens auto focusing.

I believe the sound was the hard drive of the computer the camera was hooked up to, and was supposed to indicate it was still recording (capturing video to the drive).

[dbunting]

Ok. Same difference...camera is the key

[Howdyphillip]

I am not sure that Paul's character is gay, although he very may well be. I read into the scene with his Mom that she has a history of sexually molesting him. That was why she told him he could have his own room twice rather than just once, and it is why the scene ended with a close up of a spider's web.

My personal take is that he is scarred from his experience and has become sexually repressed in all ways.

[red snow]

I am not sure that Paul's character is gay, although he very may well be. I read into the scene with his Mom that she has a history of sexually molesting him. That was why she told him he could have his own room twice rather than just once, and it is why the scene ended with a close up of a spider's web.

My personal take is that he is scarred from his experience and has become sexually repressed in all ways.

Yeah. But I think he may be confusing his repression with being gay.

[kairparavel]

Yeah, I don't believe mom molested him, especially after MC and I dove into it some. Our assessment is that mom wasn't very motherly and didn't really keep a strong separation between her sexual activities and her son. I don't think all lines were crossed. Just most.

Perhaps her overt flirtation with him was/is her misguided way to keep him on the straight part of a narrow leash.

[kairparavel]

Bonus points:

Mom had some affiliation with the hippie cult.

[Astromech]

I'm now thinking maybe it was one of his mom's old lovers that abused Paul and burnt him. Maybe he was molested/abused or he was trying to protect his mom from abuse. His mom does seem to be trying to make up for something.

[LionAndMockingbirdFan1895]

Is the Spanish girl that is with Paul the one who is missing from that family that Rachel McAdam's character was investigating?