(Spoilers) HBO's True Detective Season 2

[DanteGabriel]

Yeah, I know that. He's addicted to speed and adrenaline, but that's still counts as an addiction in my book.

I read that as a death wish. He wanted to kill himself, which is why he turned out the lights, but then his resolve failed and he turned his lights back on.

Overall I enjoyed this, maybe because I like that they used LA in some way that's different from the usual palm trees and Hollywood shit. Going into the vast soul-deadening wastelands that make up about 95% of the city's geography. Vinci is a fun stand-in for the thousand shitty little cities that people are actually from when they say "I'm from LA." The apartment Ray went into to beat the journalist reminded me of the apartment I had in LA in 2004-05.

For all the shit people talked about Colin Farrell as an actor, I thought he gave the strongest performance last night. He totally had me convinced in the existence and general despairing awfulness of Ray Velcoro. Whether or not the character is too broadly written -- well, maybe that's a genre thing.

The over-the-top-ness of the noir and grimness seemed self-conscious. They really laid it on with a trowel. I'll keep watching.

[Astromech]

I wonder what the point of the raven statue in the car with Casper was. I'm assuming it was taken from Casper's house. I hope it wasn't just an easter egg (Maltese Falcon as stated above by Elder Sister), which Hollywood is so fond of.

I'm not sure if the jurisdictional matter was simply geographic, since the county, city and highway patrol all seem to overlap where the body was found. I thought Ray was homicide and Ani was missing persons. Woodrugh is there because he found the body. But they all seem to be confused as to why the other cops are on "their scene". I do tend to dislike "turf wars" in cop shows and movies. It's very trite.

[DanteGabriel]

I wonder what the point of the raven statue in the car with Casper was. I'm assuming it was taken from Casper's house. I hope it wasn't just an easter egg (Maltese Falcon as stated above by,) which Hollywood is so fond of now.

I'm not sure if the jurisdictional matter was simply geographic, since the county, city and highway patrol all seem to overlap where the body was found. I thought Ray was homicide and Ani was missing persons. Woodrugh is there because he found the body. But they all seem to be confused as to why the other cops are on "their scene". I do tend to dislike "turf wars" in cop shows and movie. It's very trite.

I thought that was a raven mask. And it made me think there had been some kind of "Eyes Wide Shut" masked ball going on. Probably very much like that, in fact, given what we saw at his house.

I am pretty sure Ray got sent there because the Powers That Be of Vinci were deeply invested in the case and requested he get assigned. That's why Bezzerides said, as he pulled up, "This is the guy we've been waiting for?" They hadn't yet approached the body before he got there. Because someone pulled strings to get Ray involved, presumably to safeguard the interests of Vince Vaughn et al.

[Kat]

Overall I enjoyed this, maybe because I like that they used LA in some way that's different from the usual palm trees and Hollywood shit. Going into the vast soul-deadening wastelands that make up about 95% of the city's geography. Vinci is a fun stand-in for the thousand shitty little cities that people are actually from when they say "I'm from LA." The apartment Ray went into to beat the journalist reminded me of the apartment I had in LA in 2004-05.

Yeah, I feel like they nailed the LA area pretty well. Vinci is supposed to be a stand-in for City of Commerce/Bell, I think. Commerce has the casino, Bell had that ridiculous city corruption scandal a couple years ago that this is clearly based on.

[Astromech]

I thought that was a raven mask. And it made me think there had been some kind of "Eyes Wide Shut" masked ball going on. Probably very much like that, in fact, given what we saw at his house.

I am pretty sure Ray got sent there because the Powers That Be of Vinci were deeply invested in the case and requested he get assigned. That's why Bezzerides said, as he pulled up, "This is the guy we've been waiting for?" They hadn't yet approached the body before he got there. Because someone pulled strings to get Ray involved, presumably to safeguard the interests of Vince Vaughn et al.

That makes more sense. I feel the weakness of the first episode was too many moving parts at once. It will get sorted out as the season progresses, but it was a bit too much happening at once to really get a sense of all the moving parts.

[Iskaral Pust]

I thought the visual styling and camera work was good and reflected the heavy noir tone and I'm glad they are trying a different structure from S1 -- no narrators, not just two partners, a "bad" guy is a POV character, fewer stark, portentous shots of the locale -- rather than just repeating the first season. I also liked that Vaughan's character showed the most humanity in his interaction with Farrell's character, but he remains grey because we were told less about him. The score was well suited but the opening theme not as good as last time. These are very atmospheric productions so camera work, scene shifts, lighting, score, etc all make a big impact.

It was too heavy on the personal darkness of the three detectives, which does not bode well. Rusty and Marty balanced each other well. It needs to find some balance there or least not take itself so seriously. Cliches are a trap for a show like this.

It started slowly because it had four POVs to introduce and the crime is more nebulous. In S1 there was a dead body right away in a creepy setting; the crime was clear and the scope unfolded later. The narrators took charge immediately. Here we end the episode with a corpse but with hints of a wider corruption that will be the true crime here (and corruption is a harder story to tell). This is just the set-up to introduce and bring together three strangers. Let's see how they progress from here.

I agree with KiD that impotence and child-parent relationships were heavy themes in this episode.

Edit to fix Marty's name. Didn't make much sense otherwise.

[Mark Antony]

Pretty sure Velcoro and his partner reported Caspere missing earlier in the episode, maybe why he got sent out and had first dibs on the crime scene?

Also wtf was that bowl with white liquid and the lady?

Yea that was fucking weird

[Astromech]

It was too heavy on the personal darkness of the three detectives, which does not bode well. Rusty and Kohl balanced each other well. It needs to find some balance there or least not take itself so seriously. Cliches are a trap for a show like this.

It started slowly because it had four POVs to introduce and the crime is more nebulous.

Too much time was spent on the character exposition. We didn't need to know so much of the characters personal lives in the first episode. Reveal their lives gradually as the season progresses.

[Iskaral Pust]

Too much time was spent on the character exposition. We didn't need to know so much of the characters personal lives in the first episode. Reveal their lives gradually as the season progresses.

I definitely agree. Four characters takes longer (we have to be able to distinguish them somewhat) but we didn't need the deep, angsty background on each.

[GuardstheRealmsofMen]

Have to say I was more into it than it seems the majority of you guys were, though I too am waiting for the plot to get going. Not sure what the central mystery will be yet...

Favorite plotline by far is the reveal of that the main character's son is not biologically his, and the sneakers bullying revenge.

Hoping McAdams gets more to do soon. Loved the scene with her and her dad, but still not much yet.

Still all just set up and slow start I suppose.

[RumHam]

I noticed Mcconaughey and Harrelson's names are still in the credits as producers. Does anyone know if they're actually involved at all or if it's just a legacy thing?

[Lovely Lyanna]

Well that was disappointing. Could they possibly have any more California clichés squeezed into this first episode. I laughed out loud when Hack appeared as a genuine Indian Guru teaching us a better way. (Sorry, the old Dr. Hook Cover of the Rolling Stone song just jumped into my head at the sight of the Guru hippie).

Does anyone really care if someone kills a city official? Couldn't they have found a better victim. I mean they had the cliché of the actress with the ankle monitor driving erratically in her super expensive convertible. Perhaps they should have killed her off.

Those 3 detectives were way over the top. They must have thought if the sad, damaged McConaughey was so great, then let us put 3 depressed detectives in the story and it will be three times as great. Farell's character was so dysfunctional, that I do not know how he even got out of bed, much less dressed himself. He was damn near catatonic. The only thing I can see those three people being able to do is make a suicide pack and then parking on a train track somewhere.

I did not even like the soundtrack. The opening song was O.K. At least the words were interesting, but the rest of the show was disappointing. No wonder that bar had no customers. After hearing that girl singer with that depressing song, all of their customers probably went home and slit their wrists.

I will watch more and hope that it gets better, but I have to tell you I am not holding out a lot of hope here.

[Veltigar]

I read that as a death wish. He wanted to kill himself, which is why he turned out the lights, but then his resolve failed and he turned his lights back on.

I see the addiction and death wish as being intertwined. :)

I thought that was a raven mask. And it made me think there had been some kind of "Eyes Wide Shut" masked ball going on. Probably very much like that, in fact, given what we saw at his house.

I thought it was a raven mask as well. Probably some sort of Furry disguise thing :p

Pretty sure Velcoro and his partner reported Caspere missing earlier in the episode, maybe why he got sent out and had first dibs on the crime scene?

That was my interpretation of it as well :)

I noticed Mcconaughey and Harrelson's names are still in the credits as producers. Does anyone know if they're actually involved at all or if it's just a legacy thing?

They are listed as executive producers, I can be wrong here but isn't that more of an honourary title?

[Fez]

They were executive producers season one as well. It was likely something their agents required to get them on board and they probably have deals entitling them to some percentage of the revenue from DVD sales, other merchandise, etc for all seasons of the show. I doubt they have any actual responsibilities related to the show.

[Lovely Lyanna]

after everything you said prior to what I bolded why would you watch more? We're just going to have to read more predictable bitching...also you whine about California cliches then also complain that the one thing that wasn't cliche (city planner being murdered) should have been cliche with the hot young actress being murdered...so please...do us and yourself a favor and quit the show now

Actually I have the right to my opinion, just as you do. I just felt they threw everything but the kitchen sink in the first episode. I will give it a chance, but I do not think they gave us anything here that we have not seen before. We saw the severely damaged detective with a tortured soul last year. Now we have three. The murder victim just was not interesting. No one cares if something happens to a crooked politician. Do you really think a crooked politician with mob connections being murdered is a surprise or something different? Now a gal with a crown of antlers was interesting. That is not something you see everyday on the evening news.

[DanteGabriel]

Actually I have the right to my opinion, just as you do. I just felt they threw everything but the kitchen sink in the first episode. I will give it a chance, but I do not think they gave us anything here that we have not seen before. We saw the severely damaged detective with a tortured soul last year. Now we have three. The murder victim just was not interesting. No one cares if something happens to a crooked politician. Do you really think a crooked politician with mob connections being murdered is a surprise or something different? Now a gal with a crown of antlers was interesting. That is not something you see everyday on the evening news.

Come on, the sex emporium explosion in the dead politician's house didn't make him at least a little bit interesting?

[Lovely Lyanna]

Come on, the sex emporium explosion in the dead politician's house didn't make him at least a little bit interesting?

Well the part where Dan Dority said that he wanted all of his stuff burned after his death was pretty amusing, but honestly a pervy politician is nothing unusual. Heavens, Law and Order did all of that 20 years ago and they were not exactly cutting edge.

[Raja]

You guys, WE WERE WORKING FOR AMERICA! ( Sorry, that line made me laugh)

On the episode, I'm intrigued enough to keep watching the show, but it does seem a tad dull. Elder Sister makes a good point about Woody Harrelson, I think the show missed that sort of character. Also, the whole thing with Ani's dad and the bit of exposition there with 'you're angry with the entire world, and men in particular, out of a false sense of entitlement blah blah blah', was really clunky and unnecessary and pretty weak, from a writing perspective.

[DanteGabriel]

Well the part where Dan Dority said that he wanted all of his stuff burned after his death was pretty amusing, but honestly a pervy politician is nothing unusual. Heavens, Law and Order did all of that 20 years ago and they were not exactly cutting edge.

To get back to your earlier point, the dead politician doesn't have to be interesting, because he's dead. His death sets off a chain of events which is presumably what the season is about. So it seems to be a little beside the point to complain that a dead character is uninteresting -- he's the key that turns the plot engine on, is all.

The murder victim with the crown of antlers isn't that original either, and was ultimately just slightly more exotic set dressing on a pretty well-worn story about (drumroll) crooked pervy politicians. There's nothing new under the sun. So the complaints about how unoriginal or cliched everything is strike me as equally misunderstanding of the point. That's kind of what noir does. It traffics in well-known tropes.

[Lovely Lyanna]

Yeah, I thought Woody made a great every man sort of character. He really did not seem to want to speculate on the deep mysteries of life, so he and Matthew McConaughey balanced each other. These three new detectives were just a bit too heavy handed IMO. I will continue to watch to see if it improves. I also thought Ani's father was just ridiculous. That you're angry man thing is usually what a man says when he is mad because someone has called him out on his BS.