(Spoilers)True Detective Season 2: gold teeth optional

[Ramsay B.]

Am I the only one who is not exactly sure what's going on? ... I normally pride myself on paying attention to detail... occasionally I find myself curious about this or that.... but this season I am completely lost

Everytime they bring up names from past episodes I get confused.

[PyroclasticFlow]

Vince Vaughn has some decent acting chops, but I don't particularly care for his character. Was losing hope after last week's episode, this one kinda brought it back, if not for the premise of the show then just to find out the who/how/why of Casper's death. Also the intro music was tweaked a little this week I noticed. Best part of the series

[Baitac]

I'm glad Vera was found. I thought she'd been murdered in the shack. These issues are just too big for these detectives. I just can't see a massive indictment of all the power players in LA/California (older white men with grey hair.) I don't know how it's going to end other than VV is going down. I think he's in too deep with one too many enemies.

I thought it was moving that Velcoro asked his ex not to test her son as a condition for him staying away. That kid doesn't need more darkness. I don't see Velcoro surviving. He has done too much harm to come back to the force clean. He has nothing left. He might die at the end, but he'll take some important people with him.

Elder Sister, the "Molly Music" sounded like Jack in the Box music gone all sour and creepy.

[Alia of the knife]

Yep, that's coke.

Now who was Stan?

[Kindly Old Man]

Yep, that's coke.

Now who was Stan?

 

He had a heart of gold!

[Astromech]

That sex party had worse security than your Friday night poker game with friends. Just when I thought this show has been a bit light on the nudity for an HBO show . . .

 

I thought there was no way all of these loose ends would get wrapped up in only three episodes. I'm relieved the criminal mastermind keeps all of the evidence connecting all of these loose ends in his desk drawer while hosting sex parties.

 

Frank Semyon is a terrible gangster. Everybody seems to be walking all over him. Maybe it's the terrible one-liners. Nobody can take him seriously.

 

Ray's cocaine binge montage was kind of cool though.

 

Only two episodes left. It's like trying to avert your eyes from a trainwreck.

 

 

At least I still have Ray Donovan to fill my Sunday night tv viewing.

[dooog]

It's a pity Nic Pizzolatto didn't plagiarize for this season

[Howdyphillip]

I thought this episode was amazing from beginning to end. Vince Vaughn knocked it out of the park the entire way through. I particularly liked the scenes with him and Stan's family. (Stan was his henchman that was murdered a few episodes ago in the same manner that Caspere was taken out.) 

 

I also thought that the orgy scene at the end was absolutely terrifying. I think the use of that score was nothing short of brilliant, and the camera work was amazing. I was extremely worried when I heard about this that it was just going to be an excuse for HBO to show T&A, but instead, it gave off the creepiest vibe.

 

So, the case is pretty much wrapped up now right? Velecro's partner was the killer and he was working for the mayor to cover for the elite at these sex parties right? He was obviously the guy that paid Amarillo's girl to pawn Caspere's stuff. My only question is who is the birdman, and why didn't he kill Velecro because they were obviously two different people. My guess would be the mayor's son.

[Kyoshi]

I feel so stupid. I don't remember Stan. Most of the names that get mentioned actually, I don't remember.

[red snow]

Another good episode, it's looking like the last half of the season is going to be the strong part. The sex club/party was well done and I really liked the music throughout that scene (is it from a classic film or something - felt a bit like something from Hitchcock).

Farrell and Vaughan were great throughout the episode and are feeling the most fleshed out at this stage.

 

 

That sex party had worse security than your Friday night poker game with friends.

 

They hired the Unsullied security firm. Mcadams could have walked in packing a rocket launcher and they'd have let her in.

I agree that it was a bit too easy for her to escape. I guess the security was only for dealing with guests (I assume they were all men?) and the women. The women are probably never too much of a problem and the guests probably only cause trouble with other guests (it's not like they'd give a shit about what happened to the women).

 

 

It's nowhere near as compelling, that's for sure. I think Velcoro is a good character, but the rest have fallen a bit flat so far. I agree with those who've said they should have focused on Ray & Ani. I think Cary Fukunaga has been sorely missed this season as well.

 

I need to watch a Fukunaga film at some point. I sort of hope it was a team effort between writer and director last season but I think Fukunaga definitely elevated the scripts.

 

 

I feel so stupid. I don't remember Stan. Most of the names that get mentioned actually, I don't remember.

 

I felt the same. I had the character vaguely pegged but it was several months ago (in show time) and while it was nice to see Vaughan being mob employer of the year there was an element of Henchman's wife to it all.

 

 

I'm glad Vera was found. I thought she'd been murdered in the shack. These issues are just too big for these detectives. I just can't see a massive indictment of all the power players in LA/California (older white men with grey hair.) I don't know how it's going to end other than VV is going down. I think he's in too deep with one too many enemies.

 

I still think VV is going to come out on top. It looks like he's been in over his head and has been played by everyone but I'm thinking he has an ace up his sleeve. Hopefully it makes sense if this happens rather than "the plot allows it".

 

Velcoro is probably going to go out in a blaze of glory. Probably just to avoid finding out who the kid's dad is. At this point it seems almost impossible that he isn't the father. It's too tempting a "tragedy" to ignore at this stage.

[Mark Antony]

Now who was Stan?

I feel so stupid. I don't remember Stan. Most of the names that get mentioned actually, I don't remember.

No you're not stupid, They should have done a better job of making this Stan dude stand out when he was alive cause they've spent a lot of time on him like we should care when the majority of viewers have no idea who he was. I checked out completely during Franks scenes with Stans family tbh. The main thing I got out of it was Blake was doing some shady shit behind Franks back but we already knew that.

I also thought that the orgy scene at the end was absolutely terrifying. I think the use of that score was nothing short of brilliant, and the camera work was amazing. I was extremely worried when I heard about this that it was just going to be an excuse for HBO to show T&A, but instead, it gave off the creepiest vibe..

I agree I absolutely loved the soundtrack during that scene. Really great choice and the directing was on point that whole sequence as well. Not gonna lie I thought Woodrugh was gonna get shot at the end when they were leaving the mansion.

[Elder Sister]

The music was extremely disturbing, and that, combined with the creepy, lurid scenes from the party was super-creepy. I personally enjoyed how the party was like a Republican convention if you were in Hell and a female attendee. Ani's flashbacks to her childhood should have come with a warning. That was so disturbing.

I'm also glad they found Vera but I snorted when I read the comment in this thread about the bad guy keeping all of his evidence in his desk drawer where he hosts the sex parties. That was so on point, and so true. As much as I enjoyed this episode, that was pretty lame.

Vince Vaughan has been outstanding as far as I'm concerned. The scene with the kid was a little hokey, but I enjoyed it. And I think he will live. His character is being built up as a good guy in spite of the fact that he's a criminal. His reaction to the killing of the Hispanic girl was supposed to show us that he's a good guy in spite of how he makes his living. I think Baitac is absolutely right about Velcoro; he's too far gone. He's going to be the Sidney Carton of this series, I think. He'll sacrifice himself in some way in order to save the others.

[Fez]

So, the case is pretty much wrapped up now right? Velecro's partner was the killer and he was working for the mayor to cover for the elite at these sex parties right? He was obviously the guy that paid Amarillo's girl to pawn Caspere's stuff. My only question is who is the birdman, and why didn't he kill Velecro because they were obviously two different people. My guess would be the mayor's son.

 

Velcoro's partner was overweight and the girl said it was a thin, white cop. I'm pretty sure its the Vinci PD Lieutenant who paid the girl, and is probably the killer too. Velcoro's partner was under orders by the Lieutenant to keep tabs on the investigation, but I'm not sure if he was any more involved than that.

[red snow]

 

Velcoro's partner was overweight and the girl said it was a thin, white cop. I'm pretty sure its the Vinci PD Lieutenant who paid the girl, and is probably the killer too. Velcoro's partner was under orders by the Lieutenant to keep tabs on the investigation, but I'm not sure if he was any more involved than that.

 

Or Woodrough? But there's plenty of cops who fit thin and white in the show.

 

I was glad to see that Dexter's Misuka is still as depraved as he was in his old show. Considering his character was supposed to be one of the "good guys" I also agree with an earlier statement of this being a case that will be impossible to close.

[Frog Eater]

 

Velcoro's partner was overweight and the girl said it was a thin, white cop. I'm pretty sure its the Vinci PD Lieutenant who paid the girl, and is probably the killer too. Velcoro's partner was under orders by the Lieutenant to keep tabs on the investigation, but I'm not sure if he was any more involved than that.

This is what I think as well. 

 

Also: from the promo where the dad is telling Ani to be safe and stay alive, I think her sister gets killed. Ani was using her name to gain access to the party, and they will be looking for Athena. Plus, with her just getting into art school, it adds to the sadness of her getting killed. 

 

So I think the Lieutenant is the crow (riot shells, like a cop would use). I don't have a clue where the hard drive is at this point, if it hasn't been destroyed. 

 

Plus, the lieutenant would have access to the evidence room to get the diamonds. 

[Raja]

Re: Scene with VV at Stan's house - I think the writing is okay, if not good in that scene, but given that I spent the whole scene wondering who on earth Stan was it didn't really connect with me. I feel like the writer wrote that speech to the kid out and couldn't figure out how to shoehorn it into the series before settling on the whole 'Stan thing' as the way to do it. I mean, how many viewers actually give a shit about Stan? I couldn't pick him out from a line up of actors in season 2. 

 

As an aside, I still have zero idea about the land deal and what not ( besides the contamination bit) .

 

There were some okay scenes in that episode, lots of pretty terrible ones too. I think my favourite one was probably between Ani and her sister before the party. Certainly don't think it was 'amazing' in any sense. 

 

I'm beginning to realize that I'm probably never going to watch this season again :( - which is a pity, given that I really liked season one. You know what that's like? It's like blue balls in your heart. 

 

Edit: Have to hand it to the casting to find the creepiest bunch of white guys in the party scene. 

[The King in Black]

So,.... can anybody explain to me what the hell is going on ?

[KiDisaster]

Molly hallucinations annoyed me. That drug doesn't work that way, Pizzolatto. I mean you could have done a 10 second Google search and figured that out. Also making yourself puke after the stuff is already in your system will do precisely fuck all for you :lol: Guess it could have been ketamine or something. 

 

But I have a really stupid pet peeve for this kinda stuff. Same with "Hacking doesn't work that way" or "You're clearly not really playing that video game/using the wrong controller". Just smacks of laziness on the part of the writer and a total lack of fucks given by everyone else cause they figure no one will know better or care. 

 

Aside from that I thought it was a pretty alright episode. Less Woodrugh dialogue is just what the doctor ordered. 

[Cas Stark]

 

Velcoro's partner was overweight and the girl said it was a thin, white cop. I'm pretty sure its the Vinci PD Lieutenant who paid the girl, and is probably the killer too. Velcoro's partner was under orders by the Lieutenant to keep tabs on the investigation, but I'm not sure if he was any more involved than that.

 

Cromwell?  That's  my guess as well, he has to be on the show for some reason.

 

I thought this ep was much better, though their escape from the party was much too easy, and it is a bit lame that the important documents were so easy to get.

 

Loved Velcoro's binge.  Also thought VV dialogue worked much better this episode.  Though, the Mexicans killing the girl like that was kinda silly also.

[RumHam]

I was surprised the rapist didn't look any more like the kid than Velcoro does. Maybe in a twist Velcoro will end up being the father? 

 

 

Molly hallucinations annoyed me. That drug doesn't work that way, Pizzolatto. I mean you could have done a 10 second Google search and figured that out. Also making yourself puke after the stuff is already in your system will do precisely fuck all for you :lol: Guess it could have been ketamine or something. 

 

But I have a really stupid pet peeve for this kinda stuff. Same with "Hacking doesn't work that way" or "You're clearly not really playing that video game/using the wrong controller". Just smacks of laziness on the part of the writer and a total lack of fucks given by everyone else cause they figure no one will know better or care. 

 

Aside from that I thought it was a pretty alright episode. Less Woodrugh dialogue is just what the doctor ordered. 

 

The trying to induce vomiting like an hour later when it was a spray bothered me too, but I guess she wasn't thinking rationally. I don't really have a problem with her hallucinations. I've never known anyone to have such a terrible time from MDMA, but I've seen people freak out from just weed before so I believe it's possible. I think it had a lot more to do with the horrible situation she was in and her even more horrible childhood memories.