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[Cornballer]

HBO's anthology crime thriller True Detective returns on Sunday, June 21st at 9pm. The new season stars Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams, and Taylor Kitsch. There is more information about the supporting cast listed below. True Detective was written and created by Nic Pizzolatto. Unlike Season One, a variety of directors, including Justin Lin, were used for the second season. The second season will consist of eight episodes.

A bizarre murder brings together three law-enforcement officers and a career criminal, each of whom must navigate a web of conspiracy and betrayal in the scorched landscapes of California. Colin Farrell is Ray Velcoro, a compromised detective in the all-industrial City of Vinci, LA County. Vince Vaughn plays Frank Semyon, a criminal and entrepreneur in danger of losing his life’s work, while his wife and closest ally (Kelly Reilly), struggles with his choices and her own. Rachel McAdams is Ani Bezzerides, a Ventura County Sheriff’s detective often at odds with the system she serves, while Taylor Kitsch plays Paul Woodrugh, a war veteran and motorcycle cop for the California Highway Patrol who discovers a crime scene which triggers an investigation involving three law enforcement groups, multiple criminal collusions, and billions of dollars.

'True Detective' is written and created by Nic Pizzolatto. The first two of this season's eight episodes will be directed by Justin Lin.

Trailers:

• Trailer #1
• Trailer #2
• Trailer #3 - Chaos
• Trailer #4 - Stand

Confirmed directors:

• Justin Lin (2 episodes)
• Janus Metz Pedersen (1 episode)
• Miguel Sapochnik (1 episode)
• Daniel Attias (1 episode)

Interviews and S2 News:

• Q&A: ‘True Detective’ Creator and Showrunner Nic Pizzolatto
• Den of Geek's "Everything We Know about Season 2" Article (not comprehensive, but it has a lot of good info)
• Vanity Fair's Profile on Nic Pizzolatto
• EW: T Bone Burnett reveals the title of the True Detective season 2 trailer song
• Dan Harmon interviews Pizzolatto about True Detective and more
• THR: 'True Detective's' Nic Pizzolatto on Season 2, 'Stupid Criticism' and Rumors of On-Set Drama

Minor Casting News:

• ‘True Detective’ Adds Lolita Davidovich & James Frain For Season 2
• Deadline: ‘True Detective': Kelly Reilly, Michael Irby, Abigail Spencer, Leven Rambin Eye Roles
• Deadline: ‘True Detective’ Adds Riley Smith For Season 2
• Deadline: ‘True Detective’ Adds Adria Arjona For Season 2
• Deadline: ‘True Detective’ Adds Michael Hyatt & Yara Martinez As Recurring In Season 2
• Deadline: Jon Lindstrom Joins ‘True Detective'
• THR: 'True Detective' Enlists 'Dexter' Alum CS Lee for Season 2
• Deadline: ‘True Detective’ Adds Ronnie Gene Blevins, Emily Rios & Timothy V. Murphy
• Deadline: ‘True Detective’ Adds Afemo Omilami and Chris Kerson
• Deadline: Ashley Hinshaw Joins ‘True Detective'

Links:

• IMDB
• HBO Official Site
• Wikipedia

Photos:

Posters:

Reviews:

• Tim Goodman's review for THR

  At least in the first three episodes of True Detective season two, that magic is missing. Maybe when the various strands of the complicated story come together, the payoff will be there. Or none of that could happen. And what we’ll get is a sophomore slump. The pressure is now on for the remaining five episodes.
  
  The Bottom Line: Let's just say it's no season 1.

• New York Daily News:

  Score a second bullseye for “True Detective.”
  
  HBO’s neo-noir crime mystery franchise returns next weekend with a new cast, new city, new era, new case and new look.
  
  But the switch to Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn instead of Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey has left one detail intact. It’s still the kind of show that makes TV viewers reach for phrases like “golden age of television drama.”
  
  4 out of 5 stars

• Variety: TV Review: ‘True Detective,’ Season 2

  Those expecting anything approaching the magic conjured by the original Matthew McConaughey-Woody Harrelson pairing should immediately temper their enthusiasm for “True Detective’s” second season. Impeccably cast around its marquee stars, the new plot possesses the requisite noir-ish qualities, but feels like a by-the-numbers potboiler, punctuated by swooping aerial shots of L.A. courtesy of new director Justin Lin, whose intense close-ups bring to mind a Sergio Leone western. Although generally watchable, the inspiration that turned the first into an obsession for many seems to have drained out of writer Nic Pizzolatto’s prose, at least three hours into this eight-episode run.

• Esquire: Even Without the McConaissance, True Detective Season 2 Is the Most Addictive Kind of TV

  Based on the three episodes HBO sent to critics, the second season of True Detective is nearly as addictive as the first.

• GQ: True Detective Is Back, and Here's What Makes It Great

  Did I mention that the show also still a ton of fun? Pizzolatto is far too shrewd, and far too base, to let his grander meditations get in the way of a rollicking story. Unlike with season one, which was set in Louisiana and unfolded at a bayou-worthy pace, season two begins with its four main characters careening off the rails, and they're only gathering more speed. So okay, fine, season two isn't as good. Of course it's not. But so what? Give me more.

• Matt Zoller Seitz for NY Mag: True Detective’s Second Season Is Brooding, Sour, and Totally Fascinating

  The result often plays like a cousin of The Wire as directed by Michael Mann — the kind of series that presents its broken, brooding heroes as if they were characters in an opera about the many different flavors of corruption, institutional and personal. It takes everything so seriously that you have to laugh at it a little bit, then admire it for being true to whatever it’s trying to be and not really giving a damn what you think of it. You’ll probably miss the humor of the first True Detective — the needling banter between Cohle and his partner, Woody Harrelson’s Marty Hart, that spawned a thousand memes and probably made the graphic violence and philosophical monologues palatable to a wide audience — but the brooding sourness of this one is fascinating in a different way, though it loses points for showing us a world that feels far more familiar than the one showcased in season one.

• Newsday: First impressions of HBO's new season with Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn

  There's plenty of good with "True Detective 2," and that's worth getting to immediately, notably nicely clipped elliptical dialogue that drops you into the middle of something -- and you're not quite sure what that something is. There are references to many things, and people -- and no elaboration given. That's good because it is how people talk after all, and that is how a mystery is built.

  But the not-so-good -- again, just first impressions, friends -- is serious: Vince Vaughn, notably, as the mobster in bespoke suits. And which Colin Farrell turns up here? The one from "In Bruges" or the one from "Miami Vice"? The gifted intelligent actor everyone knows or wants him to be? Or the undisciplined over-actor he sometimes can be? First-impression answer: The latter.

• Colorado Springs Gazette: “True Detective” Season 2 Spoiler Free Preview

  I didn’t really get into this season until the end of episode two, then I was fully invested. I’d highly recommend pushing your way through the slow paced, slightly confusing first hour. If you do, you’ll certainly be rewarded.

• EW review

  For now, my expectations are still high—probably too high for this show. But maybe you can’t truly hate True Detective unless you love it enough to let it disappoint you. Grade: B

• IndieWire review:

  And therein lies the key. Season 1 used its crime story to offer two detectives a path toward redemption. Season 2 finds four lost souls looking for a way out, and someone has to be steering them toward the light. With most of her co-stars being tasked to go too grim, too fast, Ani is that person. So far — despite getting a bit lost among the new format, more characters and a heavier tone — it appears she can still lead this group out of the darkness. Grade: B-

One last loving look at Pizzaman, courtesy of Vanity Fair and Duckroll:

 

[duckroll]

Really hope this season isn't a turd. Don't let us down Pizzaman!

 

[StriKeVillain]

Home for the next 2 months.

 

[shadyspace]

Too many characters.

 

[Fjordson]

All hail the Pizzaman.

Seems like S2 is disappointing compared to S1, but I think (hope) it'll still be worth watching.

 

[JesseZao]

Excited, but with completely different/new characters, there is always the risk of losing the charm of the first season/cast.

 

[Niraj]

Oh cool, didn't realize this was starting so soon.

 

[newjeruse]

I have super low expectations and I'm hoping to be surprised.

 

[Nibel]

These Pizzaman images are fantastic.

 

[aravuus]

I know absolutely nothing about this season other than that Colin Farrell is in it

And that's all I need to know to get hyped. Fucking love Colin Farrell.

 

[TheOctodad]

I don't expect this to be like Season 1. I don't think it can be. Season 1 was such a dark horse and it came out of nowhere. Who is this Pizolatto guy?! What is this show!? Matthew Mcconaughey?! Lol seriously?

And then boom! Magic happened.

Now people are expecting greatness and waiting for anything to fall even slightly short. I just don't think that can be recaptured.

That said, I'm incredibly excited about this season. I plan on judging it by its own merits and not by comparing it to season 1.

 

[The One Who Knocks]

Very hesitant about this. While I'm completely in favour of losing the occult aspect and creating an original story every season, the casting, early impressions, trailers, and Pizzaman's comments (although they make for hilarious pictures, I don't think I'll ever get tired of them, the 'gift' one in the original post has been my favourite so far) do not inspire confidence in me. I think I'll hold off for a few episodes and see what the general consensus is before dipping into it. Hopefully it'll be an extremely competant season, but I'm anxious as of right now.

EDIT: Side note, I didn't see it in the original post; do we have the opening that they're going to use for each episode? I loved it in the original so I'm eager to see what they use for this season and had been hoping it'd be released prior, but I'm assuming it hasn't happened yet?

 

[shira]

I have super low expectations and I'm hoping to be surprised.

Too many characters.

Really hope this season isn't a turd. Don't let us down Pizzaman!

http://zippy.gfycat.com/DopeyNearHarborseal.webm

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Hope this season is good. The Michael Mann mentions and Farrell in Sonny Crockett mode give me some hope that I'll like it at least.

Pizzolatto always reminded me of douche professors I had in college who thought they could no wrong despite how shitty they were. So it wouldn't surprise me too much to see this go off the rails.

 

[Dysun]

Excited to see a new set of characters

 

[Kaladin]

I need a palate cleanser after that Game Of Thrones season.

 

[Deku Tree]

I hope s2 ends up being better than the reviews indicate.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

True Detective |OT| We Get The Show We Deserve

 

[Cornballer]

True Detective |OT| We Get The Show We Deserve

Heh, I was actually thinking about using that earlier today when I finished up the OT. Maybe I'll switch it in a day or two.

 

[AlphaSnake]

I'm there day 1

 

[Tugatrix]

Nice OT with those Garth Marenghi quotes

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Subbed.

Those reviews are the very definition of "mixed"

 

[neoism]

damn them reviews... the first three eps of season 1 are my favs.... then 4 and 5 happen and it got to god tier ....
I think I will wait for july and start this after 4 wps have aired or sooo......if Rachel McAdams wasn't in this I wouldn't even bother... dont really care seeing any of the other actors in this but her... also WTF at all of those directors.... soo many too many

 

[Nesotenso]

Those quotes are not real, are they?

 

[Haly]

No, but they should be.

 

[CapitalismSucks DonkeyBalls]

Those reviews aren't good news. I was worried that Pizzaman wasn't given enough time to write this script and that the show would suffer from it.

I still am not comfortable with Vaughn at all and I'm hopinh against hope that Colin doesn't squeeze out a deuce.

I still wish they would have just thrown money at Woody and Matthew to come back. If it can't conjure the magic of season 1, it's doomed.

 

[Einchy]

I loved season 1 but I kinda hope season 2 is horrible just so Pizzaman's pretentiousness blows up in his face.

 

[Jigorath]

Those Pizzaman images sure are something.

 

[Frank Serpico]

The posters I've seen in the subways are awesome

 

[RukusProvider]

I hope it's good on its own.

I'm walking in with the expectation that it won't be the masterpiece season 1 was and that's ok.

 

[thekad]

It's funny how GAF has already decided to hate this show now. I excep the thread to quickly descend into NewsRoom-tier trolling.

 

[NeoGiff]

At least Rust lives on in Farrell's moustache.

 

[vordhosbn]

The writer looks like he takes himself way too seriously, like he wrote the most groundbreaking literary fiction in the last century, he needs to fall back.

I loved season 1 but the better parts were the acting/direction for me. It's gonna be hard to live up to the creative shots in the first season though.

 

[brianjones]

I loved season 1 but I kinda hope season 2 is horrible just so Pizzaman's pretentiousness blows up in his face.

lol not sure id go that far but he does make it hard to root for his show

 

[Various Artists]

Cant wait! Have basically been on media lock out on this but season 1 was great!

 

[dc89]

The world needs bad men.

Wait, that was Season 1.

 

[Imm0rt4l]

Aww yissss

 

[oatmeal]

Taylor Kitch is a Na'Vi

 

[the_firewithin]

I wish the occult factor stayed in that was rumored but hyped for the show anywway

 

[El Daniel]

In Los Angeles? I hope we can get some Collateral/Drive/Nightcrawler atmosphere.

 

[aravuus]

The writer looks like he takes himself way too seriously, like he wrote the most groundbreaking literary fiction in the last century, he needs to fall back.

I loved season 1 but the better parts were the acting/direction for me. It's gonna be hard to live up to the creative shots in the first season though.

Aww yeah, rewatched some of the episodes just to see all the beautiful shots again.

 

[brianjones]

I wish the occult factor stayed in that was rumored but hyped for the show anywway

eh.. that kind of thing doesn't really work as well in southern california as Louisiana

the yellow king stuff was a bunch of bs that never went anywhere anyway

 

[phazedplasma]

Jesus Pizzaman will deliver, it is his destiny.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

Colin Farrell looking like the only actor who showed up.

 

[Swag]

Disappointed that it doesn't carry on the occult aspect, but hyped non-the-less, hope the lead actors can capture some of the magic Woody and Matthew made in the first season.

 

[Wes]

I've got faith in Tim Riggins.

 

[jtb]

Zero expectations because the second half of season 1 was a train wreck that revealed the whole thing to be a hollow, self-indulgent exercise in style.

Having said that, I fucking love Colin Farrell.

 

[Discotheque]

Texas Forever, in for my boy riggins and colin farrell (and the last season too of course)

that set of directors feels kinda wasteman though. wasn't william friedkin rumored to direct some of these?

 

[Deku Tree]

The reviews make me feel like Season one was like "No Country for Old Men" And then Season two could end up being like "Miami Vice" the movie.

Spoiler

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Discotheque]

The reviews make me feel like Season one was like "No Country for Old Men" And then Season two could end up being like "Miami Vice" the movie.

Spoiler

I hope I'm wrong.

i like Miami Vice more than No Country for Old Men tbh. Miami Vice is best case scenario for this season for me, i don't think it will be on that level.

Inside Llewyn Davis is the best of the 00s coens movies tho anyways.