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True Detective - Season 2 - We get the Season we deserve - Sundays on HBO
- Thread starter Cornballer
- Start date
This has way too many characters. I'm having an hard time keeping up with everyone and the names they keep dropping. Like, who the hell is Stan?
Just, there's too much stuff. Not only there's 4 main characters but then each have a team working with them and then the whole investigation. It's just too much.
Farrell is the only one that stands out in the middle of all of this. VV's character is bland, the other dude is a terrible actor and a total bore and Rachel Mcadams is just there being "troubled" without any development at all.
This season is the proof that less is no doubt more.
Just, there's too much stuff. Not only there's 4 main characters but then each have a team working with them and then the whole investigation. It's just too much.
Farrell is the only one that stands out in the middle of all of this. VV's character is bland, the other dude is a terrible actor and a total bore and Rachel Mcadams is just there being "troubled" without any development at all.
This season is the proof that less is no doubt more.
I don't have much faith left in this season, but I'll give it another episode. It took until episode 4 in the first season for me to really get into True Detective.
This season has been pretty boring, and some of the scenes are just difficult to watch - they're so boring and poorly acted. Pretty much any scene with Vince Vaughn's character and his wife is like this for me. There's also something about VV's acting that is just so stiff and it's distracting - it's like you can tell the director told him "now be outraged!" and Vince starts yelling to make it seem like his character is mad, but he still has a bored look on him.
That fight scene was just another misfire. It felt like watching 2 middle school kids who can't fight try to fight each other. It was a chance to show how menacing Vaughn's character is and why he's respected, but instead I just feel bad for the guy he was fighting because he was fat and slow.
Collin Farrell's presence on screen is the only time when the show is not hard to watch.
This season has been pretty boring, and some of the scenes are just difficult to watch - they're so boring and poorly acted. Pretty much any scene with Vince Vaughn's character and his wife is like this for me. There's also something about VV's acting that is just so stiff and it's distracting - it's like you can tell the director told him "now be outraged!" and Vince starts yelling to make it seem like his character is mad, but he still has a bored look on him.
That fight scene was just another misfire. It felt like watching 2 middle school kids who can't fight try to fight each other. It was a chance to show how menacing Vaughn's character is and why he's respected, but instead I just feel bad for the guy he was fighting because he was fat and slow.
Collin Farrell's presence on screen is the only time when the show is not hard to watch.
Sir Garbageman
Member
This season would be so much better if it exclusively focused on the McAdam's and Farrell's characters. The other two are weak actors who aren't being helped by terrible dialogue.
breakfuss
Member
She says like 5 words every episode.
anarckitty
Member
I'm not enjoying it as much as season 1, and I really thought this was the weakest of the episodes so far. That being said, I will continue to watch. I'm still hoping for improvement going forward. At least Velcoro is still alive!
I'm with you. I don't have a problem with him. If I wasn't reading a lot of the negative internet echo chamber about his performance, the thoughts wouldn't even be triggering in my brain. I think he's fine. Not outstanding, but believable.
This is horseshit and I'm sorry I gave it even a click. The critics are making mountains out of molehills to get some headlines. What's with the demonizing of showrunners and directors lately?
Freedom = $1.05
Banned
well it doesn't help that kitsch is damn near spasming anytime his gaydar goes off. Dude can hardly contain himself anytime he has to try and speak to someone of the homosexual persuasion.
phazedplasma
Member
That lieutenant is fucking slimy
Hes in on something
Hes in on something
Ape Gone Insane
Member
Think the show would have been better if they had just McAdams and Farrell and cut Vaughn and Kitsch. And of course, a tighter plot and writing.
Aside from not having any really memorable performances on par with Woody Harrelson's and Matthew McConnehey's, the story just isn't compelling at all. Compared to season 1, I don't really care about whatever the case is they're trying to solve, and aside from Velcoro the reasons for caring about the characters and their lives seem pretty paper thin. The show has a problem with lack of focus. Vince Vaughn is doing okay but he's definitely a weak link in the cast and they could have found somebody much better than him. Rachel McAdams is showing some acting chops but I'm just not buying her as the hardened, intimidating cop she's obviously supposed to be.
DoktorEvil
Banned
Recast Farrell as the mobster and McAdams as lead detective. Boom, your police procedural drama improves.
True Detective Season 2 = Destiny. Huge step down from previous work, bad writing, miscast characters, boring, but just good enough to continue and hope it improves dramatically (it won't). Most of the time you keep thinking what could have been.
I like Farrell and McAdams but that's about it. Kitsch brings nothing to the table and Vaughn is just dragging the entire show down.
I like Farrell and McAdams but that's about it. Kitsch brings nothing to the table and Vaughn is just dragging the entire show down.
I think what we're seeing here is a classic case of over-thinking the creative process. Pizzaclolototo was so concerned about being mocked for doing a buddy cop drama again that he let it influence what could have been a great show at this point. If it were just the dynamic of Farrell+McAdams+corrupt government and cops+creepy hotline Miami killer it would be more focused, you could spend more time fleshing out characters and building the mystery and aura of the villain. They're trying to manage too many things at once and as a result a lot of characters are coming off as wooden and one-dimensional and the menace of the killer is not an ever-present shadow over the proceedings.
DoktorEvil
Banned
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Yeah, it's borderline hilarious.
Messypandas
Member
This season is better than season 1 for me so far. Really stellar. But I wasn't too pleased with that cop-out involving Farrell. Really cheapened the brutalness of that ending to episode 2.
Falling out with pizzalotto. It's not unusual for people who helped build the shows foundation to get production credit in subsequent seasons. Matthew McConaughey for example.
Forceatowulf
G***n S**n*bi
Yeah... I was feeling the first two eps. It wasn't blowing me away, but I was enjoying it. This episode though? Objectively boring as dirt.
I really hate to compare it to season 1 of True Detective, but it's really hard not to. There was not a single solitary episode in TD S1 that was as boring as this. Not even close... *shrug*
They still have plenty of time to turn this season into greatness though. Plenty.
I really hate to compare it to season 1 of True Detective, but it's really hard not to. There was not a single solitary episode in TD S1 that was as boring as this. Not even close... *shrug*
They still have plenty of time to turn this season into greatness though. Plenty.
I think, based on what a read (Still waiting to start watching it at ep 4), that the wierdness is coming, Like the previous season ep 4 "who goes there" and ep 5 "the secret fate of all life" where the triggers of the show.
Ape Gone Insane
Member
Does anybody actually care about the killer?
Forceatowulf
G***n S**n*bi
Honestly, the main mystery I want solved right now is what kind of fucked up kinky shit McAdams is into.
While waiting for tech support to clean out a virus from our server, I took the time to skip through every scene that Vince Vaughan was in during the first two episodes to figure this out.
Per IMDB, "Stan" was played by Ronnie Gene Blevins :
Stan was one of the two guys driving the truck (along with the tall, red headed, bearded guy with a foreign accent) that rear ended the random bookie in episode two so that Semyon could make a point. Stan maced the guy in the face.
Edit: Stan is only mentioned by name once that I've found and it's when Semyon is leaving the meeting with the money guy where he's told that he's been screwed out of the deal, and he gives his little "am I diminished" speech. Semyon tells his people to: "Get everybody. Stan, Ivar, his cousins, our Glendale people. Fucking Blake, wherever the fuck he's been."
apocalidiot
Banned
I definitely don't really care about the case they're trying to solve... which is not a good thing.
The only way I think it's fair to compare this season to season 1 is only when looking at how well a tv show can be done with story telling and acting. For me, this season lacks anything really engaging with the story/characters (minus Colin Farrell)
The only way I think it's fair to compare this season to season 1 is only when looking at how well a tv show can be done with story telling and acting. For me, this season lacks anything really engaging with the story/characters (minus Colin Farrell)
While waiting for tech support to clean out a virus from our server, I took the time to skip through every scene that Vince Vaughan was in during the first two episodes to figure this out.
Per IMDB, "Stan" was played by Ronnie Gene Blevins :
Stan was one of the two guys driving the truck (along with the tall, red headed, bearded guy with a foreign accent) that rear ended the random bookie in episode two so that Semyon could make a point. Stan maced the guy in the face.
finally an answer!
Grinchy
Banned
That's a really good question. I didn't realize until you asked this that I don't care about the killer or who he killed.
In the first season, I actually cared about the detectives solving the case on top of wading through the crazy waters of their personal lives. Now I just barely care about the personal lives and have forgotten that there was a murder I'm supposed to be caring about.
While waiting for tech support to clean out a virus from our server, I took the time to skip through every scene that Vince Vaughan was in during the first two episodes to figure this out.
Per IMDB, "Stan" was played by Ronnie Gene Blevins :
Stan was one of the two guys driving the truck (along with the tall, red headed, bearded guy with a foreign accent) that rear ended the random bookie in episode two so that Semyon could make a point. Stan maced the guy in the face.
WOW thanks for this. I was still convinced that someone killed the construction guy that Vaughn threatened for 25%. I thought the killer was going after Vaughn in a financial way. But he just killed a random goon? Wow that couldn't have been any less clear.
Anton Sugar
Member
I see what you're saying, but we would have never had THAT S1 if it weren't for Fukunaga. However, I'm also a bit down on the latter half of S1, pretty much due to the writing. That, plus the Ligotti thing, plus just a general love for Fukunaga's work...that puts him over Pizzolatto for me.
I actually agree with you there. I may need a rewatch, but I liked his character a lot more than the past two episodes.
Colin is doing great work. Kitsch has little to do, though it was nice to see him smile in the car with Ani. Conversely, Ani seems incapable of smiling, ever.
Can't wait to see the big payoff for this whole "weird sex stuff with cop co-worker" subplot.
/s
Yeah, and his name is never said when he's on screen to identify him.
Stan is only mentioned by name once that I've found and it's when Semyon is leaving the meeting with the money guy where he's told that he's been screwed out of the deal, and he gives his little "am I diminished" speech. Semyon tells his people to: "Get everybody. Stan, Ivar, his cousins, our Glendale people. Fucking Blake, wherever the fuck he's been."
I'm thinking Frank will join the cops in the end to solve whatever the fuck this is (seriously, what is this?) and Woodrugh will snap and become evil or something.
Speaking of Woodrugh, his nervousness when around gay people is fun.
The problem I have with these characters is that they are just so grim and dark for the sake of it, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I don't know, Rust and Marty had fun times, they shared good memories, and in the end they were just buddies even though all the shit between them. In contrast these three share nothing, their lifes are miserable and are working these case for... well, not much.
Speaking of Woodrugh, his nervousness when around gay people is fun.
The problem I have with these characters is that they are just so grim and dark for the sake of it, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I don't know, Rust and Marty had fun times, they shared good memories, and in the end they were just buddies even though all the shit between them. In contrast these three share nothing, their lifes are miserable and are working these case for... well, not much.
This guy made a page about Stan, because all the internet had not a clue :
http://www.pajiba.com/true_detective/who-the-hell-is-stan-on-true-detective.php
http://www.pajiba.com/true_detective/who-the-hell-is-stan-on-true-detective.php
LOL
My GF asked me to pause it on him so we could try and remember who the fuck he was. Needless to say we were both stumped.
While waiting for tech support to clean out a virus from our server, I took the time to skip through every scene that Vince Vaughan was in during the first two episodes to figure this out.
Per IMDB, "Stan" was played by Ronnie Gene Blevins :
Stan was one of the two guys driving the truck (along with the tall, red headed, bearded guy with a foreign accent) that rear ended the random bookie in episode two so that Semyon could make a point. Stan maced the guy in the face.
That's unfortunate because Stan has given us one of the better performances thus far in season 2.
Anton Sugar
Member
Haha, that's exactly what we did, too.
I honestly thought that was who it was.