Worst episode of the season so far. I found it really boring because every scene felt like it was padding on either information we already knew/suspected, or joining the dots to stuff which feels like the show is going "hey look at this, it will be important when the ~REAL PLOT~ kicks in at the end. The trouble with the season is that I don't think the scenes to scene stuff is very interesting, the performances are subpar, and every lead character seems to be suffering from constipation, judging from their faces. I really wish it were just... more engaging.
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True Detective - Season 2 - We get the Season we deserve - Sundays on HBO
- Thread starter Cornballer
- Start date
brianmcdoogle
Member
In regards to the filmmaking of that last shootout, because a lot of it was done with quick cuts and in medium/close shots, did anyone else lose the positions and diagram of the scene? I didn't know where McAdams was in those final moments, and I lost whether or not Farrell or Kitsch was approaching or retreating until whey went wide in shooting. It felt disjointed and messy, not to convey the chaotic nature of the scene but out of a lack of directoral focus. When the direction doesn't give the viewer a good sense of place, you lose agency. McAdams didn't seem anywhere near the final guy, so I had no idea why she was taking out her knife (other than she conveniently ran out of bullets with the last guy remaining), and things like that get in the way of a scene for me.
Also, seriously, why would they randomly waste bullets on civilians. The wanton violence seemed unnecessary and distracting in its stupidity. It seems so out of place tonally and logically within the show. Who would do that?!
Also, seriously, why would they randomly waste bullets on civilians. The wanton violence seemed unnecessary and distracting in its stupidity. It seems so out of place tonally and logically within the show. Who would do that?!
dead souls
Member
Information we knew or suspected?
I about fell off my couch when it was revealed that Kitsch's character was gay. That was handled with so much subtlety that it was easy to miss.
I about fell off my couch when it was revealed that Kitsch's character was gay. That was handled with so much subtlety that it was easy to miss.
Another good observation. Frankly this is the first episode the direction overall just felt off and I saw the biggest shift from the tone set by Lin. Last episode was a bit of a deviation but this took the story from a dark, noir-seeped tone to a fairly standard by the numbers cop show and ended it with a completely out of place action set piece that had no identity to it let alone the slight one this season had been aiming for.
Intheflorsh
Banned
Well, when you have infinite bullets, why not?
It's not engaging at all. I hate this phrase, but it feels as if it's a parody of season 1. It doesn't understand what worked in the first season and what didn't, and is latching on to the worst aspects it could.
It's just... Not interesting or engaging. TV needs to be engaging. That's the only rule. This is not.
EDIT: It's hollow. I wish it wasn't. But it is.
dead souls
Member
That's my biggest complaint as well. It's just so boring. You know it's bad when you're looking at the clock during the big shootout.
Soyongdori
Member
Did anyone notice how Paul was the only one who was deadly calm at the end while everyone else was freaking out?
Paul waking up after sleeping over his "comrades" place was hilarious....woops. Just a terribly written gay character all around. So I guess his time around the gay guys at the club stirred something within him, he drinks and finds himself trippin on some dick? Fuck outta here.
Ani was reckless as fuck chasing after the SUV. You got cholos in that motherfucker with infinite ammo, chill girl. Shootout was pretty clumsy. But I had a hearty chuckle when that dead weight cop got his wig split.
This episode is the first where things seem to be building towards something more tangible. But everything is still so amateurish in comparison to season 1.
Ani was reckless as fuck chasing after the SUV. You got cholos in that motherfucker with infinite ammo, chill girl. Shootout was pretty clumsy. But I had a hearty chuckle when that dead weight cop got his wig split.
This episode is the first where things seem to be building towards something more tangible. But everything is still so amateurish in comparison to season 1.
We are not paying enough attention.
Also when Colin Ferrell disappeared into the bushes like Batman I couldn't take it anymore. What a shit show.
I don't even know if this show has any detective moments left. Seems like a mob gangster kinda thing without any interesting/logical detective work. Some interesting things that we saw in earlier episodes were - porn addiction/creepy fetishes etc which they could have explored in a good detail. Instead we have useless Taylor guilt driven plot/Mc Addams getting suspended which no one gives a fuck/Vaughn pathetic business takeover schemes.
Not to say Velcoro could have been used way better after what we saw with that bully plot and mask guy, but that shit is dead and he seems like a generic every day cop now.
C- tier drama.
Not to say Velcoro could have been used way better after what we saw with that bully plot and mask guy, but that shit is dead and he seems like a generic every day cop now.
C- tier drama.
I've sort of avoided posting in here because I hate being negative but, ugh. I just can see the places where I could be a good show. And it's not doing that. It's fucking boring scene to scene without any momentum.
Rachel McAddams deserves better.
Yeah. That juxtaposition was the best part of that whole shoot out. just wish they had done a better job overall with it.
Served in the military, so seen some shit.
Robot Pants
Member
"I dont get the world cavities not even deserve welcome we mache that's judgement greet no not way even the world e-cigarette." - Nic Pizza
dead souls
Member
I figured he just views every dead man as one less temptation. *solitary tear falls down cheek*
True Detective has never had any good detective moments because maybe if someone who had a vocabulary for a procedural would've known that the big "A ha!" moment from last season wouldn't have passed the Dick Wolf test.
You could see the cracks then when the show couldn't write a concrete season-long procedural mystery.
ReturnOfTheRAT
Member
They're all fucked. Ani, Ray, and Paul have to be done. Ray wasn't gonna die after giving not-his-son the badge, but his career has to be over. Ani was suspended and has that shootouts mess on her hands now. Plus Paul, who's day tripping in reality won't have such an easy fatherhood period with that blood on his hands. I found it surprising in a way that he was the most composed of the bunch. The flashbacks to war issue didn't come back at a bad time. Interesting.
Maybe I don't watch enough cop dramas on TV, becuae I've never seen a cop detail get wiped out like that before. Completely unexpected. Like I think they were walked into a trap by the Mayor, the chief with the crazy hairdo and James Frain's character. Shit was crazy.
And I'll be honest. I haven't lived in LA since 1997 and the aerial shots of this show are making me want to go drive that concrete jungle and the PCH.
Also, anyone keep a "fuck" counter on this episode?
Maybe I don't watch enough cop dramas on TV, becuae I've never seen a cop detail get wiped out like that before. Completely unexpected. Like I think they were walked into a trap by the Mayor, the chief with the crazy hairdo and James Frain's character. Shit was crazy.
And I'll be honest. I haven't lived in LA since 1997 and the aerial shots of this show are making me want to go drive that concrete jungle and the PCH.
Also, anyone keep a "fuck" counter on this episode?
But its engaging to me. Am I broken? This is the first show I watch when I get home from work.
I think sometimes I like for an idea to have room to breathe. This is nice. Same with Netflix's Bloodline.
That and the suicidal tendencies.
TheKaeptain
Banned
Believe it or not but you can get used to people shooting at you.
If you like it, that's awesome. I really wish it was clicking with me.
Soyongdori
Member
You think? I was just pointing out that he felt right at home during that entire scene and this is the first time where Paul didn't make a facial expression which he didn't look miserable.
The sense I get is that with season 2, we're looking at what season 1 could have been if it was rushed out without longer pre-production, more development work on the scripts, and with a strong director attached to the process from the start.
I don't think the material is complete crap, which is probably the most frustrating part, because you can tell there are interesting things there, but they're not fleshed out sufficiently, and there's a lot of fluff which could be trimmed down but they went ahead with it anyway.
Developing interesting stories from scratch is hard, especially for good mystery stories. Making True Detective an annual show might not have been the best idea. If it were bi-annual, that might have given them more time to make something better.
Honestly, this show has never been a better reminder about why writers' rooms exist on the first place :-/
From the onset Piz always said the show wasn't about the cases but the detectives behind them.
This season is failing so hard to me not because the case is convoluted and less interesting but because most of the characters are much less interesting and their stories are much less compelling.
But if you can't make your characters work an interesting case, who cares? Both are important. Short changing the case is stupid, but you can save face with having a strong arc, which the first season had. Season 2 has neither.
Robot Pants
Member
agreed
Soyongdori
Member
Really liked the last scene, unlike most of people. The only thing I didn't like about was the infinite ammo bullshit. Kinda ridiculous seeing this trope from pizzaman.
I knew I have seen this lady before on some show, but couldn't recognize it.
While I don't think this is up to par with Season 1, I'm at least interested in seeing how this all turns out. Mainly because this is a strange, plodding show called True Detective and I feel compelled to see it to its end. I don't hate Season 2 - it's not THAT bad, but it has certain aimlessness that makes me wonder if all of this will pay off in the end.
Echoes a lot of my thoughts. I think Piz is over his head trying to write an original 8 hour movie in less then a years time. All without a writing staff to help.
I think Piz and HBO need to have a long back and forth about how or if this show should continue forward in its current development and release trajectory. Assuming the show doesn't have some miraculous mid-season turnaround.
Furthermore I have to imagine the tepid critical response has killed the shows ability to draw big name actors for season 3.
ReturnOfTheRAT
Member
There's a shot of him in the background so calming holstering his gun. None of it affected him.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Just started the episode.
Frank is a crummy husband.
Paul had the homo sex. Congrats. Dude's jumping out of his skin like nobody's business.
Frank is a crummy husband.
Paul had the homo sex. Congrats. Dude's jumping out of his skin like nobody's business.
Well hey.... a unique moment of continuity in this season.
brianmcdoogle
Member
So is his only PTSD him being gay in a foreign country? I get that he's seen combat, but I thought part of it is that he's been damaged by it.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Lol, where the fuck did the paparazzi come from?
StopMakingSense
Member
I sorta like the case. I just could completely lose Semyon's story, as well as Kitsch's character.
I think I see them going somewhere with all the unrelated procedural scenes (mayor's daughter, Fresno land, etc.) that wasn't the watch --> shootout, so maybe they're putting some more effort into it. Stuff that's supposed to show up as soon as the characters get kicked off/put on leave and go FULL TRUE DETECTIVE?
I already can't remember how they solve the S1 case anymore. I can remember weekly cop show procedurals better than this. :\
I don't feel like the show breathes at all. It mostly just hits its beats and then cuts to a new scene. There isn't really anything that ever accumulates to any real breathing to me anyway.
DarkJediKnight
Member
Wow!
This is just damn pathetic! Quite possibly the worst show of 2015.
Shit writing, shit directing, and oh look, it's Vince Vaughn trying to act. Every line delivered by this guy is vomit inducing.
I'm going to watch it till the end, and quite possibly slap myself for not stopping sooner.
I did that with Dexter, and this shit has that same vibe.
This is just damn pathetic! Quite possibly the worst show of 2015.
Shit writing, shit directing, and oh look, it's Vince Vaughn trying to act. Every line delivered by this guy is vomit inducing.
I'm going to watch it till the end, and quite possibly slap myself for not stopping sooner.
I did that with Dexter, and this shit has that same vibe.
juicyfruitas
Member
This show is hurting bad without Fukunaga at the helm
Yeah, that's why I feel like if there was a writing staff, having someone (or multiples) with a very strong procedural background would really help texture the show's failings at creating a mystery that works beat to beat.
ilikesanta
Member
I was glad to see the super depressing lounge singing was back. This episode sucked. Looks like next episode we'll get a
. I really hope things turn around.
time jump
They were covering a convenient rally against the bus/transit availability and funds in that neighborhood.
RedAssedApe
Banned
Haha. Man people really hate this show now.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Frank has interesting ways of conducting business.