• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

True Detective - Season 2 - We get the Season we deserve - Sundays on HBO

F

FantasticMrFoxdie

Mumber
Interesting episode. Wow at that ending. What a fucking warzone.


and yeah Farell and McAdams (and those jeans) are whats keeping this thing together.



brianmcdoogle said:
I'm glad you're all mentioning that unnecessary freeze frame because I legitimattly thought it was a problem with my HBO Now stream.
Click to expand...

Same here. LOLing so hard now.
 
D

Discotheque

Banned
Enjoyable episode. I wasn't even bored with kitsch's stuff, Vaughn tho continues to stay shit. Not to mention he gets the bulk of the bad dialogue each episode. Damn, pizza guy sucks ass at writing criminals

The firefight at the end lacked any of the michael mann oomph (tho It was still fun to watch). Who is this guy they got on the episode, I think my biggest gripe with this season is its being handled less like a movie like the first was and more like a TV show. Should have got one talented person on the whole thing again

No complaints really with mcadams and farrell's scenes or developments. In fact this show would probably feel a lot tighter if they cut Vaughn and Kitsch and just kept those two as partners.
 
gimmmick

gimmmick

Member
We are half way done with this season, and I still can't get into this cast and story :(

Jesus christ, how did HBO drop the ball so bad with this season? Season 1 was just so good :\
 
A

Addi

Member
I was actually bored watching this :S Episode 4 in season 1 ended with the long take shootout, this one ended with a conventional, messy, wannabe Heat shootout. I think it's pretty symptomatic for the drop in quality between the seasons.
 
holygeesus

holygeesus

Banned
People holding up Season 1 as some kind of masterpiece, need to remember it had it's own flaws, notably the 'Eureka!' moment toward it's conclusion, which was as poorly conceived as anything in season 2 thus far.
 
N

Net_Wrecker

Member
Ehh, we're halfway through and it seems the show is what it is: Awkward lines, sleepy performances, and flat storytelling. Velcoro and Ani are pretty much running on the fumes of me liking Farrell and McAdams, and the rest of the cast doesn't even matter. Unfortunately, even the big ep 4 action scene pales in comparison to S1 with fairly average execution across the board (maybe subpar excecution, honestly- sight lines were near nonexistent)


I appreciate the freeze frame at the end though because, at this point, why not.
 
P

Poimandres

Member
I thought the episode was pretty good, and I feel like the season might end up having better pacing than the first with the way it's been ramping up. Season 1 sort of blew its load in ep 4 and 5.

The hate seems strong but I'm pretty entertained. I even like Vince. *shrug*
 
J

Johndoey

Banned
holygeesus said:
People holding up Season 1 as some kind of masterpiece, need to remember it had it's own flaws, notably the 'Eureka!' moment toward it's conclusion, which was as poorly conceived as anything in season 2 thus far.
Click to expand...
I don't understand this comment is it meant as a weak defense of this season's failings?
 
V

Vagabundo

Member
duckroll said:
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.
Click to expand...

This is my own thinking on it. Season 1 had a lot more time in the cooker. Season 2 just feels rushed.

Its still enjoyable to me. I'd lowered my expectations from the trailer and setting.

I would have cut Kitch and Vaughn, and had Farrell and Macadams as the leads, and the Mayor as the Big Bad. Increase the weird sex stuff - because who doesn't like weird sex stuff.
 
F

Forceatowulf

G***n S**n*bi
Mix Master said:
The Real MVP of this season is Rachel McAdams in those skinny jeans, whooo boy.

Seeing her makes me want to see Katherine Moennig in one of these True Detective Seasons.
Click to expand...
Those jeans can barely contain that body. They're holding on for dear life. Or maybe McAdams was simply poured into them before shooting.

What I'm getting at here is; Rachael McAdams is fucking beautiful.
 
F

firehawk12

Subete no aware
holygeesus

holygeesus

Banned
Johndoey said:
I don't understand this comment is it meant as a weak defense of this season's failings?
Click to expand...

No, more that people's memories seem to be failing them slightly. If people insist on comparing the two, which is inevitable but ultimately pointless, then at least do so with a sound recollection of season one - it had it's problems as well. The one I mentioned, and the weak (IMO) final episode primarily.

People have been ready to knock this season, since the casting was announced, and have thus approached it with pre-conceived opinions. I'm enjoying it as much as any show on TV at the moment. If people are genuinely bored or 'falling asleep' during it, then I think it says more about them to be honest, and I would question why they have managed to get nigh on half way through the season.
 
B

BlueTsunami

there is joy in sucking dick
Thought the shootout scene was awful. Something about the way it was choreographed, movement, and scene progression felt like a straight to DVD flick. It should have felt more brutal than Rachels dialog would have you feel.
 
B

Bluth54

Member
I loved season 1 of True Detective but have been extremely disappointed with this season, after about 20 minutes of the last episode I gave up and decided I'm out for this season, hopefully if it gets renewed it will be better next season.
 
S

Sho_Nuff82

Member
I have almost no idea what's going on now. Characters just throw out names at characters we've never been introduced to and it's supposed to mean something. Couldn't for the life of me describe why that shootout happened.
 
J

Jarnet87

Member
I thought it was the weakest episode of the season. The shoot out at the end was cool, but those 10 minutes couldn't save the other boring 50.
 
V

Vagabundo

Member
Sho_Nuff82 said:
I have almost no idea what's going on now. Characters just throw out names at characters we've never been introduced to and it's supposed to mean something. Couldn't for the life of me describe why that shootout happened.
Click to expand...

It seemed like a setup. Someone spots them walking calmly up to the building. Or they just didn't think there would be a lookout?

The way the mayor/lieutenant and the other guy were hanging around it seemed like a setup to me. Someone rang ahead. I suppose the mexicans would just run instead though.
 
D

Dmax3901

Member
It's not at as good as the first season but people (not just here) are going a little overboard with HOW bad it is. I feel there's a bit of bandwagonry going on here.
 
L

Langdon Alger

Banned
Vagabundo said:
It seemed like a setup. Someone spots them walking calmly up to the build. Or they just didn't think their would be a lookout?

The way the mayor/lieutenant and the other guy were hanging around it seemed like a setup to me. Someone rang ahead. I suppose the mexicans would just run instead though.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's got to be a setup. There was a long shot of Collin Farrell's character looking at least a little suspicious of the whole situation when he was staring at the picture of the supposed suspect.
 
V

Vagabundo

Member
Langdon Alger said:
Yeah, it's got to be a setup. There was a long shot of Collin Farrell's character looking at least a little suspicious of the whole situation when he was staring at the picture of the supposed suspect.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it seems that way. He was definitely detecting a vibe. Could there be a connection between the mayor and the mexicans? Maybe they are the ones interested in getting in on the casino.

Colin's character is getting pretty badass now he is sober. He might even be getting a few scruples.
 
S

SMattera

Member
I thought the first episode of Ray Donovan season 3 was much more entertaining than this week's episode, and that's never been a particularly great show.
 
holygeesus

holygeesus

Banned
Langdon Alger said:
Yeah, it's got to be a setup. There was a long shot of Collin Farrell's character looking at least a little suspicious of the whole situation when he was staring at the picture of the supposed suspect.
Click to expand...

You would have thought that Velcoro would have at least warned Frank that they were going to arrest the guy he was after - maybe he orchestrated it so that the guy Frank wanted a 'long talk with' could escape?
 
V

Vagabundo

Member
Lazy Cop recommended they wait until the suspect exits the building, but Macadams said the higher ups want it done now. They couldn't even wait for the SWAT teams.

Seem like its suppose to be a complete setup and the three leads will take the fall for it.
 
P

Phased

Member
The show is pretty good now that I've watched more of it.

It has the unenviable job of following up S1, and nothing will live up to those expectations. I feel like the pacing is better than S1 as things are ramping up more evenly, where the first season just had everything happen right at the end.

Still not buying Vaughn though. Really hoped this would be a breakout thing for him, but he just seems so out of his depth here, especially compared to McAdams and Farrell who are killing it.
 
D

Don Draper's Hat

Member
"Those moments, they stare back at you. You don't remember them. They remember you."

That has to be one of the worst lines I've ever heard on a TV show.

It's a decent enough season so far though. Gay cop aside I'm quite enjoying the cast, even Vinny Vaughn.
 
S

SMattera

Member
Don Draper's Hat said:
"Those moments, they stare back at you. You don't remember them. They remember you."

That has to be one of the worst lines I've ever heard on a TV show.

It's a decent enough season so far though. Gay cop aside I'm quite enjoying the cast, even Vinny Vaughn.
Click to expand...

I think a lot of lines in Season 1 were just as bad on paper, but the delivery made them. In particular, most of Mcconaughey's nihilistic ranting to the two detectives (time is a flat circle, etc) could've been horrific if it wasn't handled so daftly.
 
H

hiryu

Member
I'm still really liking it. That shootout scene could have been really something with better direction but I love the seediness feeling this show delivers. It is very different from season 1. Kitsch's character seems like a waste and unnecessary but I liked the difference in the way the shootout affected each of the main characters. Farrell was losing his shit, McAdams was sick to her stomach, and Kitsch was acting like this was old hat. I hope some of the issues with the main characters pays off in later episodes.
 
S

SolidChamp

Banned
Ideas are like farts, if you have to force it, it's probably shit.

It's like somebody else said earlier in this thread, it feels like Pizzolatto was scrambling to write a story for the second season in just a few months after the immense success of the first. This feels painfully undercooked, whereas he probably had season one marinating for at least a year, if not longer.

Still, it's not unwatchable. Yet.
 
S

Sho_Nuff82

Member
Vagabundo said:
It seemed like a setup. Someone spots them walking calmly up to the building. Or they just didn't think there would be a lookout?

The way the mayor/lieutenant and the other guy were hanging around it seemed like a setup to me. Someone rang ahead. I suppose the mexicans would just run instead though.
Click to expand...

I got that it was a setup, I didn't follow why he was a suspect in the first place.
 
borborygmus

borborygmus

Member
SMattera said:
I think a lot of lines in Season 1 were just as bad on paper, but the delivery made them. In particular, most of Mcconaughey's nihilistic ranting to the two detectives (time is a flat circle, etc) could've been horrific if it wasn't handled so daftly.
Click to expand...

Only Rust had crazy lines, and Marty was always rolling his eyes at him.

In S2, bullshit is the norm, which totally kills any chance of the show being engaging.

This show is absolutely abysmal right now. It's worse than CSI: Miami, which is at least comically amusing. I'm going to keep on watching though, just because I want my opinion to be based on the whole season.

holygeesus said:
People have been ready to knock this season, since the casting was announced, and have thus approached it with pre-conceived opinions. I'm enjoying it as much as any show on TV at the moment. If people are genuinely bored or 'falling asleep' during it, then I think it says more about them to be honest, and I would question why they have managed to get nigh on half way through the season.
Click to expand...

You're wrong about people wanting to hate it. I find your defensiveness really weird, as though criticizing the show was somehow personal.

The show is trash and that's why it's being trashed.

You like it, some people hate it and find crappy. No need to attempt to rationalize people's reactions just because they disagree with yours.
 
J

Johndoey

Banned
holygeesus said:
No, more that people's memories seem to be failing them slightly. If people insist on comparing the two, which is inevitable but ultimately pointless, then at least do so with a sound recollection of season one - it had it's problems as well. The one I mentioned, and the weak (IMO) final episode primarily.

People have been ready to knock this season, since the casting was announced, and have thus approached it with pre-conceived opinions. I'm enjoying it as much as any show on TV at the moment. If people are genuinely bored or 'falling asleep' during it, then I think it says more about them to be honest, and I would question why they have managed to get nigh on half way through the season.
Click to expand...
Ok that's fair.
 
Z

ZackieChan

Member
I love how VV is always going on about "you know what I'm gonna have to do" to his wife, while doing boring things in every scene we see him in. Why not, ya know, do those things? It would be far more interesting. His whole storyline sucks what little fun may have been left in the season.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club | Review Thread
Analysis Review
39
2K
Thick Thighs Save Lives replied
‘The Last Of Us’: Isabela Merced Cast As Dina In Season 2 Of HBO Series
2 3
109
14K
DrFigs replied
True Detective Season 4 to star Jodie Foster
3 4 5 6 7
310
25K
Billbofet replied
‘The Last of Us’ Season 1 Finale Scores 8.2 Million Viewers, Reaching Series High
News 2 3
141
8K
Zephyrus0 replied
Coming to Game Pass: Neon White, Flock, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, and More
39
2K
Punished Miku replied
Top Bottom