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True Detective - Season 2 - We get the Season we deserve - Sundays on HBO
- Thread starter Cornballer
- Start date
I see what you did there.
I was thinking there was some rose tinted glasses going on for me, but just compare the trailer for episode 5 from TD1 and 2 and nope, it really is that much better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C43MGGkzShA (TD1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSlukb3SbKw (TD2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C43MGGkzShA (TD1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSlukb3SbKw (TD2)
Even if you find faults in season 1 script, the direction of the show was off the roof in quality. The way they managed to capture Louisiana's atmosphere was fucking incredible. That shootout in scene 4 where Rust keeps saying easy easy and carries the guy from door to door, just shows how seriously and authentically they crafted the show. Compared to this where McAdams was out of bullets, I didn't feel tension at all as I didn't even have any perspective as to where the enemy was. Director of this scene should be ashamed of himself. Too many close shots.
As others have noted, this should really have just been farrell and mcadams. The four leads thing just means constant switches in tone and setting, and as a result, it ends up feeling like a series of scenes rather than a single experience for the viewer.
I don't think kitsch has been particularly terrible, and his story is ok. It just doesn't fit, he is perpetually disconnected from the actual investigation.
Vaughn has been abysmal start to finish. The double whammy of a poor actor and a dull, repetitive character is too much for the rest of the show to carry.
I had hoped that ep.4 would be where everything started to pick up. But so far, we've gone absolutely nowhere.
I don't think kitsch has been particularly terrible, and his story is ok. It just doesn't fit, he is perpetually disconnected from the actual investigation.
Vaughn has been abysmal start to finish. The double whammy of a poor actor and a dull, repetitive character is too much for the rest of the show to carry.
I had hoped that ep.4 would be where everything started to pick up. But so far, we've gone absolutely nowhere.
Freedom = $1.05
Banned
I think I've crossed over from watching TD and hoping it'll get good to hate watching it now. That might be the quickest I've gone from loving a show to watching it burn that I can remember. Even girls took to season 3 before I wanted it all to go to hell.
crooked spin
Member
trying not to read thread but this STILL isn't up on xfinity for me... what gives!
Freedom = $1.05
Banned
They've had better shows where they pulled the plug on. Right now, it's going to take a miracle to salvage this season.
holygeesus
Banned
How is it being defensive? I couldn't give two hoots what anyone else thinks about the show, as long as I'm enjoying it (and I am) but am trying to get my head around the polarising reaction to it, as I know a lot of other people who are liking it. It helps if you don't keep comparing to season one, which is a self-contained story that is done and dusted, and treat this on it's own merits - I can understand people not liking it, but it blows my mind that people can label it as 'trash' as it clearly isn't. At all.
Really? Cause it seems like even those who "hate" it are still watching.
I really thought last nights episode was the weakest of the season until the shootout.
CopperPuppy
Member
I'm a bit confused about some of the questions/accusations the reporters/cameramen were lobbing at Woodrugh when he was stranded and looking for his bike early in the episode. I recognized some of them as inquiring into the actress incident and perhaps his stint with Black Mountain Security.
But there was a lot of other stuff peppered in there as well that seemingly relate to incidents with his character that the viewers know nothing about. I was at a loss as to why he was being stalked by so many reporters in the first place. One would assume that if he's being hounded for issues from his past now, then reporters had been an issue in the past as well, but this is the first we see of it. On top of that, several heretofore unmentioned events were asked about, and there was no follow up on the scene.
What am I missing?
But there was a lot of other stuff peppered in there as well that seemingly relate to incidents with his character that the viewers know nothing about. I was at a loss as to why he was being stalked by so many reporters in the first place. One would assume that if he's being hounded for issues from his past now, then reporters had been an issue in the past as well, but this is the first we see of it. On top of that, several heretofore unmentioned events were asked about, and there was no follow up on the scene.
What am I missing?
CapitalismSucks DonkeyBalls
Banned
Because it's a combination of people remembering the pedigree of season 1 and the hope that something will come of season 2 on that idea alone.
I've been bored the entire season, but I'll continue watching at least episode 4 in the hopes that it'll go somewhere. I'm at my wit's end though.
HIGH DEF JEFF
Banned
How do HBO renewals typically shake out?
I know mega shows like Girls and Thrones get their pick ups pretty early.
True Detective seems like a special case here. Have they ever had a show flip like this?
I didnt like season 1 at all..was ready to love season 2 because of location and cast but after last night i just cant pretend anymore.
I know mega shows like Girls and Thrones get their pick ups pretty early.
True Detective seems like a special case here. Have they ever had a show flip like this?
I didnt like season 1 at all..was ready to love season 2 because of location and cast but after last night i just cant pretend anymore.
Freedom = $1.05
Banned
people are still watching out of respect for the first season. That shit is only going to carry the ratings for so long.
Ninja Scooter
Member
He is doing those things. I think he saw the rail land deal as a way to legitimize himself and make himself a power player, and now that that is gone he has to go back to being a mid level thug boss.
metalslimer
Member
I don't think the show is bad. It's honestly just boring to watch which is honestly worse.
MightyHealthy
Banned
If I had the talent, I'd make a gif where that cop next to Ani lost 100 points for shooting the civilian.
That scene looked like those laserdisc arcade shooting games, lol
That scene looked like those laserdisc arcade shooting games, lol
It depends on what you mean by "flip like this". Most of the previous shows really weren't as big of hits as this one was, so as far as cancellations go, if they didn't renew because of the reception to this season, it would likely be their most high-profile cancellation. I don't think they really care so much about the reviews as ratings though, so if those hold steady enough, they will probably renew and pay a lot closer attention to the writing process next season.
Compare that to say, Carnivale, which only had two seasons out of its planned arc, but was canceled due to expense reasons and a lack of sufficient viewership, despite the high amount of praise that it got.
That's always worse. This season is like the slow parts of the first season, except stretched out into the entire thing.
Anton Sugar
Member
Going to get run out of the department because of the mayor thing using the fallout from this shootout and the fact that the dead cop who she tried to get a gun from killed a civilian, shit was so telegraphed.
Yup, thought this same thing. I'd be pretty shocked if that isn't a big plot point in the next episode.
This, for sure. It's hard to tell which characters are important and which are just nameless goons.
I literally LOL'd when fucking Stan got another mention this week.
Are we supposed to think that Ani is incompetent? I'm not sure what I'm supposed to think about her character when she keeps fucking up.
For real, I thought the stream froze until the fade out.
The firefight had some good energy to it once they were chasing the van, but even that was a weird sequence. Ani running maybe 10 mph and keeping up with a van, and the van is firing full auto at her and doesn't hit her.
I enjoyed this episode more than the others, but that's mostly because of the shootout, which wasn't even notably well done.
Also, if Vaughn's storyline is based heavily on his ability to intimidate people, it's going to fail, because there is nothing scary about him.
metalslimer
Member
I do think the kitsch storyline is terrible unless they have something planned besides what they have shown
Anton Sugar
Member
Also, whose idea was it to have literally kill every single officer involved in the raid, except the three leads?
Like, wut? They may as well have just put red shirts on.
Like, wut? They may as well have just put red shirts on.
I disagree. I've genuinely enjoyed the show until tonight's "Frank's Odyssey of Percentages" and then it pulled me back in with the break in the case and subsequent shootout.
It's not season 1, but it's not even close to "the worst show on tv this season" as has been said in this thread.
HIGH DEF JEFF
Banned
Flip from near universal praise to near universal dislike or worse, indifference.
Unless something compelling happens the only action i can hope for is some good old hollywood behind the scenes drama.
Also, can they straight up fire Pizza and retain the TD brand?
ZackieChan
Member
He talked about it like it was something he would do in the future. But for now he's just trying to be menacing and getting into fist fights. None of it is particularly compelling.
Inferno313
Banned
Honestly, they should give True D season 3 two years in the cooker. I think a big part of this season not feeling as strong was the time requirements. One year seemingly isn't long enough for Pizzaman to write all 8 episodes himself, and it obviously wasn't long enough for them to produce the show with one director.
Take next year off, give Pizzaman time to really craft a great script, and time for them to shoot the whole thing with one director again.
Take next year off, give Pizzaman time to really craft a great script, and time for them to shoot the whole thing with one director again.
Cornballer
Member
- Onion A|V Club review
- Sepinwall's review
- Grantland
- Rolling Stone
- Salon.com
- NY Times interview: Ritchie Coster on Playing the Drunk Mayor on True Detective
- NY Mag: True Detective and the Changing, Divisive Nature of the Aerial Shot
- Shootout GIFs from Warming Glow
- Promo for next week's episode (please spoiler tag any discussion)
- Rachel McAdams interview from last week (youtube)
- Sepinwall's review
- Grantland
- Rolling Stone
- Salon.com
- NY Times interview: Ritchie Coster on Playing the Drunk Mayor on True Detective
- NY Mag: True Detective and the Changing, Divisive Nature of the Aerial Shot
- Shootout GIFs from Warming Glow
- Promo for next week's episode (please spoiler tag any discussion)
- Rachel McAdams interview from last week (youtube)
CassidyIzABeast
Member
If the show was shit I'd stop watching it. Right now its just okay. Hoping the second half of the season brings the goods.
Probably the best moment in this episode given the narrative. Similar to how the ending of episode 2 played out. It would've still worked if there were unnamed cops still alive off camera.
This scene was crafted/staged with care. The director and whoever else involved are clearly competent here. But the scenes leading up to it were goofy as shit.
Freedom = $1.05
Banned
It was a cartoon shootout. The guy up in the building just spraying aimlessly was some goofy Time Crisis shit that made the whole thing feel dumb from the get go. and what was the deal with the dude just unloading on that bus? Does he just hate public transportation that badly?
It wasn't a good shootout at all but, hey, at least the plot is finally going places. I'll see this season to its end but nothing about that scene or this episode has instilled any confidence that they'll be able to right this ship.
It wasn't a good shootout at all but, hey, at least the plot is finally going places. I'll see this season to its end but nothing about that scene or this episode has instilled any confidence that they'll be able to right this ship.
Anton Sugar
Member
I suppose she is suppose to be in over her head and at the mercy of greater forces. She really doesn't seem to be politically savvy - being such a straight shooter with a couple of demons driving her.
The whole approach was completely half-assed, even El Sleaze-ball himself questioned the tactics of the approach.
Maybe they should have got the guy who directed the Hardhome episode instead.
I thought the shootout was ok, but I wasn't blown away from it. I agree with Cameron above, that the final shot with the main actors reactions immediately after was well done.
Michael Mann? Not sure that's realistic but I agree that shoot out was a disaster direction wise.
Yeah, I know Mann directed the film but I don't know if he was actually in charge of the choreography or whatever lol.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
You could almost place Benny hill music to some of the shootout segments. Especially when the random civilian jumps into the frame just to get shot.
The shootout was awful in the sense that it was near impossible to track the location and movements of the characters. An example being Ani in that she seems to be cornered and has to pull out her knife but I don't know how close one of the bad guys with the automatic is. There's no sense of distance and so I don't really understand her tension. The camerawork with Ray and another Mexican almost have them back to back on the same car and so by using a long shot, it comes off as goofy instead of focusing on Ray and his proximity with the gangster. A third example would be Ani chasing the SUV on foot, this is a case where a one shot from behind her would be effective not only in showing the danger in front of her and highlighting her intelligence in dodging but also increase the shock when the SUV runs into the civilians.
There's also stuff like all the non-named cops being killed and Bill cartoonly saying, "What the fuck!" right before being headshotted.
There's also stuff like all the non-named cops being killed and Bill cartoonly saying, "What the fuck!" right before being headshotted.
Anton Sugar
Member
Comparisons to the daddy of all shootouts (Heat) were inevitable and probably unfair, but last night's shootout did make me think about how deaths of "minor" characters are handled. They are both unceremonious, but W. Earl Brown getting brained was almost indistinguishable from any other of the red shirts' deaths. Compare that to how Ted Levine's side character is killed in Heat--he gets his own little moment and a nice camera movement.
Again, I did enjoy the shootout, but like the rest of the show, it was very uneven.
Again, I did enjoy the shootout, but like the rest of the show, it was very uneven.
Dick Justice
Banned
I really hate how every character is a philosopher this season. And the philosophical bullshit is so poorly written/delivered.
Also, the editing in the scene with Woodrugh and Velcoro in the car was comically bad (shot of Velcoro with the car moving, cut to Woodrugh with the car stationary).
Also, the editing in the scene with Woodrugh and Velcoro in the car was comically bad (shot of Velcoro with the car moving, cut to Woodrugh with the car stationary).
phazedplasma
Member
phazedplasma
Member
dbl post
Soyongdori
Member
When Frank was dealing with the Armenians, they asked him "what about Mexicans?" and his response was "I'll deal with it".
LyleLanley
Banned
I'm feeling a little apoplectic myself.