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[Blader]

I've been liking Colin Farrell for most of the season anyway but I feel like his character/performance in this ep was leaps and bounds better than the first 4. Must have been that stache holding him back.

People actually like this whole "Lera Lynn croons sad songs while two characters do shady shit and talk cryptic at the bar" thing? It might work in a show that took itself less seriously and was less "real world gritty", but the thought of these four loosely connected people, all coincidentally meeting in the same bar, only on nights when Lera Lynn is playing, is hilarious to me.

What about it is meant to be a coincidence? Ray and Frank aren't randomly running into each other there, and it seems to be the only bar Ray goes to so why wouldn't he talk with Ani there?

 

[Choabac]

So the next episode should be directed by the Hardhome guy. Let's see what he can bring to the table.

 

[TTOOLL]

Colin is saving the show.

Spoiler

I hope he kills Franky =D

 

[DoktorEvil]

Well, Ani being demoted to evidence is (at least the TV version) how they reprimand you. Sounds like they are treating Paul as a hero and made him detective. Velcoro wasn't in charge of the op, so he quit. They explicitly talk about how nobody cares, and that disturbs them (at least Ani, I think).

So I wouldn't say there were no repercussions.

Paul in fraud is making him out to be a hero? The lawyer in the meeting with the celebrity made it a point to throw it back in Woodrugh's face that he was involved in the violent shootout.

I also thought Velcoro quit because of the corruption investigation.

 

[greyshark]

Paul in fraud is making him out to be a hero? The lawyer in the meeting with the celebrity made it a point to throw it back in Woodrugh's face that he was involved in the violent

I also thought Velcoro quit because of the corruption investigation.

He quit because he needed money to fight the custody battle with his wife.

 

[pantsmith]

People actually like this whole "Lera Lynn croons sad songs while two characters do shady shit and talk cryptic at the bar" thing? It might work in a show that took itself less seriously and was less "real world gritty", but the thought of these four loosely connected people, all coincidentally meeting in the same bar, only on nights when Lera Lynn is playing, is hilarious to me.

The bar feels like its lost out of time, almost comically implausible, and nearly as Lynchian as the near-death Elvis dream sequence. Reminds me of the "Bar of Broken Heroes" from Hotline Miami 2, where every main character is inexplicably hanging out somewhere beyond the boundaries of reality.

I honestly don't think the show is all that serious, anyways. I think the characters do, but the rest of everything is just so damn weird!

Part of why the show is working for me is because its like they took handfuls of mismatches ingredients – some neat actors, classic LA noire detective stories, some occult mysticism, vague philosophical ramblings, ridiculous dialogue, bizarre dream imagery, the violent underpinnings of the modern condition – crammed it all into the same blender and poured us a glass of the pulpy, mishapen whatever that came out. It's super rough around the edges, but there is nothing out there like it. I don't even know how to classify the genre this season falls into, aside from "weird" or "dreamy".

I get why people don't like it, or aren't feeling it, but the last thing I'm doing is comparing it to season one and maybe thats key.

 

[DoktorEvil]

He quit because he needed money to fight the custody battle with his wife.

I thought he was getting paid well for feeding info to Frank. Being Franks hired gun is paying him more?

 

[Straight Edge]

What goes on in the shack that they found?

 

[exfixate]

What goes on in the shack that they found?

I'm going to guess extreme musical chairs.

 

[Mr. Saturn]

What goes on in the shack that they found?

I'm guessing torture and possible murder? That shack they found with the blood, there's no way that's where Casper was murdered right? He was murdered in the same house Velcoro was shot in correct?

 

[Mr. Saturn]

I am puzzled at the "excellent/amazing episode" comments. This episode was much better than the last ones but is still anchored in characters saying stupid shit and taking it so seriously the whole time.

People actually like this whole "Lera Lynn croons sad songs while two characters do shady shit and talk cryptic at the bar" thing? It might work in a show that took itself less seriously and was less "real world gritty", but the thought of these four loosely connected people, all coincidentally meeting in the same bar, only on nights when Lera Lynn is playing, is hilarious to me.

Huh? What makes you think the characters are meeting randomly in the same bar? Frank and Ray meeting makes sense since they go way back and Ray has been doing work for Frank for a while now. McAdams character and Ray saw each other in the bar to discuss the case, I'm not seeing the coincidence here? I don't even know if Woodrough has been to that same bar?

 

[Anton Sugar]

What about it is meant to be a coincidence? Ray and Frank aren't randomly running into each other there, and it seems to be the only bar Ray goes to so why wouldn't he talk with Ani there?

I guess Lera Lynn is the only performer who plays there and she plays every night. Them meeting in the same bar isn't that much of a stretch, but to have her singing super sad songs every time.

It's like in Screenwriting 101 when you're told you're given 1 or 2 "buys". As an audience member, I can buy that they want to meet in the same bar because Ray is the constant (right, Woodrugh hasn't been there, my mistake). But to have Lera Lynn there, every single time? Nah.

The bar feels like its lost out of time, almost comically implausible, and nearly as Lynchian as the near-death Elvis dream sequence. Reminds me of the "Bar of Broken Heroes" from Hotline Miami 2, where every main character is inexplicably hanging out somewhere beyond the boundaries of reality.

I honestly don't think the show is all that serious, anyways. I think the characters do, but the rest of everything is just so damn weird!

Part of why the show is working for me is because its like they took handfuls of mismatches ingredients – some neat actors, classic LA noire detective stories, some occult mysticism, vague philosophical ramblings, ridiculous dialogue, bizarre dream imagery, the violent underpinnings of the modern condition – crammed it all into the same blender and poured us a glass of the pulpy, mishapen whatever that came out. It's super rough around the edges, but there is nothing out there like it. I don't even know how to classify the genre this season falls into, aside from "weird" or "dreamy".

It's a misfire for me, because it's so plain that they're trying to go for a Lynch feel but it just doesn't work for me. It's like they watched a bunch of his movies/Twin Peaks and made a bulleted list of Weird Stuff and then just tried to inject that into a modern LA noire story.

The show's attempt to be "Weird" or "dreamy" has been far less successful for me than for you.

 

[greyshark]

I thought he was getting paid well for feeding info to Frank. Being Franks hired gun is paying him more?

Frank made that offer to him (in the previous episode I think) - something to the effect of "clean yourself up and you can be very useful to me". I believe he is being paid more working directly for Frank.

I'm guessing torture and possible murder? That shack they found with the blood, there's no way that's where Casper was murdered right? He was murdered in the same house Velcoro was shot in correct?

It looked to me like they were implying that this was where Casper was murdered. I don't think we ever got confirmation that they definitively figured out where he was killed before he was put in the car. I don't understand why the killers wouldn't clean up the mess though.

 

[br3wnor]

Best episode of the season so far. Season 1 didn't really pick up until Episode 3 for me so this one is lagging a bit in that respect, but I expect the last 3 episodes should be pretty good.

Farrel has really been awesome, him and McAdams are by far the best parts of the show. Vaughn is getting better with each episode for me, I don't cringe every time he's on screen now like I did the first 2 episodes. Friday Night Lights guy I'm ambivalent about, doesn't add much to the cast but maybe he'll have an entertaining final arc.

Biggest problem I think w/ this show I think is the lack of a cohesive director. Vince Gilligan made Breaking Bad work with different directors because he was an extremely strong show-runner and that was apparent from week to week. Unless you looked at the IMDB, you'd never have guessed there were so many different directors on that show. Pizza man I don't think has that ability or vision and you can tell from this season. This episode was elevated I believe in large part because of the direction, it had a different feel and vibe from the first 4. The first season was such a tightly wound package and that's largely because of having 1 director for the whole thing. I really hope season 3 goes back to a 1 director set-up because it really helps a show like this.

I'm genuinely excited to watch this each Sunday night so that's all I can really ask for. Nowhere near Season 1 but people really gotta stop trying to compare it to that masterwork.

 

[Dick Justice]

Colin Firth is a fantastic actor

I've been liking Colin Farrell for most of the season anyway but I feel like his character/performance in this ep was leaps and bounds better than the first 4. Must have been that stache holding him back.

Probably because his character is being given more to do now beyond looking depressed and making children cry.

 

[giga]

Catching up, I'm on episode 3, and I'm really enjoying it even if much of my suspicious were confirmed, for better or worse. Namely a huge part of the first season's identity and charm is the combination of Harrelson and McConaughey, their characters and their journey. And from the start season two was doomed to be compared. Either it would foolishly attempt to replicate these characters again and inevitably never live up to the originals. Or it'd have to work with a clean template, which it has, inevitably losing that major component of the first season. It's a lose/lose scenario, to a degree.

That being said I love the themes of sexuality and perversion underlining this season so far, and how that differs from the first. Colin Firth is a fantastic actor and McAdams is great too.

Really the only seriously weak link is Vaughn, and I fucking knew this would happen. You can see it right in the very first scene in the very first episode. Dude just can't fucking act anything other than Vince Vaughn as Vince Vaughn always has been. As soon as the script or scene teeters out of his comfort zone he becomes wooden and unconvincing. I have no beef with his character arc so far (and am honestly surprised people are complaining about his wife's acting), but he's a terrible miscasting in my opinion.

So yeah, three episodes in, lacks the impact of the first season and nothing approaches the dynamic of Harrelson and McConaughey, but I felt it was always going to be that way. It still feels stylistically like True Detective to differ it from other cop dramas. It's still deeply personal over the case itself (which was the same for the first season). I just hope the pieces come together.

I'm not 100%, but I think I liked his performance in a single man more than the Kings speech.

 

[labx]

So anyone thinks that HBO is going to cancel the show after this season... I'm starting to listen the hot feeling I got in the back of my head and its tell me that this is the last TD season.

 

[Van Owen]

So anyone thinks that HBO is going to cancel the show after this season... I'm starting to listen the hot feeling I got in the back of my head and its tell me that this is the last TD season.

No way. I don't think ratings are that bad and they'll still get a third based on goodwill from season 1.

 

[Anton Sugar]

No way. I don't think ratings are that bad and they'll still get a third based on goodwill from season 1.

Yeah. More likely there will be a production shake-up...but I don't know how much "power" Pizza has, in terms of how the series is managed.

Given that the writing is getting the brunt of the criticism (VV casting is the next, I'd wager), I'd be shocked if they stuck to what produced this season.

 

[AlphaSnake]

That was the first really decent episode of the season, for sure. I liked it a lot.

 

[lastflowers]

Now that I've brought TD down a few notches in my expectations meter, this latest episode was quite nice. The dialogue is still as stilted as ever, and someone's mention of Justified rings pretty true. Justified did a lot better job with the 'word-of-the-day' business that PizzaDuder can't quite comprehend. Admittedly, that show is a lot lighter than TD is attempting to portray. VV's been just absolutely horrible. At least Kitsch, Farrel, and McAdams can act their way out of the dialogue--VV and his wife seem to revel in the shitty writing

 

[Imm0rt4l]

Wrong thread

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Wrong thread

Time is a wrong thread

 

[Partition]

What's with that bartender girl with the scarred face? I feel like I'm they've explained a bit of her story already but I don't remember what

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

What's with that bartender girl with the scarred face? I feel like I'm they've explained a bit of her story already but I don't remember what

She's Ray's love interest.

 

[rtcn63]

So like, does this take place concurrently with season 1? Like, was Casper the guy who Russ stole the tapes from?

Okay, it's not bad. I'm really hoping they pull out a good twist to cancel out all this by-the-numbers shit.

 

[Jex]

This was the least worst episode of True Detective Season 2 but, despite some cosmetic changes the weaknesses which have dragged the story down since the opener remain in place.

Vince Vaughn's character arc continues to take up the majority of the episode compared to everyone else and very little of it is compelling. The dialogue is bad, the performance is questionable and yet it dominates the show squeezing out time that could be used more productively.

Kitsch's arc continues to be painfully forgettable and tiresomely predictable. In addition, I would imagine that as someone who has served in the army and has done considerable time overseas, he should be familiar with carrion birds and the smell of a blood. Instead, Ani is the one who has to point out things he should be picking up on.

I'd agree with the poster's who feel that this episode had more 'momentum' but I feel it's largely illusory. In terms of actually solving the case they've made very little progress and much of what's discussed here we've basically known/suspected for some time. So, you know, that's not good.

On top of that did anyone else feel that the editing of the conversations were rather awkward? So we cut away from Vaughn and his wife talking to a different scene and then cut back to the same conversation slightly further on? It just doesn't flow very well.

 

[ReturnOfTheRAT]

Colin is fantastic on this show. McAdams is fine. I don't have the problem with Vaugn and Reilly have. Kitsch is really bad. He can't convey the anger and/or confusion that his character requires. He was pitiful when screaming about the money in the bad that was stolen from him and again in the deposition with that bj actress. He's just not believable as the tortured soul.

And Colin is a Dodge Charger guy for life. AHHAA.

 

[AlphaSnake]

The fact that nobody can seemingly agree who's good and bad in this (acting wise) is pretty telling. The writing and directing is just downright disappointing overall.

 

[Sober]

I'd agree with the poster's who feel that this episode had more 'momentum' but I feel it's largely illusory. In terms of actually solving the case they've made very little progress and much of what's discussed here we've basically known/suspected for some time. So, you know, that's not good.

On top of that did anyone else feel that the editing of the conversations were rather awkward? So we cut away from Vaughn and his wife talking to a different scene and then cut back to the same conversation slightly further on? It just doesn't flow very well.

Well in regards to pacing, the formula of the show is really just stretching out a fairly uninteresting procedural case over 8 episodes, so yeah, there wasn't really much movement. Just reintroducing everyone following the time jump and where they are, and then putting the team back together. That was more than half the episode. The only real lead was the shack with the blood in it and maybe the plastic surgery thing and if you count Frank's guy running girls.

But most of them are just points, with very real connections made at all (the photo being one). I suspect they'll have to go into overdrive because most of the clues they handed out are just points with no lines on it and they all have to be connected eventually, because this is still a cop show at heart so they'll have to tie it all together soon.

Also yeah I found it odd with the conversations cutting back and forth for no real reason every few times.

Otherwise I mostly liked the episode if only because everyone got a bit of a change and it seemed much more enjoyable watching everyone claw their way back out of their shit rather than hover indefinitely. Even Frank which most people seem to hate.

 

[Bam Bam Baklava]

Only 3 episodes left of this disaster.

 

[julzillamilitia]

This series has had the most spectacular decline i have ever seen.

Dear Lord... I'm losing the will to live. It's burning slower than our sun's hydrogen reserves... It will be burning helium before the fucking plot thickens.

 

[StopMakingSense]

You know what it is? The shootout should have been, at most, the end of the second episode. There was so little movement in the first four episodes it was all set up for this later time period, but it was half the season.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

On top of that did anyone else feel that the editing of the conversations were rather awkward? So we cut away from Vaughn and his wife talking to a different scene and then cut back to the same conversation slightly further on? It just doesn't flow very well.

I'm willing to bet it was on the page like that, something that probably looked great on paper as a connective or juxtaposition element. The problem is that there's no spark to any of it from a direction standpoint, and the writing overall has no sense of itself so characters utter these crazy lines non-stop with no playfulness to the material which leaves the whole thing feeling stilted.

This season needed a voice who could cull and wrangle this thing top to bottom and keep it from getting out of hand while bolstering it with the visuals and atmosphere. The writing feels unchecked and is out there by itself with nothing else to mask the weaknesses, or make the good moments pop.

 

[Dick Justice]

The dialogue between Frank and his wife in the club was hilarious. Just two robots reciting faux-philosophical musings.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Colin is fantastic on this show. McAdams is fine. I don't have the problem with Vaugn and Reilly have. Kitsch is really bad. He can't convey the anger and/or confusion that his character requires. He was pitiful when screaming about the money in the bad that was stolen from him and again in the deposition with that bj actress. He's just not believable as the tortured soul.

Was that the first time it was revealed he was saving 20 grand, or was it shown earlier in the series?

You know what it is? The shootout should have been, at most, the end of the second episode. There was so little movement in the first four episodes it was all set up for this later time period, but it was half the season.

Yup. A little part of my brain keeps thinking "oh, they still have all season to work on this."

Nope.

 

[Kadayi]

No way. I don't think ratings are that bad and they'll still get a third based on goodwill from season 1.

TD is HBO, they don't have to chase ratings. It was never going to pull GoT numbers because that's a phenomenon, but I dare say it's holding it's own and doing OK. Plenty of chatter about it, even if it's not all good.

I'd be surprised if HBO pulled it. Being an anthology series it's a good vehicle for traditional movie actors like the Colin Farrell's of this world, who have a presence, but might not necessarily be a full on box office draw, TV is in many ways where it's at these days and TD has some cache to it.

If anything I suspect HBO might insist on rounding out the writing team versus letting Pizzolatto runs things solo. For the most part it worked out OK with the first series due to the number of characters involved, but the problems of having one writer and the issues of a lack of contrast in the voice of the characters is more apparent this season.

I don't think Season 2 is terrible. I'm enjoying it and I'm interested to see where it goes and who gets their come comeuppance. I also find Vince Vaughn is growing on me.

Also curious to know what Velcoro did with the doctor. Leaving that guy capable after having beaten him wicked like that could be problematic.

 

[thenexus6]

Missing the tache already, hope it comes back in the next episodes.

 

[The English Conquistador]

Does anyone recognize that awesome song in the club when Frank is looking around? Not coming up here or anywhere else just yet.

 

[dead souls]

Kitsch is really bad. He can't convey the anger and/or confusion that his character requires. He was pitiful when screaming about the money in the bad that was stolen from him and again in the deposition with that bj actress. He's just not believable as the tortured soul.

You want a good actor, but need a poisoned cooze.

 

[Goreomedy]

The dialogue between Frank and his wife in the club was hilarious. Just two robots reciting faux-philosophical musings.

Yes!

"Holy shit... it's like... high school drama class Mamet speak."

 

[Lunar FC]

Enjoyed this episode overall. At times it almost felt like this could of been the first epsiode of the season, but that might be due to how little it moved in the first four. Looking foward to next week.

 

[KingKong]

Several times a week I think "I'm feeling a little apoplectic myself" and laugh so the show must be doing something right

 

[Freedom = $1.05]

Several times a week I think "I'm feeling a little apoplectic myself" and laugh so the show must be doing something right

it happens to those with green and black auras surrounding the blue balls of their hearts.

 

[Einchy]

So like, does this take place concurrently with season 1? Like, was Casper the guy who Russ stole the tapes from?

Okay, it's not bad. I'm really hoping they pull out a good twist to cancel out all this by-the-numbers shit.

Nah, this has nothing to do with season 1.

 

[aku:jiki]

So much confusing, not at all thought-out writing on this show. How did Frank lose his house in just two months? Why would Paul hide 20 grand at his crazy alcoholic mother's trailer for four years? Strapping it to your face would be a better hiding place than a crazy person's home.

The fact that nobody can seemingly agree who's good and bad in this (acting wise) is pretty telling. The writing and directing is just downright disappointing overall.

Yeah, that scene this episode where Frank was supposed to intimidate Velcoro was the perfect example of a combination of both crap writing and direction. "Am I in confession?" delivered calmly while sitting down is absolutely not scary in the slightest. It needed to be either a better line or the director should've told Vaughn to fly off the handle, the combo of unthreatening line and unthreatening composure just did not work at all.

 

[lamaroo]

So anyone thinks that HBO is going to cancel the show after this season... I'm starting to listen the hot feeling I got in the back of my head and its tell me that this is the last TD season.

Nah, but Pizzalotto will probably get a reduced role.

At the very least they need to have a strong director who can play off Pizzaman, and challenge him when things aren't working.

Just looked up the guy who directed episode 4 and he's worked on a bunch of good shows, but he did direct one of the worst Game of Thrones episodes lol.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

I think that they forgot to create antagonists that were actually menacing in this show. This trying to recreate cinema noir thing or whatever they are doing is too film schooly for it's own good it's like they forget to make a compelling show.

 

[Kadayi]

Several times a week I think "I'm feeling a little apoplectic myself" and laugh so the show must be doing something right

A lots been made of Semyon's pronouncements but the way I figure it the guy has worked at educating himself in order to better himself.

I'm reminded somewhat of Peter Gabriel's 'Bigtime' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBAl9cchQac)

The place where I come from is a small town
They think so small, they use small words
But not me, I'm smarter than that,
I worked it out
I'll be stretching my mouth to let those big words come right out
I've had enough, I'm getting out
to the city, the big big city

 

[Daffy Duck]

That was a good episode, starting to get the ball rolling now.

Farrell is a damn good actor.