True Detective

[Volband]

Future me could've warned me not to watch these episodes at night...

Anyway, the resemblances are not even hidden, many things are simply copy and pasted from S1, so through a very critical lense I could say many bad things about it, but I was very immersed with the exception of the 2015 scenes. I used those couple of seconds to alt tab out and other stuff in my browser to ease me out of this psychological terror.

Acting is great, number of pofanities are great, I believe we have seen two nipples as well already, so all we need now is some action, and we've got ourselves a True Detective season allright.

One thing I didn't quite understand was the Spoiler: hole on the wall. The cousin spied on the boy? The girl? Both of them?

[richardp]

One thing I didn't quite understand was the Spoiler: hole on the wall. The cousin spied on the boy? The girl? Both of them?

Spoiler: Yeah, because they stated that the cousin slept in the daughter's room while she slept on the couch. So the implication is that the cousin drilled the hole on the daughter's side of the wall (evidenced by the sawdust on the floor of the closet) to peep on the little boy. At least that's how I took it.

[Wretchedest]

Yeah I sort of feel like that's the thread they're leaving for later or like leaving glaringly untouched and it's hard to tell if they're being coy with the clue or if they genuinely think they've tricked the audience into focusing on other shit

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

Immersed the entire way through. The cinematography holding that grainy/gritty look that reminds me of the first season, the acting is top notch, and gives you that uncomfortable feeling. I find it a positive that it is a similar feeling to the first season, but S1 set a MUCH different tone in its first 15 minutes so I'm not really understanding the backlash for the similarities. It very much already feels like its own, with S2 just feeling like a talky drama.

[Volband]

As, I see. It was strange, because whenever detectives find a clue which is not explained on the spot for understandable reasons, they always talk about it later for the audience. "Do you think [person] did [the thing]?"

Immersed the entire way through. The cinematography holding that grainy/gritty look that reminds me of the first season, the acting is top notch, and gives you that uncomfortable feeling. I find it a positive that it is a similar feeling to the first season, but S1 set a MUCH different tone in its first 15 minutes so I'm not really understanding the backlash for the similarities. It very much already feels like its own, with S2 just feeling like a talky drama.

It's been a while I've seen S1, so there is no chance I can genuinly recall my feelings about its first 15 minutes, but the similarities are pretty glaring.

A detective is talking about a case he was involved in many years earlier to two other cops/detectives. The detective being interrogated is a strange fellow, who borders being smart and weird. This detective had a snarky, old-school, white partner, who found joy in titties, alcohol and beating people up. The case they were involved was about the disappearance of children, with possibly cult-like evidence surrounding their abduction. Our main protagonist seems to go crazy in the process.

Am I talking about Season 1 or Season 3 here? Tricky question, because it's both. They are not even hiding it, and I personally don't care as long as they keep this quality up. I don't want the story to fall off like i nthe second part of S1. Everyone praises S1, but to me, S2 was much better than the snoozefest of the second part of S1, not to mention the unsatisfying ending.

[Swykk]

I liked the first episode and then episode two was completely boring until the very end. It is a little too similar to season 1, which I think is the result of people bitching about the unfairly maligned season 2.

”Fine. I guess you guys want this again.”

I’m going to stick with it but damn that last episode barely kept my attention.

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

As, I see. It was strange, because whenever detectives find a clue which is not explained on the spot for understandable reasons, they always talk about it later for the audience. "Do you think [person] did [the thing]?"


It's been a while I've seen S1, so there is no chance I can genuinly recall my feelings about its first 15 minutes, but the similarities are pretty glaring.

A detective is talking about a case he was involved in many years earlier to two other cops/detectives. The detective being interrogated is a strange fellow, who borders being smart and weird. This detective had a snarky, old-school, white partner, who found joy in titties, alcohol and beating people up. The case they were involved was about the disappearance of children, with possibly cult-like evidence surrounding their abduction. Our main protagonist seems to go crazy in the process.

Am I talking about Season 1 or Season 3 here? Tricky question, because it's both. They are not even hiding it, and I personally don't care as long as they keep this quality up. I don't want the story to fall off like i nthe second part of S1. Everyone praises S1, but to me, S2 was much better than the snoozefest of the second part of S1, not to mention the unsatisfying ending.

Didn't need the entire rundown, but I see your point. I just have a different connection to this season and it's characters than I did from the first. The explanation of Cole and Wayne is a bit off because I don't see Wayne as a weird dude... He is just smart and can track really good? Cole was nihilistic and a bit nuts but I guess some similarities are there. I totally agree with the second half of the first season to be snoozey, with the second season's latter being pretty great and misunderstood. That scene with Vince in the desert is one of my favorite ever to hit the screen in awhile.

Quality seems to be pretty dam good so I hope that it continues as well. I think it's a bit too early to just write it off as a cut and paste version of the first season.

[Swykk]

Loved Vaughn’s performance (particularly THAT scene)!

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

Loved Vaughn’s performance (particularly THAT scene)!

I thought all of the performances were pretty great, but that scene still resonates with me; pretty powerful I might say.

[Wretchedest]

Both season 2 and season 3s issues seem to stem from Pizzolatto being too sensitive to criticism, I think

[neorev]

Hated... HATE... TED... season 2. What a bore. Season 1 was stellar from start to finish. I found season 2 uninteresting and the characters lacked the depth we got with season 1. Season 2 was probably the most disappointing follow up season to any show I've ever watched.

[Rdm]

Loved the first two episodes. I feel like wayne is the new Rustin and Roland is the new martin.

I also really disliked season 2

[Kodiak33]

Finally saw the first two episodes last night and thought it was excellent. This series really is it's own thing every season, I'm digging the story.

[Kodiak33]

Spoiler: Yeah, because they stated that the cousin slept in the daughter's room while she slept on the couch. So the implication is that the cousin drilled the hole on the daughter's side of the wall (evidenced by the sawdust on the floor of the closet) to peep on the little boy. At least that's how I took it.

Spoiler: Pretty sure he slept in the boy's room? The magazines were in there too...and therefore looking at the girl.

[richardp]

Spoiler: Pretty sure he slept in the boy's room? The magazines were in there too...and therefore looking at the girl.

Rewatched that scene and yeah you're right. I had it backwards. Forgot about the magazines.

[onthewall2983]

Loved Vaughn’s performance (particularly THAT scene)!

I am not a fan at all of his shtick or when he does stuff like Brawl In Cell Block 99. But I thought he was great in S2 and probably the character I empathized with the most. Yeah, he had maybe the worst line in the entirety of the series but I really got what he was going for and it kind of dragged me along when I'd otherwise probably drop out.

[Volband]

I'm sorry, but that what do i have to sacrifice, everything conversation was hilariously bad. It's borderline amateur fanfiction material.

That being said, this was probably my favorite episode, if I skim away the hype from episode 1. Half of the present day scenes I actually enjoyed, but this seeing ghosts stuff is... weird, and not in a good way. Very repetitive too.

[elevenism]

I was disaPpointed AF with season 2: there were great performances, but it was all over the place.

But I'm fucking LOVING this one. It's BAD ASS. I didn't know Dorff had that sort of acting range. I've been watching Ali since 4400, but I'm just realizing how skilled and versatile HE is. I mean, he does a great job at playing three different versions of his character in this thing.
And Grace Gummer is pretty badass in this, also showing a high level of versatility. I didn't even realize it was her at first. THAT'S good acting.

The multiple time period aspect COULD have been a mess, and, furthermore, such things usually kill shows. But I feel
as though this season of THIS show, is a fucking master class in said plot device, so far.

The cinematography is lovely.

And as for this season being "too much like season 1," well hell. It's a TV series. SHOULDN'T it be similar ? I'm fucking LOVING the parallels and callbacks to the first season; it's what I wanted season 2 to be. ALSO, season 1 was FIVE years ago (which is frightening.) So even if it IS too similar, in some ways, for some people, it's not as though they're redoing something they JUST did. But yeah. As for me, I fucking LOVE the elements shared between S1 and S3. In fact, I REALLY hope the stories tie together, and not just thematically. Like, I hope one character from S3, perhaps, was abducted by the group from S1, for instance.

I know we're only three episodes in, but I expect this thing to really wind up being great, and It's my favorite thing on tv right now.

[neorev]

Four episodes in, I can say that it's better than season two, but it doesn't take much to top that crappy second season. It's still not nearly as good as season one. The show feels like it lacks momentum. Four episodes in and it still feels like it is plodding along in a convoluted way. The one thing missing so far is the back and forth Hart and Cohle had. Their interesting conversations with deeper meanings. Hays and West just don't have that, which keeps me from being invested in their story. I don't have that connection like I had with Hart and Cohle. They're definitely trying to recreate the first season's vibe and structure, which makes it even more glaring Hays and West are no Cohle and Hart.

[onthewall2983]

HBO put up the 5th episode to stream tonight, presumably because of the big game

[Swykk]

After four largely boring True Detective season 3 episodes, we finally get a solid hook in episode five. Oh, did we ever!

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

The first two episodes were great, the last two have been incredibly mediocre.

[neorev]

This season has been a boring, meandering mess. I have absolutely no connection to either of the main characters.

[Wretchedest]

Wow I'm surprised so many don't like it. I think it's at least as good as the first season. The acting is awesome the writing is even better. I like this one a lot

[Kodiak33]

Wow I'm surprised so many don't like it. I think it's at least as good as the first season. The acting is awesome the writing is even better. I like this one a lot

I think it's great too. S1 was it's own thing, as is this one. I think people are only complaining about the characters because they don't do much backstory on West, which is fine with me.

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

Ok... I wound up re-watching this from the beginning since some things for me got a bit misconstrued from all the timeline jumping; I needed a refresher. I must say, everyone in the media was talking about Mahershala's performance, meanwhile Stephen Dorff has been off the charts here, especially in this past episode where they meet up after not speaking for over 24 years. He plays the character very well, and they really are able to show both of their acting chops in all three timelines. I found it interesting when Wayne said everyone he knew was gone, but there is his partner still kicking after all this time.

Also, when Wayne comes across the backpack and having that realization that the thing was planted, I couldn't help but think... really?? No one noticed this? But when you think about it, Wayne and Roland weren't really treating their job to the highest regard with drinking and shooting rats all night, or being somewhat lackadaisical about it all before this case came to be. But even so, Wayne having to shoot Mr. Woodward and with what went down seemed to have shook him, so I can understand not seeing the backpack or realizing these little details at the time.. still, you can smell the guilt that is on all of these characters because they really dropped the ball on the case.

What I have also noticed, and a theory I was starting to conjure up last night was that Amelia is weird as fuck, and I think there is something there with her and the case than the show leads you to believe. Yes, she is curious about what is going on in the case due to her book, but she happens to bring it up at the most peculiar of times, and even brushes off when she is asked personal questions. Plus, when she finds out what Wayne did in the past, she is pretty shook about it.

The timeline jumps are necessary, and the story is a bit more cohesive when you re-watch it; cannot wait what the finale will bring.

[bobbie solo]

I'm really enjoying this season so far too. Agree about the backpack. That was kinda unbelievable.

Lotsa people speculating about Amelia's involvement on the internets. Could be a red herring, but they def. want us to consider her as more than just the wife and author of the famous book.

[Wretchedest]

Man I've heard the Amelia thing... It's neat but like... Can someone convince me? I'm not seeing it.


It just seems like it's that DA guy. Connected to some bigger thing with Hoyt farms. Just like in season 1 it's a broader conspiracy about the treatment of children, and he's the guy on TV Julie was a fraud of. And that Harris guy was killed for something trying to unearth the cover up about the back pack. Someone removed evidence from lock up!

To go with Amelia all of that has to work out in a different way, right?

[elevenism]

Man I've heard the Amelia thing... It's neat but like... Can someone convince me? I'm not seeing it.


It just seems like it's that DA guy. Connected to some bigger thing with Hoyt farms. Just like in season 1 it's a broader conspiracy about the treatment of children, and he's the guy on TV Julie was a fraud of. And that Harris guy was killed for something trying to unearth the cover up about the back pack. Someone removed evidence from lock up!

To go with Amelia all of that has to work out in a different way, right?

Dude, i can't CONVINCE you, nor have i heard the theory.
But the wife and i both have a feeling she was in on it. it's just a vibe.
Same with the kid's mom. We've been feeling this way since the get go.

Of course, both things could be red herrings. But it would be MAD interesting if they weren't

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

I came up with the theory after rewatching the series so far, and when you rewatch, her behavior is even more prominent. Of course, yes, evidence was missing and what not... but what made me turn my head was when Amelia said she pretended to be someone she wasn't two seperate times which would have made an alarm go off in my head if I were Wayne "This bitch is crazy". Sometimes Wayne's smarts just do not add up sometimes.. Or maybe he just isn't that sharp to begin with.