[HBO] True Detective

naednek · Post by **naednek** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:31 pm

ya pretty disjointed.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:36 pm

The dialogue sounds like it was written by a 9th grader who took one hour of college level philosophy.

Drazzil · Post by **Drazzil** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 2:43 pm

I liked it. It sets the table.

funnygirl · Post by **funnygirl** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 12:13 pm

Drazzil wrote:I liked it. It sets the table.

Well, they'd better plate up something good tonight or I'm out.

JSHAW · Post by **JSHAW** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 3:26 pm

You either "get it" or you don't.

I read an article last week that many people that loved last season just aren't getting it, or understanding the plot this year.

I understood the plot 100%. There's not just 2 screwed up people with issues on it this year, there's several people with issues on it this year.

Some people don't like story lines that jump around from past to present and then from present to past.
Doesn't bother me at all.

I guess it's just different strokes for different folks.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 4:29 pm

JSHAW wrote:You either "get it" or you don't.

I read an article last week that many people that loved last season just aren't getting it, or understanding the plot this year.

It's not that people don't understand the plot, it's that the show is just really badly written so far. As I said, the dialogue is friggin' horrible (example: "Never do anything out of hunger. Not even eating."), the heavy handed symbolism is juvenile (Yes, they really tinted the lens red for Colin's visit to the strip club where he figuratively sells his soul to Vaughn.), and the characters are two dimensional caricatures taken from a bad CSI episode (Young spoiled starlet? Check. Chick who shows up just for sex with a lead character? Check. I could go on, but I'm starting to chuckle while remembering the scene with Colin Farrell and his bullied kid.)

I'm annoyed by this season because the last one was amazing, and this one isn't even close so far. I miss the structure of the first season that had us wondering the entire time if Rusty (our narrator) was even telling the truth. But season 2 went back to an omniscient narration and it just isn't working with the jumps in time...or more appropriately, they're not skilled enough to make it work.

I wanted to love season 2 because season 1 was, as I said, amazing. But that premiere was so awful that I really don't think we're going to see lightning strike twice. It's not that I don't "get it", it's that I don't want it.

funnygirl · Post by **funnygirl** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 5:00 pm

hepcat wrote:
JSHAW wrote:You either "get it" or you don't.

I read an article last week that many people that loved last season just aren't getting it, or understanding the plot this year.
It's not that people don't understand the plot, it's that the show is just really badly written so far. As I said, the dialogue is friggin' horrible (example: "Never do anything out of hunger. Not even eating."), the heavy handed symbolism is juvenile (Yes, they really tinted the lens red for Colin's visit to the strip club where he figuratively sells his soul to Vaughn.), and the characters are two dimensional caricatures taken from a bad CSI episode (Young spoiled starlet? Check. Chick who shows up just for sex with a lead character? Check. I could go on, but I'm starting to chuckle while remembering the scene with Colin Farrell and his bullied kid.)

I'm annoyed by this season because the last one was amazing, and this one isn't even close so far. I miss the structure of the first season that had us wondering the entire time if Rusty (our narrator) was even telling the truth. But season 2 went back to an omniscient narration and it just isn't working with the jumps in time...or more appropriately, they're not skilled enough to make it work.

I wanted to love season 2 because season 1 was, as I said, amazing. But that premiere was so awful that I really don't think we're going to see lightening strike twice. It's not that I don't "get it", it's that I don't want it.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 5:23 pm

I think the loss of Fukunaga is showing.

KKBlue · Post by **KKBlue** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 8:58 pm

TOTALLY agree with hepcat!

As much as I want to stay tuned, there is a good chance next Sunday will be my last for this subpar second season. Unfortunately not even T-Bone's music choices can keep me watching.

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:26 am

Caught up last night. So far, it's been pretty disappointing. The story has been disjointed and hard to follow. The writing has been pretty bad. And the direction has just been annoying; how many times do we need to see shots of LA traffic? The ending of the 2nd episode means I'll be watching the next one, but if it doesn't start improving soon I'm not sure I'll make it through the full season.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:57 am

Regardless of our overall feelings on the show (I haven't given up all hope at this point, although I frequently pause during watching to make fun of something or ask my wife if some "deep thought" is going to be the next "time is a flat circle"), I'm hoping we can all agree that Rick Springfield was glorious.

Hamlet3145 · Post by **Hamlet3145** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:15 pm

That Vince Vaughn opening monologue at the beginning of the last episode had me giggling inappropriately.

I'm still watching, though, as there is barely anything else new airing now that seems interesting.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:36 pm

I think the second episode was a big improvement over the first (at least, the last 90 seconds of the second episode). My biggest problem with season 2 is that I can't get behind any of the characters. Last season, both main characters were seriously flawed individuals, but I still found myself pulling for them. This season, we have more central characters, and they are certainly all flawed, but I can't see myself rooting for any of them. Makes an already depressing and dark show even more difficult to watch.

Binktopia · Post by **Binktopia** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:39 pm

Its a show to watch, I hope it gets better. Not giving up just yet.

theohall · Post by **theohall** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:31 pm

It's a giant train wreck for darn near everyone and I want to see where it goes.

Yes, I could do with considerably fewer LA highway shots and fewer shots of the fact LA was essentially built out of a desert.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:34 am

Not all that impressed with episode 3 last night, either. Bummer

KKBlue · Post by **KKBlue** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 11:42 am

Binktopia wrote:Its a show to watch, I hope it gets better. Not giving up just yet.

Yeah... I don't think so. I had a similar dialog in my head and don't plan on much improvement. I am sure just about all of the episodes have been shot already so no changes to the script (writing) or actors swapped out. Really quite a shame the story and show is not more awesome. We are sad Sunday night TV isn't something to look forward to this month, on HBO.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 11:44 am

The opening was such a let-down. Maybe don't need this spoiler, but since it just aired 13 hours ago...

Spoiler:

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 11:45 am

Yeah this season is really uninspired. Not awful, not bad enough to stop watching but a pale imitation of season 1.

We'll keep watching because it's HBO at 9:00 and we almost always watch HBO on Sundays at 9:00 but...meh.

Binktopia · Post by **Binktopia** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 11:48 am

I feel like they went from an awesome First Person POV narrative with 2 characters (and what great characters they were) to trying to be a Omnipresent narrator with 4 plus characters. Its like Stephen King suddenly trying to write like Niel Stephenson. Even Stephen King's non horror books are written in that King tone and style. I can pick up just about any Stephen King Book and know he wrote it. Instead of playing on the strengths of the last season they went a very,very different direction storytelling wise and it's not quite working.

JSHAW · Post by **JSHAW** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 12:58 pm

Zaxxon wrote:I think the loss of Fukunaga is showing.

The show's credits didn't lose him, still listed as an executive producer.

Regardless of all the negative comments, I love the show. I love dark and sleazy.

I think the ex-combat vet/motorcycle cop had a brokeback mountain episode while
over in iraq/afghanistan, and he's seriously in the closet.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 12:59 pm

JSHAW wrote:
Zaxxon wrote:I think the loss of Fukunaga is showing.
The show's credits didn't lose him, still listed as an executive producer.

He's an EP, but he actually directed every episode of season 1, and 0 episodes of season 2. It's a greatly reduced role.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 1:02 pm

Binktopia wrote: Its like Stephen King suddenly trying to write like Niel Stephenson. Even Stephen King's non horror books are written in that King tone and style. I can pick up just about any Stephen King Book and know he wrote it.

Here's a revealing interview with King from the 90's

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 1:26 pm

Binktopia wrote:I feel like they went from an awesome First Person POV narrative with 2 characters (and what great characters they were) to trying to be a Omnipresent narrator with 4 plus characters. Its like Stephen King suddenly trying to write like Niel Stephenson.

To me it feels like going straight from "Snow Crash" to "Anathem"

I couldn't get more than 50 pages into the latter - SO. DULL.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 1:35 pm

Reminds me of trying to read Memory, Sorrow and Thorn in HS. My friend told me that I had to get past the first 200 pages before it got good. He was right, but that's a long way to go before the story starts being interesting.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:37 pm

Well, at least that episode didn't end with Lera Lynn trying to do an impression of Julee Cruise, and failing miserably...and painfully.

But I think I'm out anyway. 3 episodes in is way too soon for a fake out death. Plus, that's about what...the 9th Twin Peaks inspired dream sequence? We get it, Pizzolatto, you admire David Lynch. But trying to be David Lynch only works if you have a commiserate amount of talent.

I will say that Vince Vaughn has been somewhat interesting...even if the dialog they give him is rancid.

My least favorite part is the closeted cop. Did they just write that character after reading a Hollywood handbook on cliches?

Christ, this season was a train wreck.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 4:08 pm

Dunno, I'm just not finding Vaugh's character compelling. It's like he's just phoning it in home and sleepwalking his way through it, and as such as can't quite believe the character as being capable of being deep into crime. He just has no enthusiasm. I find him to be the least interesting character of them all, and that's not really saying much. I actually find Rachel McAdams to be the best thing about this season. She's playing a radically different role than what she's normally used to playing. But overall, it's treading water at this point.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 4:22 pm

I honestly agree with everything you said about Vaughn. But for some reason, I found him interesting in spite of all that. I don't know what it is. He just seems so detached throughout all this that when he does focus on something that has angered him, it makes it all the more ominous to me.

As for McAdams, I just feel like she's going through the standard procedure for getting juicier roles in Hollywood. Her performance feels insincere to me. It takes more than just showing up on a set without makeup to erase your history as a rom com star. You really need to get a role that pushes the envelope....and this ain't that role.

SlapBone · Post by **SlapBone** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 6:49 pm

1. He dropped the weird fiction angle which by default dropped the only source of inspiration he had for the first season or should I say his source of plagiarism. I think we can sort of blame some of this suckage on the rabid fanbase of a somewhat obscure weird fiction author.

2. The problem with ripping off David Lynch is that David Lynch doesn't even do David Lynch that well all of the time.

3. Season 1 was a fluke. It had Woody and Matthew and it had a director perfectly suited to pulling off the dark southern Gothic feel. The kicker was the Ligotti dialogue and the Chambers imagery. Not knowing anything about season 1 before I went in, I was quite surprised at the almost perfect blending of two of my favorite fiction genres (Southern Gothic and the more subtle style of Weird Fiction). It all just worked.

The one hope I have for season 2 is that Friedkin is more involved than we know and can spin up some of his magic.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 7:07 pm

hepcat wrote: As for McAdams, I just feel like she's going through the standard procedure for getting juicier roles in Hollywood. Her performance feels insincere to me. It takes more than just showing up on a set without makeup to erase your history as a rom com star. You really need to get a role that pushes the envelope....and this ain't that role.

Yeah, I do agree. I mean, even while I still think she's the best thing going for it, there's still something odd and off about it, which might be down to the writing.

JSHAW · Post by **JSHAW** » Wed Jul 08, 2015 7:33 pm

The one thing that kept me watching season 1 was to find out who the creepy killer was.

At times season one was slow like a mule stuck in molasses, but there were things that kept
me watching.

Same goes for season 2.

I keep watching because I want to know who the creepy killer is. I have an idea who I think it is,
will wait to see if I'm right or not.

KKBlue · Post by **KKBlue** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 10:36 pm

So, my husband and I are attempting to do sit-ups while doing unintentional "humans from Wall-e" impersonations, he yells out loud, "This is worse than True Dective!"

Binktopia · Post by **Binktopia** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 11:12 pm

So, just watched the latest episode and when it ended thought, okayyyyy.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 11:32 pm

So, that happened.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 1:06 am

Wow. I was not expecting tonight's episode to end like that.

Spoiler:

JSHAW · Post by **JSHAW** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 7:27 am

Kurth wrote:Wow. I was not expecting tonight's episode to end like that.

Spoiler:
Anyone want to hazard a guess as to the killed/wounded numbers? How about the number of rounds expended? That was unreal.

Spoiler:

KKBlue · Post by **KKBlue** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 10:20 am

The show ended the way I thought it would with me not turning in next Sunday.
True Detective is down one household's viewing.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:39 pm

So, in episode 5, Frank's wife asks, "Where's this all going?" Which pretty much sums up this season. It really feels like it's going nowhere. They spend so much time on Frank, but the problem is Vaugh really isn't a good enough actor to pull off the tough-guy routine, and the show feels like it grinds to a halt whenever he's on screen. He doesn't have much emotional range, as such he comes across stoned most of the time.

funnygirl · Post by **funnygirl** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:07 pm

Rumpy wrote:They spend so much time on Frank, but the problem is Vaugh really isn't a good enough actor to pull off the tough-guy routine, and the show feels like it grinds to a halt whenever he's on screen. He doesn't have much emotional range, as such he comes across stoned most of the time.

That is almost verbatim what I was thinking last night while watching. I think I'm out. I'll follow this thread if it keeps going and if things start looking up, I'll probably wait until the end and then catch up with it On Demand.

MHS · Post by **MHS** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 5:13 pm

I think I'll skip S2 since it sounds like it's pretty bad. We were late to the party on S1, just watched it over the weekend (I can't stand Woody Harrelson or Matt McConaughay, hence the delay).

I did have one question from S1; how on earth is it so overlooked that Rust has a conversation early on with the guy with the scars but completely didn't bat an eyelash? I tried telling myself that maybe he only saw one side of his face, but no, he looks at him full-face. I tried telling myself that he was totally focused on catching Ladou, so he just blanked out the scar thing, but that goes against everything he's portrayed as. It strikes me as a huge plot hole that could have been super easily avoided, given that landscapers frequently wear bandanas or masks over their lower faces when mowing.