HBO's True Detective - Part 2

[Fallen Angel]

And and I'd like to nominate Jessica Chastain for season 3. She was in the running for season 2 before Rachel McAdams was cast.

 

[BatmanBeyond]

Welp, that was rather depressing, to say the least.

Well, at least James Frain, who plays the crooked cop who nails both Woodrugh and Ray, gets his due in 2002's The Count of Monte Cristo, so I guess I have that.

But yeah, kind of don't know how to feel about that ending. I have enjoyed this season and I did like the fact that out of the 3 detectives, Ani made it out, harkening back to David Morse's line in the previous episode about her innocence. I knew the deal Frank made with the Mexicans a few episodes ago would come back to bite him in the ass, considering they were the one element he decided to seemingly overlook when it came to his escape plan. And yeah, it all went too smoothly with how him and Ray easily took down Osip and the other dude.

I don't really want to compare this to season 1, because everyone's doing that and with good reason to some extent, but I couldn't help but feel that, whereas Marty and Rust earned their cathartic ending and indeed, were good guys at heart, the characters this season, especially Ray and Frank, were too deep in **** to make it out alive, much more classically noir in that sense, I'd say. They reaped what they sowed, as the old saying goes.

This again, to me, ties into how Ani and Jordan were the ones to escape, them being the only characters with some semblance of innocence in the story. You could argue Woodrugh kind of was as well, but he did make the choice to get involved in the whole mess, so in hindsight, he kind of comes across as one of the 'innocents' caught in the crossfire of it all. Which is rather ironic, considering he's a former soldier and all.

But yeah, overall, enjoyed this season. There's many of the same things which got me hooked on season 1 woven throughout this season's story imo, even though it doesn't deliver as emphatically, perhaps.

 

[Pickleweasel]

I don't even really know what was going on to be honest

 

[Uptown Finest]

I really want Viola Davis after seeing her Amanda Waller performance in Suicide Squad. But yeah, I hope we get more racial diversity in the upcoming cast of Season 3 if it exists.

Yeah more diversity would be cool. Something like Micheal B. Jordan and Jake Gyllenhaal for detectives.

 

[JtheDreamer]

So sad to see this season end, but happy knowing this anthology is in great hands with the Pizza man. I really enjoyed the last 4 episodes in particular - plenty of captivating moments and all the eccentric characters. Really gonna miss the girl playing creepy songs in the bar. The best part was this show kept challenging me to re-watch episodes to try and pick up on things I missed.

I must say though, I'm looking forward to not having to read anymore trolls on my Facebook who didn't get this season and who don't know how to remove their lips from Rust Cole's "flat circle".

 

[Schlosser85]

Well, at least James Frain, who plays the crooked cop who nails both Woodrugh and Ray, gets his due in 2002's The Count of Monte Cristo, so I guess I have that.

True Blood Season 3 he got shot with a wooden bullet and went splat.

 

[Tyrell Wellick]

pretty depressing ending. i wished a better ending for ray, frank...but it was clear that this was going to end like this..

 

[flickchick85]

I liked Ray and Ani, and their interactions were easily the highlight of the season, imo, but overall this season just didn't do it for me. Oh well, that's the nice thing about the nature of this show - fresh start next season, so I look forward to seeing what they come up with next.

 

[Dyson]

The more I think about it, the more I want to see some big shake-ups in a third season.

- I think a non-typical location would be best, much like season one. Instead of the south, I would like to see a new season in New England, preferably around Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.

- Yes, back to only two detectives, but I do think an older veteran detective (I would like to see a female here) teaming with a young, hotshot detective could make a great duo. To help lure back interest in a third season, getting a talented older actor and a talented up and coming actor would be terrific.

- The audience should follow the detectives on the case, yes, but maybe we can follow the killer on his or her journey. Let’s know who the killer (maybe killers) are from episode one. That mixes up the story structure from the other seasons. Hiring a strong actor (and I suggest someone unusual) for the role of the killer would go a long way.

- I think there needs to be some weird story elements and moments to a new season. Speaking of story, while most disliked the complex plot of season two, season three’s plot should be more simple and straightforward. Of course, there should be some complex moments but overall, the story should be simpler. Also, I feel the case would benefit around a murder of someone in law enforcement. Maybe it could be someone that one of the detective’s knew personally.

- One director for all 8 episodes, a really great DOP, shoot on film instead of digital and in terms of Nic Pizzolatto, while I think he should develop the whole overall story, I feel he should bring in two or three writers to help craft each teleplay. Outside voices could be a brilliant move for a third season.

 

[Smilodon]

In terms of having one director though, I feel like Cary Joji Fukunaga was like lightning in a bottle. It might be really hard to find someone to take on such a workload. Hell, I think even Pizzolatto was writing the last few episodes as they were filming. But Fukunaga mentioned how they'd be prepping and location scouting and doing all these things at once, and though bringing a singular vision to something is really cool, not everyone is as efficient as Steven Soderbergh on The Knick. Or would they even be able to bring a singular and unique vision to TD?

Pizzolatto had help this season though and I think as a showrunner it might be more efficient to have a writers room, but we'll see how much supreme creative control he wants to maintain.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I think the biggest reason as to why Pizzolatto didn't do two leads was because he didn't want to repeat the buddy cop formula of the first season which I can understand. It's easier now to want to go back to that but I respect Pizzolatto for trying something new in that moment of time even if the outcome didn't work for everybody. I don't know if he wants to repeat himself again or he comes up with another concept that doesn't feature two leads and can deliver in a way this season didn't for everybody.

The two leads still can work though. They don't necessarily have to be two detectives. It could be a Heat like situation where it focuses on a detective and a criminal and their lives. And it can be so much better than the movie. Pizzolatto is already a much better writer than Mann so he'd sell it.

 

[Kane52630]

He almost kinda did it with Frank and Ray. I was expecting the whole Heat situation during the first couple episodes.

 

[chamber-music]

I don't have a problem with not getting happy endings.

All the women survived and all the men died which was interesting I suppose.

 

[Tim_Riggins]

I think the biggest reason as to why Pizzolatto didn't do two leads was because he didn't want to repeat the buddy cop formula of the first season which I can understand. It's easier now to want to go back to that but I respect Pizzolatto for trying something new in that moment of time even if the outcome didn't work for everybody. I don't know if he wants to repeat himself again or he comes up with another concept that doesn't feature two leads and can deliver in a way this season didn't for everybody.

The two leads still can work though. They don't necessarily have to be two detectives. It could be a Heat like situation where it focuses on a detective and a criminal and their lives. And it can be so much better than the movie. Pizzolatto is already a much better writer than Mann so he'd sell it.

He did say exactly that, that he didn't want to do the buddy cop formula again.

 

[Doctor Jones]

He almost kinda did it with Frank and Ray. I was expecting the whole Heat situation during the first couple episodes.

It just was really the fragile trust these two men had and it became by episode 6 or so these two guys are in a way and have always been friends in a sense.

But it'd be nice to have a straight up detective actively tracking down a criminal and his movements across a city. Maybe not even do a ****** location. Maybe a clean place like Pittsburgh or something.

 

[Dyson]

As much as I liked this season of "True Detective", I feel the overall story and characters would have been much better in a 400+ page fictional crime novel instead.

 

[TheBat812]

I'd love to see a solo detective story this time around, personally. Not that he wouldn't be involved with various people along the way, but there's something cool about an obsessive detective going it alone ala blade runner or Colombo. I don't think pizzolatto will want to go back to partners just yet, but anythings fair game, which is exciting.

 

[Uptown Finest]

I'd love to see a solo detective story this time around, personally. Not that he wouldn't be involved with various people along the way, but there's something cool about an obsessive detective going it alone ala blade runner or Colombo. I don't think pizzolatto will want to go back to partners just yet, but anythings fair game, which is exciting.

Yeah I like this story too. A detective hunting down a killer over the span of a decade and the mystery being will he finally catch him or not. Also the mystery can be about his own personal life.

 

[Eddie Dean]

I don't have a problem with not getting happy endings.

All the women survived and all the men died which was interesting I suppose.

Feminism!

 

[Golgo-13]

I liked the ending. It was a great contrast to season 1 where both leads, miraculously survived.

Did the paternity test state that Farrell's character was indeed the boys father…? And who was the mother of the baby that the women had at the very end.…?

 

[Doctor Jones]

I liked the ending. It was a great contrast to season 1 where both leads, miraculously survived.

Did the paternity test state that Farrell's character was indeed the boys father…? And who was the mother of the baby that the women had at the very end.…?

Yes. Ray is the biological father. And the baby at the end is Ani and Ray's child.

 

[Kane52630]

Dat foreshadowing:

Spoiler

 

[Kane52630]

 

[Resistance61513]

Dat foreshadowing:

Spoiler

Holy hell, that just made me appreciate the finale even more now.

Honestly, I loved this season. I love everyone who was cast and thought they did great characters. I'm a big fan of Michael Mann's "Miami Vice" so, seeing Colin with the long Sunny hair, great nostalgia. haha

I think this season got an underserved rep. People keep trying to compare it to season one and you know what, they're two different stories. I loved how dark and mysterious season one was but, I loved how much of a crime drama season 2 was.

I personally think the only real complaint comes down to the writing. I felt that the writer(s) of the second season were trying too hard to stay ahead of the audience. And want to know what, it worked. They definitely managed to. However, they definitely cheated. A lot. They gave the audience only small pieces of a larger puzzle. Of course we weren't going to figure it all out. The mystery wasn't hinted at or presented in a cohesive manner. When they did the reveals, they would always have pieces never given to us. That kind of annoyed me.

I know with today's writing it's hard to pull fast ones on the viewers. People, in a way, are more intelligent with their story viewing. They learn and adapt from other pieces of literatures/mediums and apply it to what they're seeing. I didn't particularly care for the bad cop who killed Woodrugh, you saw that twist immediately. I also didn't like how the killers only got like 45 seconds of screen time out of an eight hour show.

By the way, the girl who sings in the bar...her name is Lera Lynn. She is phenomenal. I've been listening to a lot of her music after being introduced to her through True Detective. I highly recommend checking out her music if you're looking for something new.

I'm excited for season 3. I commend them for trying something different and I hope they continue this trend.

 

[antsman41]

That's not foreshadowing, that's a blatant premonition.